What are the Best Horse Calmers

When nervous and tense your instinct is to hold tight and draw your legs back causing us to raise our centre of gravity and tip our weight forward. In doing this we lose our anchor points and have more chance of falling off. It is important you stay level keeping your weight channelled through your seat and into your stirrups. Build on your confidence together with your horse by working in a controlled environment such as an arena, especially with a novice horse.

As with any behavioural concern, always rule out pain as a possible factor if you find that your horse is very spooky.

Horses are unable to tell us when they are in pain, so it is up to us to decipher their behaviour. If your horse starts suddenly acting out of character, chances are your horse is trying to tell you something is wrong. Anecdotally, ulcers, chiropractic issues, kissing spine, saddle fit, teeth, sinus problems, poor eyesight and so forth, have all been associated with spooking, so any change in behaviour should always be taken seriously. Always consult with your vet if you are concerned.

I touched on this earlier know your own horse. Remember each horse is different, so whilst one horse could respond well to certain training techniques, those techniques may not work on another. When you know your own horse, you will have a better understanding as to which training techniques will work for you both.

Most of the time horses just need the chance to look at something properly and figure it out, so firstly let them approach at their own pace, speak softly to them, and give them a reassuring pat or a scratch on their withers. Another option to build on their confidence is having a lead from another horse.

Some horses may need to be kept engaged having their minds on the job. You could use leg yielding and movements that circle them away naturally working in small areas until the horse becomes calm and relaxed.

Remember a well schooled, supple horse will always be easier to manage and it will help you to keep them engaged and focused.

Spooking is part of the horses natural ‘fight or flight’ stress response and if you are dealing with a horse that is genuinely afraid, patience is the best calming tool you have.

Remain calm and be patient encouraging your horse to face their fear comfortably and at their own pace. When you are training in an arena, circle them away and keep them working until they settle. Forcing them to confront the problem while they are stressed will only escalate into a full blown stress response which can be extremely dangerous.

Sometimes no matter what you do your horse will not settle, and the best thing to do is to take them away entirely, pick your battles very carefully. If possible, use a lead horse to set an example boosting your horse’s confidence.

Fighting a continuous battle with your horse does nothing but put you in danger and reinforces the negative behaviour for your horse. Whilst some horses are naturally more anxious, spooky, and tense, others exhibit such behaviours because of factors that cannot necessarily be controlled.

Can a horse calmer help?

The administration of calmers can be helpful in this situation, so how do they work?

Some horse calmers are fast acting mainly found in paste form administered straight into the horse’s mouth using a syringe. Whereas another horse calmer can take time to build up in the horse’s system, usually in a powder, pellet, or liquid form. They work by reducing stress, anxiety, providing focus and relaxation.

They may be a viable option for you if your horse is green and easily upset or you may be introducing them to a new environment. If your horse is continuously sharp and difficult, or they have become difficult with increased stabling during Winter. You are competing your horse where performance is poor because of spooking or sharpness.

Synovium offers several calming supplements for your horse from certified daily calmers such as Mgnium to our instant Calmingard syringes.