The Best Horse Calming Supplement Options and When to Use Them

 

Calming supplements are a strange topic in the horse world. They have supporters and detractors, and they can easily be misused. You often see them in the latest horse scandal, as some famous show horse “popped positive” at a show for them. Aside from that, using a horse calming supplement can help many equine partners. And it’s important to remember that they are designed to help animals, not riders.

 

Table of contents

 

What are calming supplements?

Your horse’s needs, stress, and anxiety

Managing equine stress

Diet and horse behavior

When to use equine calming products – for horse shows and daily use

Top recommended supplements

Selection the best and reading labels – get your vet involved

FAQ

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It’s pretty easy to hide supplements with delicious treats.

 

What is a horse calming supplement?

 

• Horse supplements for calming are unique formulas that help a horse feel calmer and less stressed by working on their nervous system. They usually contain magnesium, B vitamins, and plants or herbs. Some include amino acids, the building blocks of protein.

 

• A note about all supplements: They are not regulated by the government, which means manufacturers may have a significant difference between what they say is in the product and what is actually in the product. Looking for supplements with science-based information is a great place to start to avoid snake oil. You may hear these diet additions called “nutraceuticals.”

 

• The ingredients, however, may be on a horse show organization’s list of prohibited or banned substances.

 

Horse supplements – calming, sedatives, tranquilizers, and anti-anxiety meds

Sedatives

 

• Sedatives are faster-acting and shorter-lasting prescription drugs that create sleepiness by reducing excitement. A horse is unaware of their surroundings, and any pain they feel should subside. You can unsafely assume that striking, biting, and fleeing reactions won’t happen, but they can. For shorter procedures, your vet would use sedatives like xylazine, detomidine, and romifidine. If you were wondering, those medications are Rompun, Dormosedan (also called Dorm), and SediVet.

 

Tranquilizers

 

• Tranquilizers are prescription drugs that reduce anxiety without sedation. Unlike sedatives, they do not relieve pain, and horses remain aware of their surroundings. They are similar to a “chill pill.”

 

• There are two types of tranquilizers: minor and major. Minor tranquilizers, such as diazepam (Valium), can be effective for anxious horses. Major tranquilizers are an option for horses that need to relax. They can be short-acting, like acepromazine, or longer-acting, like fluphenazine and reserpine.

 

• Horses on stall rest may be prescribed fluphenazine or reserpine to keep them quiet while healing.

 

Horses on stall rest benefit from slow feeders, a view, and sometimes medications. 

 

Anti-anxiety medications

 

• Prescription anti-anxiety medications work in the brain and alter how serotonin is processed. Prescription drugs like clomipramine (Clomicalm) and fluoxetine (Prozac) can be used in horses, but results may vary.

 

Calming supplements for horses

 

• These dietary additions are not FDA-approved and do not require a prescription. They typically need more time to work than sedatives, and many horses get them daily in their rations or as needed before significant or stressful events.

 

Understanding Your Horse’s Needs

 

• Horses, like humans, have a stress response governed by their nervous system. This response dictates their behavior in response to uncertainty or danger. As individuals, each horse will have different triggers and levels of response. When you fully understand your horse, you and your vet can best decide if adding some additional chill pills is helpful.

 

Recognizing signs of stress and anxiety in horses

 

• There are plenty of subtle and not-subtle signals of anxiety in horses. You might see or notice the following when your horse is facing something that is very obviously going to eat them:

 

• • • Pacing
    • Restlessness
    • Sweating
    • Heart rate is racing
    • No appetite or a decreased interest in food
    • Wide, alert eyes
    • A stiff neck and intense focus
    • Pawing
    • Cribbing
    • Weaving
    • Bucking
    • Spinning
    • Rearing
    • Snorting and blowing
    • Prancing with their tail over their back
    • Frequent pooping
    • Diarrhea

 

• You will notice that many of these signs overlap with a spook. Generally, anxious horses may seem “on edge” all the time, whereas a spook can be sudden, but the anxiety wanes when the threat is figured out.

