Focus is the only superpower you need dedicated to athletes in the equESTRIAN world ENG
2 valor, Everything is energy Focus mountainscanthere,Oncesimplicity.andyougetyoumove – Steve Jobs Cover: Brylee Durso with Orchard Hills Cupcake, owned by Shelly Virtue.
Keeping focused in the saddle 6 Sports psychologist Sanne Beijerman on how riders can find the right focus relaxation 8 The bow cannot always stand bent MYTH oR FACT 12 Stress is always unhealthy planning, focus, timing 14 Jos Lansink on peaking at the right moment CONTENTS Pictures: Jessica Rodrigues • Arnd Bronkhorst • Erin Gilmore • Digishots valor, Eyes on the priZe 3
Lieselot MANAGINGHamerlinkPARTNER,CAVALOR
4 valor, Eyes on the priZe Focus is the only superpower you need dedicated to athletes in the equESTRIAN world ENG Dear Equestrian Friends, Growing up on a farm, I was always around animals. My parents had a mixed agricultural business, but over the years the focus shifted more and more to horses. The stallion farm and the equestrian stables that followed have undoubtedly had a great impact on my life and career choices. My love for horses certainly comes from my childhood experiences. It’s because of this love that I have been with Cavalor for almost 20 years. I love horses, but I also love the business and I find the human aspect particularly intriguing. Why do people do what they do, and what drives them? How do you get a team that works, and one that works well together? How do you bring out the best in yourself? These are questions that were answered during my training to become a coach. This training was an eye-opener! I learned a lot about the human brain, and a lot about myself and about others. I find that one of the most important things in life is to learn to focus and set goals. Goals are imperative to success. And without a goal, you will always struggle with a certain level of dissatisfaction. You cannot succeed without a goal. You can make your goals really small, so that you can emphasise the positive and give them enough attention. We often forget the good, and focus too much on society’s ills. I believe in dreaming big, but those dreams will not become reality if you do not break them up into smaller, intermediate goals. Focus comes naturally when you have clear points on the horizon to strive for. And then back home I learnt that you must respect natural horse behaviour. This is also one of the main pillars of Cavalor: let a horse be a horse. Of course, we like selling our products, but common sense must prevail and ‘more’ is simply not always better. Horses are our main concern, every day, and in everything we do. This is Cavalor’s mission. I hope this issue of Valor will inspire you to achieve beautiful goals together with your horse. You are what you believe!
valor, Eyes on the prize 5
6 valor, Eyes on the priZe KEEPING FOCUSED SPORTS PSYCHOLOGIST SANNE BEIJERMAN ON HOW RIDERS CAN FIND THE RIGHT FOCUS IN THE SADDLE
MUCH ATTENTION IS PAID TO RELAXED HORSES THAT DO THEIR WORK WITH THE RIGHT FOCUS. AS RIDERS, WE HAVE CONSIDERABLE INFLUENCE ON OUR HORSES. AFTER ALL, HORSES ARE FLIGHT ANIMALS AND AS RIDERS IT IS OUR JOB TO STEER THAT NATURAL BEHAVIOUR IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. HOW DO WE DO THAT, EXACTLY? AND WHAT DO YOU, AS A RIDER, DO IF YOU EXPERIENCE TENSION?
Optimum concentration Sanne continues: “You can divide focus into four categories: broad-external, the environment around you; narrow-exter nal, the letter or obstacle you are riding towards; broad-internal, the feeling of your horse; and narrow-internal, the thoughts you are having. You feel the signals your horse gives off very broadly in your body. You can sense when your horse wants to push against your inside leg, for exam ple, and you know how to solve that in a determined and coordinated way. Or you approach a triple jump, but your horse’s balance is too much on the forehand, so you correct this and ride clear through the combination. The other riders, the people on the side-lines... They do not matter anymore because you are in your broad internal focus. Then there is a narrow focus in the external world, you have to concen trate on ‘where’ you want to go. What is the next obstacle, or at which letter does the next exercise begin? The ideal directions of focus are therefore broad-internal and narrow-external and, as an athlete, you want to be able to switch easily between these directions.
