Calming Nervous Horses: Magnesium May Help

Your horse has way too much energy when you ride. He snorts, jigs, and spooks at every little thing, making your mounted work a challenge. You’ve already tried cutting back on his grain and longeing before you ride. You’re reluctant to go to a stronger bit; you’ve heard that’s not a good solution to fizzy behavior. Isn’t there some type of supplement you can give your horse to help him settle down?

Anecdotal evidence has supported the usefulness of magnesium supplements to smooth out nervous behavior, but until now, this has not been supported by published research results. In a research project conducted by equine scientists from Charles Sturt University in Australia and the Waltham Equine Studies Group in the U.K., six Standardbred geldings were supplemented with 10 grams of magnesium aspartate. The horses were already being fed hay made from clover and ryegrass, a diet that contained the recommended daily intake of magnesium. The average reaction speed response was measured before and after supplementation. The response after supplementation was reduced by more than one-third in these horses. This suggests that magnesium aspartate may positively influence behavior in some horses.

In another study completed at the University of Guelph, researchers compared the effects of the common sedative acepromazine and a magnesium-based product in horses asked to engage in normal management scenarios, such as stepping onto a scale, loading into a two-horse trailer, submitting to a jugular blood sample, and standing in a stall with an unfamiliar object. The tasks induced a stress response, as evidenced by increased heart rate and plasma cortisol. Administration of both acepromazine and magnesium “effectively blunted the onset of stress,” according to researchers.^*

B-Quiet Paste (available from Kentucky Equine Research in Australia) is a nutrient-enriched paste containing magnesium and thiamine. It is designed for use in all classes of horses before and during competition.

^*Pearson, W., and J. MacNicol. 2017, Acute effects of a single-dose nutritional product on stress response and task completion in horses. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 51:86-91.