Best Calming Paste For Horses: Equine Calmer Supplements

By following this guide you'll be sure to choose the best calming paste for horses.

Even the calmest of horses will get agitated and stressed out in certain conditions. This could be prompted by a drastic change in routine, such as a move to another barn, traveling to a show, or a visit from the farrier or vet. When a horse is stressed, it becomes distracted, unpredictable and flighty which can cause it to act dangerously.

If the horse is highly stressed then for the safety of horse and handler, sometimes it may be necessary to give it horse calming supplements. Discover below everything you need to know about calming treatments.

What are Calming Supplements?

Horses are flight animals, which means that they'll always try their best to run away from threat or danger rather than confront it. If horses don't have the option to run away then they can become highly stressed. In this anxious state, they'll be mentally unfocused with erratic behavior and can be very difficult to control.

This is a very distressing state for horses to be in and is the reason why some people prefer to give their horse a calming paste or supplement. The best calming supplement for horses will use a mix of vitamins, minerals to calm and soothe the horse.

How Do Calming Supplements For Horses Work?

A horses stress response is stimulated by the central nervous system, so the best calming pastes are designed to work on this. They're administered through the horses' mouth and are quickly absorbed through the digestive system.

A calming paste can either be given as a single dose or as a long term dietary supplement for excessively stressed out horses. 

Do Equine Calmer Supplements Really Work?

Does giving a calming supplement to horses work? This all depends on the horse, the situation, and giving it the right type of calmer at the correct dose.

If the horse is exceptionally stressed and has an incorrect dose then potentially the paste may not work.

Also, some calmers may be more effective than others on your horse so it might be a case of trying out a few before you find the right one.

When used correctly, the best calming treatments can be a very effective and safe way to calm your horse down.

Is It Good to Use Calming Paste on Anxious Horses?

Overall, using a calming supplement when it’s needed is better for the horses' well being. A stressed horse is unpredictable and hard to control, making it a danger to its self as well as other horses, animals and humans.

Long term supplements can be a good way to teach anxious horses more relaxed behavior. They can also help anxious horses to remain mentally focused and calm.

How to Calm A Horse

Below are the best things that you can do to help calm nervous horses. You can use these techniques alongside a calming paste for the best calming effects.

1. Be Calm

When it comes to calming horses, you must remember that horses respect a calm and confident leader so when your horse is anxious, it’s best not to respond nervously or aggressively. This will only add to your horses' anxiety.

Try to stay relaxed and lead an example to your horse and use soothing techniques like a soft, singing voice and slow stroking. Make sure you don’t use confrontational body language such as staring or raising your arms as the horse may become more nervous.

2. Environmental Stress 

When it comes to finding the source of your horses' stress then you should take a good look at its environment. Is there anything in its pasture that might be causing it to worry? This could be farm animals in a neighboring field or a bullying herd mate.

A sudden change in routine, changing from summer to winter, for example, can cause a horse to become stressed. Heat stress in horses is also a real thing.

Horses love routine and following a regular care schedule is the best way to keep their stress levels to a minimum. 

3. Your Horses' Health

If your horse is constantly stressed out and anxious then its worth getting it checked by a vet to eliminate any health problems that could be causing pain and anxiety.

Often, gastric ulcers can be a cause of stressful behaviour in a horse. If the stress is coming from ulcers then you should address these specifically.

4. Diet 

When it comes to dealing with over-excited, easily distracted horses you should take a good look at their diet. Some horse breeds are more prone to stress than others and this hyper-alertness will often improve their performance.

If a highly strung horse is getting too much energy in its food, without burning it off then it's bound to become over-reactive and excited. Make sure that your horse isn’t getting too many calories, sugar and high energy food, especially if it’s not in work.

5. Long Term Supplements

If you’ve tried all of the points above and your horse is still suffering from anxiety then you should consider treating it with a long term calming horse supplement. You can place a daily calmer in your horses' food to help it to focus more, which helps with training, and overall it will become more comfortable in its environment.

It’s advisable to talk with your vet before giving your horse long term supplements.

