How to Keep Your Horse Calm and Focused in Stressful Environments

"Brilliance is what makes a horse special, but the key to success at showtime is not only having a horse that is absolutely brilliant, but also extremely calm, focused and completely with you as a rider."

These are the words recently shared with us by Vita Flex Pro Victory Team member Caroline Roffman. She went on to explain how Vision™ Focus & Calming Supplement, one of our horse supplements, has helped her horses have that calm alertness and presence she needs from them.

Since the launch of Vision in 2012, Caroline has relied on this calming supplement, not during shows but when first training a horse that is new to her. When horses are new to competing, there are many aspects that can cause them to be distracted, nervous or stressed. The whole show environment, with bright lights, unfamiliar stalls, new surroundings, full crowds, flags in the bleachers, and loud announcements over a PA system can all be very disconcerting for a horse. For equine athletes, it is under this exact stress-inducing environment that they most need their horse to be responsive, calm and focused.

That’s where Vision comes in. For many competitors such as Caroline, Vision has proven to be an invaluable calming supplement to help their horses learn to be relaxed and focused while training and becoming accustomed to performing under show-like conditions.

Vision delivers seven active ingredients:

• Tryptophan, an essential amino acid that not only serves as building blocks for muscle, but may increase serotonin levels in the animal. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps with learning and mood regulation.
• Valerian root extract, increases gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), which may decrease stress and nervousness by helping to control neurotransmission.
• Magnesium, shown to help sooth nerves by possibly decreasing excessive nerve “firing”
• Thiamine, shown to support energy utilization through Thiamine Pyrophosphate
• Inositol, functions in cell membrane phospholipid synthesis and neurotransmitter receptors
• Riboflavin and Pyridoxine, B-vitamins which aid in the conversion of tryptophan to serotonin and are essential in proper energy utilization

After rigorous research and testing, the Vita Flex Pro team of equine nutritionists, scientists and veterinarians created this perfect combination of seven ingredients to create a very effective calming supplement specifically formulated for high-performance horses.

Although Vision won’t cause your horse drowsiness or impair performance, make sure to always check with association regulations regarding use during competition. Outside the ring, Vision has proven to be very helpful during trailering and training where the environment can be set up to simulate stimuli the horse may encounter during show time, allowing them to be remain calm and focused while being exposed to potentially stressful situations.

To find out more about how this product can help you, whether you have a high-performance horse or simply a horse with nervous habits, such as headshaking and unpredictable behavior, give us a call toll free at 800-848-2359 or visit our website to learn more about our full line of horse supplements.