 

This horse is showing subtle signs of stress in their face and neck. 

 

Environmental stressors and how to manage them

 

• Your horse’s lifestyle and environment can contribute to stress. These triggers may include:

 

• • • New surroundings or a new horse at the barn
    • Any routine change – including diet, turnout, and exercise
    • Horse shows
    • Travel
    • New noises, like construction
    • Traffic
    • Injury or illness
    • Stall rest
    • Fireworks or thunder

 

Read more about horse stress here.

 

Managing stress in horses

 

• To help a horse overcome stress, look at this situation holistically. What changes can you make to alleviate stress instantly, and what things can your horse acclimate to? What stressors can you prepare for and thus relieve your horse’s discomfort?

 

Immediate stress relief

 

• This might be instant pain management or sedation, moving a horse’s stall or paddock so they have a more appropriate neighbor, or using slow feeders to keep their bellies happy. Immediate stress relief can also include ear plugs for noise reduction and fly products to relieve the stress of continuous stomping and swishing.

 

Acclimate your horse to some things to relieve stressors.

 

• Any time you can use positive reinforcement training to build confidence, you gradually teach your horse to relax around previously excitable situations. This could be clipping, trailer loading, trail riding, or having their ears handled; the list is long here. Over time, your horse will relax about many previously scary things if you teach them with kindness.

 

Read more about rewards and training here.

 

 

Fireworks are a sure-fire way to stress out most horses. 

 

Long-term stress relief

 

• When looking at the big picture, many long-term solutions to stress have roots in short-term solutions.

 

• Pain management can include proper saddle fit, massage, or daily medications to help with arthritis. Simple lifestyle changes like more turnout or a different herd arrangement work instantly and continuously.

 

• The effects of kind training will also holistically change your horse’s outlook over time.

 

• Calming supplements can be a part of short and long-term solutions to stressful situations for your horse.

 

Stress help for mares

 

• Mares sometimes have a bad reputation for moodiness and crankiness. Can you blame them? Sometimes, your vet can prescribe medications or hormonal treatments to help your horse’s estrus cycle stay calm and comfortable. Calming supplements may help, too. Specifically, raspberry and chokeberry leaves may help your mare have a more comfortable estrus cycle.

 

Some options are here:

10/09/2024 09:43 pm GMT

 

Flax is inexpensive, delicious, and so helpful for horses in many ways, relaxation being one of them. 

 

The Impact of Diet on Horse Behavior – especially Omega fatty acids and the B-vitamins

 

• Can you feed your horse better to influence their behavior? Of course, you can. Appropriate nutrition is essential for a horse’s physical and mental health, and it’s not always about adding missing things – a balanced diet involves reducing excessive nutrients.

 

• Certain nutrients can directly impact their behavior, including B vitamins and fatty acids.

 

• • • B vitamins: B vitamins, particularly thiamine (vitamin B1), are crucial in nervous system function. A deficiency in B vitamins can lead to anxiety and nervousness in horses.

 

• • • Fatty acids: Omega-3 fatty acids, such as those found in flaxseed or fish oil, have been associated with improved brain function and reduced anxiety in horses. Omega-3s need to outnumber the Omega-6s, but they need to be supplemented.

 

• • • Gut health: A healthy gut is essential for a horse’s overall well-being. Imbalances in the gut microbiome can contribute to behavioral issues and may lead to colic and laminitis. Probiotics and prebiotics can help support a healthy gut and more level behaviors.

 

• By ensuring a horse’s diet is balanced and provides the necessary nutrients, you can help support their behavioral health and reduce stress and anxiety. The other facet of this is slow feeding!

 

Read more about flax here.

