"Calm and Cool" Paste? Experiences?

[sublimequine]

Has anyone ever used this stuff?

http://www.smartpakequine.com/productclass.aspx?productClassid=6250

What did you think of it? Did it work? What effect did it have? Why were you using it?

For those who haven't used it, but are curious, here's the ingredient list:

L-tryptophan, Valerian Root, Black Cohosh, Passion Flower, Ginger Root, Hops, Wood Betony, Cherry Extract for Flavoring, Benzol Alcohol .05%, Sorbic Acid as a Preservative, Xanthan Gum.

Any and all input on this stuff would be greatly appreciated! :D

[sublimequine]

Folks who voted in the poll, if you can, please reply and tell your story! :)

[Milocalwinnings]

I've used it on my gelding a few times. It really works on him, you have to be careful how much you give him! Ace makes him more reactive, so I keep CC on hand now just incase he ever needs to be sedated. If you're looking to just take the edge off, don't give too much, as it really puts them out of it.

Just an FYI- (depending on the horse)- when I first moved to the barn, I left a tube with the BM to give him before the farrier since it was the first time with this farrier. The BM followed the directions and gave him the whole tube. I went out to get him, and he was almost on the ground! I mean, knees buckling, nose touching the ground, very unsteady on his feet. It takes A LOT of sedative to get this horse anywhere near that (the vet has to give him 4 horses worth of heavy drugs to to his teeth)- but the calm and cool put him way out of it. I rarely use it now, but I only give 1/3 tube if I do.

[sublimequine]

I've used it on my gelding a few times. It really works on him, you have to be careful how much you give him! Ace makes him more reactive, so I keep CC on hand now just incase he ever needs to be sedated. If you're looking to just take the edge off, don't give too much, as it really puts them out of it.

Just an FYI- (depending on the horse)- when I first moved to the barn, I left a tube with the BM to give him before the farrier since it was the first time with this farrier. The BM followed the directions and gave him the whole tube. I went out to get him, and he was almost on the ground! I mean, knees buckling, nose touching the ground, very unsteady on his feet. It takes A LOT of sedative to get this horse anywhere near that (the vet has to give him 4 horses worth of heavy drugs to to his teeth)- but the calm and cool put him way out of it. I rarely use it now, but I only give 1/3 tube if I do.

Wow, really? I'm considering using it the day my mare's buddy moves out (she's really attached to her and I don't want her killing herself). I wasn't sure the whole tube would be enough, as she's well over 1000lbs. Now I don't know if I should actually give the whole tube or not.. :eek:

[Milocalwinnings]

Wow, really? I'm considering using it the day my mare's buddy moves out (she's really attached to her and I don't want her killing herself). I wasn't sure the whole tube would be enough, as she's well over 1000lbs. Now I don't know if I should actually give the whole tube or not.. :eek:


Hmm, it probably depends on the horse. The tube says to administer the whole thing- but that was obviously too much for my 1200lb gelding:lol::eek: Could you do a "test run" with it, maybe giving her 1/2 tube and see how that affects her? That way, when you go to use it when her buddy moves out, you'd know whether the 1/2 tube had some effect, no effect, or just enough effect. That's what I would do if it were me, but I don't know if that would be something you'd want to do.

[sublimequine]

Hmm, it probably depends on the horse. The tube says to administer the whole thing- but that was obviously too much for my 1200lb gelding:lol::eek: Could you do a "test run" with it, maybe giving her 1/2 tube and see how that affects her? That way, when you go to use it when her buddy moves out, you'd know whether the 1/2 tube had some effect, no effect, or just enough effect. That's what I would do if it were me, but I don't know if that would be something you'd want to do.

The store only had ONE tube, and I don't think I can order another one in time. I hate to do a test run, then realize I'd need the whole tube, you know?

[Milocalwinnings]

The store only had ONE tube, and I don't think I can order another one in time. I hate to do a test run, then realize I'd need the whole tube, you know?

Ahhh gotcha. I'm not sure what I'd do then.... Hopefully others chime in with their experiences/suggestions.

[sublimequine]

Ahhh gotcha. I'm not sure what I'd do then.... Hopefully others chime in with their experiences/suggestions.

I wish they had more than one tube, otherwise I'd love to do a test run. Sometimes living in the boonies can be a bit difficult. :lol:

[deltawave]

Two words describe the effects I noticed:

diddly squat

:)

[sublimequine]

Two words describe the effects I noticed:

diddly squat

:)

Wow, really? What circumstances where you using it for?