Systematically work through the whole list and you will find that you remain active even if you experience tension. An extroverted rider under tension is even more preoccupied with what is happening around him with a broad-external focus and so unconsciously pays less attention to the signals from his horse. These riders need to build in rest moments to keep their attention focused and more on their horse and themselves.”
Relaxation seems to be the magic word in horse riding. We all know how nice it is when you can work together in relaxation. Everything seems to go a bit better and the exercises are easier. As a rider, you have an enormous influence on your horse’s behaviour. Sanne: “We all want to do the best we can. This requires a certain “sharp ness” or amount of tension. An optimum level of tension in your body ensures quick reactions and good concentration. Any stress above that optimum level puts you in survival mode, aka fight-flight mode. This causes changes to your motor skills, your muscles become tighter, and your breathing becomes shallower. Of course, your horse feels these changes and will re act differently. There is scientific evidence that a horse adopts the heart coherence of its rider. So, if you are feeling calm in the saddle, your horse will take on that emotion.”
Sports psychologist Sanne Beijerman knows how a rider’s psyche works, how it affects your horse, and how you can influence it in a positive way. She answers the question: How do you ensure the right focus in the saddle?
valor, Eyes on the prize 7
Different types of focus
This supreme concentration does not come naturally, but fortunately it can be prac tised. Self-knowledge is important here; if you know how you act under stress, you can anticipate that in advance. “Extroverts look outwards by nature. An introvert naturally has a more inward focus. The moment a person gets stressed, they will go into their preferred natural behaviour even more. So, someone who is introverted will turn even more inward, reflecting and probably riding more passively. This rider needs to make a plan to stay in the ‘active mode’. This can be done, for example, by drawing up a plan before starting the ride.
Basic steps To make your body ready for action and perform well, you need a certain amount of tension. If, before a competition, you build tension on a foundation of rest and balance, the stress level will not get out of hand quickly. In the week leading up to the competition, were you busy with deadlines at work, or an intense week of exams? All it takes is a little extra stress to make it be too much. If you are aware of this, you can consciously act on it. Another major influ ence on how easily you can focus is sleep. When you sleep, your brain is working hard to process the day’s experiences. If you wake up the next day feeling rested, your brain will be much more able to focus.
Hocus pocus it’s time to focus “There are many things that can distract you and affect your performance while you’re riding. And not just external factors such as the audience or other riders. You can also become distracted by your own thoughts, for example by thinking about the height of the course or wondering if you are going to clear a jump. You might be saying to yourself, ‘I need to achieve a good score, I mustn’t fail’, or ‘the course is really high, I hope that I can succeed in achieving a clear round’. But you see what your brain is doing: it is wandering to these thoughts and is even less concerned with the physical performance. You don’t have the right focus for such a moment.”
8 valor, Eyes on the priZe
RELAXATION
Concentration is a key factor in performance. A horse not only needs to be able to concentrate; it also needs a certain amount of tension. It’s the same with humans, but the “bowstring” cannot be always drawn. How to find the right balance between tension and relaxation? Is there a difference between physical and mental tension? And how do you find the right balance of tension and relaxation in your horse? Dr Filip Vandenberghe, sports coaching expert, answers all of these questions.
valor, Eyes on the prize 9 RELAXATION
To better understand exactly what tension does to the equine body, you must examine the physiological process. In a tense situation, the hypothalamus receives stimulation. This part of the brain ensures balance in the body and, among other things, regulates needs like hunger and thirst. The adrenal glands are given the signal to produce adrenaline, norepinephrine, and cortisol over the spinal cord and the nervous system. The hormone adrenalin helps the organism to react directly to tense situations. Cortisol provides sustained alertness. Both hormones increase heart frequency to supply the body with more oxygen. Cortisol also increases blood sugar levels, supplying glucose to provide the muscles with energy. In acute stress situations, these hormones set vital reaction chains in motion.
