Natural Remedies for Horses: See Why You Should Treat Your Horse the Natural Way

There is a more and more pressing concern for treating horses with natural remedies. And with good cause: natural remedies are the ideal way to treating several health problems effectively and safely and in keeping your horse healthy.

There are two main reasons why many horse owners are turning toward a more natural approach to treating their companion:

1) The most important reason being the high rate of side effects encountered when giving their horse prescription medications, such as anti-inflammatories or pain killers. These side effects range from mild to severe and can even cause death in rare cases. With prescription drugs, the main goal is achieved (relief of symptoms), but often it comes with other symptoms that threathen the well-being of your horse.

Natural remedies formulated for horses by an experienced naturopath do not have any side effects and are safe to use, which is a great comfort to the owner and it permits many of them to sleep better at night.

2) The second reason is that many owners begin to see that natural remedies, when well chosen, give more than symptom relief to their horse. They can actually cure a condition, or at least help stop the condition from worsening.

Conventional medicine has an enormous limit: most prescription drugs concentrate mainly on suppressing symptoms. While this gives comfort to your mare or stallion, the disease is still present, continuing its course,usually getting worse with time.

Natural remedies, on the other hand, do a lot more. With the right combination of natural ingredients, they actually help treat the problem at its roots and help the whole body in healing itself and finding balance for a better recovery. Your horse will not only be absent of symptoms and side effects, but he/she will be better and healthier and will have a better chance of living a longer, happier life.

To many holistic therapists, it is believed that the body has the ability to heal itself. But when the body becomes ill, ingredients found in natural i\remedies help the body to heal and recover, thus becoming free of its condition.

As I said before, conventional medicine's main goal is to suppress symptoms. This only deals with the problem on the surface. In some cases, this is OK. This gives the animal the opportunity to feel better while the body is healing and recovering (ex. such when having a mild cold). But, in many cases, it does not help the body from getting better. The illness is still present, worsening without being noticed until the symptoms become too severe.

Natural remedies do not only treat the symptoms, but they work synergically to achieve global health, thus helping to cure and prevent a relapse from occurring. They give ingredients that will help several organs to work better and in eliminating toxins. They provide missing consituents that the body needs to heal itself properly, that the daily diet does not provide.

In the end, your horse will be healthier and livelier, and both you and your horse will be able to enjoy the difference it makes.

Natural remedies, especially herbs, are will accepted by the body of the horse. The horse is a herbivore, its digestive system is ideally adapted to completely assimilate the herbs and all their components. That is why many holistic practionners believe that horses are better suited to herbal treatments than treatments that are exclusively chemical.

The best example that I can give is about the classic case of arthritis in horses.

Often, the veterinarian will prescribe anti-inflammatory medications to help the horse deal with the inflammation and pain. These drugs will soothe the horse and give more freedom of movement to do its daily activities, especially at first, when the condition is not too severe.

But this comes to say what I have mentioned earlier: anti-inflammatory drugs only treat the symptoms. It does not treat the reason for the condition: the degeneration of the joints, which is at the heart of arthritis.

Even if the horse receives a medication for the inflammation and the pain, the condition persists: the joints continue to deteriorate; in the long run, the dosage of the medications will have to be increased. The animal will eventually have more and more difficulties walking, even with the higher doses of the drugs, which leads to an early (and painful) retirement for the horse.

By increasing the dosage of drugs, the risks of side effects get higher. The animal will be at risk of suffering from liver and renal problems and also from digestive problems. So in the long run, your horse is not necessarily better.

This is where natural remedies can make a big difference. Many holistic therapists recommend to supplement your horse to help restore the damaged cartilage and prevent the condition from worsening. Supplements, such as glucosamine, chondroitine and herbs such as devil's claw, milk thistle and nettle can be really effective. Althought the condition cannot be healed completely, many horses diagnosed with arthitis were able to continue to enjoy the rider's life with their owners until their old age probably because of the supplements they had received.

Something to keep in mind is that a condition, whether you want to treat it by conventional or alternative means, must be properly diagnosed in order to receive the best treatment possible.

Having a horse is an important responsibility, requiring the owner to make the right decisions when it comes to its keeping, its fitness and especially its health.

