Too often today, horse owners use mass-produced synthetic products to care for their animals. The use of these products has created numerous health hazards for horses. Horses are now more prone to conditions indicative of poisoning. As a horse owner, you should, whenever possible, want to use products that are 100% natural and safe for horse consumption.
Horses have adapted over the many centuries to self medicate using the herbs and plants they could forage in their natural environment. As owners we can make use of this instinct to help our horses by supplementing beneficial plants into their feed, or even better, by encouraging these plants to grow wild in your pasture. Below, you’ll find four natural herbs that I recommend.
The problem with commercial products is that owners can never be confident in what they’re receiving. If a product is contaminated, a horse could become sick within a matter of hours, much to the surprise of an unsuspecting owner. Using natural products for your horses is an excellent way to ensure your horse’s safety and health. The following four herbs are an excellent starting point for those looking to switch to natural products.
Dandelion
If you have dandelions running rampant in your horse pasture, let them be! Your horses will likely graze on the dandelions, especially if they are not feeling well. Dandelions are an excellent source of potassium for horses. Dandelions can also help cleanse a horse’s system, acting as a natural diuretic that cleanses the liver.
Many owners find that dandelion is also useful for easing chronic pain and inflammation in horses. The plant could help reduce the pain associated with laminitis. It could also help minimize low-grade inflammation caused by arthritis.
Garlic
Garlic is another excellent herb that you can use for your horse, especially if you notice that flies are a problem in your barn. Garlic has natural antiparasitic and antibacterial properties. Instead of using artificial sprays to get rid of flies, consider adding garlic to your horse’s diet. Your horse will begin sweating the garlic through its skin, which helps ward off flies. Additionally, owners find that garlic is a safe alternative to help ward off:
- Mosquitoes
- Midges
- Ticks
Garlic could also be useful as a digestive aid. However, you should know that too much garlic is not a good thing for horses. Assuming a half-pound of garlic every day for three months could cause your horse to develop Heinz body anemia. Be sure that you feed garlic to your horses sparingly.
Peppermint
Peppermint is another natural herb that could help your horse ease its digestive issues. Adding fresh peppermint to your horse’s next meal could help relieve the symptoms of an upset stomach, primarily by relaxing the muscles in the digestive tract. Peppermint is also useful when applied to irritated, but not broken, skin, and makes an excellent pest-repellent!
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Red Raspberry
Red raspberry is one of the best all-around herbs to feed your horse. Not only does the herb have natural anti-inflammatory properties, but it also serves as an excellent source of magnesium, which can help keep your horse calm.
Adding raspberry to your horse’s diet is easy, as you can put a half-cup of dried leaves to their mash. We bet your horses will love the taste as well!
About Equi-Spa
I created Equi-Spa because I believe horses deserve the best care possible and we seek to provide products and information that allows owners to do so. Thanks to my background in aromatherapy, I believe in harnessing the power of natural products. When using natural products, you’ll likely find that your horse’s instinct to balance its regulatory system becomes stronger than ever.
If you want to learn learn about more plants and herbs you can use to supplement your horse’s health, I have written a free Ebook which you can download.
Great information for horse owners to help keep their horse healthy.
I love horse very pretty animal but I never see one with my own eye cause im from Montreal and my family is very poor so that the deal
This really seem to be what your horse will need to stay healthy.
Impressive herbs that will show great results on your horse.
Herbs that I am sure will show benefits on the health of your horse.
A truly great way for your horse to have a more pleasant life.
Hope to win
Curious as to what breed of horse is depicted above. Never seen before. Great information as well.
Awesome to know that
Dandelion
Garlic
Peppermint
&Red Raspberry
are imperative to a horses health.
Omg I love this
Oh wow very interesting! Really love the use of the berry
Very interesting ingredients
Natural foods for health 🙂
Good information to help with horse care.
good
Great tips. Thanks for sharing.