And try this one for your horse:

 

When to Consider Supplements for Calmness

 

• First things first – have you checked all of these boxes: 

• • • Adjusted saddle fit?
    • Checked and treated for ulcers?
    • Has your vet completed a lameness exam – including the spine, neck, and pelvis?
    • Are you appropriately mounted?
    • Have you provided your horse with safe and kind experiences during training?
    • Acclimatized your horse to trailering and new environments with positive reinforcement?
    • Provided maximum turnout and horse interactions?
    • Used slow feeders for both forage and feeds?
    • Examine your horse’s diet with expert help.

 

A more natural lifestyle like pasture living and herd buddies is best to reduce stress. 

 

• In certain situations, it may be beneficial to consider using calming supplements for your horse to increase safety and make an experience more pleasant. These supplements can help support a horse’s normal hormone levels and nervous system, promoting a sense of calm and relaxation.

 

• • • High-stress situations: Calming supplements can be helpful in high-stress situations such as competitions, trailering, vet visits, or farrier work.
  •  
    • Generalized anxiety: If your horse tends to be naturally nervous or anxious, calming supplements can provide additional support to help them remain calm and focused.
  •  
    • Behavioral issues: If your horse exhibits behavioral issues such as spooking, bucking, or excessive nervousness, calming supplements may help address these issues and promote a more relaxed demeanor, although take all of these expressions as a sign of another problem, hence the checklist above.

 

• Working with your vet is the best place to start before changing diets or routines or adding calming ingredients.

 

Preparing for shows

 

• Imagine that your boxes are checked, and you and your vet have found the best calming aid. Now you are headed to a show – but can you keep feeding it? It depends on the show organization and their banned and prohibited substance list. 

 

• By understanding the rules and regulations and working closely with your veterinarian, you can effectively manage your horse’s stress and ensure a successful competition experience. Note that substances and medications have a withdrawal time, which is the time it takes for the substance to clear your horse’s system and adhere to drug rules.

 

For the USEF drugs and medications information, read this. 

For AQHA, read this.

 

Horse shows are stressful places. 

 

Top Recommended Equine Calming Products – Pellets, Gels, Paste, and More

 

• Several calming supplements are available, but some of the top-recommended options include magnesium, thiamine, and herbal solutions. These supplements have been shown to have calming effects on horses and can help promote relaxation and reduce stress and anxiety.

 

• • • Magnesium: Magnesium is an essential mineral that plays a crucial role in the nervous system and muscle function. Supplementing with magnesium can help reduce excitability and promote a more calm and relaxed demeanor in horses. If a horse has too much zinc, or another inversly correlated ingredient, in the diet, magnesium levels can be too low.

 

• • • Tryptophan helps produce serotonin in the brain, which helps transmit signals between nerve cells. As an essential amino acid, it helps make proteins and is usually low in plants and hay.

 

• • • Herbal solutions: Various herbs, such as valerian root and chamomile, have been used for their calming properties in horses. These herbal solutions can help promote relaxation and reduce stress and anxiety.

 

• • • Thiamine: Thiamine, also known as vitamin B1, is involved in nerve transmission and metabolism and can calm horses. Anxious horses or those with digestive issues may not make enough thiamine, so supplementing can be helpful.

 

Magnesium-Based Supplements for Nervous Tension

 

• Magnesium blocks calcium channels in the body, which causes blood vessels to dialate and overall relaxation. Magnesium also works in the brain to reduce cortisol, the stress hormone, thus producing tranquility.

 

• Horses deficient in magnesium can be anxious and skittish, and magnesium can temper this. If a horse has the proper magnesium in their diet and is still anxious, more magnesium may not necessarily work.

 

Here are some popular products you have likely seen around:

10/09/2024 09:18 pm GMT

 

Dietary supplements are often easier to mix than to give from a tube. 

 

L-Tryptophan for stress reduction

 

• Serotonin is made in the brain, and L-tryptophan is an essential amino acid and key ingredient. Higher serotonin levels mean more composure. There is evidence that tryptophan can increase excitability in some creatures, so you may need to experiment. Overall, there’s not much research on this for horses.

