Worried owners turn to helpful products.
Equine calmers – in power, liquid and oral syringe form – are always big sellers as the fireworks season gets underway.
Indeed, one major supplier has just launched a new product (see below) just in time for bonfire night and Diwali.
There’s also high consumer demand this year for items to sidetrack anxious horses, a leading retailer tells ETN.
As well as selling the top supplement brands from its online store, the Supplement Solutions team are often asked for advice by worried owners.
“We recommend popping an equine toy or lick into the stable as a distraction,” says managing director Hannah Wild, “and it’s something owners are increasingly keen to do.”
Giving a horse something to play with can also help calm the owner’s nerves, adds Hannah – because they feel they are doing something constructive and positive at what can be a stressful time for equines and their carers alike.
Using supplements
Judicious use of calming supplements can contribute to managing horses’ anxiety during the fireworks season, or indeed at any time of sudden lifestyle change, says Ryan Millar, director at BETTALife.
The company has just launched CalmaPRO+ which contains two sources of magnesium and l-tryptophan.
“Owners can increase the feeding rate for stressful situations like fireworks,” says Ryan.
“It can be fed for a week at maintenance rate before increasing, even doubling, on the day of additional challenge. It can be fed long term and is competition legal.”
Ryan adds that digestive support is also often useful for horses that become stressed by fireworks.
