New Research Shows Calming Effect of Magnesium on Horses

The long-awaited proof that magnesium can potentially help calm horses has now been found. New research, conducted by the WALTHAM® Equine Studies Group and Australian collaborators, to be presented at the Equine Science Society (ESS) in Florida in May, has shown that magnesium can significantly slow reaction speed responses.1

Evolutionarily the horse is a prey animal and as such is a creature of flight. Today, when the flight reaction is felt to be excessive, some owners opt to use calming supplements, usually containing magnesium. However, to date there has been no published evidence to show that magnesium can have a calmative effect in horses.

The study was conducted at Charles Stuart University in New South Wales, Australia by Jessica Dodd, as part of her PhD program. It was supervised by Dr Glenys Noble in collaboration with the WALTHAM® Equine Studies Group, headed by Professor Pat Harris MA PhD, VetMB DipECVCN MRCVS. It investigated the effects of magnesium aspartate supplementation on the reaction speeds of six Standardbred geldings. The addition of 10g of magnesium to a roughage (clover/ryegrass hay) diet, which already provided the recommended daily intake of magnesium, reduced the average reaction speed response in the horses by more than a third. Without the supplement, the mean response time was 5.3 meters per second and with the supplement it slowed to 3.1 meters per second.

Clare Barfoot RNutr and the research and development manager at MARS Horsecare UK said: This research is particularly exciting for our T.E.N. Supplements brand. Although the benefits of magnesium have been well documented anecdotally, this study provides the first scientific evidence that magnesium aspartate, which is found in some behavior supplements such as our own T.E.N. Positive Calm Behavior Plus, may influence behavior.”

T.E.N. Positive Calm Behavior contains two sources of magnesium and the herbs chamomile, hops, passiflora and lemon balm to help promote a more relaxed riding experience. T.E.N. Positive Calm Behavior Plus contains three sources of magnesium including magnesium aspartate as well as probiotic live yeast and amino acids lysine and arginine, which have been shown in humans to help reduce anxiety.

1 Jessica Dodd, Greg Doran, Patricia Harris, Glenys Noble (2015) Magnesium aspartate supplementation and reaction speed response in horses – to be presented at ESS, Florida in May 2015.