Equine Herbalist

28/08/2025

🍂🌿 Hawthorn for Horses 🌿🍂

✨ Why Hawthorn?
Hawthorn is known as the guardian of the heart. Its deep red berries and green leaves carry the strength and vitality of the hedgerow, supporting both heart and circulation. For horses, hawthorn:

Improves heart rhythm & muscle tone ❤️

Supports circulation & stamina ❤️

Strengthens capillaries (rich in rutin) — helpful for horses prone to nosebleeds ❤️

Provides antioxidant protection❤️

Brings a gentle calming effect❤️

Is especially valuable for older horses or those with heart murmurs❤️

✨ When to Harvest

Leaves & flowers: late spring (May–June)

Berries: late September–October, when rich red and slightly soft

✨ How to Prepare

Harvest carefully (watch the thorns!)

Dry leaves, flowers, or berries on trays in a warm airy space, or use a dehydrator

Or make a heart-supporting tincture: lightly crush fresh berries, fill a jar halfway, cover with raw organic apple cider vinegar, and steep 4–6 weeks. Strain and bottle

✨ How to Use for Horses

Dried berries: 20–40 g daily — best ground or crushed before adding to feed

Tea (infusion/decoction):

Steep leaves & flowers in hot water 10–15 mins

Simmer berries 15–20 mins

Cool and pour over feed

ACV tincture: 10–30 ml daily, split between feeds

Hawthorn is the hedgerow’s way of reminding us to care for the heart and the circulation — for ourselves and our horses. 🐴💚

Would you use hawthorn tea for your horse?

25/08/2025

🌱✨ Sprouts – the ultimate in home-grown foods for horses! ✨🌱

Did you know sprouted seeds are one of the easiest and most powerful additions you can make to your horse’s diet? They’re nothing more than germinated seeds, yet they pack a serious nutritional punch – and you can grow them yourself at home in just a few days.

💚 Why feed sprouts to horses?
✔ Higher vitamin content – B vitamins can increase up to 500% after sprouting!
✔ Rich in live enzymes – up to 100x more than fresh fruit & veg, helping your horse absorb nutrients better.
✔ Extra essential fatty acids & fibre – supporting digestion, skin, coat & overall vitality.
✔ Minerals become more bioavailable – calcium, magnesium & protein are easier to absorb.
✔ Antioxidant rich – especially important in winter when fresh pasture is scarce.

🌾 Mung Beans – my top sprout pick!
Cheap, easy to sprout, and full of goodness:

Great source of protein & fibre

Packed with minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc & iron

Rich in vitamins A, B, C, E & K

Low glycaemic index – making them a smart choice for IR horses

Support collagen, elastin & hyaluronic acid production = healthy joints & connective tissue

💡 Simple sprouting tip:
Place 3–4 tbsp of mung beans in a jar, cover with water & soak overnight. Rinse & drain daily – within a few days you’ll have fresh, crunchy sprouts ready to feed!

👉 Sprouts are an easy, inexpensive way to boost your horse’s health naturally. Best of all – no soil, no mess, no chemicals, just pure living food 🌱🐴

Seeds to Feed ebook available for €15.99 DM me for more details

21/08/2025

🐴 Are we actually riding two year old horses❓

Maybe it’s time to ask ourselves: are we building athletes for the future — or breaking them before they even begin?

What's your thoughts 🤔

20/08/2025

🌿 Hedgerow Herbs & Horse Health: Going Back to the Wild Diet 🌿

Horses were never designed to live on grass alone. In the wild, they would browse hedges, trees, roots, seeds, and seasonal herbs. This diversity gave them the ability to balance their own health naturally — body, mind, and spirit.

By bringing back some of that diversity today, we can mirror their natural rhythm:

✨ Pasture diversity – Over-seed with safe herbs like plantain, chicory, burnet, yarrow, and dandelion. These improve soil health and give horses natural choices.

✨ Hedgerows & strips – Willow, hawthorn, elder, dog rose, nettles, and meadowsweet provide minerals, fibre, bark, berries, and browsing options. For example, hazel leaves are higher in protein while hawthorn is richer in fibre — each plant has its own gift.

✨ Hand-grazing walks – Horses often make a beeline for the plant they need most. But also remember some horses will be greedy and over indulge in certain herbs so less is more.

✨ Hand-offering herbs – A small handful of nettle, cleavers, chamomile, or dandelion can be offered daily. These should be seen as supplements, not replacements for forage. A good rule of thumb is no more than 500g fresh in total per day.

✨ Paddock enrichment – Leaving “rough” corners or wild patches brings back herbs and flowers for self-selection, helping horses forage as nature intended.

⚖️ Laminitis-prone horses: Not all hedgerow herbs are automatically low in sugar.

👉 By reintroducing hedgerow herbs, we’re not just feeding our horses — we’re helping them reconnect with the wild diet that shaped their instincts and health for thousands of years.

💬 What’s the most unusual plant you’ve seen your horse seek out?

15/08/2025

🐶We all know the dangers of walking our dogs in hot weather 🔥🌡️so what about exercising horses ??