Every horse experiences tension, which is good, because it is a physical reaction that puts the horse on alert in situations where alertness is needed. This reaction has ensured horses’ survival through the ages. Horses don’t need these survival instincts in today’s domesticated environment, but this tension can be used to enhance a horse’s athletic performance by ensuring proper concen tration. As long as the tension or stress is short-lived, this is not a problem. The horse is simply more alert and has a long-term supply of energy for top performance. Like a human, a horse can experience both physical and mental tension. It’s up to the rider to use the horse’s physical and mental tension for the right purposes.
The reaction chain is physical tension, or tension in the muscles. Blood pressure and breathing increase, blood circulation accel erates and heart rate increases. The body prepares to supply the muscles with sufficient oxygen as the blood is being pumped faster and more efficiently through the body. The horse goes into fight-or-flight mode; in other words, it is ready to perform. Although horses and humans have many things in common, in matters of tension there is an important difference. Heart frequency is a good indicator for tension and here the range in horses is much greater. At rest, a horse’s heart rate lies between 38 and 44. In humans, such a low heart rate is only found in highly-trained athletes. At maximum effort, a horse’s heart rate rises to 220/250 beats per minute. In most humans, the maximum effort threshold lies between 180 and 200 beats per minute. If they could only talk Tension is not always easy for us to recognise. That’s because a horse can also be experienc ing inner tension, and every horse is different.
Whilst one horse may experience no stress during transport, another will find it stressful. Naturally, a rider perceives these changes in a horse with subjective tension, but it is difficult to define exactly what is happening with the horse and how great this tension is. People can describe the tension the feel in words. Expressing it can prevent healthy tension from turning into stress and having a negative impact on performance. The right subjective tension is short-lived and contributes to effort in a positive way.
DR FILIP VANDENBERGHE COMPLETED HIS STUDIES AT THE FACULTY OF VETERINARY MEDICINE OF GHENT UNIVERSITY IN 2001. IN 2004 HE JOINED THE BOSDREEF ANIMAL HOSPITAL, WHERE HE WAS ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CLINICAL MRI PROCEDURES ON STANDING HORSES. IN 2011 FILIP WAS MADE A MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN COLLEGE OF VETERINARY DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING, ONE OF 25 VETERINARY SURGEONS WORLDWIDE. HE IS AN EXPERT IS THE FIELD OF SPORTS COACHING. 10 valor, Eyes on the PRIZE THE SLEEPING HORSE
There’s no such thing as a completely relaxed horse. Even in sleep, horses maintain a certain amount of alertness. This is because horses are prey animals by nature and are not capable of deep, hours-long, uninterrupted sleep. Nevertheless, they do experience REM (rapid eye movement) sleep phases. During these phases, the muscles in the body are completely relaxed. A horse can only experience REM sleep when it is lying down. Not all horses can – or want to – lie down to sleep. This may be due to a physical limitation or less-than-ideal conditions for lying down in the stable or paddock. The opportunity to sleep lying down is crucial for horses that are ridden, whether for leisure or professionally, and prevents exhaustion. Sleeping lying down is an ideal way for the horse to release tension. Studies were done recently on horses that had been diagnosed with narcolepsy. Narcolepsy is a central nervous system disorder in which horses collapse without warning. It was found that some horses didn’t suffer from narcolepsy at all, but rather “only” from an REM sleep deficiency. Quiet stable conditions, low lighting at night, and spacious loose boxes provide the ideal conditions for horses to get a good night’s rest.
