I am wondering if anyone has used this powder and if so, how much you gave per day. Thanks!
I googled this. A traditional Asian herbal with no research done on it, possibly abortion inducing. Of the nightshade family (as are tomatoes of course).
What problem do you need to solve?
I am trying to calm my mare down. Cur-Ost Adapt and Calm has the extract in it and I have seen other products with it.
Nightshade family? That would worry me coming from unregulated sources when the traditional use of it is inducing abortion. Whatever is is it supposed to do for a horse?
Look to better researched solutions.
1 Like
What have you already tried, in terms of changing her lifestyle, feed, and other medications? What behavior are you trying to change?
3 Likes
There is a lot of research done on Ashwaganda 
Reduced cortisol levels, lowered stress, increased endurance, adjunct therapies for cancer and various neurological diseases (think Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s), and more.
These studies have typically been done on mice and people. Not horses.
300-500mg is a typical dose for people (per Examine.com), but that does not mean you just multiply by 10 to get a typical horse dose.
It’s easy to google “horse supplement ashwaganda” and find supplements with it in it. That at least gives you some general idea of how much companies feel safe putting in.
https://www.smartpakequine.com/ps/b/smartmare-harmony-pellets-9477 - 150mg.
https://www.statelinetack.com/item/majestys-kalm-plus-peppermint-wafers/E022488%20030 200mg per wafer.
Does that mean it’s too little to be of any benefit? Absolutely no idea, since it hasn’t been studied in horses.
3 Likes
I have taken all but 2.5lbs of grain out of her diet, she is on 24/7 pasture. No ulcers. She is an OTTB, 21 yrs old, is not gonna change her ways. I have worked with my trainers and vet and she has calmed down but is still insane at points. We have has hours of wet saddle pads, working until she is so tired she won’t trot any more. We have done everything, lunging, different rider, trail riding. I am just looking for something so that I can actually go on a ride without having her lathered by the end, some days are better then others.
Thank you JB!
What grain was it, and how much was she getting? How have you ruled out ulcers?
She is an OTTB, 21 yrs old,
How long have you had her?
is not gonna change her ways.
Horses change all the time 
If you are set on her not going to change, what are you hoping to “change”? What does "calm down’ mean?
I have worked with my trainers and vet and she has calmed down but is still insane at points.
What does this mean, exactly?
We have has hours of wet saddle pads, working until she is so tired she won’t trot any more. We have done everything, lunging, different rider, trail riding. I am just looking for something so that I can actually go on a ride without having her lathered by the end, some days are better then others.
More physical exercise is usually not the answer, especially at 21. Working until she’s so tired she won’t even trot, is exhausting her and making her more physically fit. But it’s not addressing whatever else is going on.
What does this “insane” behavior look like? Does she behave differently depending on the setting (ring vs trail vs pasture), depending on how many other horses there are (0, 1, 10), etc?
You don’t need an ingredient like Ashwaganda.
1 Like
She is getting Nutrena Safe Choice Senior. She went from 7 lbs to the 2.5lbs. I have ruled out ulcers. I have had her a year and a half. I have known her for about 2 years though. I know that essentially she is not going to change but I am wondering if there is something that would help her be more relaxed. The exercise it not supposed to be the answer. I usually only work 20 mins 45 at most and she causes her self to get worked up while I stay relaxed. The insane behavior is not really insane, its just me venting. We work on walking and trotting and the “insane behavior” is when she will not calm down and accept that it is time to walk and will canter in a tiny circle. She is less like this in the arena, more calm. It is like this when she is out on the field and trail rides. She has always been like this. We have spent hours in both places and she is not buddy sour.
SC Sr isn’t terribly low in sugars. Has she been on anything else since you’ve known/had her?
I have ruled out ulcers.
HOW have you ruled them out? So many people think that just because the horse is eating fine, or that their weight is fine, that ulcers can’t be a problem, and that is often not the case
I have had her a year and a half. I have known her for about 2 years though. I know that essentially she is not going to change but I am wondering if there is something that would help her be more relaxed. The exercise it not supposed to be the answer. I usually only work 20 mins 45 at most and she causes her self to get worked up while I stay relaxed. The insane behavior is not really insane, its just me venting. We work on walking and trotting and the “insane behavior” is when she will not calm down and accept that it is time to walk and will canter in a tiny circle. She is less like this in the arena, more calm. It is like this when she is out on the field and trail rides. She has always been like this. We have spent hours in both places and she is not buddy sour.
