Max Calm · In the barn Horse eating a ration top-dressed with Max Calm
Common Questions
One pump is one ounce, top-dressed on feed. One pump a day, every day. On event days, hauling days, and hard work days, give a second pump, ideally 4 to 6 hours before you need it. There is no loading period. The calibrated pump makes every dose exact.
A gallon is 128 pumps: about 4 months at one pump a day, which works out to $0.84 a day on subscription. Adding the second pump on event days shortens that in proportion to how often you show.
Max Calm is a palatable liquid that coats the existing ration, so most horses accept it with no fuss. If yours is especially fussy, our equine nutritionists help you transition, included free with every order.
Yes, and most barns do. Gut X handles absorption and gut health, Max Calm keeps the head settled. Feed them together →
Anytime. Manage everything in your account or by SMS: pause, change delivery dates, or cancel with no fees and no phone tree.
On an event-day dose, most riders feed 4 to 6 hours out and are inside the peak window by the time they warm up. Fed daily, Max Calm builds a steadier baseline inside two weeks. It is built on adaptogens and amino acids, not sedatives, so it settles the nerves without dulling the horse.
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Max Calm · Liquid Calming Support

A quiet mind.
A horse that still tries.

Calm & FocusRideabilityTravel & Show

A hot horse is not a bad horse. Max Calm takes the edge off the nerves without taking the try out of the horse, top-dressed over the feed you already give.

Each ounce carries an adaptogen and amino acid blend of ashwagandha, L-theanine, L-tryptophan, and magnesium, delivered in a proprietary liquid form with up to 99% availability1, 2. Powders & pellets must first break apart, hydrate, & disperse inside a moving gut, which leaves availability as low as 2.5%3.

1Goodridge et al. (2011). doi.org/10.1038/nature100712Balogh et al. (2008). doi.org/10.1021/jf80170293Du et al. (2004). doi.org/10.1002/bdd.392
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Your 2 Gallon Subscription includes
  • ✓2 Gallons of Max Calm + 2 pumps
  • ✓90-Day Money-Back Guarantee
  • ✓Free Equine Nutritionist Consultation
Max Calm · 2 Gallon
SUGAR FREENo molasses, no filler
NO SEDATIONCalm, not dull
FEIShow compliant
FREE SHIPPINGSame day, ship by 3pm CST
128 DAYSSupply per gallon
Customer reviews

419 verified reviews from working barns.

Every discipline. Every level. Real horses on Dr. Peterson’s Protocol.

4.8
★★★★★
out of 5
Based on 419 verified reviews
5 stars
87%
4 stars
9%
3 stars
2%
2 stars
1%
1 stars
1%
The absorption gap

What your horse can’t absorb,
your horse can’t use.

Most calming supplements are powders, pellets, or pastes. They have to dissolve and survive the gut before any of it counts, and most of it never does. Max Calm is liquid and pre-dispersed, so it’s ready the moment it reaches the gut wall.

Liquid Max Calm
99%
up to 99% availability
vs
Powders & pellets
2.5%
absorption as low as 2.5%1

Oral bioavailability of administered actives. Powder/pellet figure per Du et al. (2004)1; cited in full in the comparison below.

With most supplements, you pay for a full dose and your horse absorbs a fraction of it. You’re not getting what you think you’re paying for. With Max Calm, what’s on the label is what reaches your horse.

Ashwagandha

Already in solution. The extract arrives dispersed, with no dry-form breakdown step standing between the jug and the gut wall.

L-theanine & L-tryptophan

Free amino acids, pre-dissolved. Nothing to hydrate first, which matters when you are dosing against a clock before a run.

The physiology

It’s not marketing. Liquid delivery has been the standard in human medicine for decades. Max Calm brings it to the barn.

Liquid vs. the rest

Why form is the whole game.

The actives aren’t the differentiator, delivery is. Here’s how liquid stacks up against the pelleted and powdered calmers in most feed rooms.

