The clocks changing at the end of October signals the start of weeks of wet muddy horses, little or no turnout, dusting off the high-viz for walking the dogs and so-on. However, it also signals the beginning of another high-stress period for horse and pet owners – the fireworks season!
Going back twenty years or so many of us enjoyed a few fireworks, either at home or at an organised event, to celebrate Guy Fawkes Night, Bonfire Night, Fireworks Night or whatever we liked to call it. We’re not suggesting that even this single event was any less stressful for our animals than it is now, however the problem these days is that the fireworks seem to go on from November 5th until Christmas and beyond. In between times you can always count on someone having fireworks for a birthday or some celebration, however the October through to New Year period is the worst.
We’ve got some products which could really help reduce the stress-levels of your horses and pets during this time and these will also help horses and ponies that are stabled for longer and have significantly less turnout and exercise at this time of the year. So, a win-win!
Fireworks season range
For horses and ponies we’d suggest our Calm & Collected Gold which comes in a handy 1L starter size which on a dosage of 30ml a day would last a 15.2hh horse a whole month. The Calm & Collected Gold contains, amongst other things, valerian root and vervain herb in a blend of calmative herbs. These herbs will reduce anxiety levels and maintain a balanced nervous system without sedating or changing the animal’s personality.
If your horse or pony is competing at Affiliated level remember that valerian is a prohibited substance. From our range of Plus supplements the competition-ready product for your horse or pony is the Calm & Collected Plus. A concentrated formula for optimum focus and concentration to be added to feed, allow 3-5 days for absorption. Calm & Collected Gold is simple to use, just add to your horse or pony’s normal feed, introducing gradually over a period of days allowing 7-10 days for full absorption.
Valerian Root
For your dogs we’d recommend our Tranquility Gold which is again a liquid tincture blend to ensure fast absorption and contains herbs such as valerian root, vervain and skullcap. As with the Calm & Collected for horses the aim is to reduce your pet’s stress levels without sedating or making them sleepy. Tranquility Gold should be added to your dog’s normal feed and introduced gradually over a period of days. Allow 5-7 days for complete absorption. We do not recommend you combine the Tranquility Gold with other products that contain valerian.
For cats we suggest using our Kitty Kalm which is a liquid tincture product containing herbs including Lemon balm herb and valerian root. The tinctures are blended with sweet vegetable glycerine to make the Kitty Kalm supremely palatable for our notoriously picky felines! There are clear instructions on the packaging but we recommend 4 drops per 1kg of bodyweight twice daily, ideally about half an hour before normal feeding. Kitty Kalm can be added to a small amount of food or some cats (including Blot the Hilton Herbs cat) will lick the product off your fingers.
Heather Giles is PR & Marketing Manager for Hilton Herbs. Heather has worked for the company for over 20 years and her job includes trade shows, working on the website, organising product photography and being responsible for advertising in the UK.
