Contemplation – The calm and steady eye of a horse that is relaxed, confident, and ready to respond to the rider’s aids. Sadly this is not always the case. Horses are governed by the "flight or fight" stress response, which prompts them to run from anything that may pose a threat to their lives. By this action, horses in the wild remain safe and alive! As owners we may inadvertently add to the stress we place on our horses by putting further restrictions on their liberty, isolated in stables away from the healthy interaction and companionship of their own kind, simply by not allowing them to "be a horse". Many horses will have to cope with lack of access to grazing, dependence on concentrated feeds, insufficient exercise, the stresses of competition and travelling, or seasonal hormonal changes. It is really no wonder that they become stressed, anxious, tense and display unpredictable behaviour. You will be pleased to know that the answer may be something as simple as increasing turnout time, reducing hard feed and giving the horse more exercise. Nature can also help. In this section you will find herbal calmers to help your horse maintain a calm, healthy, balanced nervous and/or hormonal system. Valerian free blends are also available. Hilton Herbs – The Natural Answer for Nerves & Hormones