One of our most popular herbal formulas for horses is "Quiet Mind".

"Quiet Mind" is based on a classic formula used to alleviate nervousness and anxiety. Unlike most western herbal calming formulas, which tend to tranquilize, or dumb down the horse, Quiet Mind works on a different level.

This formula was first recorded in the Shesheng Mipou (Secret Investigations into Obtaining Health) written by Hong Ji in 1638 A.D. There is a story explaining the formula's unusual name-that Hong Ji had a dream in which the Heavenly King visited him and gave him the formula. However, "Quiet Mind" is actually a relatively simple modification of a much earlier prescription known to Hong Ji, from the famous book of the Song Dynasty, Taiping Huimin Hejiju Fang.

Horses in training live in a stressful environment. Training, competing, confinement, medication, pain and pollution all contribute to elevated stress levels in the horses system. This in turn leads to excess stress hormones in the horses circulatory system creating a constant work load for the liver. In TCM terms this is referred to as Liver Qi (chee) stagnation. Long term Liver Qi stagnation will consume heart yin and disturb the heart shen.

In TCM, one of the main function of the heart is "the residence of the spirit" The word, "spirit" (shen) not only means the spiritual, that is, consciousness and thinking, but also the outward appearance of the vital activities of the whole body. Hence, mental activities, thinking, memory, consciousness, and sleep are all related to the function of the heart housing the "shen" or spirit.

This means that the Heart is going to be significantly involved in emotional issues of the horse as well as the function and health of the mental state and the nervous system.

The main material basis for mental activities is blood. It is controlled and regulated by the heart. Common complaints associated with the unbalance of the heart (insufficiency of heart blood or heart yin deficient) are insomnia, dream-disturbed sleep, restlessness, emotional disturbances, nervousness, anxiety and fear.

The main reason for these symptoms is the inability for the heart to house the spirit (shen). When "shen" is not tranquilized and the blood fails to nourish the heart, it is difficult for a horse to calm down.

"Quiet Mind" is used for these symptoms to nourish the heart blood/heart yin and calm the spirit of the horse. In addition it contains herbs that soothe the liver Qi. "Quiet Mind" formula benefits the horses heart qi and calms the heart spirit; it is safe to use for extended periods of time. Horses usually respond within the first two weeks of being on this formula. None of the herbs used in this formula will test in race or show situations.