[deltawave]

You name it: hot, spooky TB mare in a variety of circumstances through her first several years off the track, another young TB in his first showing situation, prior to long trailer rides on my old trail horse who hated trailers. Never saw a bit of difference, and this is years ago before I was QUITE as skeptical as I am now. :) In fact, a lot of my experiences with this sort of thing are part of why I am so skeptical of nutraceuticals and supplements in general today. Heaven knows I tried 'em all. :lol:

[Hunter DQ]

I noticed a BIG difference. When I was in highschool, at least 10 years ago, my cousin and I were getting ready for a little schooling hunter show. We lived about 45 minutes away from the show and classes started at 8. My cousin was in the first division, so we had to be there at 6:30 to have time to school and register and all that. His Arab had a tendency to get very exited when traveling, so my mom decided to give the rotten little mare some Calm and Cool before we left so it would have time to kick in before he showed. Problem: it's 5:30 am, still dark, and my mother has had no coffee. She grabs the first gray horse she finds and shoots it full of calm and cool. Did I mention my TB mare was fleabitten gray as well? My typically "calm" equitation mare was miss steady eddie in her eq courses. That day, however, she was western pleasure between fences. She was the mellowest thoroughbred I've ever seen in my life. It was a super funny experience that we tease my mom about all the time. There's like 8 inches of difference in the two horses. Her defense is the lack of coffee and that my horse shouldn't have opened her mouth. (BTW, turns out little Arab didn't get too scary with Michael that day; he just rode the eq division since she was a little on the quick side).

On that note, I do like using calm and cool when kids are involved and safety is an issue. I also use it before transporting nervous horses on long hauls. On the downside, I don't like using it with green horses who are facing a new experience b/c a vet told me that the horses do not remember the experience with c&c. It's just a mellow blur. I'm not totally sure if that's true or not (I've not really investigated) but it makes sense. So we use calm and cool for safety and have always gotten mellow results.

[sublimequine]

You name it: hot, spooky TB mare in a variety of circumstances through her first several years off the track, another young TB in his first showing situation, prior to long trailer rides on my old trail horse who hated trailers. Never saw a bit of difference, and this is years ago before I was QUITE as skeptical as I am now. :) In fact, a lot of my experiences with this sort of thing are part of why I am so skeptical of nutraceuticals and supplements in general today. Heaven knows I tried 'em all. :lol:

Dang, now I dunno whether or not to give the whole tube, half of it, or not even bother! :lol:

Luckily it was cheap, and I figure it won't actually hurt anything, even if it has no effect, right? :confused:

[sublimequine]

I noticed a BIG difference. When I was in highschool, at least 10 years ago, my cousin and I were getting ready for a little schooling hunter show. We lived about 45 minutes away from the show and classes started at 8. My cousin was in the first division, so we had to be there at 6:30 to have time to school and register and all that. His Arab had a tendency to get very exited when traveling, so my mom decided to give the rotten little mare some Calm and Cool before we left so it would have time to kick in before he showed. Problem: it's 5:30 am, still dark, and my mother has had no coffee. She grabs the first gray horse she finds and shoots it full of calm and cool. Did I mention my TB mare was fleabitten gray as well? My typically "calm" equitation mare was miss steady eddie in her eq courses. That day, however, she was western pleasure between fences. She was the mellowest thoroughbred I've ever seen in my life. It was a super funny experience that we tease my mom about all the time. There's like 8 inches of difference in the two horses. Her defense is the lack of coffee and that my horse shouldn't have opened her mouth. (BTW, turns out little Arab didn't get too scary with Michael that day; he just rode the eq division since she was a little on the quick side).

On that note, I do like using calm and cool when kids are involved and safety is an issue. I also use it before transporting nervous horses on long hauls. On the downside, I don't like using it with green horses who are facing a new experience b/c a vet told me that the horses do not remember the experience with c&c. It's just a mellow blur. I'm not totally sure if that's true or not (I've not really investigated) but it makes sense. So we use calm and cool for safety and have always gotten mellow results.

Yeah it's for safety, not really for training or teaching her anything. :)

[deltawave]

You're going to have to make up your own mind, I'm afraid. Just look at how many differing opinions/experiences there are on this one small thread. Obviously a lot of people notice a difference, and a lot of people don't. (what that says about the efficacy of the stuff, to me, is that it's highly questionable) It certainly can't hurt to try it. Might help YOU feel better for having done something.

Personally I'm sold on earplugs for a lot of situations where a reactive horse is likely to get in a tizzy. :)

[sublimequine]

You're going to have to make up your own mind, I'm afraid. Just look at how many differing opinions/experiences there are on this one small thread. Obviously a lot of people notice a difference, and a lot of people don't. (what that says about the efficacy of the stuff, to me, is that it's highly questionable) It certainly can't hurt to try it. Might help YOU feel better for having done something.

