What herbs do you use?

[Jambarissa]

Without really planning it I've moved away from mineral/chemical supplementation and more towards herbs with excellent results.

I do have grazing and hay analysed and add mineral supplementation according to that, but for additional niggles I'm a fan of trying supplements to see if they make a difference.

Ones that I have found work :

Boswellia for mild arthritis/stiffness
Marigold and cleavers for moderate CPL
Oily herbs for mild faecal water which occurs at times of stress or forage change
Detoxing herbs for a snotty nose thought to be due to a skull fracture (clears up with antibiotics but comes straight back)

I am so impressed with the detox that I feed it to all my horses on and off because we have sycamore and who knows what else hiding in our huge pastures.

I dont really have any other issues to tackle but would be interested to hear others success stories.

 

[live2ride]

I really rate herbs.

My old mare has :
Boswellia
Aloe Vera Gel
A veteran mix of herbs
Clivers
And sometimes Marshmallow root

The younger one:
Boswellia
Aloe Vera gel
Slippery elm
Marigold
Clivers

In spring they get nettle

And give milk thistle periodically

 

[Caol Ila]

My horses are on oily herbs because this forum said they should be. Good for digestion and general health.

They are also on marigold and cleavers. The cleavers for itchy skin, and I can't remember why they're on marigolds.

Hermosa is sometimes on agnus castus to help with seasons, and sage to help with a bit of idiopathic lactation that seems to happen during a strong season.

Fin is on valerian at this time of year for fireworks.

 

[live2ride]

What are the detoxing herbs you use?

My gelding has a skull fracture.. and gets a snotty nose, struggles in winter since.

 

[Pippity]

What does 'oily herbs' include?

 

[webble]

Kiki has Oregano Rosemary and Thyne then a mix of Micronised Linseed, Seaweed, Brewers Yeast, Clivers, Nettle, Echinacea, Spearmint from Norfolk feeds. He has it mixed with a handfull of Dengie Healthy tummy and Baileys No 14 balancer

 

[Backtoblack]

Don't know if they work but they all sound delicious

 

[Pinkvboots]

Don't know if they work but they all sound delicious

The oily herbs smell of Italian pasta

 

[Horseysheepy]

What does 'oily herbs' include?

Rosemary, oregano and thyme are often suggested.

 

[canteron]

I use Hedgerow herbs, seaweed, turmeric and Boswellia, a lindseed mix, protexin, all in Dengie Happy Tummy.

I don't use them all everyday, but work on the assumption that if a horse was living naturally, then it would graze a little bit of different things depending where it was. I am influenced by the Zoe project, which has done lots of research and decided that humans need to eat 30 different plant based things a week for a healthy gut bacteria, so it makes sense that horses would need similar? (No one has done the research on horses, but the best guess it would be the same???) I know if I take a horse out, then it likes a little bit of lots of different plants (if allowed!).

Anyway, I don't feed enormous amounts, it doesn't seem to have done any harm, the horses have beautiful glossy coats and seem healthy, and at the least it must make meals more interesting?

 

[ycbm]

I use (a big fistful) Hedgerow Herbs from D&H as well, to compensate for lack of diversity in forage. Three of the six in it are oily, win win.
.

 

[ponyparty]

I started feeding my TB oily herbs (rosemary, thyme, oregano) after seeing it on this forum and doing a bit of reading about it elsewhere. When I first got her in August she was passing a bit of faecal water; I started feeding the oily herbs a couple of weeks later. I hadn't even noticed, but now that I think about it, the faecal water has definitely stopped!

She's on a hoof-friendly chaff as a carrier, Forageplus Hoof & Skin balancer, and a glug of salt, other than that. I'm soon swapping her onto grass nuts/dried grass instead of the chaff - I was only feeding that as it was what the yard supplied, but I've gone DIY now, so I'll be supplying my own; once my current bag gets half way down I'll start gradually swapping her over.

I also feed random stuff I forage on my dog walks - whatever's in season e.g. rosehips and blackberries in the autumn, cleavers in spring. My OH and son are doing a great job of gradually chopping down nettles in the fields, which the horses clean up afterwards. They have access to a hedgerow, so I don't supplement with anything else at the moment. Well, apart from carrots as training treats!

If she starts dropping condition over winter I may add linseed to the feed. She's out 24/7 on plenty of grass.

 

[Pen]

My CPL, EMS cob has boswellia, turmeric, nettle and marigold and cleavers. I'm thinking of adding another herby mix of some sort because as she grazes with a muzzle on she cannot browse the hedges as she would without a muzzle. Today she got her muzzle off for the first time that I can remember and I found her eating hawthorn. My late very reactive riding horse was susceptible to valerian. It really took the edge off him when needed.

 

[SEL]

Microcob is on oily herbs (it's my own mix of oregano, thyme, rosemary, sage) and bozmerix (boswellia, turmeric) on a daily basis along with Immubiome's Spine & Nerve (mushrooms). Odd sprinkle of meadowsweet and sometimes marigold & cleavers (feathered cob). She's doing brilliantly on that mix given her breathing and joint problems.

