🧠 Vet Advice 2025: Do Antianxiety Supplements Work for Horses? 🐎🌿

Whether it’s trailering, competing, or simply adjusting to a new environment, many horses struggle with situational anxiety. Horse owners seeking to help often turn to calming supplements—but which ones are safe and effective? In this 2025 vet-reviewed guide, Dr Duncan Houston compares prescription tranquilizers like acepromazine with magnesium-based calming supplements, and shares the latest science-backed advice. 🧪🐴

🤯 Common Situations That Trigger Anxiety in Horses

• 🚛 Trailer loading and travel
• 🎯 Competitions and shows (barrel racing, jumping, dressage)
• 🐴 Being separated from herd mates
• 🧳 Transitions to new barns or pastures
• 👩‍⚕️ Vet visits, clipping, or farrier appointments

While some horses show mild signs (restlessness, pawing), others experience full-blown panic with sweating, rearing, and refusal to move. If behavior is limiting safety or performance, it’s time to consider calming strategies. 🧠

🧪 Study: Acepromazine vs. Magnesium Supplement

Researchers at the University of Guelph, Canada, recently compared:

• 💉 Acepromazine – a prescription sedative
• 🌿 A magnesium-based calming supplement
• ⚪ A control group (no active treatment)

They evaluated stress by monitoring:

• ❤️ Heart rate
• 🧪 Cortisol levels
• ⚖️ Response to stress-inducing tasks (e.g., trailer loading, walking on a scale)

📊 What They Found:

• Both acepromazine and the magnesium supplement reduced stress
• The control group showed no improvement

Conclusion: Non-prescription calming supplements may help in low to moderate anxiety situations, while acepromazine was also effective but comes with risks. ✅

💉 Acepromazine: Effective but Risky

Acepromazine is a tranquilizer used by vets to sedate horses for procedures or stressful events. While it can calm a horse effectively, Dr Duncan Houston cautions against casual use. ⚠️

Side Effects:

• ❤️ Irregular heartbeat and low blood pressure
• ⚠️ Penile prolapse in geldings/stallions (may become irreversible)
• 🚫 Prohibited in competition settings

Note: Acepromazine should only be used under direct veterinary guidance and is not intended for daily use or competition prep. 💊

🌿 Magnesium Supplements: A Safer Option?

Magnesium plays a role in nerve and muscle function. Some horses with anxiety may benefit from supplements that contain:

• 🔹 Magnesium oxide or citrate
• 🧘 L-theanine
• 🌿 Herbal extracts (e.g., valerian, chamomile, tryptophan)

Do They Work?

Evidence is mixed—but growing. In mild cases of travel or performance stress, some magnesium-based products may reduce startle responses and improve focus. They’re also legal for use in most competitions. ✅

Safe Use Tips:

• 📅 Allow 7–10 days of use to assess response
• 🧪 Avoid over-supplementing—excess magnesium can cause diarrhea
• 💬 Choose supplements from reputable brands with transparent labeling

⚠️ What to Avoid

1. 🚫 Human Psychiatric Medications

Some owners experiment with human antidepressants or tranquilizers in horses. This is dangerous and illegal in most sport settings.

Why It’s Risky:

• 🧬 Horses metabolize drugs differently than humans
• ❌ Serious side effects include seizures, colic, and collapse
• 🧪 No dosage standards or safety testing for equine use

2. 💰 Unverified “Calming” Formulas

The supplement market is unregulated. Many calming powders or pastes make bold claims without proven ingredients. 🧂

Tips for Choosing a Product:

• ✅ Look for brands with 3rd-party testing or clinical trials
• 📋 Avoid proprietary blends with undisclosed quantities
• 🧪 Ask your vet before starting any calming product

🐴 Training and Environmental Strategies Still Matter

Supplements should not replace solid groundwork and stress desensitization. Use behavior modification tools alongside calming products for best results:

• 👣 Practice regular trailer loading in low-stress settings
• 🎧 Use ear plugs or ear bonnets for sound-sensitive horses
• 🧠 Positive reinforcement for anxiety-triggering situations

📲 Ask A Vet: Behavior and Supplement Support

Not sure whether your horse’s nerves are behavioral, medical, or environmental? The Ask A Vet app connects you with equine professionals like Dr Duncan Houston for custom anxiety plans. 📱🐎

• 🧪 Review current feed and supplement labels
• 📈 Track behavior changes over time
• 💬 Get guidance on legal calming aids for competition

Download the Ask A Vet app today and help your horse stay calm, confident, and competition-ready. 🧘🐴

🏁 Final Thoughts: Calm, Not Sedated

Helping an anxious horse doesn’t mean sedating them into submission. The goal is mental balance and emotional confidence. In 2025, we have more tools than ever to support horses with stress—safely and naturally. ✅

🐾 For guidance on calming strategies, feed evaluation, and competition-safe options, visit AskAVet.com or download the Ask A Vet app to connect with Dr Duncan Houston today. 🧠🐎💙