Personally I'm sold on earplugs for a lot of situations where a reactive horse is likely to get in a tizzy. :)

I have a feeling my mare would have a conniption(sp?) over the earplugs themselves, let alone whatever was making her go nutty in the first place. :lol: :lol: :lol:

[2boys]

Wow! Is anyone else surprised at the drastic difference in their experiences with this stuff'?:eek::eek:

[tarynls]

I give it to my horse before shoeing and trailering. It's worked wonders for him - I usually administer it about 2 hours before shoeing etc. Really mellows him out.

[LDavis104]

Very interesting that you started this thread, as I just used a 1/2 tube on my horse on Monday. He's on week ~7 of stall rest and has taken to rearing. I had SmartCalm on the way but wanted to give him something in the meantime for when we go on our handwalk. Gave him 1/2 the tube and he was at his worst since he's been on stall rest. Granted, it was all of a sudden cold and windy, so it could be more that than the Calm & Cool, but when I was telling a friend about how he acted she said she's known of horses who seem to get more wound up on Tryptophan (sp?) than it having a calming effect. So the only thing you can do is try it and see :)

[manyspots]

Did anyone find they need a full four hours for it to work or was it much quicker???

[cloudyandcallie]

Used it on hot, hot, hot tb mare, and on hot, hot wb.
TB mare went down from a hot, hot, hot, to a hot, hot, and wb went from hot, hot, to just hot. :lol:
I think it helped them focus better, but I like hot horses, I was just doing it cause other people were a little afraid of them.

Turning CLoudy and Callie out on grass when we moved from town to the country made them much calmer.

I used calm and cool, moody mare, and everything around in 2001.

[deltawave]

Wow! Is anyone else surprised at the drastic difference in their experiences with this stuff'?:eek::eek:


Nope. :)

It's the same with almost every nutraceutical/supplement. Either horses have very variable responses to the stuff, or the product is very inconsistent in its contents, or efficacy is somewhat in the eye of the beholder. Any way you look at it, it's all way too inconsistent for me to have much faith in it in general. With an animal that has had a consistent positive benefit, great. But this sort of wildly variable response makes me personally very hesitant to try it in the first place. It's kind of like buying a lottery ticket--yeah, you MIGHT get a winner, but odds are you won't. :)

[Peggy]

Horse Journal did something on calming supplements (may be this May 2007 article (http://www.horse-journal.com/issues/14_5/features/Herbal_Horse_Remedies_1095-1.html), don't have it at work). One of the things they concluded was that you got better results with at least one of the ingredients when the horse wasn't being "stimulated." Another ingredient found in some calming supplements worked better in that situation. One of many variables, I suspect. After I read the article, I decided to stick to the earplugs (and ace if necessary) for our rehab.

[Milocalwinnings]

In a lot of situations, things like calmers or mild sedatives won't work as well or at all if the horse is already excited/worried/hyped up.

Give her the calm-n-cool a couple hours before the other horse leaves. How much you give her is something you'll have to decide. IF, for example, a whole tube has the same effect on her as it did on my gelding, would you be ok with that? If not, I probably wouldn't give a whole tube. But if you don't give the whole tube, then you could possibly have that not be enough. It depends on the horse, so I guess you'll have to decide whether you'd rather risk her being too out of it, or possibly too worked up. Of course, it may also not work at all on her... but it can't hurt to try.

[jaimebaker]

I used it once to get a horse on a trailer. Still took 2 hours to get him on. Didn't do jack. He was just as reactive as before I even gave it to him.

[Cinnybren]

I tried it on a hot TB/arabian cross and a young reactive TB, didn't do a thing for either of them.

[sublimequine]

In a lot of situations, things like calmers or mild sedatives won't work as well or at all if the horse is already excited/worried/hyped up.

Give her the calm-n-cool a couple hours before the other horse leaves. How much you give her is something you'll have to decide. IF, for example, a whole tube has the same effect on her as it did on my gelding, would you be ok with that? If not, I probably wouldn't give a whole tube. But if you don't give the whole tube, then you could possibly have that not be enough. It depends on the horse, so I guess you'll have to decide whether you'd rather risk her being too out of it, or possibly too worked up. Of course, it may also not work at all on her... but it can't hurt to try.

I'm definitely going to give it to her well before the move-out of her buddy occurs. The tube says 4 hours before the event, so I'll try and do that.

I think I'm gonna risk it with the whole tube. If it REALLY mellows her out, I'll just let the BO know (so they don't think she's been secretly drugged or something), and keep an eye on her until she wakes fully back up.