Equilibrium is one of the craftable items in the game. Users in the Nutritionist stream can produce it using magnesium, spinach and soybeans.

Course Article

Supplementing for a Balanced Mindset

Some horses can become agitated or nervous at shows, which can lead to them performing poorly. Horse owners sometimes try to supplement these horses with magnesium and/or tryptophan to help reduce their excitable behaviour.

Some horses may experience nervousness due to a borderline magnesium deficiency, since many horses do not receive enough of this mineral in their diet. Magnesium is used in the relaxation of muscles and nerves, so having a deficiency can lead to spooking, irritability or nervousness. You can typically see a change in your horse's demeanour within days of supplementing the mineral, assuming they were deficient in the first place!

Another popular ingredient for levelling out a horse's mindset is tryptophan. This amino acid helps stimulate serotonin synthesis in the brain, which has a soothing effect for a nervous or excitable horse. Some studies have shown that it reduces levels of cortisol (the main stress hormone). Including it in your horse's diet may help calm them or make them more relaxed in stressful situations. Some natural sources of tryptophan include soybeans and spinach.

In Oxer to Oxer, these ingredients are combined into the product Equilibrium. Horses that have a calmer, more balanced mindset are better able to focus on what is being asked of them, so you may see improvements in their weaknesses! However they lose a bit of focus for things they may normally excel at. Horses fed Equilibrium will receive +3 to a chosen stat, and -3 to a chosen stat in the same category for one game year.

1. Getty, J.M. Dr. Getty's four favourite calming ingredients. American Farriers Journal, 2018. https://www.americanfarriers.com/articles/10106-dr-gettys-four-favorite-calming-ingredients