Despite some breeds having a war background, out of the “fight or flight” mentality, equines lie on the latter end – when scared, horses panic, lose their calm and run away. Though the exact reason can be a lot more than fear, stressful horses are jumpy, hard to handle, and can even make a kick that can kill the victim. This is where calming pastes kick in: they help steeds work better by making them less stressful and, hence, less “flighty.”
To help your horse with a stressful situation, we have compiled a list of the 10 best calming pastes for horses. We will jump into it, but let us quickly go through some guidelines on selecting the best calming paste for horses.
How to Choose the Calming Paste for Your Horse?
Consider the following points while checking out equine calming agents:
- Horse’s Personality: If your steed is easygoing, you should go for a slow-acting and mild calming paste. Conversely, if your horse is easily spooked and stressed out quickly, choose the paste that acts quickly.
- Horse’s Diet: For optimum effects, choose the paste that fits your horse’s eating requirements. For instance, if its diet is full of magnesium and zinc, do not select the calmers with these nutrients in it. Similarly, if your horse is on medication, you should check with a vet before proceeding further.
10 Best Calming Paste for Horses
1. MagnaGard Pre-Performance Horse Calming Paste
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Product Description
Main Ingredients: Montmorillonite clay, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, carbon, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, iron, and copper
When to Use? At least 15 to 60 minutes before the stressful activity
Manufactured In: The United States
What Is Good?
- Loaded with several trace minerals
- Results last for 12 to 16 hours
- Vital electrolytes ensure proper muscle health
- Contains no artificial ingredient
- Helps with stomach upset in stressful situations
What Is Not So Good?
- A bit costly
- Overdosing can lead to health issues
2. Formula 707 Horse Calming Paste
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Product Description
Main Ingredients: Artificial apple flavor, L-tryptophan, thiamine HCL, magnesium, cane molasses, and pork peptone
When to Use? One to two hours before a potentially stressful activity
Manufactured In: The United States
What Is Good?
- Helps gain focus besides keeping a horse calm
- Results show up within half an hour
- Effects last up to four hours
- Can be used on other cattle as well
- Safe for horses with laminitis
What Is Not So Good?
- Contains artificial flavor
- Some users have reported no effect on their horses
Oralx Calm & Cool Horse Calming Paste
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Key Features
Main Ingredients: L-tryptophan, herbal extracts (ginger, hops, passion fruit, wood betony, and cherry), xanthan gum, and natural and artificial flavors
When to Use? Two to four hours before the activity
Manufactured In: The United States
What Is Good?
- Keeps the horse calm and relaxed even in stressful situations
- Contains some high-quality natural ingredients
- Herbs keep drowsiness at bay
- Can be stored outside refrigerators for a long time
What Is Not So Good?
- Contains some artificial flavor
- Some users have reported that the product did not work on their geldings
4. SynChill Oral Horse Calming Paste
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Product Description
Main Ingredients: 5-hydroxytryptophan, vitamin B-6, oxitriptan, melatonin, propylparaben, and propylene glycol
When to Use? One to two hours before the activity
Manufactured In: The United States
What Is Good?
- Contains 100% natural ingredients and the highest quality biochemical substances
- Tested by several horse owners
- Does not have any side-effects
- Supports a constant increase in brain serotonin levels
What Is Not So Good?
- Mixing with feed is not recommended
Cavalor Take It Easy Horse Calming Paste
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Key Features
Main Ingredients: L-tryptophan, vitamin A, vitamin E, magnesium, and dextrose
When to Use? 30 ml during the night, 30 ml in the morning, and 30 ml an hour before the activity
Manufactured In: The United Kingdom
What Is Good?
- Helps relax muscles – thanks to easily absorbable magnesium citrate
- Supports better neurotransmitters and adrenal glands
- Can be combined with other Cavalor products if the horse is highly anxious
What Is Not So Good?
- Required in high dosage
- Takes about 12 to 18 hours to reach the maximum effect
6. Animal Element In The Zone Horse Calming Paste
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Product Description
Main Ingredients: Aloe vera, coconut oil, calcium bentonite, apple cider vinegar, and raspberry leaf powder
When to Use? One to two hours before the activity
Manufactured In: The United States
What Is Good?
