Top 3 Must-Haves in Your Horse's Show Calming Health Supplement

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Oftentimes our horses can seem so consistently calm that we forget they are still large prey animals with an intense flight instinct. This flight instinct is beneficial for wild horses living where danger from predators still means life and death. But when your horses are heading to the show ring, the last thing you want is a horse that looks for the “boogey man” in every corner of the arena!

One way to help your horse feel more at ease in busy show environments is with the help of a calming health supplement. With so many options available, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one for your horse. Here are the top three must-haves to look for when choosing a calming health supplement:

1. Show Safe Ingredients

Your horse is a competitor, so you'll want to be sure that any product you use helps, not hinders, his performance. You'll also need to make sure the calming health supplement you choose is show safe and does not contain any prohibited substances. To make sure the calming health supplement you choose is show safe, consult with the regulatory body of the competition, whether it's FEI, a breed-specific association or even local event organizers. They can provide you with a list of prohibited ingredients that you can check against your calming health supplement ingredient list. An example of a show-safe calming health supplement is Quietex™ Show Calming & Focusing Paste and Pellets. This formula supports mental clarity and concentration, allowing your horse to maintain focus and achieve optimal performance in a show-safe, herb-free formula.

2. Herb-Free Formula

You’ll find a range of ingredients in calming health supplements, picking the right one can be a challenge. It's important to understand the role of each ingredient and how it influences your horse's behavior.

Calming health supplements often contain a myriad of important vitamins and minerals with stress-supporting properties. For instance, magnesium, when deficient, can induce nervous behavior, while thiamine, a B-complex vitamin, works on the horse's nervous system, maintaining stress response. Tryptophan supports serotonin production, the brain chemical notorious for its calming effects.

Herbal ingredients like valerian have tranquilizing attributes but are also on most associations’ banned substance lists. When looking for a show-safe formula, choose herb-free calming health supplements like Quietex™ Show which combine key ingredients to promote calmness and healthy cognitive function that helps horses stay relaxed, focused, and alert in the show ring.

3. Optimized Feeding Form

The feeding options for calming health supplements vary, with each helping in a different way. Pastes can be ideal for use during rigorous performance demands, competitions, busy show environments, trailering and other stressful situations. Pellets are a great option for creating the foundation of daily calm during daily training or showing, or other stressful situations. Quietex™ Show comes in both forms—a paste and pellets for consistent support over time. Both options provide a convenient, easy-to-administer serving of show-safe, herb-free calming ingredients.

The form you choose to use should consider the type of support your horse needs and his schedule. Whether your horse needs daily support or help with easing stress in specific situations —like trailering or a busy show environment— there is a formula and form that is ideal for your horse.