Black cohosh. Chamomile. Hops. Passion flower. Valerian. Vervain. Wild lettuce. When it comes to calming herbs for spooky or nervous horses, it’s an alphabet soup of choices. But which ones might spell success for you?

Agitation is part of the equine psyche. Horses evolved as prey animals, shaped by nature to respond to supposed threats by exploding into one of two gears: flight or fight. In extreme instances, such reactions lead to serious injury of the horse or rider, and over the long term, the constant stress that comes with nervous behavior can erode your horse’s psychological wellbeing and even impact its immune and nervous systems.

Calming herbs work by restoring balance to the nervous system and helping your horse maintain level-headedness without dulling its finely tuned senses or natural reflexes. They can help your horse ride out the storm of those negative or uber reactions, and get their attention back on their job, increase their manageability, and deliver a safer, more optimum performance.

These herbs should not be seen as a panacea or replacing the importance of proper diet, training, and overall care. Calming herbs should also not be given indefinitely, but are best used as a supplement, under the advice of your holistic practitioner or veterinarian, to rebalance the nervous system, while further addressing underlying training and behavioral issues.

But for horses rescued from abuse or bad training, or suffering from chemical or hormonal imbalances, calming herbs can offer just enough relaxation to give them the chance to relearn that not every situation poses a threat or ends painfully.

Much like their owners, horses respond to stress differently. The unique properties of each of these calming herbs offer a wide scope of relief:

Chamomile – Harmlessly soothes nerves, insomnia, anxiety, and gastrointestinal upset. Good for horses whose anxiety “comes from the gut,” i.e. prone to diarrhea when anxious, excited, or outside their comfort zone. (Read more about its benefits, “Chamomile: Matricaria recutita,” by Rosanna King, of family-owned and operated King’s Herb Nook farm, in the January Equilite Newsletter).

Hops – Has sedative and diuretic properties, and can improve appetite and promote sleep. Helpful with horses whose minds are always “on the go,” and are easily distracted or don’t easily retain what they have learned.

Passion Flower –Helps break negative, ingrained behavior, reduces hyperactivity and panic, and works synergistically with other calming herbs (increasing their effectiveness). Reduces spasms and depresses the central nervous system.

Valerian – Works with the nervous system to suppress over-reaction or excitement. Give an hour prior to stressful situations like trailering, farrier and veterinarian visits, etc. Relaxes horses that express stress through their muscles, i.e. bucking, tightness under saddle, or teeth grinding. Natural laxative, anti-spasmodic properties help gas colic or uterine cramping in non-pregnant mares. Banned at horse shows. (Editor’s note: Competitors should always check with their national governing body, or show officials, regarding specific herbs and their status on approved substances lists.)

Vervain – The leaves and roots offer many valuable alternative medicines, including as an anthelminitic, astringent, sedative, and tonic. Works best on horses that express anxiety through their skin, i.e. lathering easily, ticklish-sided, prone to bug bites and allergens.

Wild Lettuce – Also known as horse thistle, this non-addictive opium substitute is considered a mild sedative that treats anxiety and restlessness, and is also used as diuretic and pain reliever. Bitter-tasting to people, horses love it.

Herbs have a calming effect on economic stress, too. They cost less than conventional medicine and offer few -- if any -- side effects.

Animal Health Options DVM, Kimberly Henneman, of Park City, Utah, agrees. "The main advantage is the lack of serious side effects in all but a few herbs. Overall, herbs are extremely beneficial, in situations where a horse cannot tolerate the side effects of medication, or (when the owner) wishes to avoid pharmaceuticals that have limited benefits with moderate health risks."

And that reduces stress for horses, and humans, alike.