Physical tension
Creatures of habit
11
Attention to mental well-being
Tipping point
There are a few key issues for dealing with tension properly. Horses are creatures of habit and have a great need for regular routines. They like to always do and eat the same things, naturally with a certain amount of variation in intensity. If a horse gets extremely nervous during tests, this can only be lessened through considerable practice. A horse that is specifi cally trained for shows knows what is expected of it and will be less nervous. That is how you actively bring composure to the horse. Exer cise also helps to reduce tension; a horse in its natural environment releases tension by fleeing or running. The bow cannot be always drawn Stress cannot always be measured or seen. Our horses cannot talk to us, which is why it’s important to pay attention to the signals that they give us. Signals like ear twitching, posi tion of the head, and expression in the eyes indicate their level of well-being. A balanced training is also important. The bow cannot be always drawn; rest is also a key part of train ing. The body can only release all that tension when it is at rest, and this is an important aspect of every sport discipline at every level. This physiological regeneration takes at least three days. For example, to be able to perform well at a show, it is important that this be considered for the three days before the event. Your horse is an athlete, and a balance between tension and relaxation is critical for him to lead a fit and healthy life.
Horses often use roundabout ways to show when tension becomes too great, for example by not responding to the leg or by overreact ing. Every horse expresses excessive tension in a different way. Although this involves a reac tion to a mental stress, it often has a physical origin. It is not a natural reaction of a horse to not comply with a rider’s request, often there is a physical impediment here. Horses simply don’t think “I don’t want to”. The cause can be wide-ranging, from stomach pains to muscle pains. When a horse reacts negatively, there is always something else going on. Temperament also plays an important role: a high-strung horse will show more discomfort than a horse with a cool, relaxed nature.
We emphasise repeatedly that tension is not bad for a horse per se, but naturally there is a tipping point. A healthy tension ensures that your horse can also perform under pressure. Afterwards, adrenaline and cortisol levels return to normal. However, there are also horses that are under persistent tension or constant stress. It is important to know that such stress can affect not only sport horses, but leisure horses as well. If the stress persists for too long, it will affect the horse’s health. A high cortisol level causes aggressive behav iour, stomach ulcers, a gut flora imbalance and a suppressed immune system. A too-high blood sugar level can cause metabolic disor ders, laminitis, muscle problems, and even fertility issues. All these negative impacts can be avoided by making sure that the horse only experiences a certain amount of tension; doing so will keep your horse healthy and happy.
valor, Eyes on the prize
ORMYTHFACT
A horse needs adrenaline for alertness and quick reaction. Cortisol ensures alertness over a sustained period of time. Adrenaline sends more blood to the heart and muscles, resulting in faster heart rate and higher blood pressure.
Mythe
In addition, adrenaline dilates the bronchi, allowing more oxygen to enter. Ultimately, this also benefits the muscles. Cortisol raises blood sugar levels, giving the body the energy to react. The production of adrenaline and the preparation of the body for a reaction is essential in acute stress situations. After the tension has been released, the body returns to its normal phase
Stress: a word often with negative associations. Stress in horses is something we want to avoid altogether. Because stress is always unhealthy, right? Well. it’s a little more complicated than that.
Stress – or rather, tension – stimulates the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that’s responsible for balance in the body. It also regulates emotions and needs, including hunger and thirst. The hypothalamus controls the adrenal glands via the spinal cord and the nervous system. Large quantities of adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol are produced there. This takes place in the medulla and cortex
12 valor, Eyes on the priZe
Excess tension, especially long-term, will have negative impacts on the horse’s health, both physically and mentally. Short-term tension is essential for quick reaction and focused performance. So stress is not necessarily bad – it just needs to be converted into (physical) activity.
– Fien Demeyere, Nutritional Specialist at Cavalor
– Owner: Nicole Smith and horse Chi La Rou, South Africa
valor, Eyes on the prize 13
The question I am showing my dressage horse in the international Grand Prix. She’s a mare and she is very wary and can have strong reactions. Three years ago she got colic and needed surgery. Since the operation, she has been on a ration sensitive to her gastrointesti nal health. However, I am now considering a change of feed to make her a little more relaxed. This will be interesting, given her history with colic. What do you advise?