 

Here are some options if you are interested:

10/09/2024 09:12 pm GMT

 

Herbal solutions: valerian root and chamomile

 

• Herbal solutions such as valerian root and chamomile have long been used for their calming properties in horses. Valerian root breaks down enzymes that inhibit GABA in the brain, which increases GABA levels, creating a sedated effect. Chamomile has long been used as a sleep aid.

 

• If you show, know that show organizations have herbs on their banned substance list.

 

Here are a couple of options:

10/09/2024 09:29 pm GMT

 

 

B Vitamins for energy balance

 

• Thiamine (vitamin B1) is essential for in the nervous system for nerve transmission, and thus it can have a calming effect on horses. Most often, sport horses in challenging fitness regimes benefit from B-1 supplementation. You can use supplements or brewer’s yeast to boost thiamine levels if needed.

 

You could try these:

10/09/2024 09:23 pm GMT

 

Alpha-Casozepine (Zylkene) for anxiety help

 

• Alpha-capsazepine is known for its effectiveness in alleviating anxiety in horses and other animals and has been studied. Some science about this can be read here. 

 

Zylkene is available for horses, dogs, and cats and shows promise for your equine partner.

 

Ashwagandha for Overall Well-being

 

• Ashwagandha, known for its calming properties, supports overall well-being in horses. It’s also a wonderful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. There is also science behind using this in horses.

 

• Read this insightful and promising study about ashwagandha as a horse calming supplement here.

 

Supplement Selection Tips

 

• The first tip is to talk to your vet and equine nutritionist. They can help you balance your diet and provide appropriate doses. Many supplements and feeds contain harmful ingredients, and overlapping may lead to too much of a potentially beneficial thing.

 

• Then, of course, look at delivery options. How does your horse respond to tubes of meds? Do you prefer to feed pellets or powder? You may be experimenting with different ingredients to find the one that works best.

 

• Consider price, too, and whether your horse needs something daily or just in a pinch.

 

• You should “test-drive” various supplements at home before you use them for trailering or at horse shows to fully understand how your horse reacts.

 

• Double check with your show organization’s drug and medication rules, too.

 

Can a supplement help this horse?  Or is it time to go back to basic training and make sure their body is sound? 

 

Understanding Supplement Labels

 

• Understanding supplement labels is essential when selecting a horse calming supplement. Labels provide important information about the product’s dosage, ingredients, and administration guidelines.

 

• When reviewing supplement labels, consider the recommended dosage for your horse’s size and weight. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully to ensure your horse receives the appropriate amount of the supplement.

 

• The ingredient list on the label should provide a detailed breakdown of the ingredients and their quantities (usually in mg) in the supplement. Look for possible allergy triggers. When you know the amount of ingredients, you can also compare it to your horse’s other feeds. Your vet comes in handy for double-checking safety here.

 

• Additionally, check for any warnings or precautions listed on the label. This can include information about potential side effects, storage instructions, or specific usage recommendations.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

When should you give a horse calming supplement?

 

This will depend on your horse. Do they need one for daily activities like training, training, or showing, or do they benefit from overnight calming? Any brands may offer guidance on the best times to use. Also, be sure you can observe your horse’s reactions to any new dietary addition to determine if it is effective.

 

How long before a daily horse calming supplement takes effect?

 

The time it takes for a horse calming supplement to take effect will vary. Typically, oral calming agents take a few hours to affect your horse. Other options may take a few days or longer. If you use them for horse shows and trailering, it’s essential to test them at home to find the windows of calmness so that stressful events are mitigated.

 

Do horse calming supplements have any potential side effects?

 

Any horse feed or additive has the potential to have side effects. Dietary changes should proceed slowly; about two weeks is a good rule of thumb. Horses may have some loose manure or a change in appetite, and they may not want to eat their rations if the formula doesn’t taste good. Also, monitor for allergic reactions. How do horse calming supplements work to reduce anxiety in horses?

 

 

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