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Post by horselover4life on Feb 19, 2015 23:55:25 GMT
Need some help and input...
Our one horse, G.,around 15 years and 15.1 hands.. is reactive.
He reacts before he thinks.
I have been doing some research and am seriously considering supplementing with some magnesium, along with the full spectrum of the "B" vitamin group.
I also see valerian root and tryptophane , {can't spell that word, the stuff in turkey} in some supplements...
This is a pleasure horse, one for trail riding and we would like him to just use his head, not be always on the lookout for a spook excuse as I call it.
I don't care if it tests, he isn't going to show.
I don't want to drug him or make him careless but would love to take the edge or "looky-loo" off.
The horse isn't mean, nor if he unseats you {that would be me he succeeded with and he has tried with various other riders}...does he run off.
He stays and actually when it was me, he trembled fearing a beating. He did not get beat, but obviously he has in his past for his actions...
I would like to just settle him more.
He has been desensitized from what I can figure out, he is just fast with his feet...
Fleet of foot and slow with his brain...
I would love to switch that to fleet of brain and slow of foot to reacting.
Has anyone any experience or suggestions to offer? 
Any brands to look for or stay away from? 
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mingiz
Junior Member
Los Lunas, NM
Posts: 3,320 
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Post by mingiz on Feb 20, 2015 0:20:30 GMT
Can't help you on that one. I know some people use Quietex before shipping a horse. But I don't know of any supplements.
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Post by horselady on Feb 20, 2015 1:56:07 GMT
I have had no experience with additives to help a horse gain some level headedness. i would suggest contacting smart pack and see if one of their vets and consultants could help you figure out what you need.
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Post by horselover4life on Feb 20, 2015 11:06:54 GMT
Yes, guess that is my next place to go.
I was hoping someone here might have had similar issues.
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Post by lorddaxter on Feb 20, 2015 13:28:47 GMT
Have you checked for Ulcers?!
I used the naf supplement yonks ago back in the UK for a horse I used to ride for someone that used to freak at shows and it did help, just enough
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Post by horselover4life on Feb 20, 2015 16:02:52 GMT
No, not checked for ulcers.
Not sure his "looky-loo" ways would lead me to think that but the vet is due here in a few weeks for spring shots and I will have him re-check him.
When we got him he was checked over for everything I and the vet could think of as a precaution..he was a rescue and starvation so then yes, a real possibility.
But...won't hurt to re-check. He has no other "signs" exhibiting that I can detect...A set of fresh eyes and thoughts from others are welcome. Thank-you LD...
Thanks for the suggestion...I will call the vet this afternoon and ask him do I treat or do you want to look first?
I'll look into that supplement too. 
We have high calcium levels in our area along with ground minerals {if not water filtered our toilet tanks are ORANGE!}.
I have to be careful what I give as a supplement so to not upset the balance of minerals do to that.
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hugs
Junior Member
Posts: 2,647
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Post by hugs on Feb 22, 2015 13:50:42 GMT
It could be a learned behavior, always looking for the other shoe to drop. Which doesn't preclude ulcers. Penny took years to calm down after she came to live with us and you know a lot of Peaches story of retraining.
For those who don't know; the calming supplements are almost all based on tryptophan, the amino acid in turkey that makes us sleepy after Thanksgiving dinner, so I'd go with the one with the highest concentration per dose. I haven't noticed an effect on Peaches but then we didn't use it but one time. Even a real knock out drug on her slowed her but didn't stop the behavior during the farrier visits. But she isn't spooky she was scared and belligerent.
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Post by horselover4life on Feb 22, 2015 19:27:33 GMT
It I think is a learned behavior...I do.
I need though to be have my son able to ride the horse so the horse realizes he isn't going to be beat.
I kid you not when I say 6 months to scratch his face without him pulling away and trembling in fear.
I just want to take some of his edge off so he can get past this and see the love and kind attention my son gives him will still be their.
I love the horse, I do.
I won't ever again though intentionally take on a abuse/neglect case...
The mental issues are just exhausting me to death...never letting your guard down, always a step ahead, always on alert for the unexpected...everything is expected with this horse!
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Feb 22, 2015 20:45:04 GMT
Abuse and neglect cases are hard to deal with in the beginning, no question about that. But, once you finally do earn their trust, they give you their heart! Hang in there. In my experience, they are worth it!
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hugs
Junior Member
Posts: 2,647
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Post by hugs on Feb 22, 2015 23:54:07 GMT
Good luck, lots and lots of it. If I were to try that stuff again, I would buy a couple different kinds. They do require that you dose them a few hour before you'll expect to see effects.