Important Ingredients to Lookout For in Horse Calmer Supplements

So that you find only the best horse calming paste, you may want to check out the ingredients before you make your purchase. Below we've listed the main ingredients to look out for in supplements for anxious horses.

Calcium, Zinc & Magnesium

These are all thought to have a calming effect on the horses' nervous system. This is why you'll find them as ingredients in a lot of stress-reducing supplements.

L-Tryptophan

L-Tryptophan is an amino acid that will help to stimulate serotonin production and it’s commonly found in horse calmers. Serotonin is thought to improve mood, reduce fear and help to dramatically lower stress levels. 

Vitamin B6

Together with tryptophan, you’ll often find Vitamin B6 which will help to convert tryptophan into serotonin by increasing metabolism. Another common B Vitamin that you'll find in the ingredients list is B1, also known as thiamine. It's found in a lot in calmers because it's thought to help with concentration and reduce excitability. 

Chamomile & Valerian

Chamomile and Valerian are the most common herbal ingredients found in calmers. Both herbs can help to calm and soothe the horses' nervous system and reduce anxiety. Valerian is so powerful that it is banned in some competitive events. Avoid using Valerian if you’re competing or at least check with your riding association to see if it’s permitted first.

How to Choose the Best Calming Paste for Horses

To ensure that the horse calming paste works, you must choose one that best suits your horses' needs. Take a look at the points below so you know what you need to consider before buying one.

The Nature of Your Horse

If your horse is naturally easy-going and placid then you should choose milder, slower-acting calmers. If your horse is very highly strung and easily stressed out then choose stronger, faster-acting calmers with extra doses on hand if you need them. 

Ulcers

Stomach ulcers can also trigger anxiety in a horse, especially when it’s put in a stressful situation. Stress caused by gastric ulcers can be treated with soothing ulcer paste to reduce the pain and discomfort they can cause in the gut. Get your horse checked out by a vet if you think it has stomach ulcers and use a specific ulcer calming paste to help treat them.

Dosages

When it comes to dosing with calm supplements, you need to decide if you need treatment for a one-off event or if you're going to feed it to your horse each day. Fast-acting calmers are administered as a calming paste in a syringe whereas long term, slower-acting ones are given as pellets with food. 

Every calming paste or supplement will come with individual dosage guidelines that will usually relate to the size and weight of your horse. Always follow the instructions precisely to get the best effects. 

Horses Diet

Always choose a calming paste that’s compatible with your horses' diet for optimum effects. If your horse's diet is well supplemented with zinc and magnesium for example then avoid choosing calmers with these ingredients. If your horse is on medication then you should always check with your vet first before giving it a calming supplement. 

Reviews for The Best Horse Calming Supplements

There are many calming supplements on the market and it can be hard narrowing down the options to select the perfect one. To help you in this daunting task, we’ve reviewed six of our favorite calming pastes and their benefits below.

1. SynChill Calming Supplement for Horses

Mares have a reputation for sometimes being a little cranky and stressed out, especially around their breeding cycles. Mare Magic is a natural supplement, containing 100 per cent raspberry leaf and is the best horse calming supplement for mares. It has a general calming effect and also keeps them more focused at heat time.

It’s recommended that it’s fed as a daily calming supplement but the dosage may be increased for extra calming in stressful situations.

3. AniMed ViaCalm

This is a strong and effective calming paste from Farnam made with a combination of natural ingredients to help keep your horse calm. The paste contains valerian root extract amongst other active ingredients therefore you should check with your riding association before using it while competing.

This is a fast-acting syringe paste that will take effect after two hours and it won't make your horse drowsy. 

Conclusion

SynChill Calming Paste is a natural and effective calmer that has a reputation amongst horse owners for being the best calming supplement for horses. It’s a fast-acting, safe paste that your horse will find appetizing.

This calming paste will help to calm your horses in any situation, including traveling to competitions, as it doesn’t contain any banned substances. In our opinion, this is the best calmer for nervous horses currently available on the market.

You may have to try a few different ones before you find the best calming paste for horses. Always give a new calming supplement a trial run before depending on it in a real-life, stressful situation.

Overall, when used at the right dose, horse calming supplements can be a great way to soothe your horse when it’s in a state of distress.