The Need for Herbs

in the Modern Horse

By Stephen Ashdown of Global Herbs

Why do horses need herbs?

Many years ago when horses roamed in the wild they had access to a varied diet which included a large selection of plants and herbs. It seems they had an in-built self-awareness, of what was harmful to eat and also what was good to eat. ‘Self-medication’ is a phrase commonly used to explain how horses selected different plants at different times to meet their individual dietary and health needs. A horse is a strong animal with lots of stamina which it used to travel long distances for its forage when necessary. Today, our domesticated horses lead a very different life, often restricted with grazing and limited paddocks which are not rich in a variety of grass or herbs. Horses now rely solely on the diet owners provide.

So where's the problem?

With such domesticity horses appear to have largely lost this innate ability to choose what’s good for them, having to make do with what humans provide. Although most horse owners love their animals to distraction and will do anything to keep them fit, healthy and happy. The fact is that, we may get the feeding needs wrong from time to time and impose, without realising it, a stressful regimen which can in turn cause illness or compromise a horse’s normal digestive or immune system. Toxin overload can often present itself in very subtle ways with dull coats, lethargy or poor performance. We rightly treat our modern horses with routine wormers and vaccinations and supplement their diet with concentrated feeds. Residues of these products can be difficult to break down and can be left within the horse’s body and start to build up and slow down the horses natural defenses.

Ancient Wisdom

Before modern health services started people and animals had to rely on plants and traditional practices to keep themselves healthy.  Many of the foods that we eat everyday and plants that grow in our gardens and countryside have beneficial properties.  For example garlic helps keep chest clear, tackles parasites and can help keep skin in good condition.  Chamomile flowers make a great calming tea and help relax the bowels. Every country in the world has its own herbal traditions that have been passed down over the centuries.  In the UK much of the old wisdom associated with the use of plants was lost with the advent of modern medicine.  However modern approaches to health care enable us to understand in great detail how the body works and how best to tackle any in balance.  Much of the detailed scientific work that has been done on the way that different plants work has proved invaluable to those who are interested in promoting the use of herbs.

The Role of Herbs

Herbs play an important role in a horse’s behaviour, digestion, breathing, skin, joints, muscles, tendons and hooves. Using a natural approach to support the horse’s natural well being with herbal supplements can be used for a variety of symptoms including -

Breathing:

use a special herbal respiratory product to keep airways clean and to help with pollutants such a traffic emissions, and pollen from cultivated crops like Rape. Depending on the condition, the common nettle when eaten fresh are great for helping us and animals deal with flowering plants in the summer.

Behaviour:

use a herbal calming formula for a horse under stress, or which is head tossing, showing signs of nervousness; or overactive geldings and stallions and mares in the breeding season. 

Digestion:

use a liver tonic and detoxifier on a regular basis. This will ensure your horse has a healthy liver and digestion, enabling it to make the best use of its food. In turn this directly affects your horse’s performance and general health and fitness. 

Skin:

use special preparations for lumps, itching, & muddy conditions; a herbal shampoo for the horse’s coat, herbal gel for the hoof, sole and heel. There are also products which keep flies away (fly sprays) and internal fly repellents. 

Joints, muscles, hooves, and tendons:

if your horse’s health is below par, wear and tear to muscles, joints and ligaments occurs faster than your horse’s ability to repair the damage. Herbs help to bring the body back into balance, ease pain and facilitate movement

Tips:

Study your horse’s body language and get to know when he is at his best so you can check for subtle changes. Herbs can be given to support the horse through changes in routine, diet, and environment and also as a support through illness or injury.

Even when your horse appears healthy, include immune support herbal products in his diet; but don’t force him to eat anything he doesn’t seem to like. Your horse knows best what suits him. Learn to notice and understand his foody needs – he can’t speak to you!