Last Updated on January 22, 2023
Horses are known for being beautiful, strong, powerful, and full of energy! Sometimes we need to tone that energy down, and for this, you need to choose the best calming paste for horses.
Working with horses is reliant on a good relationship between you and your horse, where you both understand what is required in every situation. However, some horses can get over-excited in certain circumstances, and often it can be safer for everyone involved (human and equine) to have a means of toning that energy down. Choosing the best calming paste for horses can help your horse stay level-headed in difficult situations, helping to keep you both safe and free from harm.
Some many natural calming pastes and supplements can be used to help keep horses at a predictable energy level, helping you to avoid resorting to harsh or unpleasant restraint methods. Today we will be discussing the circumstances under which a calming paste may be appropriate, and which is the best calming paste for horses.
Calming Paste for Horses: Why Use It?
There is some crucial knowledge that all horse owners should have before deciding to use a calming paste. Animals are instinctively wired with either a “fight or flight” mentality. Horses are prey animals, and their natural reaction to any threat is to choose the ‘flight’ option. Whenever horses are scared or startled, their instinct is to run away from whatever is scaring them without any hesitation.
This means that, no matter how well-trained a horse is, there is always the chance that it could behave unpredictably in a scary or unfamiliar situation. Some horses are more ‘spooky’ than others, and these can be jumpy, strong, and hard to handle when they are full of energy or in a high-stress situation. This is why some horses accept a new or unfamiliar situation without batting an eyelid, while others turn every new experience into a huge drama!
So, where do natural calmers for horses come into it? A good quality calming oral horse supplement can sometimes be enough to calm a nervous or excitable horse down enough to make the situation safe for both horse and handler or rider.
It is important to bear in mind that even the best horse-calming supplement will only be effective alongside calm and consistent training techniques. No horse calming paste on earth will work in a situation where the horse is highly stressed or frightened.
Some horses are constantly energetic, while some horses only show high energy levels at horse shows or events. It is important to know which one of these your horse is before putting them on a calming paste. Some horses only need to be on a calming paste while traveling, and some horses may need it every day.
Before looking into the best calming paste for horses, it is a good idea to also rule out other factors that may be causing high levels of excitement or nerves in your horse. For example, if your horse is on a diet that is high in grains, switching to a grain-free feed could calm your horse down naturally. Make sure your horse has enough turnout time to burn off any excess energy and has enough mental stimulation to prevent boredom.
Also make sure you know the ingredients of the calming paste that you’re using, in conjunction with any other supplements or pastes they may be on. If in doubt, consult your veterinarian or an equine nutritionist for advice.
Calming pastes are intended to help you and your horse work better together, without the use of drugs. They will make your horse less “flighty” and less likely to get scared easily. They will not work perfectly and solve every problem you may have with your horse, however, they are meant to calm your horse to the point where you can work together to solve the other problems.
Best Calming Paste For Horses
If your horse is high-energy and unpredictable, several natural calming pastes can be used to keep them calm. As mentioned, these pastes can be used daily as a supplement, or on an occasional basis when your horse has to face a highly stressful situation.
Two calming pastes stand out among others in the equestrian world – SynChill Calming Gel and MagnaGard Pre-Performance Paste. Both of these pastes contain natural ingredients and will help reduce your horse’s stress levels.
#1 SynChill is an oral paste that comes in a large syringe. The paste will dissolve upon entry into the horse’s mouth, and it will help to reduce stress levels and anxiety in horses. However, it can take a few days to see the full effects of this paste. So, if planning to use it, don’t wait until the last minute. SynChill can be purchased here.
#2 MagnaGard Pre-Performance Paste can reduce anxiety in horses and helps alleviate gastric discomfort (a symptom of ulcers). This paste includes essential oils in its ingredients list and starts affecting the horse as soon as it is consumed. The only downside to MagnaGard is that it can be more expensive than other calming pastes. MagnaGard Pre-Performance Paste can be purchased here.
Other Natural Calmers For Horses
If you don’t feel that your horse needs a calming paste for horses, there are some other options to look into that can help an excitable horse cope in unfamiliar situations.
Aromatherapy can be a great way to help your horse relax. Lavender has been shown to have a beneficial calming effect on horses, so allow your horse to inhale the aroma from a few drops of lavender essential oil next time you are both facing a stressful situation. Give it a try yourself, and you’ll both be super chilled and ready to face the world!
Some herbal supplements are also thought to help horses that are highly stressed or excitable. Chamomile, catnip, Valerian, and hops can also help to regulate the central nervous system and reduce the flight response in spooky horses. Most feed stores will sell a range of calming herbal feed supplements for horses.
Calming Paste for Horses: Best Ulcer Pastes
A common reason why horses will be seemingly unpredictable and sensitive is stomach ulcers. Gastric ulcers in horses are similar to ulcers in people and can cause horses to be in huge amounts of discomfort and pain. A huge number of horses suffer from stomach ulcers, frequently as a result of the way we house and feed them.
Stomach ulcers are hard to detect and diagnose in horses, and horses that have them often get mistakenly labeled as high-energy, wild, and even dangerous. However, horses with ulcers are often reacting in this way due to persistent pain or discomfort. Ulcers can become especially irritated in stressful situations such as travel or intense workout regimes.
