How to Treat Stringhalt

By Jackie Rive at www.brookbyherbs.co.nz 
Helping horses and dogs live healthier and happier lives, naturally.

It saddens me to hear that so many horse owners are having to deal with that horrible and deeply frustrating condition, stringhalt, at the moment.

For those that have been lucky enough to avoid it so far, the clinical signs of stringhalt basically involve an exaggerated lifting of each hind leg as the horse moves forwards and backwards. In very severe cases, the horse will go to walk off and get one leg stuck up under it's belly, as though the leg was glued there. In such cases, horses can often only move with a bunny hopping motion where they have both back legs up in the air at once and paddle along on their front legs.

In mild cases, exaggerated lifting of the leg is only obvious under special circumstances, such as when the horse goes backwards, is upset, turns sharply sideways, or in cold weather.

Mild cases are often first noticed when a horse is backed off a float, and in severe cases the horse cannot go backwards at all. The severity of the signs in a horse can be quite varied and are made worse by cold, excitement and alterations to daily routine.

This high stepping gait is accompanied by wastage of muscles in the hind limbs. Affected horses will have muscle wastage in the gaskin area just above the hock and between the shoulders, and these are occasionally accompanied by changes in the forelimb gait.

Treatment:

Fortunately, the horses do eventuall recover. We recommend the Herbal Calmer blend which contains valerian, vervain and dandelion to help restore the nervous system.

Here are some words from herbalist Robert Mcdowell in Australia and his point of view on it.

'Stringhalt is probably the most frustrating condition I have been faced with in my practice over the years.

Various weeds like Dandelion in NSW, and Fireweed in Victoria, are blamed, but I am certain there is some fungus which inhabits these plants at times and it is the fungus which can damage the central nervous system of susceptible horses.

My treatment revolves around the herbs which physically rehabilitate damage to the central nervous system and the brain itself.

The mix includes Comfrey, Dandelion, Magnesium Phosphate, Mugwort, Pine Bark, Sage, Saw Palmetto and Valerian along with the Bach Flowers Heather, Vine, Elm, Vervain and Rescue Remedy.

This course is given over a 12 week period and a single dose each day of yoghurt (acidophilus) about a couple of dessertspoons is given as well. Along with the recommendation that no Lucerne products should be fed during this time.

The aim of the treatment is to clear any fungal residue and speed the recovery, which often occurs anyway over time.

The treatment is also formulated to help rebuild any muscle wastage resulting from the condition and to reduce sensitivity so that the animal will be much less likely to come down again with Stringhalt.'

Visit www.brookbyherbs.co.nz for a full range of natural organic herbal health blends for animals.

A Guide to Summer Herbs for Horses

By Jackie Rive at www.brookbyherbs.co.nz 
Helping horses and dogs live healthier and happier lives, naturally.

Summer is the perfect time for tasty herbs growing naturally.

In the summer and early autumn, horses require various nutrients to balance hormones through the duration of the breeding season and to prepare them for winter.

Chamomile, passionflower, valerian, hops and red raspberry leaves are excellent for mares in estrus and stallions used for stud. These herbs relieve much of the hyperactivity and 'moody mare' aggression seen in mares in estrus, sexually maturing horses, and breeding stallions.

Cleansing, toning, and stimulating herbs are usually seen from spring to late summer. Such plants include plantain, dandelion, burdock, sheep sorrel, garlic, wormwood, yarrow, mullein and wild pansy.

These herbs cleanse and tone the lymph system, digestive tract, nervous system and immune system thereby helping horses stay healthy throughout the months when parasites and toxins are most prevalent. They also act as stimulants and equines will have better stamina and energy as a result.

External parasites are common in the warm months but horses seek out herbs to assist them in preventing this problem. Chickweed, plantain and mint are a few plants in which horses will roll to resist fleas, ticks, mites and other pests.

A good, healthy pasture will not only contain grass but also seasonal herbs (weeds) and most of these should be encouraged. The attentive horse owner will take note of herbs beneficial to the horse and provide these as they were intended to be used.

If your pastures and paddocks are healthy, you should find herbs growing at the appropriate times but in many cases they must be introduced for the benefit of your horse.

Although Nature provides the wild horse with beneficial herbs at just the right time, domestic horses require our initiative if they are to enjoy the health of their wild ancestors.

It is not harmful for a horse to eat herbs out of season but it can be detrimental if they do not receive certain plants at all. Allowing horses access to herbs that they naturally crave at particular times of the year can give their bodies the elements needed to prevent and correct hormonal problems.

The horse that grazes daily will seek out and eat the plants necessary to keep themselves healthy and therefore this aspect of horse care does not require human intervention. However, in cases where your horse is not at pasture frequently enough to enjoy seasonal herbs, you should provide herbs as part of the daily diet. Learning about seasonal herbs and how they affect equines can help owners select the plants that their horses need throughout the year.

Why not grow your own herbs? We have a Hedgerow Seed Mix available which contains seeds for the following herbs:

Parsley blend, Mugwort, Dill, Fenugreek, Valerian, Red Clover, Marjoram, Fodder Beet, Alfalfa, Sorrell, Chamomile, Chervil, Chicory blend, Burnet, Corn Poppy, Yarrow, Fennel, Garlic, Chives.

Visit www.brookbyherbs.co.nz for a full range of natural organic herbal health blends for animals.

Online Beginnings

By Jackie Rive at www.brookbyherbs.co.nz 
Helping horses and dogs live healthier and happier lives, naturally.
 

At long last, Brookby Herbs has decided to make that leap into the world of online networking. We have had our own website for some years now but it was only recently that we really dedicated ourselves to online social media. I think it'll be an excellent way to connect with customers, our stockists and anyone interested in natural herbal health for their pets on a more personal, down to earth and immediate level. I'm really looking forward to getting started! Keep an eye on this blog over the coming days, weeks and months as we will be updating it regularly with all the latest Brookby Herbs news (and there are some very exciting things in the pipelines so please keep tuned), views, advice and information, as well as anything else we feel like chatting about.

I will be posting again very soon. In the meantime, if you have any questions, comments or feedback, feel free to contact us by emailing info@brookbyherbs.co.nz

Visit www.brookbyherbs.co.nz for a full range of natural organic herbal health blends for animals.