The advice The equine gastrointestinal tract is a delicate apparatus. Nutrition is very important for gastrointestinal health, with fibre playing the leading role. A horse needs fibre mainly for healthy bowel movements and a strong immune system, but fibre also supplies the horse with energy. Extra attention to the gastrointestinal system is definitely advised in the case of Chi La Rou. Cavalor FiberForce Gastro is a high-fibre feed that supports healthy intestinal function. It also contains soft fibres, buffers, and extra herbs that help to protect the stomach from excess acid.
We have developed a feed especially for hot horses: Cavalor Pianissimo. Cavalor Pianissimo is low in protein and contains extra tryptophan and magnesium, which help to calm hot horses. Horses that are nervous or hot-tempered should not be given too much explosive energy. Your horse is running at a high level and definitely needs some “extra” to perform. Feed as you need. We recommend 350 g (minimum) to 650 g (maxi mum) per 100 kg of body weight. For a 600 kg horse, this would be 2.1 kg to 3.9 kg (maxi mum) per day. Is your horse still excitable in tense situations, for example during shows, despite these changes? Then give your horse Cavalor Take It Easy beforehand. This supple ment helps to relieve stress quickly, giving your horse more composure and focus when competing. Cavalor Take It Easy contains magnesium, tryptophan, and B-vitamins, all of which have calming effects. It supports the respiratory and circulatory systems for opti mum stress relief. For best results, administer 20 cc the evening before an event, 20 cc the morning of the event, and another 20 cc one hour before.
XPE T ask ThE EVERY HORSE IS DIFFERENT. EVERY HORSE HAS UNIQUE NEEDS. FEED YOUR HORSE ACCORDING TO ITS NEEDS. WOULD YOU LIKE A CONSULTATION REGARDING YOUR HORSE? THEN VISIT WWW.MYCAVALOR. COM OR CALL OUR CONSUMER LINE: +32(0)92202525.
14 valor, Eyes on the priZe PLANNING, FOCUS,TIMINGJOS LANSINK ON PEAKING AT THE RIGHT MOMENT
valor, Eyes on the prize 15
What tips do you have for riders who struggle to peak at that one special moment?
Jos: “When you want to put in a good perfor mance, there are many factors that are not under your control. Good preparation is essential. That is why I always start with a good plan, working with my horse well in advance of the competition. When I am preparing for a European or World Champi onship, I plan everything around that horse. So it’s important that I chart out the points we need to work on as a pair. I make an esti mate as to how much the horse needs to perceive the competition as routine. Experi enced horses often need fewer shows in the run-up to a big show than less experienced ones do. I want my horse to stay fresh, so it is important to find exactly the right balance between effort and relaxation. That is why I do a lot of alternation between work and frequent forest hacks.. This also applies to me as a rider. In order to be fit and fresh when competing, I make sure I get enough variety. I find my relax ation in the daily routine of working with the horses, which I regularly alternate with cycling and swimming. When preparing for a show, I don’t want to be worrying about anything. I have a wonderful wife who makes sure that everything runs smoothly at home. Peace in the tent is peace in your Goodmind.preparation includes sound manage ment of everything concerning the horse. The tack must be in order, as well as his diet. The horse must have been recently seen by the vet, dentist, farrier. The sport is at such a high level that it’s the details that make all the difference. You can’t leave anything to chance. And then the time comes, the moment when you need to deliver top performance. How do you keep focused? Jos: I trust my preparation, my horse, and my own abilities. We worked together towards this moment, and our trust in each other has grown. I believe that. I make sure there are as few distractions as possible and focus on what needs to be done. I retreat into my own bubble with my groom, the vet, and the head trainer. Depending on the starting order, we have breakfast together in the morning and do some dressage work. If time allows, I like to be able to see some riders in the saddle. But the order is not known in advance, so have to adapt to what we’re given. The trick is not to get distracted by all the peripheral issues, but to focus on the course that lies ahead. Just before we’re on, I do some relaxed work with my horse and we jump some fences in the warm-up area How will you convey your experience to the team so that they can peak together? The same applies to the team. I steer towards composure and trust through regu lar training together. We stick to our plan, and we don’t suddenly go and do something different. As a coach, there is little you can do once the rider enters the arena. Then it’s all up to that pair. Of course we follow up with a thorough evaluation to learn what we can do better next time. It ensures that they will keep becoming stronger as riders. Any points for improvement will be part of the planning for the next competition.