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Post by mustangsavvy on Feb 24, 2015 4:40:50 GMT
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hugs
Junior Member
Posts: 2,647
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Post by hugs on Feb 24, 2015 9:04:26 GMT
I wonder if I would benefit from putting Peaches on that? Heck, maybe, and I'm not really kidding, if I should be on that. How long did it take to "work"; are there different kinds of anxiousness for which this wouldn't work? How much does training have an effect on the same thing, meaning, its more about time and choosing a more effective training technique than "nerves".
Supposedly with people we can consciously choose to think different thoughts and retrain our thinking and develop a preferred "thought habit" but horses can't do that. And so with horses we put them in a situation where we are clear on the behavior we want them to exhibit and we correct unwanted behavior and praise wanted behavior until they get it on their own, pretty much.
But this stuff seems that it is actually supporting their nervous system to stop sending excitation signals which interfere with clear thinking which perhaps allows them to pay attention to training better? Is that the deal? I mean, what I'm afraid of is escalating behavior but I have no idea how fast the little nervous tic will increase from, say, head tossing to bucking. But this stuff might help lengthen the time between those two endpoints? You couldn't say it would prevent it because as I said even Peaches on a strong sedative could rear and kick but the motivation was dulled, at least the connection to the muscles was dulled, it still happened.
Sorry if I'm rambling, its the middle of the night and I can't sleep but I am very interested in this stuff.
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Feb 24, 2015 13:54:48 GMT
hug.s - what makes you think that the head tossing will eventually lead to bucking? I would be thinking the other way - that perhaps you can work her out of the head tossing. As you know, our horses can feel and read into what we are thinking/feeling. Be positive (even if you have to fake it at first) as best you can...or maybe at least be neutral 
As to the original question - I'm not much help with supplements, sorry. |
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hugs
Junior Member
Posts: 2,647
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Post by hugs on Feb 24, 2015 15:49:46 GMT
Well actually even when I wrote that it makes more sense to lead to rearing as I feel her get lighter in the front although she is not a light mover, smooth but not light. But she did buck under saddle with Gerald and it was spectacular. So when I think she is resistant I fear the worst. However she bucked under fear not belligerance so that also undermines my concerns about head tossing.
Hub
See! This is the help I need to understand what is going on. My first reaction is fear of the worst and to prepare rather than what I'm practicing to get to which is be with what is happening now. And Gerald said all I need to really do is jeep one leg on either side.
I am so very sorry for hijacking this thread :-(
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Post by horselover4life on Feb 24, 2015 18:20:00 GMT
Mustang....
How long was it before you noticed the difference?
It is powder not pellets right?
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Post by mustangsavvy on Feb 25, 2015 4:15:11 GMT
Mustang.... How long was it before you noticed the difference? It is powder not pellets right? You can tell within a few days and then it takes a few weeks to completely work. Honestly you can tell if he misses a day. It is a powder. |
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hugs
Junior Member
Posts: 2,647
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Post by hugs on Feb 25, 2015 18:59:38 GMT
So is the Bilmonster generally mostly nervous? With Peaches she can go from calm to freak in a second. Other than training what does one do with that? Would a supllement help?
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Post by horselover4life on Feb 27, 2015 17:49:27 GMT
My answer to you  would be...."You won't know till you try."
You either see a improvement or move-on and look for something else to help deal with Peaches way of handling unpleasantness she wants to avoid.
And you must continue to work on you. Our horses are very perceptive and sense a whole lot more than we think we let on...if you are uptight, she just got the GREEN LIGHT to be a jerk.
Not simple and know you are working this angle too...
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Feb 27, 2015 18:45:49 GMT
I looked into getting Benny on a stress supplement for a while, and ended up doing quite a bit of reading on it. The Magnesium and B vitamin supplements do seems to show results, but will only work if your horse is deficient in these areas. The body can only absorb so much, so no deficiency means no effect. It might be worth pulling blood before purchasing these supplements.
There are lots of other options if you are not worried about something that will test positive at a show. I cannot remember them all off the top of my head, but will do a little googling and report back. :)
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Lipizzan
Junior Member
Europe, Croatia
Posts: 2,572
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Post by Lipizzan on Feb 27, 2015 19:54:21 GMT
I would never think of putting a horse on a suplement to solve his/here issues. That is something I dont have knowlege about and not sure what I think about it. I wish you good luck on finding what is best for you and your horse though. :-)
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would be...."You won't know till you try."
