Magnesium vs Valerian for Horses: Which Calming Aid Really Works?
Horses react to stress in different ways—some spook, others tighten through the back or grind their teeth. Two popular nutritional approaches for taking the edge off are magnesium and valerian root. While both claim to promote relaxation, their mechanisms, legal status, and consistency of results differ sharply.
How Each Ingredient Works
Magnesium is an essential macro-mineral. In the nervous system it competes with calcium at NMDA receptors, preventing neurons from over-firing; in muscle tissue it allows fibers to release fully after contraction. Because the body cannot store large free reserves, marginal shortfalls show up quickly as tension, twitching, or anxious behavior. Supplementing a fast-absorbing form therefore corrects a true dietary gap and steadies the horse without dulling athletic spark.
Valerian is an herbal sedative. The active compounds (valerenic acids) bind to GABA-A receptors in the brain, producing mild tranquillization similar to low-dose benzodiazepines. Horses often appear sleepy rather than simply focused. The potency of valerian varies by plant maturity, harvest method, and storage time, so results can be hit-or-miss from tub to tub.
Research and Reliability
Peer-reviewed trials consistently show that oral magnesium can lower heart-rate responses and slow startle reflexes in excitable horses when fed at 10–15 g elemental Mg per day. Data on valerian are scant and mostly observational; dosage recommendations remain anecdotal because whole-herb preparations contain fluctuating levels of val acids.
Competition Rules and Safety
• Magnesium is naturally present in every diet and is not on FEI or USEF prohibited lists. Riders at all levels use it year-round.
• Valerian is classed as a controlled substance by most sport-horse authorities. Positive tests can lead to disqualifications and fines, so its use is effectively limited to non-competitive situations.
Choosing What’s Best for Your Horse
If your goal is a calmer, more rideable partner who still feels fresh in the ring, magnesium offers a legal, science-backed path. Valerian may help in a pinch for at-home rehab or stall rest, but its variability—and banned status in competition—makes it a risky long-term strategy.
Why Riders Trust Nupafeed® MAH® Magnesium
Nupafeed’s patented MAH® complex bonds pharmaceutical-grade magnesium to aspartate-hydrochloride carriers that deliver fast, consistent absorption without digestive upset. Most horses show a softer eye and freer stride within five days of the loading dose—no drowsiness, no rule-book worries.
Ready to feel the difference? Give your horse calm focus that passes every show test with Nupafeed MAH® Magnesium Supplements.
