STOCKYARD
HORSE  DISCUSSION FORUMS

Beauvelour

Hi everyone.....just enquiring....not starting an argument..... Any way, my TB is only off the track since feb this year. Although 90% of the time he is pretty quiet, and at his first show he was UNBELIEVABLE quiet. The 2nd show he was a bit of a nutter and rearing etc, he came down in the end and worked well. I was thinking of giving giving him some claming stuff before our next show (if we ever make it). Just for him to have a good experience (and me not to have a heart attack)

I think he may have been a little over fed last time too (oops ) So when i went to the stockfeeders this morning the guy said that "everyone" is using this good as gold? I have heard people using Rescue remedy. (i will be taking a bit of this lol) so i just was wondering what are peoples experiences with calmers.....

__________________
A good tradesman never blames his tools.....a good horserider never blames their horse

Evered

I've used Good as Gold, it may be just me but it does not work, my horse can manage to ignore it totally!
It could work for some though? Buy the single sachet maybe and have a go!

Gamby

I never found it to work

deschuur

I have used it and it definitely worked for me You can also try one of the calmer pastes

Sometimes calmers are great to take the edge off of what could be a stressful environment like a first outing.

__________________
...none will tire of looking at him as long as he displays himself in his splendor.

blitzen

rescue remedy is entirely different to a calmers like Good as Gold, B-Calm, Tranquil paste etc. it's a vibrational essence that treats anxiety & nerves so only a few drops are necessary. it also comes in lozenges or mouth sprays. drinking half a bottle of it defeats the purpose of it as well... it's better to have a few drops every 10mins or so 30mins before your event (someone correct me?). essences come from plants/flowers/elements etc that have different known properties. it's not a majick cure-all. Rescue (and other essences) also have an alcohol base so some ppl think the 'calming' effect (on ppl) is linked to the high alcohol content, lol. I use rescue for myself and my pony to take the edge off when we go out, or do other stressful things like float practice or whatever. some ppl say it may just be a placebo... but idk, it works for me. but then, i believe in that stuff. some don't.

calming supplements however, are VERY different to rescue remedy. they usually contain a mix or blend of: chamomile, tryptophan... chamomile is a natural calmer - test it on urself with a cuppa chamomile tea~! and tryptophan is a naturally occurring amino acidy thing (not too sure on the details) and it appears in a LOT of foods naturally. tryptophan is usually the active ingrediant in a LOT of calming pastes. it is not swabbable - that i know of.

be wary of calming pastes or feeds that have Valerian in them as that is swabbable. plus, valerian was recommended to me as the last possible resort in terms of calmers - often horses can feel so 'cloudy' and drugged that they can panic and their behaviour is worse.

i agree with deschuur in that you want to make the experience as peaceful & pleasant as possible. going out A LOT also helps in this area, to help desensitise the horse. and a few drops of RR to you may also help you chill out a bit & not transfer your nerves to your pony.

i see no harm at all in trying Good as Gold. My feed guy has also recommended it & says it is VERY popular. seems to be moreso than the more traditional calming pastes.

__________________

There is something about riding down the street on a prancing horse that makes you feel like something, even when you ain't a thing." Will Rogers.

Juanita, Blitzen & Beejay

little_welsh

Good as gold didn't work for me.
I would reccomend Beta calm
and unfortunately it's swabbable.
because tryptophan is its active ingredient.

__________________
Birthdays are good for you. Statistics show that the people who have the most live the longest.

Caroline

Beau, the best calmative for OTTBs is further training and education!!

They have only been taught to run flat out with a jockey hanging off their mouth!

Dont resort to band aids. And cut out the grain. Feed lots of hay and non grain based feeds only.

__________________

TB4Me

Best solution in terms of calming seems to be lots of groundwork and also boredom.
By which I mean, if something makes him tense and uptight (eg going to shows), take him to lots of low key places (doesn't have to be a show, just load up and take him to another property/grounds if you can) all the time. Make it uneventful, make it boring.
Think about it, he's used to being taken to the track, where he has to zoom around with other horses flat out. He thinks that's his job.
By exposing him to lots of different settings in a low key way, you'll teach him that his new job is to relax and nod off when he's taken somewhere until he's actually asked to do something. He can't possibly know this unless you teach him.
TBs are HARD in this respect (believe me I know) but keep persisting. Calming supplements don't really work unless the horse is deficient in some way, if he's fine at home and in the paddock, then training is the key.
Have seen many horses that are chilled and relaxed to handle and in the paddock, but would tense up and go badly when ridden/at shows because they'd never been taught not to. And they were on calming supplements, when 90% of the time they were perfectly calm.
Like standing still, tieing up etc horses aren't born knowing when to relax and when to fire up - you have to teach him.

retroremedy

For the record Rescue Remedy is different.....it is absolutely religious. The new age crowd have conveniently changed the story and Dr Edward Bach would be horrified.

Buccal alcohol absorption is also not to be discredited!

In saying that I have absolutely no problem people using it and if it is placebo it doesnt really matter as their is nothing more powerful than mind over matter!

__________________
How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours. ~Wayne Dyer

Beauvelour

OK i have some explaining to do. Yes i just want to take the edge off. My boy does go out ALOT (before his foot probs anyway) for a while there he was going out everyweekend, indoor arena, friends place, show, pc grounds for training day.

I have revised his feed thanks to Smash! We do lots and lots of groundwork....before every ride and whenever we go somewhere new. The day he went spaco at the show, he eventually came good - working well standing on a loose rein etc etc, what you have to understand my last horse reared up and went over backwards.... so when he rears i make it worse hence the RR for ME. (but i have heard people use it on there ponies too)

I understand he just needs time and education, thats why i just want a little something to take the edge off - not to drug him completly. I am going to take him off his barley a few days before though he isnt on much anymore because he hasnt been worked. One of the main things im aware of is too much feed not enough work.... Thanks for your help, just a bit more info from my side.

__________________
A good tradesman never blames his tools.....a good horserider never blames their horse