HAWTHORN and other herb questions

[Toby773]

Hawthorn - can I just pick some leaves off the hedge to feed?

Parsley - is that the same as we have in salads or some other sort of parsley?

Rosemary - same as what we have and grow in the garden?

Rosehips - best source of please?

Best herbs for laminitis?

 

[sychnant]

Natural Horse Supplies sell all sorts of herbs, and have them listed by what they are used for. Each description also tells you their use and general dosage. It's a very good site. I believe they also have a "laminitic herbal mix" which contains the right herbs in the right doses.

I would always buy from a reputable supplier, it may save money picking things from the hedgerows (yes, i have been tempted lol) but you can never be sure what's on them, and most stuff will have been blasted by car exhaust... Also, it must be hard to get the dosage right and make sure you are not feeding bits you shouldn't be

 

[Hoofprints in the Snow]

Best herbs for lamanitics are I believe are hawthorn leaves and berries. nettles, clivers and rose hips. Feedmark do hedge herbs already dried. I also collect from clean hedges ie. not near roads. I pick the leaves, dry them in the oven at lowest heat with oven door open, they dry very quickly. I do the same with nettles, they take longer and need regular turning I then crush them and seive them to make a tea leaf type result. Rose hips will be ready soon, not so sure yet how to prepar them as I think the seeds need taking out. Naturalhorseherbs sell on ebay quite cheaply. You can offer the horse rose hips fresh and they love them (not too many at once) they would eat them if they were available in their fields, blackberries too. One word of advice, do wear rubber gloves as the nettles sting even when dried a little. Hope this helps.