🌞 Hot Weather Horse Care – Replenish Those Electrolytes remember horses sweat just doing nothing.

In the heat, horses sweat away vital minerals—sodium, potassium, magnesium, and chloride. Without proper replenishment, they’re at risk for dehydration, muscle cramps, fatigue, and unsteady recovery.

🌡️ What to Provide

💦Fresh, clean water available at all times.

👉Measured loose salt added to feed daily to meet their mineral needs.

🔥Electrolytes—especially after strenuous work or heavy sweating.

🌸Providing your horse with a good mineral supplements will also be very helpful.

14/08/2025

🌱 The Wonders of Sprouted Seeds for Horses 🌱

Did you know that sprouting grains and seeds can completely transform their nutrition?

When a seed begins to sprout, it:
✅ Boosts vitamins – Barley grass, for example, can have up to 8× more vitamin E and 10× more beta-carotene than the grain it came from.

✅ Cuts starch – By day 4–6 of sprouting, much of the starch has been used up by the growing plant, making it easier to digest.

✅ Turns alkaline – Unsprouted grains are acid-forming, but sprouts help support a healthy acid–alkaline balance.

✅ Adds fresh enzymes & chlorophyll – Supporting digestion, recovery, and overall vitality.

👉It’s best fed alongside ad-lib forage, and can be a great way to add fresh greens and natural nutrition year-round.

For more information I've an ebook available to purchase 📑📖📚

13/08/2025

🌾 Ryegrass & Horses – Friend or Foe?

Do you feed it? Would you? Have you seen benefits – or problems?
What’s your experience with ryegrass for horses?

Drop your thoughts below 👇🐴

31/07/2025

🌿 Oils for Horses – Are They Really That Good? 🐴

You’ve probably heard about adding oils like corn or vegetable oil to a horse’s feed... but is it actually helping their health?

❗ The Problem with Most Oils

Most processed oils — think corn, vegetable, soy- are:

🔹 Heavily processed using chemical solvents like hexane
🔹 Often hydrogenated, which damages essential fatty acids
🔹 Stripped of nutritional value
🔹 High in omega-6s (like linoleic acid), which in excess can fuel inflammation

And remember: horses don’t have a gallbladder, so digesting large amounts of concentrated fat (like oils) is unnatural and puts strain on their system.

🌱 If You Do Use Oils...

Choose only cold-pressed, unrefined, and non-hydrogenated oils — and use them sparingly.

Some better-quality options include:

✅ Flaxseed oil – high in anti-inflammatory omega-3s (great for hay-based diets)
✅ H**p seed oil or sesame oil – offer a better omega-3 to omega-6 balance than sunflower or corn

👉 Most oils — especially cold-pressed ones — need to be stored in dark glass bottles, away from heat and light. They’re delicate and prone to going rancid quickly, which can do more harm than good.

❓Ask yourself:
Is your oil in a clear plastic bottle?
Is it sitting on a shelf with no care for temperature or light?
If so... what does that say about its stability — or its actual nutritional value?

🧪 Even cold-pressed flax oil can become unstable and lose its nutritional benefits when stored in plastic, exposed to air, light, or heat.

🌾 Whole Food Fats – A More Natural Option

Wholefood fats provide gentle energy, fiber, minerals, and support the gut:

🥄 Soaked or sprouted flax, chia, or pumpkin seeds
🌰 Micronised linseed – heat-stabilised and safer than flax oil
🌿 Ground h**p seeds – protein-rich, full of good fats

These align much better with the horse’s digestive system and overall health.

✅ Take-Home Message

🛑 Most processed oils cause more harm than good — especially if refined, hydrogenated, or stored improperly.
🌿 Choose cold-pressed oils only if truly needed — and store them with care.
🐴 For daily health, wholefood sources like soaked seeds or micronised linseed are a more natural, safer way to support your horse’s vitality.

30/07/2025

🌿 Calming Horses Naturally: Herbs, Wholefoods & Supplements 🌿

Horses experience stress just like we do. Whether it's due to travel, separation, changes in routine, or long-term anxiety, stress can show up as tension, digestive issues, poor focus, or even behavioural changes.

Thankfully, nature offers us many gentle allies to help soothe and support the equine nervous system. Here are some of my favourite calming options — safe, nourishing, and easy to add to the feed.

🥬 Wholefoods That Calm the Nervous System

Chia seeds – High in omega-3s and magnesium; support mood, gut, and anti-inflammatory pathways. I like to soak for 15 minutes before feeding.

H**p seeds/hearts – Rich in GLA, calming fats, and protein. Nourishes the nervous and endocrine system.

Linseed (flaxseed) – Ground freshly or soaked; supports hormones and inflammation, rich in magnesium and omega-3s.

Oats (whole and sprouted) – Avena sativa calms the nervous system, especially when soaked/sprouted. Avoid overfeeding if energy is high.

Pumpkin seeds (soaked) – Rich in tryptophan (a precursor to serotonin), magnesium, zinc, and calming oils. Excellent for the nervous system and muscle tension.

