Mickie Magan Equine Herbalist, Grose Vale (2025)

24/11/2025

Hock sores can be a secondary issue to the true source which could be inflammation, laminitis, pain in the joints or muscles.⠀
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The human equivalent would be bed sores.⠀
Most of us wouldn’t lay in bed over 8 hours.⠀
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However a person who is ill or incapacitated may spend a lot longer in bed.⠀
This means that circulation is compromised and the blood can pool in areas, and if those people are not turned or moved frequently, bed sores develop.⠀
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Horses don’t necessarily need to be bedridden for long periods to get hock sores.⠀
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Even a couple of extra hours per day may bring them on.⠀
Some things to consider if your horse develops hock sores: ....⠀
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🌱 Is your horse lying down more than normal?⠀
( this could be sore legs, tiredness, hoof issues, laminitis etc)?⠀
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🌱 Environmental changes, such as less bedding, changing in bedding type.⠀
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🌱 Scuffs or rubs on other body parts, such as tail rubbing, or elbows.⠀
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🌱 Overall skin health. Dry skin, scurf, or coarse and brittle coats can contribute to sores.⠀
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🌱 Are there joint issues, arthritis or muscular issues that may make the horse lay down more than normal?⠀
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Some horses (like one of mine...Benjii) loves to roll a lot! Sometimes he will accidentally kick one of his hocks in the rolling process.⠀
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This is not a hock sore but could be mistaken for one as it will take off some skin and leave an open wound.⠀
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One of the reasons I made Salve-Ation was because of this.⠀
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My clients and myself have had great results from this.⠀
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Clean the wound very well. Then apply a smear of Salve-Ation, and watch the healing progress at a rapid rate.⠀
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https://www.equineherbalist.com.au/collections/all-products/products/equi-heal⠀
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If the sores are because there is another reason, it’s important to look for the root cause as we always do in herbal medicine.

23/11/2025

Horses have a limited way of communicating their needs or problems to their humans.

Rearing, kicking bucking and biting are the ones they use when the human has missed the subtler cues like moving away, ears against the head, tail swishing and nostrils flaring.

Not all biting is due to anger or pain.

♦️Some horses are naturally mouthy. I have a client whose horse just loves sucking on her hand, arm or hair. Not something I would encourage for obvious reasons.

♦️Pain- In the case of colic or abdominal pain, you will see the tell tale signs of the horse nipping at his flank or belly.

♦️Dental Issues -If the horse is refusing the bridle, or gets cranky when you’re touching around the mouth or jaw, they will often nip or take a quick bite to communicate that their mouth or teeth are uncomfortable.

♦️ Poorly fitting Tack - A too tight girth, can pinch the delicate skin on the side or underbelly. Add in the weight of the rider as they are mounting, the horse may try to bite at the riders foot.

♦️Gut ulcers - A fairly good indicator is the horse being increasingly intolerant of being girthed. Hu***ng in the canter can also indicate hind gut ulcers.

♦️Poorly Fitted Rugs - If the chest strap is tight when they have their head up, imagine how much it will dig into the skin of the chest and lower neck. It will also increase pressure on the wither. This can lead to biting when rugs are put on or taken off.

♦️ Attention Seeking - If the horse has not got your attention, he may feel he must resort to biting to get you to listen. Often though, the biting becomes the focus of the owner instead of the original issue the horse was trying to communicate.

♦️ Muscle or Back Pain - One of my clients got bitten almost every time she tried to saddle her horse. When I was called to treat him, his back was very sore and highly reactive. Once we fixed his back he stopped biting.

♦️Previous Mistreatment - Horses have good memories. If they have been sold on several times due to behavioural issues, they are often very mistrusting of people, and usually with good reason.
As I constantly say, behavioural problems are almost always secondary to a deeper problem.

22/11/2025

You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink!⠀
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Water is considered an essential nutrient.
It’s needed for fluid balance to the tissues and cells.⠀
It’s also a requirement for nutrient uptake and kidney and digestive function.⠀
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A loss of just 6% of body water will significantly affect the horse’s temperature regulation, energy levels and can cause digestive issues and colic.⠀
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Like people; some drink a lot and others not as much.⠀
To help your horse on super hot days, you can wet down the feeds, soak the hay and offer up a little molasses in a bucket with water.⠀
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If you’re unsure if your horse needs more water, you can do the pinch test on his neck. ⠀
Grab some skin between forefinger and thumb .⠀
Pinch them together and let go.⠀
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The skin should bounce back within 1 second.⠀
If it takes over 2 seconds or leaves a wrinkle in his skin, the horse is somewhat dehydrated.⠀
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Water source is also important.⠀
If you have water in the paddock in a blue tub or bathtub, , try to keep it out of direct sunlight.⠀
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Green algae is carried by the wind and photosynthesises in sun.⠀
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Some people put a little copper sulphate in the water to keep algae at bay. The recommended dosage is 1 level Teaspoon per every 5000 litres. There are also copper discs that can be bought to help reduce algae build up. These can also be used in koi ponds or aquariums.

21/11/2025

There is a certain farrier around town who cuts off waaaay too much toe., never trims the flares off the hoof wall and the heel bulbs are almost on the ground.
I can spot his work a mile away.

