Essential oils - does anyone use them on their horses?

[cob&onion]

Been doing a bit of reading about essential oils, i personally love them but have never used them on my horses and wouldn't know where to start. However there are some great books and am thinking of giving them a go especially for my stressy TB mare.....

Just trying to find out a bit more about them - or if anyone can recommend a good book?

So does anyone use them on their horses and if so what oils do you use, reasons for using them and how do you administer them? or do you use them for yourself to say combat nerves whilst handling/riding?

 

[Paint Me Proud]

i mix Tea Tree oil and Lavendar oil into aqueous cream and use it on Chico.

I also make my own fly spray using citronella oil and neem oil.

Lavendar and tea-tree can be applied directly to the skin but all othes should be diluted into carrier oil or cream before being applied

 

[SaharaS]

Horses self medicate using their instincts selecting natural herbs from hedgerows etc...if you do a little deeper digging, it is a science in itself, called zoopharmacognosy...they also offer essential oils to the horses who instinctively know what they need when it is offered. You have to be careful, as feeding a mix of herbs can unbalance their system just the same with oils...if they do not 'ask' for it when offered then thats their choice...some days they will want one thing, other days something else...some love it so much you have to offer them all your oils every night before they settle! Caroline Ingraham has written several excellent books on all levels of zoopharmacognosy & trains people too...it is very addictive i warn you!x

 

[cob&onion]

Caroline Ingraham has written several excellent books on all levels of zoopharmacognosy & trains people too...it is very addictive i warn you!x

Yes been looking at books by caroline Ingraham on amazon

 

[tazzle]

indeed have used aromatic oils with my horses

make my own fly sprays using them

also use them with Taz with regard to seasons...... really helped her and preferable to herbs in the respect of she can choose what she wants and when rather than me just putting it all in her feed.

aaromatic oils practitioner came and let the horses choose what they liked from what she thought might be applicable to the situation..... but it was not always what we thought they would choose. The one that surprised us most was the gelding choosing the female hormone balancer He realy loved it too licking it off our hands with the bottom of his tongue ( the most powerful way for them to take it.) ...... so whenever Taz wanted it I always offered it to him too

Rose oil ( the proper stuff not the one you get in high street shops) was another very popular one

 

[mightymammoth]

Did you see any results using the oils? Were you impressed?

 

[Spotsrock]

Some success with lateness oil and very stressy arab but not huge improvement.

 

[Spotsrock]

Lavender Not lateness. Lateness is my problem not pony's lol

 

[kerilli]

yes, i use them. particular favourites with the horses seem to be:
Hay Absolute (i wonder why...!)
Yarrow
Helichrysum
Mandarin
Rose Absolute
various others.
i use them for 'disinfecting' the stables too, a few drops of two of: Red Thyme, Lavender, Tea Tree, Clove, Lemon, Citronella, Mandarin, other citrus oils.

i get mine from Phytobotanica or Fragrant Earth. I was told it's not worth bothering with the ones from high street stores, they're just not pure enough etc.

 

[paulineh]

I use Essential oils all the time. I find oils so useful for many problems and occasions.

 

[Kyo's Mum]

I use oils all the time, can always find a use for the great allrounder lavender. Pat Ki does a distance course for owners www.patkitherapy.co.uk which are a good place to start, she is a lovely lady and passionate about oils! Caroline Ingham does the Keniworth Press Aromatherapy book (you know the little thin ones in tack shops) which is very good and easy to use, loads of info in a little package and handy to keep at the yard, and make a shopping list from. Her other book Essentail oils for horses:a source book.....is also good, but to be honest the Kenilworth one is just as useful. Also Dena Schwarz's website will be woth looking at, she runs some workshops too. Good Luck