You’ll find several products—feed supplements, pheromones, aromatherapies—that are formulated to help calm horses. Some, even if not officially approved by the Food and Drug Administration for medical efficacy, are supported by scientific studies. Aromatherapy with lavender oil, for example, has been shown to reduce heart rate and other physiological evidence of stress in horses.
Another product contains calming pheromones in a gel that can be applied inside a horse’s nostrils. But, says Bonnie Beaver, DVM, DACVB, DACAW, of Texas A&M University, it must be used carefully. “The company’s studies suggest that this product will decrease the time it will take the reluctant or fearful horse to load into a trailer,” she says. “It seems to work in certain situations, but not if the horse is highly aroused and very scared.”…
