Pre-Event Calming Preparation
Stressful environments and training activities can cause an increase in your horse's heart rate, increased blood flow to muscles, gastric tension and heightened senses, all of which prepare your horse to flee from danger.
Our Calming Timeline provides a proven schedule to build your horse's nutritional support, so they arrive focused and ready to perform in an unfamiliar environment.
Each phase features targeted formulas designed to address your horse's unique needs, whether they struggle with trailer loading, crowded warm-up rings, or ring-side distractions. By starting support early and layering in the right solutions, you'll help stop anxiety before it takes hold.
Not every horse needs the full protocol, but following the complete timeline creates a comprehensive foundation for even the most reactive or tension-prone horses.
The Perfect Prep™ Calming Timeline
3 Days Prior
to Performance
Begin feeding your choice of
PRE-EVENT PELLETS to establish your base of support prior to stress.
Night Before
& Morning of Performance
Administer your choice of LONG ACTING PASTES to concentrate calming support.
1½-2 Hours Before
Performance
Administer your choice of QUICK ACTING PASTES to lock in their focus just prior to performance.
Ready!
You've thoroughly prepared your horse for the upcoming performance.
Scroll down for expanded information.
3 Days Prior to Performance
While under stress, your horse burns through specific vitamins, minerals and amino acids at an accelerated rate. When these nutrients are depleted, your horse becomes unable to metabolically manage their stress.
You'll experience the effects of nutrient depletion through behavioral changes. Horses will often overreact to your cues and become overstimulated by their environment.
Feeding a pre-event pellet starting 3 days prior to performance supplies your horse with these nutrients before your horse's system begins depleting them, stopping the anxiety response before it starts.
You can continue to feed the pellets throughout performance events and add pre-event pastes as needed. Alternatively, you may discontinue the pellets and switch to pre-event paste support only during performance days, depending upon how much support your horse needs.
"I have used Perfect Prep EQ™ Sane & Sound Pellets on a halter mare and it was just amazing. In 3 days she was cool as a cucumber. So easy to use, just add to the feed. I recommend this product because it works, it is that simple, it works." - Juliana
Night Before & Morning of Performance
TIP: Choose Perfect Prep EQ™ Gold Calming Paste for horses requiring a strong calming effect. Choose Perfect Prep EQ™ Sane & Sound MAX Calming Paste for complete focus support that addresses gastric distress, pain and overstimulation.
"With our busy show schedule, I was glad to discover Perfect Prep EQ™ Gold Calming Paste. A full syringe the night before we showed, and a half syringe at morning feeding and we had the best trail class we have had in a long time. The horse stayed good all day and my preparation time was almost zero! I don't want to be without it." - Kristin
1½-2 Hours Prior to Performance
TIP 1: Perfect Prep EQ™ Supreme Calming Paste is approximately 30% stronger than Extreme. For calming support that creates focus while leaving your horse's brilliant movement untouched, use Perfect Prep EQ™ Prime Calming Paste.
TIP 2: Perfect Prep EQ™ Pro Focus offers calming power in a targeted 30cc syringe. Pro Focus creates focus within 2 to 3 hours of administration, with long lasting effects up to 8 hours.
"Perfect Prep EQ™ Extreme Calming Paste took the edge off of my super green horse. He's still himself, but focused and calm without being dull or drowsy. In fact, we were at a show and it was windy, so most of the horses were being crazy. Mine rode in our classes like it was a regular day of being schooled at home! I highly recommend it for horses who get stressed easily." - Kelly
Compare Calming Pastes:
Looking for continual, daily support?