I have always maintained that it impinges on live tissue.

If your horse is “foot sore” after a trim.
It’s been trimmed incorrectly, or it’s been done deliberately.

If it’s a long time between farrier visits and the horse is not in work, I have known people who take a bit more off than necessary.

However it may give pause to people who think that’s ok when you see the vascular system of the hoof.

Having done the trimming course with The Barefoot Bloke and a clinic in Victoria with it gave me new respect for farriers and trimmers.

My farrier is knowledgeable and is happy to talk me through what he is doing and why.

Seeing the vascular system like this is pretty mind blowing to me and it just shows me yet again how incredibly delicate horses really are.

20/11/2025

Sweat patterns, particularly along the back are often the first indication of incorrect saddle fit.
It is a reliable tool in assessing when the saddle may be lifting or bridging.

Dry spots around the withers can be from the saddle sitting too low or is too wide. It can also show that the saddle is to narrow and is pinching on the sides of the wither.

Sometimes sweat patterns will be different on either side. If you have dry spot on and below the wither on the near side, but a larger dry area on the off side, it can indicate that the rider sits to much to the right hand side.

Saddle fit can be affected by weight gain or loss in the horse. A
So by muscle gain and loss.

In dressage, as the horse moves up the grades, there is more work that requires more hind end connection. This will result in muscle growth along the back as the horse gets stronger and builds more topline. This in turn changes the entire shape of the horse.
It’s advisable to have you saddle checked by a qualified fitter at least annually or when sweat patterns indicate.

Sweat patterns don’t just occur under saddle.
When some horses get agitated or very nervous, they will sweat over the neck and flanks. This is what I call stress sweats.

I will be doing an Instagram live at 8am on December 2nd with Jochen from Schleswig. It’s one of the things I will ask.

19/11/2025

I have a friend whose horse has this condition.

I was telling a client about it a while back, and she said she thought that it meant the horse was really enjoying his food!
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In fact generating lots of saliva can be a sign of ulceration. Ulcers can be in the mouth, the eosophagus or the stomach. ⠀
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Unlike humans, production of saliva is not due to the smell or sight of something tasty.⠀
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The volume of saliva relates to the amount of feed being eaten, the speed in which the horse eats and the moisture content of the food.⠀
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With dry foods like Chaff, hay and some pelleted foods or high grain content stimulate more saliva. Think of eating a dry Weet-Bix and you get the idea 🤣⠀
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Soaking or steaming your hay, and or wetting down your chaff/pellet feeds will assist in reducing the amount of saliva needed if your horse is a drooler.⠀
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The average horse (500kg) secretes roughly 10-12 litres per day.⠀
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Drooling excess saliva may also be attributed to dentition.⠀
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In aged or older horses, the cheek teeth can become sharp or loose. They may rub against the inside of the mouth and create pain and or ulceration.

There is not a huge amount of data on why this occurs in some horses. ⠀
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Bolus, (chewed up food matter mixed with saliva) may drop out of the mouth in clumps.⠀
Horses may take much longer to get through their normal ration or they may leave it altogether. ⠀
Signs that your horse may need the dentist out.⠀
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🦷 Loss of condition or weight loss.⠀
🐴 Dropping clumps of chewed food (Quidding)⠀
🦷 Excess of undigested matter in the manure.⠀
🐴 Refusal or difficulty putting on the bridle.⠀
🦷 Unusual behaviour related to head throwing, avoiding the contact etc.⠀
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Many metabolic processes can suffer if teeth are not attended to.⠀
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A minimum of annual check up for most horses.⠀
3-6 monthly for young horses under 5years old.⠀
Biannually for aged horses.⠀
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As always be guided by your equine dentist and their findings.

18/11/2025

Spaying our dogs and cats is a responsible action.
What about horses?
Stallions are gelded for a number of reasons.
After a successful racing or breeding career, or when the horse becomes unmanageable or difficult to handle.

Spaying or desexing a mare is a huge decision involving major surgery, post operative care and a lot of money.
The question is, why would we want to desex a mare?

It takes enormous surgery to spay a mare.

During the operation, the ovaries are removed, which prevents the estrus cycle from continuing.
There is a tremendous risk to horses in major surgery that can lead to death.
There are multiple procedures to spay a mare. Each has its positives and negatives.

Why would we spay a mare?
▪️Health reasons- Ovarian cysts or possibly cancerous tumours.
This can exacerbate “mareish” behaviour because they have an impact on hormones. Not to mention pain for the horse.

▪️ Another reason a mare might be spayed, is if she is expected to perform at top levels, and her estrous cycle interferes with her performance. However, it is essential to know that spaying a mare will not necessarily eliminate this “marish” attitude.

▪️The least likely reason is population control.

17/11/2025

Horse communication can be quite complex.
One of my favourite things was when my horse Benjii nickered a low greeting as he came towards me.
But what about when the horse is being quite vocal or calling out?

Neighs have a unique sound, often starting as a squeal before ending as a nicker. Most neighs last around 1.5 seconds and are loud enough to be heard up to a a kilometre away. Some horses from the same herd can have similar neighs.

