HERBS AND HORSES
A Natural Relationship

Please note this article is not intended to be used as medical advice. A vet should always be consulted for diagnosis and advice.

History
In a time before man walked upright on our earth the animals were finding their own medicines. They found these in the plants, salts and minerals of their natural environment.

It was much later that some of our own learning and knowledge was acquired by patient elders and medicine men and women of our tribal ancestors. They watched and observed the habits of animals, and learnt a great deal from them. Most treated nature as something to be respected, considered and in some cases even worshiped.

The ancient people of the past probably mostly concerned themselves with focussing on the 'cures' for their health problems. Today, it is looking for a solution to an ailment that usually first brings us into contact with herbs and plant medicines. There is another new aspect in our lives today that we also need to consider. In the ancient times when the tribes lived from a healthy land and ate a wide range of wild and cultivated plants, their diet was rich in most of the nutrients the body required for well being. The same can be said for the horse, who was a grazer and a wanderer. It's body designed to cover distances while grazing. The animals of old probably also ate many different plants and licked minerals and salts as part of their daily diet to maintain their well-being. Even their life styles of grazing and moving would have reduced their exposure to parasite infestation that can happen when they live on the same land continuously.

Where do we find ourselves today?
If we consider the modern horse with restricted grazing in carefully 'weeded' fields, we will see that they do not generally have free access to plants that they may want to use as medicines, but perhaps more importantly they do not have free access to nibble on plants in order to support their well-being.

It is my personal view that we need to move away from the view of just treating illness and ailments and consider the option of creating well-being as our first priority. The mentally and physically healthy animal is so much more resilient to stress, depression, illness, infestation by parasites and allergic reactions, to name but a few of our modern maladies. It is no coincidence that some of the modern ailments of man are now showing up in our domestic animals as similar restrictions and stresses are placed on them.

Perhaps the most exciting and interesting aspect of herbs and horses is that anyone can learn about this and your horse will be happy to be a part of that learning. Whether you offer your horse a few fresh dandelion leaves, or whether you go on to study herbs at university there is place for everyone. You may have already over the years become aware of some herbal lore, e.g. arnica for bruises. You may have also have observed animals and their choice of herbs, for example when out riding your horse and he or she may make a determined effort to eat the black berries or when they reach out through the paddock fence to eat some 'weeds' that are not found in their pasture.

How do we reunite our horses with a choice of plants?
If you choose to introduce herbs back into yours and your animals' lives, then there are many sources of information available today. There are a number of good books available. They are useful references to have around for the day when a new problem arises and you would like to consider supporting the healing naturally. They often also provide nutritional information on the herbs. There are also growing lists of websites offering information. Bear in mind when using the web that the information is not always of the best quality and it is a good idea to verify it with your vet or by further reading. Perhaps your horse has a chronic problem you could support by finding out which would be the most appropriate herbs to try. There are often several different herbs suitable to supporting a horse with a particular problem, you may find your horse favours one more than another e.g. one may favour devils claw while another chooses liquorice. The horse may choose to change his herbs as his healing progresses or as the seasons change and with them his nutritional requirements. Keeping a diary is a good way to learn from your experience.

What do I need to consider when buying herbs?
Part of the success lies not only in matching the herb to the ailment and the particular individual, but also in the quality of the plant material offered. Finding a good supplier takes the headache out of sourcing the material yourself. A good supplier who will supply small quantities makes trying out a variety of plants more viable financially. A good supplier will also ensure the source of the material is sustainably harvested. The freshness of the product is important and best before dates are useful to ensure you are using fresh material. If you keep a range of a few herbs then try to store them carefully. They keep best in opaque airtight containers and stored in a cool, dry, dark place. Don't be tempted to buy up more than you may use in a year. Liquids such as macerates and carrier oils are best kept in dark glass bottles in the fridge. Check the best before dates to have an idea how long each oil's life is. Poor storage conditions shorten the shelf life on all these products.

Today many farriers are suggesting reintroduction of herbs to the paddocks of horses to improve the feet. This would need a bit of research as to what would be most appropriate, but would have other well being benefits for the horse. In the ideal world this would be the best source of herbs for your horse. In many cases with seasonal related disorders you will notice that the appropriate herb is available at that time of year. Is this a coincidence, or part of that magical interrelated environment that nature provides? In the case where the problem is not seasonally related, dried herbs, tinctures, macerated herbs etc. provide alternative options for making the healing of the plants available. There are many different ways of preparing herbs for use. This is a whole area of exploration in itself.

What options are there for learning more?
There are a growing number of short courses to cover the various areas of interest run by dedicated professionals along with in depth longer courses for gaining more specialist knowledge.

Ideally you can learn from observing your horse's choice of plants in the paddock if it's of the old meadow variety with a range of herbs.

This is not always available and you may need to try using dried herbs. With your vet's advice, you can also learn from your horse allowing him to use self selection of his herbs from two or several suitable herbs that are regarded as safe to use for horses. The horse has all the instincts for carefully selecting herbs for their well-being. Remember that if a horse is hungry it will eat anything that has food value. So choose a quiet time appropriate for your horse, preferably with the option of food available as a choice. Horses vary in their favourite ways of selecting herbs. Some are happy to choose from your hands, others enjoy buckets, others like to choose from small piles on the floor. Piles on the floor do mean your horse will not think you are feeding 'treats'. A horse will select the most favoured of the herbs you offer, which still may not be the most appropriate so understanding what you are offering is important.

Once you add herbs to your horses feed, they can no longer easily select whether they want to eat it or not. Leaving herbs in your horse's stable overnight where he may run out of food will also result in them eating the herbs as food.

It is tempting when you find a good nutrition herb that your horse is keen on to add it to the food, as our western thinking often goes along the lines that more is better. One keen lady did this for her horse with seaweed, only to have to call in the vet as the animal developed an overactive thyroid. When diagnosed the vet pin pointed it as the high iodine content in the seaweed she had been feeding.

Some horses turn into frenzied piggys when faced with the option of selecting their herbs for the first time. Use the research you have done on the herbs and your vet's advice in how much you offer them. If they have regular free access to choose their herbs this should settle down. If it does not this may be in keeping with the history, illness or ailment that the animal has. In the wild they would usually have nibble access to herbs rather than a huge quantity of only one herb.

Hints and tips
There are some practical tips to remember when stepping into this new and exciting world that is all around us...

• For diagnosis and advice always consult a medical professional.
• It will stand you and your horse in good stead in the years to come if you can find a vet that you can trust and discuss your horse's issues and problems with and work together to create a good solution.
• Consideration must be given to any medication being taken and possible interactions with herbs.
• Observation and recording changes in the condition of the animal is all important.
• Your horse is dependant on you and this information can be invaluable for your vet.
• Although the commonly used medicinal herbs are mostly mild and gentle in action animals and people do sometimes react adversely. If this happens discontinue use and get professional advice immediately.
• Source the herbs from a quality supplier - preferably organic wherever possible.
• Herbs while usually being gentler than conventional drugs are still medicinal and dose is important. Start with the lowest dose and carefully note the animal's responses over the coming days. Take breaks in long term use.
• Invest in some good reference books to improve your understanding of your horse's condition and the treatments that are options.
• Remember to stand back and assess if the problem being treated has an underlying cause and look to re-establish general well-being.
• Last and not least remember when you look to care for your animal you will be better able to do that if you are taking care of yourself too.