Horses are animals that have a highly developed ‘fright and
flight’ instinct, and this can make them nervous and unpredictable
in their responses to handling and confinement.
In young horses, their sense of distrust or fear has to be overcome
before they will settle down and relax. Nervous behaviour can be
classified as ‘natural’ or ‘acquired’ in most horses.
Certain breeds and individual horses have a naturally nervous
disposition. For example, the thoroughbred and its crossbreds often
display a naturally nervous, high spirited and easily startled
nature. Warmblood horses generally are regarded as less nervy in
nature, although individual can inherit or acquire a nervy
temperament.
In young horses, immaturity, handling and stabling routine can
culture a nervous disposition in some horses and not others. Certain
families of horses have a nervous disposition, whereas other
bloodlines seem to be less fearful or reactive.
Acquired nervousness
In some cases, horses that have a naturally placid and ‘easy’
nature, can change their demeanour as a result of the type, time and
amount of feed, poor handling techniques, change of surroundings,
pain and physiological changes due to heavy sweat loss resulting in
‘spooky’ behaviour.
Management and
control of nervous behaviour
The control and handling of a nervous horse is a relatively common
problem faced by horse owners, riders and trainers. Careful initial
education or expert corrective handling to gain the animal’s
confidence is an important aspect of developing a relaxed,
reasonably predictable and ‘easy’ nature in any horse.
There are a number of feeding and management practices that can help
to settle down a nervous disposition in a horse:
-
- Reduce ‘heating’ and ‘fizzy’ feeds
- Electrolyte replacement
- Vitamin B1 and magnesium supplements
- Vitamin E
- Sedatives and tranquillisers
- Other therapies e.g. amino acids and herbal treatments
Reduce 'heating' and
'fizzy' feeds
Feeding an excess amount of energy in relation to exercise needs can
make any horse more ‘energetic’ and ‘above itself’, which is often
interpreted as a nervy or fizzy behaviour.
Other cool energy sources can be substituted in part, or as a
complete replacement for oats, including rolled barley, copra,
lupins, rice-based pellets, black sunflower seeds and vegetable
oils, such as canola, corn and mixed oils.
The time of feeding can have an influence on the hyperactive
response to grain. Feeding horses within 3 – 4 hours of exercise can
result in very nervy or ‘fizzy’ behaviour.
Electrolyte
replacement
Horses that are worked hard or for prolonged periods, particularly
during hot or humid weather, or those that naturally sweat heavily,
or develop ‘cow pat’ manure when nervous, can lose essential body
salts which increases the risk of jittery, nervous behaviour.
A specific electrolyte replacement should be given on a daily basis,
to all horses that are exercised regularly e.g.
-
- Light sweat loss; cool weather; fast exercise; exercise for 15 – 30 minutes add 1 scoop of Stressalyte morning and evening to feed
- Heavy, dripping sweat loss; warm, hot, tropical weather; prolonged exercise over 30 minutes add 1 scoop of Humidimix morning and evening to feed
- Very hyperactive horses that sweat heavily during work or hot weather, give one scoop in the morning and 2 scoops in the evening feed
Vitamin B1 and magnesium supplements
Vitamin B1 (thiamine) given at 50 – 100 times the daily recommended
requirement may settle nervy, fizzy, shying or aggressive behaviour.
However, not all horses respond to Vitamin B1 alone, and the
addition of magnesium in a Vitamin B1- magnesium combination (e.g.
Karma) helps improve the calming effect in most horses.
When used daily in racing, sport and equestrian horses Karma will
help to keep a horse’s mind ‘on the job’ and settle ‘good at home,
bad away’ behaviour.
Vitamin E
Clinical observations over many years indicate that high doses of
pure Vitamin E given as a pre-competition loading dose program can
exert a beneficial calming effect. However, it must be introduced in
a step-wise manner to avoid the effects of lethargy, loss of focus
and reduced awareness that occurs with sudden loading at high doses.
A 500 – 600 kg horse should be commenced on 1000iu natural source
Vitamin E, as in pure White-E, daily for at least 7 – 10 days. Then
give 3000 – 4000iu White-E in feed on the morning before and the
morning of racing or equestrian competition. There is no restriction
on the use if Vitamin E in this way.
Sedatives and
tranquillisers
These preparations are available only from a vet and are useful to
improve the safety to personnel and horses during management
procedures that can frighten or cause mild discomfort to horses.
During education and training of young horses, such as breaking into
saddle, pacers in the cart, or gallopers through the starting gates,
these preparations used under veterinary direction can reduce the
risk of injury in very nervy, or hard to handle horses.
Note that these preparations cannot be used to settle horses for
racing or other equestrian competition, as they are detectable in a
swab for periods in excess of 7 days. Consult your vet for advice.
Other therapies
There are a number of amino acid derivatives and herbal extracts
that are claimed to have a calming effect in nervy horses. Whilst
some of these appear to have a beneficial effect in some horses, not
all horses respond in a way that makes them safe, predictable and
quiet to handle or ride.
Care should be taken as some herbal calming products may contain
prohibited substances that can be detected in pre or
post-competition urine tests.
The use of products containing Vitamin B1 and Vitamin E, such as
Karma and White-E, have other additional benefits in correcting
dietary deficiencies to aid metabolism, nerve action, muscle
strength and stamina as well as imparting a calming effect.