🌿 Herbs That Gently Soothe Horses

(Give as powders, dried herbs, or infused into feed)

Chamomile – Classic calmative and anti-spasmodic. Eases gut tension and settles anxious horses.

Vervain – Balancing for “overthinkers”; works on tension in neck, poll, and mind. Great for mentally busy horses.

Lemon balm – Soothing for nerves and digestion. Ideal for sensitive or unsettled horses.

Valerian root – Potent calmative (use with caution, competition rules may prohibit).

Wood betony – Grounds nervous energy; great for horses who are flighty or easily overstimulated.

Skullcap – Gentle sedative for horses that are twitchy, reactive, or nervous.

Hawthorn – Supports heart and circulation, helpful in emotionally reactive or stress-prone horses.

🌰 Wholefood Supplements for Calm and Balance

Magnesium (from food sources like pumpkin seeds, linseed, seaweed) – Often deficient in stressed horses. Supports muscles and mood.

B-complex from wholefoods – Found in sprouted grains.

🐴 Practical Tips:

Introduce new foods and herbs slowly, observing for any sensitivities.

Offer chamomile or lemon balm as a forage nibble in haynets or sprinkled over feed.

Blend calming herbs with linseed mash or soaked beet pulp for palatability.

Think prevention, not just crisis support—feed calming herbs before travel, vet visits, or herd changes.

09/07/2025

🌿✨ Cooling Mint & Chamomile Tea for Horses ✨🌿

Did you know you can make a simple herbal tea to help keep your horse cool, calm, and hydrated this summer?

💧 Recipe:
🔹 1 handful dried or fresh peppermint
🔹 1 handful dried or fresh chamomile flowers
🔹 1–2 litres of hot (not boiling) water

🫖 Method:

1. Place the herbs in a clean bucket or jug.

2. Pour over hot water.

3. Cover and let steep until cooled to room temperature.

4. Strain and pour over feed, offer as a drink, or mix with soaked hay or chaff.

🌱 Why it’s great:
✅ Mint cools the body and soothes digestion.
✅ Chamomile calms the nervous system and supports skin health.
✅ Refreshing and tasty on hot days.

💡 Tip: Always introduce herbal teas gradually and ensure plenty of fresh plain water is available too.

03/07/2025

Tell the truth I couldn't just be the only one?

Trimmers be like...

Hope you all have a great weekend! 😁

11/06/2025

Summer Itch & Sweet Relief: Herbs, Foods & Holistic Tips for Horses with Sweet Itch 🌿

Is your horse rubbing their tail, mane, or belly raw this summer? You’re not alone—many horses struggle with sweet itch. But before you reach for harsh chemicals, let’s explore the soothing power of herbs, food, and nature-based care.

✨ Herbs That Help from the Inside Out:

🟢 Nettle – Rich in silica and antihistamine properties, nettle helps modulate allergic reactions and supports skin repair.
🌼 Chamomile – A gentle anti-inflammatory and nervine that calms both the skin and the spirit.
🟡 Turmeric – Known for its anti-inflammatory compounds (like curcumin), turmeric may ease the itch and swelling.
🟣 Milk Thistle – Supports the liver, which is key in processing allergens and skin toxins.
🌿 Cleavers – Excellent for lymphatic drainage and skin detox.

✨ Topical Helpers:

💧 Calendula-infused oil – Soothes raw skin and promotes healing.
🌾 Aloe Vera gel – Cooling, calming, and anti-itch.
🌸 Lavender hydrosol – A natural fly repellent and gentle skin soother.

🧴 Try creating a gentle herbal rinse or oil blend to apply directly to irritated areas—just be sure to patch test first.

🥕 Skin-Friendly Foods & Supplements:

🌱 Omega-3s (from linseed/flaxseed, h**p hearts, or chia seeds) – These anti-inflammatory oils help calm allergic skin responses and promote healthy coat condition.
💚 Spirulina – A blue-green algae rich in protein, antioxidants, and immune-modulating compounds. It can help regulate histamine levels and reduce itchiness.
🍀 Brewer’s yeast – A great source of B-vitamins and minerals that support skin, nerve, and liver health.
🦴 Seaweed (like kelp) – Provides trace minerals that support skin structure and resilience.
🥬 Fresh herbs like dandelion leaf or cleavers added to the feed can gently support lymph and detox processes.

🚫 Things That May Worsen Sweet Itch:

❌ High-sugar feeds – Molassed feeds and rich grass can spike inflammation and itching. Opt for low-sugar, high-fibre alternatives. I'd also be cautious about using certain oils in the diet.
❌ Stagnant water nearby – These attract midges.
❌ Synthetic fly sprays – Some contain irritants that make skin more reactive. Choose herbal or essential-oil based options.
❌ Tight, non-breathable rugs – These can trap heat and sweat, aggravating the skin. Use lightweight, breathable fly sheets if needed.

✨ Holistic Tip: Think inside and out. By combining internal herbs and nourishing foods with topical care and environmental support, you help your horse’s body truly rebalance—not just suppress symptoms.

🐴 Has your horse ever suffered from sweet itch? What has worked best for them?
👇 Share your story or ask questions—we’re all learning together.