Guide to Using Homeopathy with Horses

Guide to Homeopathy for Horses

This is a guide to using homeopathic remedies with horses. I stock a wide range of remedies in my shop, as well as many other natural supplements. This is a simple straight-forward guide, the purpose being to help your horse, not to 'blow your mind' with this fascinating subject. I aim to encourage you to try for yourself and discover remedies which are extremely efficient, inexpensive and rewarding in aiding equine first aid.

Using Homeopathy on Your Horse

Homeopathy is a means of treating 'like with like'. In very simplistic terms, think of it like giving a flu vaccine. You are actually giving your animal a small amount of the flu virus to allow the immune system to build up resistance to the disease.

With homeopathy, unless being used in prevention to a calculated or known risk, you are using it in response to a specific problem - perfect for the busy horse owner! Unless you are the paranoid sort, when the problem goes away you can forget to use the remedy any more!

There seems to be only one disadvantage to using homeopathy, this being that it is not general in its action, but very specific. Therefore, to have any effect, you do have to make the correct choice of remedy. That said, you can use up to six remedies at any one time to 'cover all angles'.

Application

Using the wrong remedy at the strengths specified should not cause any contra-indications for your horse, the worst that can happen is nothing. Generally, if it is the right remedy, you will see results fairly quickly, depending of course, what you are using it for. Homeopathy can be used alongside veterinary medications, supplements etc, safely and effectively for all. Try not to let your horse drink coffee, smoke, clean his teeth, or even eat mints (not that he'd do that!), 15 minutes either side of applications. These can interfere with the remedy.

Try to deliver the tablet inot the bottom lip, this will melt through the mucous membrane and go fast inot the system. Care must be taken not to handle the tablet too much as it is only coated in the substance required.

How Often? How Many?

Use some common/horse sense for each individual account. It is the frequency that you apply that matters, not the amount of tablets you use at any one time (thus less expensive!). Try to remember that higher strengths are most useful for acute situations and lower are for longer term problems.

We do not recommend using 6c strength unless you are prepared to wait outside your horse's stable all day long, giving him tablets a minimum of 6 times a day! We also recommend offering 2 tablets each time in case one gets lost/dropped - they can be fiddly to handle! Sometimes it is necessary to offer them in a small titbit if you are 'all fingers and thumbs' at putting it into his bottom lip.

Which Remedy?

Firstly, learn to appreciate the benfits of ARNICA; if not for yourself, but at least for your horse - although feeling its benefits on yourself is the best way to appreciate its abilities.

ARNICA- the first remedy following any accident. Arnica can be incredible in its actions following a trauma, like a fall. It deals with the shock, bruising and damage of soft tissue and blood vessels - speeding up the natural healing process considerably. Arnica like most remedies can be used preventively prior to risk situations, or prior to known results, such as a racehorse who may be known as a bleeder. It is then advisable to apply arnica prior to a race or fast work, for its action on the blood vessels. Arnica is quite often the intial remedy for an accident, resulting in longer term recovery and can be followed up with other remedies for muscle, ligament, wound damage etc.

Suggested Application: Try Arnica 200c, up to three times in the first hour, then twice daily for 5 days. Use 30c up to 6 times daily for three days for a minor knock or similar. Start as early as possible after the incident. Arnica has usually done its job in the first weeks, and has little benefit after this time.

ACONITE- Anticipation of Stressful Situations

Show nerves? Travelling fears? Panic at the thought of the farrier/vet? Aconite is the principle choice for the above, allowing the horse to 'chill out' and accept the job in hand without causing drowsiness.

Suggested Application - Try 2 tabs, 200c, just before loading or tacking up at a show. usually, this is all that is required, unless a seperate incident arises late that day.

CALADIUM- Midge Repellent

Good for most, but not all, sweet-itch sufferers, and those horses that get really bothered by midge type flies - well worth a try, with an open mind!

Suggested Application - Try 30c, 2 tabs 1-3 times daily at affected time (can be used alongside Sweet-itch Aid and Echinacea remedies).

CALC FLUOR- For scar tissue damage

Use routinely after a splint appears, or for those with laminitis or ringbone. In fact, for any problem involving soft tissue damage, e.g. bony lumps etc.

Suggested Application - Try using 2 tabs in 30c, approximately two weeks after intial injury, daily for 2 weeks, then twice a week thereafter for around 3 months, or until improvement is complete.

ECHINACEA- The multi-use remedy

This is the immune system stimulent and should be used where all allergic reaction are obvious, alongside the specific remedy for that allergy for the first month. This remedy will at least allow the horse to fight his own problem 'on top form'.

Suggested Application - Try 30x up to three times daily for approximately one month.

GELSEMIUM- For the shy and timid

This really suits those that go weak at the knees! A relaxant for horses that are by the way of their nature, very nervous, tending to tremble, get muscle weakness prior to events/activities.

Suggested Application - Try 2 tablets, 200c immediately beforehand

KALI-PHOS- To aid convalescence

This remedy is ideal to help the convalescing horse to keep calm during this period, if he is prone to getting stressed.

Suggested Application - try 30c once daily during this time

MIXED POLLENS- Pollen allergy

'Stolen' from hay fever sufferers, this has proven to be very beneficial to some head-shakers that turn out to be sensitive to pollens. This is a combination remedy of several UK pollens.

Suggested Application - Try with ECHINACEA initially, then continue in 30c once or twice daily until season ends.

RECOVERY REMEDY

Homeopathically produced liquid combinations remedy. A combination of flowers in a brandy base, used with great effect in many cases, but not all!!! To generally calm, following shock, during colic or if the horse is distressed whilst waiting for the vet. In Australia, vets use it routinely for animals coming around from general anaesthetics.

Suggested Application - Try a few drops directly into the lower lip, prior to, or immediately following a fearful situation.

RHUS TOX

Done a little too much with not enough fitness? Bruised muscles? Coming out a little stiff, but loosening up with exercise? - use this remedy.

Suggested Application - For over-exertion, try 2 tablets up to three times daily in 200c, until a marked improvement is seen. For general stiffness problems, try 2 tablets once or twice daily, depending on the level of the problem and/or time of year.

RUTA GRAV

A classic follow up for Arnica when a strain becomes apparent, a must for horses that are in more serious levels of work, but useful for all types of strain injuries. Good prior to and following physio etc, and can be used with great success for long term strain injuries to help the natural healing process.

Suggested Application - 2 tablets, once or twice daily 200c strength for up to 3 months.

SCULTELLARIA

This is the homeopathic nervous sedative, does not cause drowsiness, has no adverse effect on performance.

Suggested Application - Try 2 tablets, immediately prior to excitable situation.

SILICEA

Think of this as a poultice in tablet form! Quite often it has a difficult job to do, and will need to be applied once to three times daily, 2 tablets in 30c strength for possible several weeks, be patient, its very impressive eventually! This remedy is also particularly good at strengthening horn.

Suggested Application - (all 30c) For foreign bodies, twice daily for a few weeks. For healing tissue, use twice weekly for 6 weeks. For horn growth use once daily as required.

..................more information to come, please see my shop until then!

Best wishes, Nikki

Natural Horse Supplies