I cannot stress enough the importance of a proper diagnosis. Treating any individual without knowing what they have can endanger their life, or just make it worst (which can be harder to treat). Mainly,the horse will not be receiving exactly what it needs; the illness rages on, getting worse.

Do not hesitate in calling a veterinarian. He or she will examine the animal and give a proper assessment. He or she will also give their proper recommendations of treatment.

After receiving a proper diagnosis, then natural remedies can be incorporated to treat the illness and prevent it from returning.

Some veterinarians are open and even encourage natural remedies, while others will stick to what they know best. It is the owner who decises what to do next. Sometimes, initial treatment with conventional medicine is the best course of treatment, while options are considered. Of course, for certain serious conditions, conventional medications are necessary and should not be neglected, since no natural remedy can work as good or as fast as conventional medicine.

Before buying a natural product, make sure that they have no interactions with the medications your horse is receiving. Sometimes it is safest to keep your horse on medication while the herbs take effect, which takes usually 3-4 weeks.

When the condition is serious, it is dangerous to take them off their meds. Also, conventional medications do have their importance, and should be continued; but you can supplement your horse with natural remedies to give additional support, to avoid the condition from worsening or to help your horse reach overall systemic health.

Sometimes, conventional medicine and natural remedies can go hand in hand. So, take the time to make the right choice and do the most that you can to maintain your horse's health and happiness.

Even if I am here talking to you about the virtues of natural remedies, conventional medicine is important, especially in life-and-death situations. Also, certain conditions cannot not be effectively treated with the use of natural remedies and must be given prescription medication. Conditions, such as heart conditions or diabetes, are difficult to treat without a conventional treatment.

As a responsible owner, take the time to evaluate the situation and to choose the right natural remedy for your horse.

The brand that you will choose to give to your horse is an important factor in achieving treatment and recovery for your horse.

Here are a few criteria to look for:

- Buy a high-quality product. This may be an obvious criteria, but finding a product that is of high quality is much harder than it seems. Today, the market is filled with a wide variety of natural remedies. But many are of cheap-grade. Choose a company that uses a standardise method that preserves all the active ingredients, such as the Full Spectrum Approach for herbs and the HPUS (Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States) for homeopathic formulas. Choose remedies that are FDA-approved.

- The product must be formulated for horses. Horses do not have the same metabolism and digestive system as we humans do. Some herbs that are very effective to humans are not for horses, or not at the same quantity. Furthermore, some herbs that are safe for humans are poisonous for horses. Pick a company that have a team of expert holistic practitioners.

- Prefer natural remedies that contain several ingredients. In general, I believe that to treat a condition effectively, several ingredients are best. An excellent remedy will have ingredients that treat the symptoms directly, while other ingredients will optimize the performance of certain specific organs and toxic elimination. Since we cannot be sure about the exact wants of the individual, the more ingredients there is, the more chances of providing exactly what your horse needs to heal completely. The remedy will cost a little more, but will give much more benefits.

- Good reputation. A company who has a good reputation is a very good sign that their remedies are effective and safe. It gives more credit to your investment. And in return, your horse will only benefit.

- Guarantees. A company who includes a guarantee policy on their products is a sign that the people behind the products are confident about its effectiveness and its safety.

- Client Support. Does the company give information about their products? Do they give numerous information about health conditions? Are you able to receive expert advice? This also is a big help, since if you have any questions about the product, its usage or the response of your horse on the product, you will be able to get accurate information. Sometimes, support and accurate information helps to get that little something that will really make a difference in your horse's health and recovery.

- List of Ingredients. I would be cautious in ordering a natural remedy from a company who does not include a list of ingredients of each formula. It is important to know what they contain. They also convey the message that the company has nothing to hide and is confident that the ingredients are accurate.

Finding the right brand to treat your stallion or mare is hard. I was fortunate enough to discover a wonderful company that offers effective and high-quality natural remedies for pets of all sizes.

I have treated my cat, dogs from friends and family with their products with great success!

PetAlive has recently launch a new line of natural remedies for horses. I have had the opportunity to test two of their products on my younger sister's two horses. As I expected, they worked wonderfully. And I strongly believe that the rest of their equine line will work as well.