Great products for horses to have a wonderful healthy life
Good
Interesting, thanks for the info
the new idea and then the horse eat the grlic and then dandelions this would be great idea
Nice post!
Awesome to know !
This is very interesting
This was very helpful I never knew that dandelion were very helpful for them and the others too I’m very grateful thanks forthe heads up now my horse will be better than ever
I’m all for natural methods for keeping animals (and people) healthy. My neighbors have a yard FULL of dandelions. I’d love to just be able to pick them all for something positive!
The horse does not belong to us. The only thing we have is the duty to take care of it properly.
Great informations!
Thanks
Great products! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Wow!
I live natural tips and remedeys!
Majestic
Nice
cool
Gotta have to take this for real.
I live for natural products!
I had no idea about raspberries!! Great info!
Thanks for encouraging the use of natural products!
Horses actually like Garlic?
Hierbas curativas 😃
I’m really glad to learn about dandilion–do they eat the root or just the upper plant?
Great information – dandellion is one I didn’t think off
Great post! Sharing with my cousin since she has horses. 🙂
Good information
This is interesting.
Thank you for this list. Good to be reminded but garlic came as new information. Garlic! Will try it, sparingly.
Super helpful natural remedies!
Very informative! Thanks so much!!
I learned a lot from reading this article! Never knew about the beneficial effects of these herbs for horses!
I like these natural products for horses.
Very interesting!
Thank you for sharing
Very interesting.
Tres bon conseil, merci beaucoup.
I learned a lot from reading this article! Never knew about the beneficial effects of these herbs for horses!
I think Dandelion, Garlic, Peppermint and Raspberries are very good for horses
Awesome to know that
This is really informative. Thank you.
Thanks for the herbal info.
i never learnd about this thank you
Ive loved horses since I was a little girl…Every year i go to the Royal Winter Fair in toronto just to set them!!
good to know
excellent advice, have forwarded to all my horse friends, I mean, friends with horses
Awesome information!
very interesting, all natural is the way to go!
Great tips, garlic is always good.
I didn’t know garlic was great for flies!
Really nice article
That makes a lot sense. Thanks.
Wow, my horse will enjoy this
Wow, I knew about the dandelion and I eat dandelion salads on occasion. I’ve learned something about the red raspberry though, I’ll definitely add that to my horses diet!
I never knew that about red raspberry, I’ll definitely add that to my horses diet!
Didn’t knew how simple herbs like these could be so miraculous.
This is important and very interesting information.
Great info, thanks
Thank you for the great information
Seems like garlic is a great wonder herb (veggie?) because it has so many uses!
Very good information that I did not know, thanks for the heads up.
Useful article, thank you
Good to know! I try to use as many natural products as I can now.
Good to know, will have to remember these for future use
It’s great hearing how these natural ingredients improve a horses health.
Absolut best products for equine health!
Heard similarly regarding the dandelion for horses!
Had no idea about some of these… Amazing
I think the only herb I didn’t know that could benefit horses was garlic! Who would’ve thought that could help with ticks?
Veey useful post
This is interesting.
Great information to have! thank you
lot of good info
I love natural we can get everything we need from what we have is my feelings i love raspberry and peppermint too horses are so smart and pretty its no surprise they have pretty much already found everything they need from nature in the first place
Informative for sure. Might give it to my horse.
Thank you for sharing xx
Just what horses need.
Great information …. herbs can have fantastic properties and are useful to both humans and animals
Herbs are fantastic with so many uses!
Very interesting article. I’ve always wanted to own a horse. Maybe one day.
Helpful for your horse!
Really nice article
another useful article
This is really very helpful. Thank you
These herbs are beneficial to humans as well.
I would like to try all four of these on my horse and like that they are natural!
Hmmm I didn’t know about raspberry, not that they’re common in my area. I do like using natural products first though before reaching for synthetic products so thank you
I need to eat more garlic to keep the flies off ME!