Max Calm · Liquid
Powders
Pellets
Availability
Up to 99%1,2
3–30%3
3–15%4
Goes to work
On contact
Must dissolve first
Needs to break down first
Dose accuracy
One pump, exact
Scoop & settle
Eats around it
Picky-eater approved
Yes
Hit or miss
Hit or miss
No sedation
By design
Varies
Varies
References
1Goodridge et al. (2011). doi.org/10.1038/nature10071
2Balogh et al. (2008). doi.org/10.1021/jf8017029
3Du et al. (2004). doi.org/10.1002/bdd.392
4Raval et al. (2025). doi.org/10.2174/0124681873309964240521074809
Ingredients

What’s in the jug, why it’s there, and what the science says.

One pump is one ounce. Every active is named at its amount in that ounce, listed in Product Facts panel order, with the published research it rests on.

The system

Liquid SystemProprietary liquid carrier

A pre-dispersed liquid suspension designed to support serving consistency and reduce the dry-form disintegration step.1, 2

up to
99%
availability

Magnesium Proprietary BlendProprietary magnesium blend

Supports normal nerve and muscle function. A common shortfall in hard-working horses, and one that tends to read as tension under saddle rather than as a mineral gap.3–6

3,906
mg / oz

L-TheanineL-theanine

An amino acid associated with focused calm. The target is steady attention, not the heavy, checked-out feel of a sedative.7, 8

1,562
mg / oz

Ashwagandha ExtractWithania somnifera, min. 10% total withanolides

An adaptogen, standardised to a minimum of 10% total withanolides. Supports a calm baseline through the parts of the day that wind a horse up: the trailer, the strange barn, the warmup pen.9–17

1,171
mg / oz

MelatoninMelatonin

Best known for its role in the sleep-wake cycle, and studied alongside the body’s own calming pathways in situations of acute stress.18, 19

781
mg / oz

L-TryptophanL-tryptophan

An essential amino acid and a precursor in the body’s own calming pathways. Supports a settled headspace ahead of a high-pressure run.20–24

117
mg / oz

Hyaluronic AcidHyaluronan

A normal component of synovial fluid and extracellular matrix, with direct equine research behind its oral use.25–28

