tryptophan as a calmative

[Kay-Cee]

Hi everyone,
Has anyone ever used or considered supplementing tryptophan as a calmative for nervous/excitable horses? I am working on a project on this topic. Thanks!

[Jessey]

I use it :o My anglo arab Bo is very over-excitable, to the point he rears and broncs and completely looses the plot occasionally :mad: Its really not him being nasty, he is a very gentle horse but when he meets new horses or visits other yards etc he starts getting very excited and un-ruley :rolleyes:
I tried all the regular calmers, magnesium based ones and also various herbal remidies to no avail. We also spent alot of time trying to get him over the excitement, I spent 3 years taking him out to one show or another yard every weekend and sometimes he will be fine and another he will loose the plot.
Last year a friend suggested a calmer they had used to travel a really bad traveller, I tried it and Bo was a different horse for the day, very calm and relaxed but still had lots of energy and was keen to work. When I looked into it L-Tryptophane was the main ingrediant, with a few other herbal things in it too. I brought some straight Tryptophane which was meant for daily use when Bo was on box rest (he doesn't do being stabled alone!) and started him on it and I really think it did help him alot.
He is not on it full time, but I keep it there and will put him on it for big days when I think he will be in a situation to which he may over-react.
Please feel free to ask me any more questions if it will help :D

J x

[SarahC]

Many of the scientific calmers contain this (rather than obviously the herbal ones!).

I know Top Spec calmer is predominantly tryptophan based. Tried it, did absolutely nothing to my mare whatsoever!

[Jessey]

I tried TopSpec, did nothing for Bo either, the one I have now there is a noticable difference in him :D

[Kay-Cee]

Thanks for your responses! I'm finding it an interesting topic. Positive results have been found in a lot of the research with dogs, chickens, and pigs. There haven't been as many trials with horses, and the equine experiments that have been done seem to go the opposite way (increasing behaviours!). But there were some other variables there too, so perhaps further research will clarify it. I'm also learning that protein:carbohydrate:fat composition of the diet can cause the effect of tryptophan to vary. Age and breed seem to create differences too!
Jessey, I'm really glad to hear that you also helped your horse with training and exposure, rather than just turning to a supplement. I'm thinking that Trp definitely has potential as a calmative, but the one worry is that some horse owners will just use it as a fix-all without addressing the training as well.
Thanks again!

[Kay-Cee]

Oooo actually I do have some questions for you. Do you give your horse Trp for a few days in a row before a show/new event, or is it just the day of? I'm also curious as to the dosage, if you don't mind me asking. Perhaps the study that found negative results didn't use the same dosage that you find success with...?
Thanks

[Jessey]

Have PMed you, bit of an essay I'm affraid :o