nerve calmers 4 horse & rider?

[Gypsycobdaisy]

Hi can anyone recomened something to calm my nerves? i am getting braver by the day but i feel as though some sort of calmer would be useful especially since my mare is so young and she looks to me for confidence :o
Next week i will be taking her out in company for the first time and just dont know how she will react?? i have been taking her out on her own and shes good as gold apart from a few hairy moments but nout major :confused:
I use pax but i dont feel as if i have confidence in it? i think i need something to take the nerves away!! also can someone recommened a calmer for my mare too, sometimes she gets abit excited especially when we go down the road to the manege - i cant work her as shes too busy whinnying/squeling/tossing her head/jumping/being nosey etc to concentrate:confused:

[Ollie Bears mum]

Believe it or not one of the best things to use on both yourself and your horse is cammomile tea, mix it in with her feed, just a normal mug of tea, if you ride long after her feed, ie in the evening then while you are sorting out the tack, grooming box etc mix a hot mug of tea with a handful or 2 of cubes, just enough to soak up the tea, then just before grooming feed her the stodge, by the time you are ready to ride the tea would be kicking in and the cubes would not make her colicky

[sheryl]

I use Calmag for my horses. I have used it for a couple of years, and would really recommend it. Twice I have run out of it, and both times I knew about it!
I get mine from a company called Barefoot Basics on Ebay. Its basically just magnesium, and an awful lot cheaper than most of the magnesium based calmers out there.

How old is your horse? What do you feed her? Any pics?

I would imagine she'll be better in company than on her own ;).

[Kimmy C]

Yes cammomile tea is good for calming the nerves, just like I use yarrow tea for beathing problems. Another calming supplement I used to use is Steady Up but she was not that keen on eating it when initially mixed into her feed. Ialso have heard that magnesium is good.

[Kimmy C]

Oh I fogot another supplement/calmer is valerian

[Bigisbeautiful]

Have you tries prozac or diazepam??:D Just kidding, my sister swears by St Johns Wort. Dont know if that would work but might be worth a try. Good luck xx

[Cortrasna]

Have you tries prozac or diazepam??:D Just kidding, my sister swears by St Johns Wort. Dont know if that would work but might be worth a try. Good luck xx

:D:D - now your talking!!!!

[Bimbambo]

For you I can highly reccomend Kalms. They are herbal and just take the edge off those scary moments.

We only need a calmer for Magic when he goes to shows etc so don't need a daily feed supplement. I have been using the new Magic Instants which are a paste syringe. Give them to him just before we leave and have been fantastic. Keep him sane but don't take the edge off him competitively.

[Skippys Mum]

Rescue Remedy for you and the horse and PAXspray that you put on you and it stops the horses realising you are nervous - brilliant stuff:D

[Elly Koopman]

Bottle of wine for you and a guiness mash for the ponio :D

Seriously though you can try rescue remedy, although it is normally better for last minute nerves/shock rather than a nervousness which I am guessing is starting to build up now :o

Could try kalms, they will certainly help you to put things into perspective and think more clearly. Might be worth takling a mulit-vit like multi bionta which has the pre/probiotics in as sometimes this is enough as provides the nutrients needed (like a balancer or pink powder for horses).

There are various calmers on the market for horses and it is really a case of finding one that works. There are the magnesium based ones which only really work if your horse is lacking in mag to start with, there are valerian based ones, but this is banned under FEI rules so if it works and you need something for a competition you might come unstuck :o Prokalm has had results for a lot of people here, but doesn't work for everyone :rolleyes:

[Steadyneddy]

Hiya:)

I know you say you don't have much confidence in Pax, but i have to say i agree with Skippys mum and find it good stuff. Also try some rescue remedy for yourself. Maybe try a magnesium calmer for your mare. This does only work if they are deficient tho.

[Trewsers]

I've tried on Storm the Bachs calming essence stuff - I don't know if it actually worked or if it was me, believing in it working and just relaxing more!
With success I've used Global herbs instant calming sachets - they take about an hour to work - but to be honest, I've only ever done a small ride after dosing her with these. For myself I've never bothered with a calmer, I like to be functioning on all levels!!!!! (I wouldn't feel safe drugging myself with something - even a glass of sherry would make me giddy these days!)

[Gypsycobdaisy]

:) Thanks for your replys

I took the rescue remedy after i had tacked up and used the pax. I was nervous but i did it! i rode her down to my friends field where her horse was and she was still tacking up, my horse wouldnt stand and kept backing up. I managed to keep her calm then she just followed on lovely, if anything she was really dragging behind at slug speed! (no wonder she didnt make the racing grade :D) had to dismount to lead her over a bridge as she was shaking and i could feel her heart beating :rolleyes: then she was good but every so often she would stop and then start to *play up* ie mini rears (talking a few inches off the ground) i chickened out and led her and she was fine. When i got back to the field i felt a little disappointed with myself for not staying on.
I had another ride this morning this time with another horse, i got on and she started the backing thing, i perservered and stayed on and used lots of leg and coped with the mini rears and she went forward. Dismounted once again because of the bridge, she was alot better today, had the silliness about 3 times in the whole hour we where out. Feel good that i stayed on and coped and dare i say it the nerves maybe fading :D:D and i actually really enjoyed the hack :D:D:D