If you're looking for a quick-fix tranquilizer alternative that will instantly transform your horse into an automaton, this article isn't for you.
Anyone with a horse that is too strong, too energetic, too eager, too forward for the job they want done, or for their level of riding expertise, needs a new horse, a trainer or both. You and the horse will be better off for it. Time, patience and retraining should also be used in an effort to solve behavior problems before hoping for a fix from a supplement.
Valerian and Performance Horses
Valerian has long been on the list of prohibited substances for horses competing in events that have a drug policy. Now that there is actually a test available, you need to realize that if you use this herb you could get caught.
Also, while effects are generally less pronounced than with drugs or common antidepressants that may have similar effects on the nervous system, the safety and effectiveness has not been determined for horses, especially for long-term use. Withdrawal symptoms have been reported in other species.
Sorting Through
Before even considering a supplement, it can be helpful to define the problem you're having:
This could be a sign that the horse is hurting. Before doing anything else, make a list of things that trigger the behavior, such as being asked to jump, assume a canter lead, going up or down hills. These can be important clues to where the horse might be hurting. A horse like this may also simply be "sour," bored with its routine.
- Horse was recently purchased and was fine with the old owner and fine when you tried her out, but at your barn is showing behavior issues.
We hope you had your vet draw blood to hold for drug testing as part of your prepurchase exam. Both short- and long-term tranquilizers (30 days or longer from a single treatment) can be used to make horses behave well for prospective buyers.
If you're sure that's not the problem, the horse may be testing you to see what she can get away with (try her with a more experienced handler and rider to see what happens), or she may simply be having trouble adjusting to her new environment and routine. Things like the loss of old buddies and changes in the level of turnout can lead to behavior issues. Different causes call for a different management and training approaches.
- Isolated resistances and phobias.
This would include things like resistance to being bridled/haltered, or an inordinate fear of clippers. Depending on the problem, the first step is to rule out a physical cause (like sore ears), but for the most part these are training issues and should be addressed as such, not with drugs or supplements. (See sidebar on densensitization.)
Grain And "Hot" Behavior
While nutritionists agree that feeding grains/corn/sweet feed doesn't cause sugar-high-related behavior problems like many people have suspected, a grain-fed horse often does have more energy. The exact cause isn't really clear, but it may be related to their muscles having better stores of the energy source glycogen at their disposal.
Whatever the reason, the solution is simple. Don't over-feed concentrates. Grain shouldn't even be considered unless the horse is doing enough work to be unable to hold a normal weight on free-choice hay and a protein/mineral supplement. Along the same lines, though, don't starve your horse in an effort to make him more controllable. If you feel a "need" to do this, consult a trainer for help.
If the horse does need a more concentrated calorie source, and grain just creates too much of a Jekyll-and-Hyde situation in your horse, try beet pulp for a calmer response.
- Behaviors that may involve eyesight.
These include reluctance to enter a trailer, hesitation when moving from dark to well-lit areas, spooking, shying and being startled easily when approached from behind or only on one side. A thorough eye check, including the interior of the eye and the field of vision, should be done by a veterinarian or veterinary eye specialist.
Some horses may have perfectly normal eyes but unusually large corpora nigra, small "balls" of pigmented iris that sit along the upper edge of the pupil. These are believed to normally act as visors against bright light but when large can actually block vision when the horse goes into bright light and the pupil constricts down.
Much time, effort and money can be wasted if you are trying to change the horse's basic personality. If we define "nervousness" as an abnormal reaction, that's one thing, but horses, like people, have different personalities and different likes and dislikes. Some horses are just naturally "up," eager, energetic, full of life and looking for action. This is different from nervousness, which includes signs of anxiety/fear, even physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling and diarrhea. It's important to know the difference. If you try to change a horse that is just simply full of life into a disciplined show horse or bomb-proof trail horse, you'll both be miserable.
