Not concerned with testing. Horse isn’t going to compete. Needs a daily dose of something to help transition to new life. Horse is a very hot sensitive 18 yo ottb that is very buddy sour, nervous, and laid up with an abscess but is turning into a dangerous lunatic. Upped hay, took off grain completely, substituted 1 cup of soaked alfalfa pellets to get him to take bute. Also added magnesium since horse is a head tosser with thin skin and a hot head. Was thinking of going to reserpine but if there is something OTC that is similar in effect, please tell me.
Zylkene. Valley Vet. Really worked with a horse on stall rest that I was walking under saddle because of an injury.
Isn’t Zyklene basically powdered colostrum? Did your horse have any issues processing it since it is bovine derived?
I am currently using Quietex II pellets for one that is on rehab. Twice a day dose does seemed to make a bit of difference, but I’m not sure I see much difference on a once daily dose. He is not a crazy boy, though. Hand walking with chain over the nose, he has for the most part, been a saint without any “med”. Vet had me put him on something to quell the sillies as he is now at the point where he could be turned out carefully in a small paddock. He has had a few silly moments, but knock wood, so far so good.
Vet had originally recommended B-Kalm paste, but at $10/tube and dosing recommending a tube a day, that was a bit rich for my budget if it was going to be more than a few days. So, can’t speak to its effectiveness, but it does have 4 times the tryptophan that a dose of Quietex has. (My other options were limited because this horse is IR and many of the products/pastes were loaded with sugars.)
nothing OTC can compare to an anti-psychotic IMO
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I’ve been using a calming paste with great sucess. I have a very spooky looky horse and half a tube an hour before the ride gives me a completely different horse. Total Calm and Focus. A full tube will over sedate him and then I have a boring horse that sometimes stumbles. If its just me and another horse than use 1/3 tube last about 2 hours. A big ride I’d use more.
My old vet used to put all our crazies on Shen Calm. It really did make a difference in soothing the nerves.
I recently tried zylkene because my horse’s pasture buddy was changing barns and he was very attached to her. It made a real difference in his anxiety levels. This horse is already on Magnesium and I’ve tried Shen Calm to no effect.
I was stunned that hasn’t been pacing the fence line and shown his typical anxiety behaviors since starting Zyklene.
I was very happy with SmartCalm Ultra - transitioned my horse to that after Reserpine.