Jos: Nerves do strange things to people. I have seen a rider forget his name when entering the ring, that is not the problem. The problem is inexperience. The more experience you have, the better you can handle the tension. Good preparation is the key to success at any level. Stick to your schedule and do not deviate from it. There is always still room for improvement when it comes to a foundation in dres sage; I think that is very important. But I see some (young) riders who are too casual about it. You must be able to correctly use your hand, seat, and leg aids to ride transi tions well. Being able to ride the horse with a good, calm contact. By feeling, and not by force. You’ll never win by forcing, only through feeling and intelligence. That is the most important thing in getting a horse to jump well.
Jos Lansink made his definitive breakthrough as a rider in 1988, when he won the Grand Prix of Twente and the CHIO in Rotterdam. That same year, he qualified for the Summer Olympic Games in Seoul, where he and his horse Felix took seventh individually and fifth with their national team. Countless victories followed and Jos has proven time after time to be able to peak at the right moment.
When you and your horse have to deliver a top performance, how do you work towards that moment?
ALL THE VALUABLE EXPERTISE GAINED DURING HIS RIDING CAREER THEN ALLOWED HIM TO BECOME THE COACH OF THE DUTCH SHOW JUMPING TEAM IN EARLY 2022. HIS MISSION? GETTING THE DUTCH TEAM TO PEAK AT THE RIGHT TIME. WE SPOKE TO JOS ABOUT HIS STRATEGIES.
16 valor, Eyes on the priZe
IS THIS DOPING?
It’s complicated, partly because some national federations have their own doping regulations (such as Germany, Scandinavian countries, and the USA). That’s unfortunate, because we think it would be better if everyone adhered to FEI rules. Some of the national federation rules are absurd: waiting periods for electrolytes or tryptophan, for example. We find this bizarre, because tryptophan is an amino acid found in all kinds of feed and forage, even pasture grass. You can rest assured that Cavalor products will never result in a positive doping test. How do we know? Because they are formulated in such a way that, when used correctly and in the proper dosage, they are always within the permitted amount. They are based on FEI and IFHA (International Federation of Horseracing Authorities) regulations. Moreover, every Cavalor product is rigorously tested and subjected to an extensive doping test (at an accredited laboratory) before it enters the market. Cavalor does this so you can pursue your ambition without taking any risks.
HIGH PERFORMANCE
Top performance requires top support. That’s why we have a special line of High Performance supplements for top athletes. A healthy and balanced diet is essential, and so Cavalor has created a range especially for high-performance horses to provide our top athletes with optimum support at peak times. These supplements meet the increased needs of sport horses at critical peak times. Although horses have enormous athletic ability and are capable of extremely hard work, the physical impact can be enormous. Curious about the products in our high performance range? You can recognise them by their silver look and very effective function.
RECOVERY
This instant stain remover is an absolute must-have for last-minute stains. It removes the most stubborn stains without water. Practical to have along on shows. Cavalor Bianco Spray contains several high-quality silicones that loosen dirt from your horse’s coat – just wipe off with a cloth. Naturally, Cavalor Bianco Spray is pH neutral, so it won’t damage the natural sebum layer.
NEW: CLEANING SPRAY
Cavalor Peak Performance is a balanced blend of essential oils and herbal extracts that improves equine alertness and performance. It acts on blood circulation and lymphatic system, allowing horses to recover more quickly and keep going longer. It ensures more energy and faster recovery times.