- All-natural ingredients
- Supports better gastric and digestive health
- Tastes good to horses
- Tested against nervous horses
What Is Not So Good?
- Activity performance level increases very suddenly
7. Finish Line Quia-Cal Horse Calming Paste
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Product Description
Main Ingredients: Artificial apple flavor, thiamine, magnesium, calcium, potassium sorbate, and magnesium sulfate
When to Use? At least 45 minutes before any activity
Manufactured In: The United States
What Is Good?
- Supports healthy nerves in addition to maintaining a relaxed demeanor
- Instantly converts nervousness into joy: starts showing results within an hour
- Results may last for more than four hours
- Works fine despite not having tryptophan
What Is Not So Good?
- Recommended to be used only on adult horses
8. Equine Healthcare International Equi+Calm Horse Calming Paste
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Key Features
Main Ingredients: Maple flavor, tryptophan, magnesium, theanine, thiamine, bismuth, and melatonin
When to Use? Feed one tube the night before and one tube the morning of the activity
Manufactured In: The United States
What Is Good?
- Effectively reduces adrenaline while increasing endorphins
- Protects sensitive stomach in horses by limiting excess acid production
- Supports better memory100% sugar-free
- Maple praline flavor increases palatability
What Is Not So Good?
- A bit expensive for some owners
9. Stride Animal Health Engage Paste Calming Syringe
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Key Features
Main Ingredients: Vitamin C, vitamin B-12, L-theanine, L-tryptophan, magnesium carbonate, and natural and artificial flavors
When to Use? Feed two tubes at least one hour before the activity
Manufactured In: The United States
What Is Good?
- Free of tranquilizers
- May improve learning ability
- Helps improve training efficacy
- It may help lower the potential of destructive behavior
- Keeps the emotional balance intact
What Is Not So Good?
- Unlike most calming pastes, the product requires feeding two tubes instead of one for effective results
10. UltraCruz Horse Calming Paste
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Product Description
Main Ingredients: Green apple flavor, L-theanine, thiamine, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, calcium, and magnesium
When to Use? At least three hours before the activity
Manufactured In: The United States
What Is Good?
- Regular use leads to a healthy nervous system
- Ideal for horses of all breeds, ages, and activity levels
- Contains a unique green apple flavor
- Works wonders on focus and concentration
What Is Not So Good?
- Needs to be used in higher doses, i.e., up to 60 ml
FAQs
How Much Calming Paste Should I Give My Horse?
As evident from the above list of the best calming paste for horses, the amount of calming paste you should be administering to your horse is dependent on the brand of the paste—while some pastes only need to be fed once a few hours before the activity, others are given the day before the activity day. So, see the feeding instruction of the particular calming paste to know how much and at what time you should give it to your horse.
Only the recommended amount must be fed because the wrong amount can lead to potential health problems. However, in most cases, a full tube is usually fed to equines a few hours before their physical activities commence. If you remain doubtful, consider contacting a professional.
Do Calming Pastes Work?
Yes, calming pastes have a proven record of keeping horses calm and focused during stressful events. These pastes also help with upset stomachs due to nervousness and stress. Not just the pastes, calming supplements are also available in the market, which is equally beneficial.
How Do Calming Pastes Work?
Calming pastes works by impacting the central nervous system of horses. When administered through the mouth, the paste is absorbed into the digestive system and gets down to work within some time.
What Are Some Common Ingredients in Calming Pastes?
The most common ingredients in calming horse pastes are vitamin B1 (thiamine), L-tryptophan, and magnesium.
Is There Any Alternative to Calming Pastes?
Chamomile, a herb, is known to work effectively to calm horses. Nevertheless, since this herb is not widely available, calming pastes and supplements remain the only options. Moreover, calming pastes are recommended because they are specially formulated to support a calm and relaxed demeanor in horses, even under stressful conditions.
Why Do Horses Become Nervous?
Although several factors can lead to a loss of calmness in horses, the most common ones are: disturbed eating schedules, extra workload, and sudden environmental changes. Equine owners must be aware of these factors and try their best to minimize these.