For example, when I purchased my off-the-track-thoroughbred, he had ulcers that I did not know about. At our first horse show, he had a meltdown before entering the ring. He hadn’t shown any signs of ulcers before the show, but finally couldn’t handle the discomfort, as it increased when his stress levels increased.
Today, his ulcers have been calmed, and he gets ulcer paste every time he travels and every day he is at a horse show. The following images show some symptoms of ulcers and factors that can contribute to horses having ulcers.
Thankfully, a good quality ulcer paste can work quickly to calm a horse’s ulcers. The results can sometimes be noticed within a few hours of using the paste. So, if your horse does have an ulcer “meltdown,” it won’t take long to ease his discomfort.
The most popular ulcer paste is called UlcerGard. UlcerGard is FDA approved and is extremely popular in the equestrian world. The dosage of the paste used will depend on the size of the horse and the situation. It contains primarily Omeprazole, which is also used in tablet forms for humans with gastric pain.
UlcerGard can be purchased at nearly any Farm and Home or Tractor Supply Co., and it can also be purchased at Amazon. It is important to bear in mind that UlcerGuard is a prescription-only medication, so you will need authorization from your veterinarian to purchase this product.
Conclusion – The Best Calming Paste For Horses
So, as we have learned, a good calming paste for horses helps to create a better working environment and relationship between you and your horse. When horses are calmer and able to focus, it is easier for us to work with them, and calming pastes can be a great tool in horse training and horse travel. When choosing the best calming paste for horses, make sure to do some research into the ingredients of the one you select.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on the best calming paste for horses! Do you have a favorite brand of calming paste for horses that you find works in any situation? Or perhaps you’ve got a training issue with an excitable horse that we can help you with? Leave a comment below and we will get back to you!
FAQs
What are calming pastes for horses made from?
Calming pastes are an oral supplement for horses that are intended to help calm them down. They help horses to maintain a sense of balance and reduce anxiety.
The ingredients in these pastes are typically a mix of ground herbs and essential oils. These ingredients can be mixed with different carrier oils to make them more palatable and easy to administer.
Many calming pastes contain herbs such as Valerian root or chamomile flowers. These ingredients are thought to reduce stress and anxiety and make the horse more resilient to unfamiliar situations.
All horses need a balanced diet, good living conditions, and regular exercise in order to stay healthy. Sometimes these things can be difficult to provide in the right amounts for a horse. In these cases, supplements can be given in order to make up for any deficiencies in the horse’s diet or environment that might be causing stress.
Can calming paste be harmful for a horse?
The use of calming pastes is becoming more popular in the equine industry. However, it is important to know all the facts before buying them for your horse.
Calming paste is an alternative to sedative drugs that are sometimes used on horses, and it can also reduce stress in some horses. But it does not work for all animals, and there are some side effects that come with using calming paste.
The long-term effects of these products on their mental and physical health are still unknown. It is difficult to find research on this topic, but some studies seem to point out that these products can be harmful for their health. Calming pastes should be used alongside good training techniques to help your horse cope with stressful situations.
Some owners have reported side effects after using this calming paste on their horses which include itching, swelling, a burning sensation, and redness. Some of the possible side effects also include depression, lethargy, and anorexia. In rare cases, it can lead to seizure-like activity in the brain. There have been cases where tranquilizers were given at the same time as calming paste which led to fatalities. This is why it should never be combined with other drugs or supplements without consulting a veterinarian first.
Does magnesium calm horses down?
Some horse owners have found that magnesium can help their horses calm down. Magnesium is a mineral that is essential for many bodily functions, including regulating muscle movement and sending signals in the nervous system. It also helps regulate sleep patterns and blood pressure levels.
There is little research on this topic but it is believed that magnesium helps calm horses because it influences neurotransmitters in the brain that are responsible for controlling anxiety levels. The hypothesis was tested by giving a group of horses magnesium supplements and another group none. The results show a significant difference in heart rate, respiratory rate, and behavioral scores between the two groups. The study concluded that this is because magnesium helps in regulating the nervous system and modulates anxiety.
How else can you de-stress a horse?
Horses are prey animals, which means that they are constantly on the lookout for danger. They are also sensitive to an array of stressors that might not be as evident to us. Restlessness, fear, and anxiety can be caused by different things like injury, thunderstorms, or unfamiliar surroundings, as well as prolonged periods of time spent in stables, lack of opportunity for exercise, feeling too hot or cold, or even boredom. Stress can lead to decreased performance for a horse on the field or on the track; it can also cause them to act out in ways that are unsafe for themselves or others.
There is no one foolproof solution to helping your horse manage stress but there are some steps you can take to help them feel more at ease. You will need to make sure they have a stable routine with adequate amounts of physical activity, appropriate dietary intake and supplements with herbs or other natural remedies that may help them relax.
Michael Dehaan is a passionate horse owner, horse rider, and lover of all things equine. He has been around horses since he was a child, and has grown to become an expert in the field. He has owned and ridden a variety of horses of different breeds, and has trained many to compete in shows and competitions. He is an experienced horseman, having worked with and competed many horses, including his own. He is an active member of the equestrian community, participating in events and teaching riding lessons.