FOUR TIPS FOR GOOD FOCUS FROM SANNE BEIJERMAN
2 Make sure that you are well rested. Staying focused will naturally become easier and better.
1 When competing or training, create goals that focus on perfecting a task or performing it well. The goal itself is not what’s important, but rather the path leading to it.
prize 17
AGAINST STRESS Feed can help make a difference in nervous horses. Cavalor Pianissimo is one of our most popular feeds for horses that are sensitive to stress and horses that need rest (stable confinement). Pianissimo also contains no oats. This results in a more relaxed horse that won’t get hot quickly..
valor, Eyes on the
3 Create a plan and maybe even write it down. Haste and restlessness make it almost impossible to keep focused.
4 Always stay in connection with your horse – what does he need? Does he need to be calmed down, or encouraged a bit more?
If communication with your horse is your number one goal, good concentration will come naturally. Diet has an enormous impact on nervousness and behaviour. However, there’s no miracle cure for stress. Exercise also helps to ease tension. Cavalor Calm reduces stress in nervous horses that overreact to unfamiliar circumstances. It ensures better concentration.
Hormonal fluctuations can make mares restless. Their fertility cycle is complex. This can be annoying for you as a rider, but also for the mare herself. Cavalor Venus helps to keep cycles regular. More peace and regularity means a happier mare.
Cavalor Take It Easy & Take It Easy Forte form a multifaceted approach to keeping your horse calm in stressful situations like transport or competition. They contain ingredients that calm nerves and support the respiratory and circulatory systems.
Like Cavalor Take It Easy, Cavalor Take It Easy Forte also contains a high dose of L-tryptophan, which, in combination with vitamin B1, can be absorbed quickly and efficiently by the body. Tryptophan stimulates the production of serotonin, a substance that is naturally present in the body and which acts as a natural defence against stress. Vitamin B1 assists in impulse transfer to the nerves, supports the adrenal glands, and brings calming effects. Cavalor Take It Easy Forte contains magnesium citrate. Magnesium helps to relax muscles.
18 valor, Eyes on the priZe
Allium sativum (garlic) Lowers blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Humulus lupulus (hops) Has relaxing effects on the nervous system. Cananga odorata (ylang-ylang) Lowers blood pressure for relaxation
Cavalor Take It Easy Forte also contains an additional blend of essential oils, each working to combat stress differently (breathing, circulation, anxiety, etc.).
Tryptophan An amino acid that stimulates the production of serotonin, aka the “happiness hormone”. Serotonin makes your horse feel good and relaxed. It helps with stress management. Horses need tryptophan but their bodies do not produce it.
RELAXTAKEITEASY
Betula alba (birch) Improves kidney function and slows adrenaline production. Glycyrrhiza glabra (liquorice) Stimulates the hormone cortisol, which keeps your horse alert longer. It also ensures sustained performance with healthy tension.
At Cavalor, we believe in the power of the combination. That’s why our products never just contain single ingredients, but often blends of herbal extracts. They always contain the same controllable dose of active ingredient per serving. The following calming ingredients can be found in our feeds and supplements: Magnesium Helps to regulate heart rhythm and blood pressure; also important for muscle tension and relaxation.
Horses that are anxious or stressed are not themselves.
WHAT CHOOSE?TO valor, Eyes on the PRIZE 19 Both products contain: • L-tryptophan (for calming effects) • B vitamins (to support metabolism) • Magnesium (to help relax muscles) Take it Easy Forte contains added essential oils. Every horse reacts differently to stress, but these various oils help different types of horses in different situations. Give your horse Take It Easy for: • Relieving mild stress • Relaxing effects Give your horse Take It Easy Forte for: • Sterke stress reductie • Reducing heavy stress • Making fear “disappear” • Gaining focus “No worries about doping” Cavalor makes good quality feeds and supplements and also offers sound advice. It is nice to have a nutritional partner seeing that our horses can deliver optimum performance in competition. And we never have to worry about doping substances. I’m a fan of Cavalor Take It Easy!Patrick van der Meer De Hoeve Training Stables CHOOSING THE RIGHT PRODUCT IS NOT EASY. WE’RE HAPPY TO HELP YOU FIND YOUR WAY.
Wantwww.cavalor.comtoknowmore about Cavalor? Contact our Consumer Line via info@cavalor.com or by +32 (0) 9 220 25 25