Here are some reasons why horses neigh.

🔹 To reflect their emotions- It’s a simple way to let others in the herd know how they are feeling. This can be an indicator of separation anxiety.

🔹 To locate other horses- When you take your horse from the paddock and out of sight, horses will call to each other. This is especially true if there are bonded pairs or groups. Mares use the communication to locate foals when they wander a bit to far.

🔹 Communicate Anxiety- Horses will use a higher pitch neigh to let other horses know they are worried or in distress.

🔹To communicate confidence - At the opposite end of the behaviour. Horses will neigh to others to let them know they are feeling bold, which can signal to more worried horses that they don’t have reason to be concerned.

As always with horses there are a ton of variables in every sound.
When your horse is being vocal, it’s a good idea to notice any physical behaviours that accompany the vocalisations. Ears forward or back, body tight and tense, relaxed posture or highly attentive.

Look at the horse as a whole can help determine the reason for the sounds.

16/11/2025

Just a reminder…

Suppliers are gearing up for the Christmas season. I would advise getting your orders and prescriptions in before the rush. It gives me time to get products made and extracts delivered, as well as bottles, post bags and labels. That way I can get everything to you in a timely manner. Our small post office gets flooded from the start of December.

15/11/2025

Unfortunately, when people think of “science” , they think of drugs and pharmaceuticals.
Herbal medicine has been around for thousands of years, and many modern medicines got their start by isolating certain phytochemical compounds from plants and synthesising them. There is a great deal of science involved in making and manufacturing herbal medicines.

1. Active Compounds - Herbs contain natural compounds (like alkaloids, flavonoids, and terpenes) that can have therapeutic effects. Each herb has its unique profile. Knowing chemistry is required for effective and safe treatment.

2. Holistic Approach - Unlike conventional medicine that often targets symptoms, herbal medicine looks at the whole horse. It aims to restore balance and support the body’s natural healing processes.

3. Synergy - Many herbs work better together! Combining different herbs can enhance their effects and reduce side effects, creating a powerful synergy.

4. Individualised Treatments - Just like humans, every horse is unique. Herbalists tailor remedies based on individual needs, considering factors like age, breed, and health conditions.

5. Research Backing - While ancient, herbal medicine is supported by modern studies showing effectiveness for various conditions, from inflammation, wound and tissue healing, digestive issues, fertility and much more.

🌱 Embrace nature’s healing power for your equine friends!

14/11/2025

I get quite a lot of messages from equine influencers asking for a collaboration. Their pitch is usually along the lines of, send me some free stuff and I’ll post about your products and how great they are.
I always politely decline.

Here’s why I Choose Free Product Samples Over Influencer Partnerships

As a brand, my priority has always been to foster genuine connections with my customers. That’s why I prefer giving free product samples directly to you rather than collaborating with equine influencers.

▪️Authenticity - I believe in the power of real experiences. When you try my products, your feedback is based on genuine use, not just a paid promotion. Your honest reviews help me improve and grow!

▪️Community First - My focus is on building a community of loyal customers who truly appreciate what I offer. By sharing samples, I can reach more of you directly, creating a shared experience that brings us closer together.

▪️Value Over Fame - While influencers can reach large audiences, I value the deep connections I make with each of you. Your support means everything, and I want to reward that with real products that enhance your equine journey.

▪️Feedback Loop - Direct feedback from customers is invaluable. It helps me tailor my offerings to better meet your needs, ensuring that every product I create is something you’ll love.

So, let’s keep it real! I’m excited to share my products with you and hear your thoughts. Let’s grow together! 🐴💖

13/11/2025

In my veggie garden this year I’m growing capsicum, beetroot, carrots, beans, tomatoes, potatoes, corn, zucchini and cucumbers.
It’s important that I check the pH of the soil so that they can grow their best. Some like a more acid environment, and some like it more alkaline.

This thistle is next to the driveway down to the paddock. I leave them until they flower as the horses like to eat them.

Thistles are extremely hardy and the long tap root can pe*****te even the hardest of soils. That tap root also means they can access water much deeper in the soil than other plants.
Where ours is growing is the track between 3 paddocks.

If you have thistles growing; here’s what it can tell you about your soil conditions.

The ground is usually dry and super compacted.

More than likely, the soil will be fairly acidic.

High nitrogen content and low calcium.

Possibly significant potassium and sulphur content.

Likely bacterial dominance rather than fungal dominance in the soil.

St Mary’s Thistle is a plant I use quite often in cases of liver damage or horses that have been on lots of antibiotics or medicines for support and cleansing. Some man’s weeds are another man’s medicine.

Management of the thistle is crucial. It needs to be dug up. You will NEVER pull it out. I pop an old chaff bag over the top to stop the flowers that have gone to seed from dropping on the ground. Otherwise next year you will be digging up 147 of them! Wear gloves and long pants when digging up.

Mickie Magan Equine Herbalist

24/11/2025

23/11/2025

22/11/2025

21/11/2025

20/11/2025

19/11/2025

18/11/2025

17/11/2025

16/11/2025

15/11/2025

14/11/2025

13/11/2025

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