46
mg / oz
References
  1. 1Goodridge, H. S., Reyes, C. N., Becker, C. A., et al. (2011). Activation of the innate immune receptor Dectin-1 upon formation of a phagocytic synapse. Nature, 472, 471–475. doi.org/10.1038/nature10071
  2. 2Balogh, L., Polyak, A., Mathe, D., et al. (2008). Absorption, uptake and tissue affinity of high-molecular-weight hyaluronan after oral administration in rats and dogs. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 56(22), 10582–10593. doi.org/10.1021/jf8017029
  3. 3Botturi, A., Ciappolino, V., Delvecchio, G., Boscutti, A., Viscardi, B., & Brambilla, P. (2020). The role and the effect of magnesium in mental disorders: a systematic review. Nutrients, 12(6), 1661. doi.org/10.3390/nu12061661
  4. 4Abbasi, B., Kimiagar, M., Sadeghniiat, K., Shirazi, M. M., Hedayati, M., & Rashidkhani, B. (2012). The effect of magnesium supplementation on primary insomnia in elderly: a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 17(12), 1161–1169.
  5. 5Noah, L., Pickering, G., Mazur, A., Dubray, C., Hitier, S., Dualé, C., et al. (2020). Impact of magnesium supplementation, in combination with vitamin B6, on stress and magnesium status: secondary data from a randomized controlled trial. Magnesium Research, 33(3), 45–57.
  6. 6Dodd, J. A., Doran, G., Harris, P., & Noble, G. K. (2015). Magnesium aspartate supplementation and reaction speed response in horses. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 35(5), 401–402.
  7. 7Braga, J. D., Thongngam, M., & Kumrungsee, T. (2024). Gamma-aminobutyric acid as a potential postbiotic mediator in the gut-brain axis. npj Science of Food, 8(1), 16.
  8. 8Hidese, S., Ogawa, S., Ota, M., Ishida, I., Yasukawa, Z., Ozeki, M., et al. (2019). Effects of L-Theanine administration on stress-related symptoms and cognitive functions in healthy adults: a randomized controlled trial. Nutrients, 11(10), 2362. doi.org/10.3390/nu11102362
  9. 9Speers, A. B., Cabey, K. A., Soumyanath, A., & Wright, K. M. (2021). Effects of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) on stress and the stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Current Neuropharmacology, 19(9), 1468–1495.
  10. 10Martin, D. L., & Rimvall, K. (1993). Regulation of gamma-aminobutyric acid synthesis in the brain. Journal of Neurochemistry, 60(2), 395–407.
  11. 11Dar, N. J., Hamid, A., & Ahmad, M. (2015). Pharmacologic overview of Withania somnifera, the Indian ginseng. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 72(23), 4445–4460.
  12. 12Lopresti, A. L., Smith, S. J., Malvi, H., & Kodgule, R. (2019). An investigation into the stress-relieving and pharmacological actions of an Ashwagandha extract: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Medicine, 98(37), e17186. doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000017186
  13. 13Salve, J., Pate, S., Debnath, K., & Langade, D. (2019). Adaptogenic and anxiolytic effects of Ashwagandha root extract in healthy adults: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical study. Cureus, 11(12), e6466. doi.org/10.7759/cureus.6466
  14. 14Langade, D., Thakare, V., Kanchi, S., & Kelgane, S. (2021). Clinical evaluation of the pharmacological impact of Ashwagandha root extract on sleep in healthy volunteers and insomnia patients: a double-blind, randomized, parallel-group, placebo-controlled study. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 264, 113276. doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2020.113276
  15. 15Kelgane, S. B., Salve, J., Sampara, P., & Debnath, K. (2020). Efficacy and tolerability of Ashwagandha root extract in the elderly for improvement of general well-being and sleep: a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Cureus, 12(2), e7083.
  16. 16Deshpande, A., Irani, N., Balkrishnan, R., & Benny, I. R. (2020). A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the effects of Ashwagandha extract on sleep quality in healthy adults. Sleep Medicine, 72, 28–36.
  17. 17Priyanka, G., Anil Kumar, B., Lakshman, M., Manvitha, V., & Kala Kumar, B. (2020). Adaptogenic and immunomodulatory activity of Ashwagandha root extract: an experimental study in an equine model. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 7, 541112. doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2020.541112
  18. 18Zhang, L., Guo, H. L., Zhang, H. Q., Xu, T. Q., He, B., Wang, Z. H., et al. (2017). Melatonin prevents sleep deprivation-associated anxiety-like behavior in rats: role of oxidative stress and balance between GABAergic and glutamatergic transmission. American Journal of Translational Research, 9(5), 2231–2242.
  19. 19Madsen, B. K., Zetner, D., Møller, A. M., & Rosenberg, J. (2020). Melatonin for preoperative and postoperative anxiety in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 12(12), CD009861.
  20. 20Jenkins, T. A., Nguyen, J. C. D., Polglaze, K. E., & Bertrand, P. P. (2016). Influence of tryptophan and serotonin on mood and cognition with a possible role of the gut-brain axis. Nutrients, 8(1), 56. doi.org/10.3390/nu8010056
  21. 21Gibson, E. L. (2018). Tryptophan supplementation and serotonin function: genetic variations in behavioral effects. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 77(2), 174–188.
  22. 22Kikuchi, A. M., Tanabe, A., & Iwahori, Y. (2021). A systematic review of the effect of L-tryptophan supplementation on mood and emotional functioning. Journal of Dietary Supplements, 18(3), 316–333.
  23. 23Greenwood, M. H., Lader, M. H., Kantameneni, B. D., & Curzon, G. (1975). The acute effects of oral tryptophan in human subjects. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 2(2), 165–172.
  24. 24Davis, B. P., Engle, T. E., Ransom, J. I., & Grandin, T. (2017). Preliminary evaluation on the effectiveness of varying doses of supplemental tryptophan as a calmative in horses. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 188, 34–41.
  25. 25Carmona, J. U., Argüelles, D., Deulofeu, R., et al. (2009). Effect of the administration of an oral hyaluronan formulation on clinical and biochemical parameters in young horses with osteochondrosis. Veterinary and Comparative Orthopaedics and Traumatology. doi.org/10.3415/VCOT-09-01-0001
  26. 26Niemelä, T. M., Tulamo, R. M., Aaltonen, K., et al. (2018). Changes in biomarkers in equine synovial fluid two weeks after intra-articular hyaluronan treatment: a randomised double-blind clinical trial. BMC Veterinary Research. doi.org/10.1186/s12917-018-1512-2
  27. 27Niemelä, T. M., Tulamo, R. M., Carmona, J. U., et al. (2019). Evaluation of the effect of experimentally induced cartilage defect and intra-articular hyaluronan on synovial fluid biomarkers in intercarpal joints of horses. Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica. doi.org/10.1186/s13028-019-0460-6
  28. 28da Silva Xavier, A. A., da Rosa, P. P., et al. (2021). An assessment of the effectiveness of hyaluronic acid and polyacrylamide hydrogel in horses with osteoarthritis: systematic review and network meta-analysis. Research in Veterinary Science.
The Protocol

