Is your horse prone to becoming anxious, nervous or easily excitable? Then, they might benefit from calming supplements.
Have you thought about giving your horse calming supplements to help calm them down? Behavioural and calming supplements have gained popularity in the last few years, and for very good reasons.
Equine calming supplements can decrease anxiety levels in a horse. This allows your horse to start processing information more efficiently, especially during stressful and difficult situations. Today, many equestrians are assisting their horses in managing nervous energy and preparing them for the show ring with a range of high-quality calming supplements.
In today’s blog post, we will be discussing what calming supplements are, along with answers to some of the most frequently asked questions. Keep reading to learn more!
Should You Use A Calming Supplement For Your Horse?
Have you been thinking about how you can calm your horse down and make it relax more? Have you tried other methods previously without any success? If so, your horse might benefit from calming supplements- a horse that is anxious, inherently nervous, or has trouble focusing is a prime candidate.
Horse calming supplements can address imbalances in your horses system; however, they wont help with training issues. Before you start using calming supplements, you must first establish the root cause of the horse's overactive or anxious behaviour.
How Do Equine Calming Supplements Work?
The effectiveness of a horse calming supplement lies in a brief list of premium-quality, highly-researched ingredients that can help your horses nervous system function at optimal levels. These ingredients include:1). Magnesium
This is one of the main ingredients in most equine calming supplements. These essential nutrients play a role in many functions of the body. Some of these include maintaining the hormones responsible for the adrenaline response in horses. A magnesium deficiency can cause a horse to become anxious, nervous, and stressed.2). Thiamine
Thiamine, also known as Vitamin B1, is an essential vitamin that is directly involved in the release of energy in a horse. Numerous studies and research have proven that Vitamin B1 in large doses has calming effects on horses. in addition, since Thiamine is a water-soluble vitamin, any excess will be flushed quickly from the horse's system, which makes it safe to feed to your horse in higher doses.3). L-Tryptophan
L-tryptophan is an essential amino acid, meaning it needs to be supplied in the horse’s diet—the horse’s body alone cannot produce this amino acid. L-tryptophan produces serotonin, a central nervous system hormone and neurotransmitter that is considered an "anti-stress" hormone and can create feelings of relaxation and contentment.
Are Calming Supplements Safe For A Horse?
After choosing a reputable and well-researched brand, calming supplements are not only safe for your horse but also provide a range of positive benefits. Most ingredients found in high-quality equine supplements already occur naturally in a horse's body. These supplements are designed to balance essential minerals and vitamins in the horse's body, which is what promotes a calmer demeanour, relaxation, and attentiveness.
What Works Better, Calming powders, solutions Or a Calming Paste?
The calming supplement form that you choose will depend on how you plan to use it and the application. We suggest a powder or solution supplement if you want a product that you can use daily to manage anxiety.
A calming paste is a better option if you are looking for a supplement to assist your horse through a stressful situation, such as farrier visits, trailering, competition or even veterinarian visits.
Final Thoughts
Today there are many supplement brands for horses on the market, which is why it has become more critical than ever to ensure you have chosen a reliable brand that offers researched-backed products.
Equine America NZ is well-known for providing a wide range of trusted and proven premium horse supplements.
Please give us a call today at 0800 440 888 to learn more or leave an enquiry.
