STRESSTONIC for Horses | Organic Stress-Resetting, Adrenal-Calming, Equilibrium-Restoring Support

Stress is a serious business. An ongoing stressed state is very often the underlying reason behind the root of chronic disease. The science is conclusive; unmanaged stress is the first domino that falls, creating a chain reaction of internal complications that can lead to serious health conditions.

Stress isn’t just a feeling – it’s chemistry

We tend to notice stress in the horse we can see – the spooky one, the anxious one, the horse who can’t settle.

But while some horses visibly explode, others implode. And sometimes the more important story is happening silently underneath.

A horse’s stress response is designed to be short-lived. Something startles them, the fight/flight system switches on, adrenaline and cortisol rise, the body deals with the perceived threat – and, once the danger has passed, everything settles back down again.

That’s exactly what should happen. But the problem begins when the stressor doesn’t go away.

Pain, digestive discomfort, separation, travelling, training pressure, changes in routine, lack of turnout, poor nutrition, or simply living in an environment where a horse never quite feels able to switch off can keep that survival system quietly running in the background.

And this is where stress becomes much more than behaviour.

When the body believes survival is the priority, energy is redirected away from functions it considers less urgent. Digestion changes, appetite may alter, muscles remain tense, the nervous system stays alert, and normal immune and repair processes take a back seat.

Over time, the horse can become what we often describe as “tired and wired”- exhausted underneath, yet still unable to properly relax.

Some horses show this very obviously - others become quieter, flatter or withdrawn. You might notice girthiness, fussy eating, loose droppings, loss of condition, tension through the body, or simply that familiar spark beginning to disappear from their eyes.

That’s why, when we look at a chronically stressed horse, we don’t just ask, “How do we make this horse calmer?”

We ask a different question - “Why does this horse’s body still think it needs to be on alert?”

Lasting calm isn’t about switching the horse off - it’s about helping the body remember how to switch the stress response off - so the nervous system can settle, digestion can get back to doing its job, and the horse can gradually return to a more balanced, resilient state.

That’s the thinking behind StressTonic.

StressTonic is a good fit when stress has become "chronic", i.e. a way of life.

Some horses wear that stress on the outside - they're reactive, anxious, spooky, or permanently on alert. Whereas others wear it quietly - flat, withdrawn, difficult to motivate, or worse, completely shut down.

StressTonic may be suitable if your horse:

✔ struggles to switch off, even in familiar surroundings

✔ seems "tired and wired" - exhausted, yet never truly relaxed

✔ has become unusually withdrawn, flat, or has lost their sparkle

✔ shows digestive changes that seem linked to ongoing stress, such as loss of appetite, loose droppings, fussy eating, or gastric sensitivity

✔ is coping with long-term box rest, rehabilitation, repeated travel, social disruption, or chronic discomfort

✔ seems trapped in a cycle where one stressful event simply rolls into the next

Rather than encouraging the horse to become quieter, StressTonic supports the nervous and endocrine systems involved in helping the body return to a steadier, more balanced state.

Once the body remembers it no longer needs to stay in survival mode, digestion, recovery, immunity, and normal day-to-day resilience all have the opportunity to settle alongside it.

- Building support around your horse

CalmTonic – when the challenge is short-term or situational, such as travelling, clipping, fireworks, competitions, or veterinary visits.

HarmonyTonic – where emotional upset, separation, bereavement, or major life changes appear to sit at the heart of the picture.

UlsaTonic – if prolonged stress has also affected the stomach, helping provide additional nutritional support for gastric comfort.

OptimaCARE or OptimaPLUS – once stability has returned, some horses benefit from supporting the wider gut–liver–immune connection as part of their longer-term recovery. As we often say, healing begins with stabilisation.

- Foundation support

No supplement can remove the source of stress.

Alongside any nutritional programme, look at the bigger picture - forage availability, turnout, companionship, movement, routine, pain, saddle fit, workload, and nutrition. Often it's these everyday foundations that allow the nervous system to feel safe enough to begin switching the stress response off again.

In summary

StressTonic isn't designed to sedate your horse or change their personality. It's for the horse whose body has forgotten how to come out of survival mode - helping support the biological systems that allow calm, resilience, and recovery to return naturally.

• Feed 6ml/100kg bodyweight per day, i.e. 30ml for a 500kg horse. Shake well before use.

Fussy eater?

Horses sometimes have their own opinions (and strong tastebuds!), so introduce gradually over several days. See our Fussy Eaters guide as we've many helpful tips.

♻️ Eco Note: Our packaging is recyclable and refillable.

When it comes to herbs and herbal formulations, you may have heard herbalists talk about energetics . It's simply the way we describe how a herb or formula has been designed to support the body in a balanced and purposeful way. The science helps us understand why that structure works.

StressTonic is built around one simple idea - the problem isn't that the horse experienced stress, but that the body never fully came back out of it.

When the stress response remains switched on for days, weeks, or even months, the nervous system, endocrine system, digestion, immunity, and recovery all begin working under very different conditions. Rather than returning to balance, the body stays permanently wired for a threat that has long since passed.

Think of StressTonic as supporting the systems that help the horse remember it's safe to come out of survival mode.

How the formula works

Rather than trying to sedate or suppress normal behaviour, StressTonic supports the biological systems involved in restoring resilience after prolonged stress.

1. Supporting the body's stress response - Adaptogenic herbs including Withania, Eleuthero, and Liquorice Root help support the endocrine system and the body's normal response to ongoing physical and emotional demands.
2. Supporting the nervous system - Traditional nervines such as Chamomile, Lemon Balm, Passionflower, Vervain, and Gotu Kola help nourish the nervous system, encouraging a calmer, steadier physiological state without simply switching the horse off.
3. Supporting recovery and resilience - Nettle provides mineral-rich nutritional support, while Ginkgo helps support healthy circulation, including blood flow to the brain, helping nourish the tissues involved in maintaining normal cognitive and nervous system function.

Together, these complementary herbs support the systems that allow the horse to move from surviving, back towards thriving.

Big picture

One of the things I've noticed over the years is that chronically stressed horses don't always look stressed.

Some become anxious and reactive, others simply become quiet and shut down.

StressTonic was formulated for both.

Not to change the horse's personality, but to support the biological systems that allow them to feel like themselves again. Because once the body no longer believes it's fighting for survival, digestion, immunity, recovery, and everyday vitality all have the opportunity to return alongside it.

Coming...