PetAlive by Native Remedies is a very professional company who specializes in herbal and homeopathic remedies for pets, such as dogs, cats, horses and even small animals.

Their formulas are manufactured based on high standard procedures that guarantees highly active ingredients for maximum effectiveness. All of their products are formulated by a team of specialists, which includes naturopaths, homeopaths & veterinarians, all under the supervision of clinical psychologist Michele Carelse.

PetAlive offers not only high grade natural remedies, but they also provide excellent and fast client support. Each product is carefully described with the necessary instructions and appropriate tips. They also provide a vast collection of articles on various conditions and illnesses.

Although the Equine Line is new to PetAlive (they only have 8 products available), they will soon add new products and eventually provide a wide selection of natural remedies for your horse's needs. So, feel free to visit PetAlive and do not forget to come take a look in a few months to see the new products available!

P.S. Since PetAlive has just begun their equine line, the number of ailments covered is still limited. There is another great company from Ohio that possess a great line of herbal remedies for horses, "The Healing Barn". What is also extra special about this company is that it is a Rescue and Rehabilitation Facility for Horses, so you help finance this great program at the same time!

Another important aspect about natural remedies (something that we often do not think about) is prevention. More people are becoming aware of this fact, and it holds importantly true for horses as well.

Prevention can be viewed in two ways:

1) To prevent a condition before it appears or to delay its appearance (if the horse is predisposed to an ailment);

2) To prevent a condition from reoccurring after an initial outbreak/occurrence.

Both options are very important and I am a firm believer in both.

In the past, I have lost a cat from cancer. I now give Immunity & Liver Support from PetAlive several times a year to my new cat. She also suffers from asthma; I now treat her with AmazaPet, an homeopathy remedy that works wonderfully without any side effects.

My sister decided to keep giving EQuine Joint Relief to her 12-year old stallion after an initial test trial, who suffers from arthritis. He is now doing really well and is more active and alert.

I just wanted to make sure that you know that some plants or other natural ingredients are not all safe. Some are poisonous or may cause adverse side effects. So please be cautious. Some medications interact with natural ingredients and vice versa, so it is important to verify if both types of treatment can be taken together.

Also, an ingredient that is safe and very effective to humans can be very dangerous to animals. Pets do not have the same metabolism than humans. They are also some minor differences between species. So it is not wise to give supplements formulated for humans to your pet.

This is the main reason why it is important to choose a reputable company that have vast knowledge in natural remedies for pets. Some herbs or other ingredients must be avoided and the dosage must sometimes be readjusted.

A holistic approach to health does not limit itself to herbal and homeopathic remedies. There is also many options available:

- Chiropractic
- Acupuncture
- Massage
- Aromatherapy
- Hydrotherapy
- Exercise (yes, this can be perceived as natural)

I just wanted to add a little note on the importance of making sure that your horse receive the basic needs of care, such as:

- High quality and balanced diet
- Exercise
- Time outdoors (yes, fresh air)
- Affection
- Regular visits by you (horses like companionship)
- Hygiene care
- A clean box

Natural remedies are great, but please keep in mind that the horse's environment also plays an important role on his health and well-being.

Natural remedies can be found in different forms: phytotherapy, homeopathy, aromatherapy, flower essences and oils, etc. Each has their strengths and advantages.

There are two categories that I am most familiar with: homeopathy and phytptherapy (herb medicine).

I mainly treat my pets (and myself) with both kinds, since they have their own advantages and one kind will be better in treating a condition than the other, depending on the condition and the individual.

The main difference is that in most cases, homeopathy works rapidly. You usually note improvement within the first few minutes or the first few hours. They are great in acute situation, when instant relief is necessary (such as colic) or when the treatment is necessary for a specific moment (a short laps of time).

Herbal remedies, on the other hand, have a lot of healing power, but they usually take 3-4 weeks to take its effect (2 weeks when in a tincture form). But when they do, they are really effective. They are really great for chronic conditions, such as joint problems.

When choosing the right natural remedy for your horse, do not forget to look at every possibility for treating a condition.

Also, keep in mind that natural remedies' effectiveness vary from individual to individual and that one form of treatment will work better than another. Sometimes it takes a few trials before finding the right remedy.

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