Babycob also on oily herbs but not much else

Appy currently getting a mix from Ron Fields because she's wood chewing after a course of antibiotics but she regularly gets herbal mixes

 

[shanti]

Does anyone know which herbs, if any, are good for helping with laminitis? At the moment I spend a small fortune on foundercare which is basically an expensive Bag of mixed herbs which you soak in hot water like tea leaves and add to feed, but I can't find a list of ingredients anywhere to see if I could make it up myself.

 

[Kaylum]

We grow our own fresh mint which they love and give them fresh cleavers which are good for laminitics.

 

[SEL]

Does anyone know which herbs, if any, are good for helping with laminitis? At the moment I spend a small fortune on foundercare which is basically an expensive Bag of mixed herbs which you soak in hot water like tea leaves and add to feed, but I can't find a list of ingredients anywhere to see if I could make it up myself.

Cinnamon is an insulin sensitiser which is good for EMS and in most laminitis mixes.

Otherwise I'd pop on Equinatural's site and see what they have in their mixes

 

[little_critter]

Not quite a herb but I’m feeding rosehips for extra vitamin c.
A couple of weekends ago I walked the hedgerows and foraged my own. They are now dried, zuzzed up and sieved ready to feed.

 

[ycbm]

Does anyone know which herbs, if any, are good for helping with laminitis? At the moment I spend a small fortune on foundercare which is basically an expensive Bag of mixed herbs which you soak in hot water like tea leaves and add to feed, but I can't find a list of ingredients anywhere to see if I could make it up myself.

Especially for a mare, agnus castus, because female hormones are known to increase the risk of laminitis, I've read.
.

 

[TPO]

Kiki has Oregano Rosemary and Thyne then a mix of Micronised Linseed, Seaweed, Brewers Yeast, Clivers, Nettle, Echinacea, Spearmint from Norfolk feeds. He has it mixed with a handfull of Dengie Healthy tummy and Baileys No 14 balancer

Sorry to be *that* person but... be careful feeding seaweed unless you know your ground/horse is low in iron. Seaweed is high iron and inhibits the uptake of copper, which uk soils are generally low in.

"Barefoot people" used to recommend it but they've all backed away from it now for the iron reason.

Cinnamon is an insulin sensitiser which is good for EMS and in most laminitis mixes.

Otherwise I'd pop on Equinatural's site and see what they have in their mixes

How much cinnamon would you feed to a possible EMS horse?

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I've created my own sarcoid supplement using the main ingredients of other (much more expensive) ones, so Dex has:
Fenugreek, Bicarbonate of Soda, Brewers Yeast, Salt, Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme, Milk Thistle, Ashwaghanda Root, Amla Powder, Tulsi Leaves, Turmeric, Linseed & Pepper.

I mix it all myself and started them all at the same time and the sarcoids are improving, so he's going to have to stay on them all until they either disappear, or I give up.

 

[SEL]

Sorry to be *that* person but... be careful feeding seaweed unless you know your ground/horse is low in iron. Seaweed is high iron and inhibits the uptake of copper, which uk soils are generally low in.

"Barefoot people" used to recommend it but they've all backed away from it now for the iron reason.



How much cinnamon would you feed to a possible EMS horse?

It was a 20ml scoop I think.

Made the feed smell lovely!

 

[TPO]

It was a 20ml scoop I think.

Made the feed smell lovely!

Thank you

 

[expanding_horizon]

I use Hedgerow herbs, seaweed, turmeric and Boswellia, a lindseed mix, protexin, all in Dengie Happy Tummy.

I don't use them all everyday, but work on the assumption that if a horse was living naturally, then it would graze a little bit of different things depending where it was. I am influenced by the Zoe project, which has done lots of research and decided that humans need to eat 30 different plant based things a week for a healthy gut bacteria, so it makes sense that horses would need similar? (No one has done the research on horses, but the best guess it would be the same???) I know if I take a horse out, then it likes a little bit of lots of different plants (if allowed!).

Anyway, I don't feed enormous amounts, it doesn't seem to have done any harm, the horses have beautiful glossy coats and seem healthy, and at the least it must make meals more interesting?

I feed oregano, thyme, rosemary all year round.

Then I feed Hedgerow Herbs and Agrobs mash in winter when limited fresh grass and and hedgerow browsing. The combination significantly increases gut diversity.

I also try and add diversity- peelings / apple cores / bananas / fruit / strawberry tops etc from home.

 

[webble]

@TPO that's interesting to know, things are constantly changing aren't they, thank you. It's such a tiny amount I'm not too worried

 

[spotty_pony2]

Milk thistle to support the liver and as a de-tox. Intereting read because I was considering getting something herb for itchy skin.

 

[Jambarissa]

What are the detoxing herbs you use?

My gelding has a skull fracture.. and gets a snotty nose, struggles in winter since.

I am currently using equimins Detox or their Liver Cleanser but in the past have used any herbs that support liver, Kidneys, etc. Bought the Detox when I was on holiday to make it easy for my help but realised a £20ish bottle lasts 2 months so cheaper and works well so have stayed in it.

My others get the occasional 2 week course.

 

[Dave's Mam]

What does 'oily herbs' include?

Oregano, Thyme & Rosemary.

 

[MagicMelon]

I dried my own herbs naturally for feeding over winter. I have big containers full of raspberry leaves, nettles and mint. When it was in season, I fed fresh cleavers and gave the horses freshly cut willow branches which they loved ripping leaves off.