There could be so, so many things going on. Ulcers, saddle fit, feet hurt, teeth hurt, back hurts, hocks hurt, rider error.
Open spaces are exciting for a lot of horses. Some horses are never able to ride quietly out in them.
4 Likes
Is she better or worse on trails with another horse?
Has she had much trail riding to date, or is she a pure arena horse now seeing the open world for the first time at 21?
Have you tried handwalking her on trails and how is she then?
What are her magnesium levels like?
Lots of horses have not had much trail experience and they need to be trained to be trail horses, it doesn’t necessarily come naturally.
How long was she on the track? What has she done since?
Some horses get forward when they are high energy, but others get forward when they are in some discomfort and anxious.
Is she better or worse on trails with another horse?
- She is exactly the same on trails with another horse, there has not been one horse that has changed her behavior.
Has she had much trail riding to date, or is she a pure arena horse now seeing the open world for the first time at 21?
-She mainly was ridden on trailer for about 15 years.
Have you tried handwalking her on trails and how is she then?
- I have tried hand walking her ad she still jigs but maybe I can try handwalking with another person and horse
What are her magnesium levels like?
- I need to check her magnesium levels. I am going to have my vet out for her teeth and I will ask him to test.
How long was she on the track? What has she done since?
- She was on the track for about 2 years and raced a total of 28 times. She has mainly done trail riding the majority of her life and about 5 years ago started to do playdays and that is what she has done since with lost of trail riding still.
SC Sr isn’t terribly low in sugars. Has she been on anything else since you’ve known/had her?
-She has also been on Purina Strategy Healthy Edge. I want to switch to Triple crown but I can not afford $28 a bag. I now will be switching her to Purina senior or Purina Senior active.
HOW have you ruled them out? So many people think that just because the horse is eating fine, or that their weight is fine, that ulcers can’t be a problem, and that is often not the case
-She has been scoped and also we have done the omeprazole test, like putting her on it for a week and seeing if it would help.
There could be so, so many things going on. Ulcers, saddle fit, feet hurt, teeth hurt, back hurts, hocks hurt, rider error.
-Her saddle has been fitted by a fitter, her feet have never been sore and we have checked, teeth are about to get done, chiro will also be out hopefully soon, hocks are going to be checked when the teeth are done, rider error may be at play but I am not sure anymore.
Thank you all for trying to help me! I am sorry if I am snappy, I am just trying to figure out what is best for my mare.
2 Likes
By playdays, do you mean games, like poles and barrel racing? Absolutely that can get a horse ramped up and hot since all they are asked to do is gallop. Maybe you just need to retrain her that her new job is walk walk walk.
3 Likes
Yes, that is what I mean. We do 1 play day a month and never practice for them. All of the work that we do is walk and trot unless I am lunging.
Well, back when I was a teen and people did trails and games, it always seemed to me the two were a bit incompatible. The good games horses were a whole extra level of crazy and the good trail horses wouldn’t really dig in and race in the arena. Maybe decide what you want and then focus on that for a year. Also can you go bomb a horse in games day if it hasn’t been keeing fit all month? Sounds like a recipe for an injury to me.
1 Like
We work on what is essential in the games, like moving over her body, doing circles, stopping, ect. We also do a lot of ground work and are preparing for our first trail show and English show. We just never actually practice the patterns. She isn’t always the best trails horse but it is always fun to go and ride somewhere else.
No good competition horse can be crazy. They might have a bit extra fire that is not compatible with general amateur riders.
There are a lot of horses who are not well-trained when it comes to speed events, never having been taught to go slow before they went fast, never having a solid foundation of flat work, so fast and “crazy” is all they know. The majority of those aren’t going to be winning at upper level shows because they aren’t controllable enough.
All in all, this sounds like she has not had solid training on a regular basis. She hasn’t been taught that speed work isn’t a full time thing. Teaching a horse to go fast is just as much about coming back from that speed, as it is about getting to that speed. If most of what you do is w/t work, then she is out of practice when it comes to the added adrenaline of canter and hand gallop work, never mind real galloping.
Don’t bother testing magnesium - you’re not going to get an accurate picture unless she was REALLY deficient, and then you’d be having a host of other issues. You’ll get a much better picture by supplementing 10-15gm a day and seeing what happens in a month or 2.
Do you have a picture of her?
2 Likes
Do you have an update? Did you put your mare on ashwagandha and did you notice a difference. My trainer wants to use it on my trail gelding that now has to get used to going out by himself due to a change in circumstances. I’m hesitant.
1 Like
