Calming vs Ulsa-Cool - Which to use and why?

Calming vs Ulsa-Cool - What is each balancer for, how do they differ, and tips on choosing and using them.

More than just a calming supplement, it’s a complete feed balancer with vitamins, minerals, micronutrients, probiotics and digestive support, PLUS the additional calming ingredients to help control anxiety and stress and calm excitable behaviour, while also supporting a comfy gut.

Key calming ingredients: chamomile, L-tryptophan and magnesium.

The daily feeding rate is only 100g/day for a 500kg horse, small volume while delivering a full nutrient package.

A complete feed balancer with vitamins, minerals and micronutrients, plus additional ingredients to help protect the stomach lining from acid damage. Ulsa-Cool encourages a healthy functioning digestive system while keeping food moving through your horse's gut slowly to aid nutrient absorption from the whole diet.

Key ingredients: Prebiotics (MOS), probiotics, nucleotides, beta-glucans, and an acid buffering AcidBal™ supplement derived from marine minerals, all to help and support healthy gut microbiome balance and more.

Key differences - how Calming and Ulsa-Cool differ in focus and formulation:

CHOOSE CALMING IF ... your horse is behaviourally excitable, gets easily stressed during travel, competition, changes in routine, or nervous when stabled etc.

CHOOSE ULSA_COOL IF ... your horse shows signs of potential ulcers, digestive issues or stomach upset. This can be present alongside behavioural issues, and could tie in with limited turnout, changes in grazing, girthy behaviour, loose/irregular droppings, tense under saddle due to tummy discomfort, and more.

It’s worth noting that if your horse that hits both issues (nervous behaviour and known or suspected digestive issues) you may want to chat with us to decide which is the preferred option, and whether management changes can also help.

Always ensure correct building of the diet, from forage-first, to small frequent meals and low starch, especially for gut health scenarios.

Since both Calming and Ulsa-Cool are both “super concentrated”, the daily feeding rate is very low at only 100g/day for a 500kg horse. This enables a small scoop to deliver a full nutrient package PLUS the additional beneficial ingredients.

For Calming: Maintain a consistent routine as far as possible, avoid sudden changes to your horse's environment to keep as stress free as possible. Calming balancer can help but management also plays a large role.

Evaluate regularly: Are behaviour improvements seen? Is digestive comfort improved? Are there changes in appetite, droppings or general demeanour?

For Ulsa-Cool: As it targets horses prone to ulcers/acid issues, pay extra attention to your feeding routine. Provide adequate forage, limiting time without forage, manage starch intake, and provide suitable turnout time, alongside other considerations. 

As with any feeding changes, introduce new feed/forage gradually and monitor for changes in behaviour, digestion, coat/condition, and consider veterinary advice especially if underlying issues such as ulcers are suspected.

A balancer is only part of your horse's nutrition. For any horse you still need adequate good quality forage, correct management of feed, body condition, exercise and turnout.

Calming Balancer is your go-to for behavioural/excitable horses needing both nutrient support and calming.

The Ulsa-Cool Balancer is more specialised for digestive/ulcer prone horses where gut health and acid balance are the key issues, though it still provides full nutrient support.

Choosing the right one depends on your horse’s primary issue and appropriate management alongside.