Dr. Peterson’s two-dose protocol

One pump a day, every day. On event days, hauling days, and hard work days, give two.

Every day · Maintenance 1 oz / day
Event days ·
Performance 2 oz / day
≈ 4-month supply per gallon
≈ 2-month supply per gallon
From the barn

Real horses. Here are a few of them.

Real members, real horses, real results. Tag #100XEquine to be featured.

Customer photo from Stuart R.
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Dr. Russ Peterson, DVM, Chief Veterinary Officer, 100X Equine
Chief Veterinary Officer

47 years of Equine Medicine, in one jug.

The Veterinary Standard Behind 100X Equine

Dr. Russ Peterson, DVM, MS, DACVSMR, Cert. ISELP brings nearly five decades of equine medicine, sport horse performance, rehabilitation, nutrition, and clinical decision-making to 100X Equine.

As Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr. Peterson helps guide the clinical thinking behind every 100X Equine formula, from ingredient selection to dosing strategy to how those actives are delivered inside the horse.

Max Calm reflects that standard: an adaptogen and amino acid blend chosen to settle the nervous system rather than sedate it, delivered in a proprietary liquid carrier built to keep it stable and ready for biological contact.

Board-certifiedSports Medicine & RehabilitationEquine NutritionFormulation Science
The calm-without-sedation formula

Settle the nerves. Keep the try.

Calm is not the same as dull. Max Calm works with adaptogens and amino acids, so the horse stays forward, willing, and yours to ride.

01

Settle

Ashwagandha is an adaptogen. Fed daily, it supports a calm baseline through the parts of the job that wind a horse up: the trailer, the strange barn, the warmup pen.

02

Focus

L-theanine and L-tryptophan support the body’s own calming pathways. The target is steady attention on you and on the pattern, not a checked-out horse.

03

Stay sharp

No sedatives in the jug, by design. The edge comes off the nerves and the try stays in the horse, so what you schooled is still there when it counts.

1 hrUntil it is working
4–6 hrsThe peak calm window
0Sedatives in the jug

Amounts are per one-ounce pump, as listed on the current Product Facts panel. See the full panel.

No-Sedation Formula

Built to settle the nerves, not to sedate. FEI compliant, with no prohibited substances. Riders competing under USEF, WPRA, or WCRA rules should confirm compliance with their own governing body.

90-Day Money-Back Guarantee

Feed it daily for 90 days. If you don’t see the difference, we refund you, with free shipping on every order.

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Still deciding

Questions, answered.

On an event-day dose, most riders feed 4 to 6 hours out and are inside the peak window by the time they warm up. Fed daily, Max Calm builds a steadier baseline inside two weeks. If you don’t see the difference, you’re backed by our 90-day money-back guarantee.
No. Max Calm is built on adaptogens and amino acids, not sedatives. It takes the edge off the nerves and leaves the horse sharp and forward, still trying on the pattern.
Max Calm is FEI compliant and contains no prohibited substances. If you compete under USEF, WPRA, or WCRA rules, confirm compliance with your own governing body before an event.
Max Calm is a palatable liquid that coats the existing ration, so most horses accept it with no fuss. If yours is especially fussy, our equine nutritionists help you transition, included free with every order.
Your Max Calm subscription is fully flexible. Manage it anytime in your account or by SMS: pause, change delivery dates, or cancel with no fees and no phone tree.
The full system

Pair Max Calm with another protocol.

Stack more and save up to 40% off. Adjust anytime.

Put your horse on the protocol.

Start with Max Calm. A settled head and a horse that still tries, in one pump a day, built on Dr. Peterson’s 47+ years of equine medicine.

Start with Max Calm

Feed it daily for 90 days. If you don’t see the difference,
we refund you.