USEF says L-theanine prohibited in calmers

[WavyRider]

I’ve never used supplements that way, but I do get laughing gas when I go to the dentist or take anti-anxiety meds on planes so ¯_(ツ)_/¯

[WavyRider]

[Tone: not defending it]

Unfortunately true of all or most sport with lots of $$$ at stake, no?

[skydy]

Nitrous oxide gas at the dentist is your choice and doesn’t break any rules. The horse is not involved in the decision to “calm” it against the rules, for the riders benefit.

[NaturallyHappy]

@WavyRider

guess that’s true. And if someone did want to use the calming supplements to help an inexperienced horse gain positive experience off property, they could do that without going to an actual show.

Or, you could go to the show, hand walk, school, and give the horse a good experience but not enter the ring to be judged.

[vxf111]

Or you could go HC if you really need the ring experience.

[skydy]

@vxf111

Or you could go HC if you really need the ring experience.

I get the sneaking suspicion that many people aren’t capable of riding out the sillies that an inexperienced horse can throw at them.

[vxf111]

Or having a pro ride the horse (HC or not as appropriate).

There are so many options between “dangerous situation for the rider” and “cheat/drug.” It’s a false dichotomy.

[Montanas_Girl]

Or…you could breed/buy horses that don’t act like fruit loops in new environments, even as babies…

This conversation reminds me of the Farmer/Glefke response to one of their many drug violations. The defense in the case I’m remembering was basically that it is “impossible” to bring up young horses without sedating them at shows.

Umm. No, no it is not. Not when your youngsters have good brains and proper preparation.

[Trekkie]

I only have an n=8 but of all the babies I have raised to show of all different breeds including purpose bred warmbloods I have NEVER once given any of mine a calmer/sedative to travel or experience any new environment. Teach them trust, respect and break down things into small pieces. They all grew up to be solid citizens. All it took was baby steps and a ton of time and effort. I think most people don’t know how to do this anymore. Or they bite off more than the baby horse can handle. Shortcuts are the name of the game these days and people think it is the norm. Then you create an animal with holes in its education and the horse gets blamed. It is my biggest pet peeve about the horse world.

[Aussie_2020]

I second your pet peeve and add one of mine - not enough real exercise.

[Demerara_Stables]

@Trekkie

All it took was baby steps and a ton of time and effort. I think most people don’t know how to do this anymore.

Exactly this. But I’d add that, similar to riders riding at levels they shouldn’t be at, people don’t want to take the time. They want to get the horse in the ring and get it jumping around to get it sold asap. Proper young horse development takes YEARS, not the few months (if that) that most trainers want to spend.

[Demerara_Stables]

@Aussie_2020

I second your pet peeve and add one of mine - not enough real exercise.

Or turnout

[jvanrens]

@WavyRider

Is giving a horse UlcerGard at a show also considered a calming supplement? Technically it does enhance their performance and calm them if they’re prone to stomach upset at shows.

Where do you draw the line?

(Context: I give Ulcergard at shows and think about this a lot. Is it really different from other calming supplements?)

You can’t give a horse Ulcerguard when racing in NYS.

[skydy]

@Demerara_Stables

They want to get the horse in the ring and get it jumping around to get it sold asap. Proper young horse development takes YEARS, not the few months (if that) that most trainers want to spend.

I’ve never seen or known of a young horse jumping in a USEF class that has only had “a few months (if that)” training. That is not the amount of time training that “most trainers want to spend”.

Are the USEF trainers you know jumping four year old horses that have only been ridden for a few months?

[Green_Light]

Or we could push to change the expectations that hunters go around like automatons instead of trying more and more ways to make them quiet.

Armchair arguments about the spirit of the rule, telling people to take their young horse to a show (have you seen the fees lately?) to walk it around but not show? These aren’t true solutions, especially in this economy.

The root of the problem is expecting numbness and perfection from prey animals while screeching about how it’s “tradition.” Anyone who has fox hunted knows that today’s hunters are nothing like being on the hunt field.

[trubandloki]

@Green_Light

telling people to take their young horse to a show (have you seen the fees lately?) to walk it around but not show? These aren’t true solutions, especially in this economy.

This part of your post had me laughing way too freaking hard.

Really? Your argument is that it is too expensive to expose a young horse so drugging it is the answer?

BTW, I am fine with better living through chemistry in the right situation.

But really, how can you feel comfortable saying that proper exposure is ever the wrong answer?

If you want to save money, start with something else other than a fancy expensive rated show.

Properly exposing a young horse has nothing to do with the rest of your rant.

[Green_Light]

You definitely did not read my post correctly.

We. Need. To. Change. The. Expectations. In. The. Hunters.

[endlessclimb]

But in the meantime, drug them?

[trubandloki]

@Green_Light

Or we could push to change the expectations that hunters go around like automatons instead of trying more and more ways to make them quiet.

Armchair arguments about the spirit of the rule, telling people to take their young horse to a show (have you seen the fees lately?) to walk it around but not show? These aren’t true solutions, especially in this economy.

The root of the problem is expecting numbness and perfection from prey animals while screeching about how it’s “tradition.” Anyone who has fox hunted knows that today’s hunters are nothing like being on the hunt field.

@Green_Light

You definitely did not read my post correctly.

We. Need. To. Change. The. Expectations. In. The. Hunters.

I read it correctly.

Even if the expectations for hunters were different, you would still have to expose a young horse to horse shows.
Or, I guess, drug them.

[Pennywell_Bay]

@trubandloki

Even if the expectations for hunters were different, you would still have to expose a young horse to horse shows.
Or, I guess, drug them.

Are you referring to PP as drugging? Just asking because (I can’t stress enough I think PP etc is useless and doesn’t work nor do I use them) I do think there is a distinction to be made.

I am in the camp of- most of the non banned “calmers” do not work and it is anecdotal. However, I do not think that giving a calming supplement, like PP is “drugging” a horse. (waste of money is a different discussion, as is the “spirit” of the rule).

The key distinction is that drugging is often a more aggressive or artificial intervention, whereas calming supplements work subtly and usually with “natural substances” to(if they are even going work at all). The Distinction comes down to mechanism of action and classification of the substance.

Not everything you give your horse is “drugging”.