Herbs

[laura jeanne]

You know how in the Heartland books they were always letting the horses choose herbs to smell (or eat, I can't remember)? Does anyone actually do this? - serious question. It seems the horses knew which ones they needed.

[KarinUS]

I think salt is the only substance that they reliably self-dose on, although other minerals can aslo be offered free choice.
I think with herbs it gets into more of the realm of tasty or not. I was trying to grow an herb strip along the fence line but wouldn't rely on them to 'self-medicate'. It was more of an attempt to introduce variety and different beneficial components.

[Showjumper]

I add a scoop of Dodson and Horrell Hedgerow Herbs (http://www.dodsonandhorrell.com/uk/dh/horse/herbal/hedgerow-herbs)to Dolly's meal every day. Pretty cheap, keeps her interested in her food and supplements her with herbs that are good for her and generally not found in pastures nowadays.

[Jessey]

I do with aromatherapy oils, let them select which ones are best :D
Horses do self medicate suprisingly well on herbs, horses in pain will seek out and eat willow - where the same horse may never have bothered with it before :p A horse with belly ache will often seek blackberry bushes or mint plants to settle the tummy :p and there was even a study of horses in the new forest which would seek out a toxic plant and eat it in tiny quantities - the results were short lived but made the very excitable, energetic and it was believed was their equivilant of alcohol :D

[KarinUS]

it was believed was their equivilant of alcohol :D

The UK horses must be more mature and in control of their impulses then while my US horses appear prone to excess. :p I guess mine would be candidates for AA. They'd happily chow down on oak/acorns until they fall over dead from kidney failure. No tiny therapeutic amounts here. If it's tasty we'll eat it until it's gone. Even if it's full of tannic acid. ;) Hence I get to pick and they get to eat what I pick...

[Bay Mare]

Saffy picks at herby stuff and will self medicate. I always know if she's tweaked something even before it's noticeable because she heads for the English ivy!

She occasionally selects cleavers. Has gone mad for rosehips but seems to have gone off them at the moment and there are various trees and bushes that she heads for at various times.

[laura jeanne]

I'm guessing that most people do not have all these herbs growing within eating distance of where the horses are kept for them to choose from do you?

[KarinUS]

We don't. :( Sadly my herb strip withered away in the Texas Summer heat. I grow some in pots but that's about it.

[puzzles]

I do with aromatherapy oils, let them select which ones are best :D
Horses do self medicate suprisingly well on herbs, horses in pain will seek out and eat willow - where the same horse may never have bothered with it before :p A horse with belly ache will often seek blackberry bushes or mint plants to settle the tummy :p and there was even a study of horses in the new forest which would seek out a toxic plant and eat it in tiny quantities - the results were short lived but made the very excitable, energetic and it was believed was their equivilant of alcohol :D

(sigh, need i ditto another post of Jessey's yet again? ;-) )

i swear by armoatherapy oils and herbs:
no.1 - i have read too many heartland books!
no.2 - i have two books ('herbs for horses' and 'aromatherapy-for-horses-or-somthing') which are great.
no.3 - isn't it all part of true natural horsemanship, in reflecting what horse's do in the wild and by using their instincts to their own advantage?

i use them too, especially Rescue Remedy.

[mayoguinness]

I've read a fair few as well ;). Herbs are defanatly very helpful. Horses will pick what they need and leave what they don't (like Mayo does with Garlic). Wish I had a herb strip for him...........how cool would that be :D

[puzzles]

v. cool Jessey!
x

[mogadoga]

OOooooooo i LOVE the heartland books :D Lol.

IS there any websites explaining about herbs etc? x

[puzzles]

yup -

http://www.globalherbs.co.uk
http://www.horseherbs.com
http://www.hiltonherbs.com
http://www.hintsandthings.co.uk/kennel/Herbs%20for%20Horses.htm
http://equine-natural-health.co.uk/herb-usage.htm
http://www.wendals.com
http://www.equineherbalist.cohttp://www.amazon.co.uk/Herbs-Horses-Threshold-Picture-Guide/dp/1872082467.uk

(the last one is a great book, i have it)


ok?

[mogadoga]

As much as i think global herbs is brilliant for working i am extremly wary of it! I emailed asking the ingreedients and got 'natural herbs'...hmm yes i knew that but WHAT. I asked a rep where i work and he said i cant say, you probably would rather you didnt know anyway.... So i shall leave that one ;)


Anyway, to be a pain lol... i ment links that explain about the herbs you can do yourself etc rather than manufactured :D But thanks!! :D:D