Articles written for various magazines
Be Prepared with Herbal Medicine (Showtime)….Get the best out of your event with natural medicines and supplements. Now with the show season full steam ahead, keeping our horses fit & well for the job ahead is fundamental. We place a lot of emphasis on training, fitness and technique, but sometimes neglect to keep them “fit on the inside”. Travel, heat, humidity, copious sweating and competition stresses place upon our horses (and ourselves) overtax the nervous system and induce travel sickness. More detrimentally, stress prolongs high adrenaline levels in the body, cause a tightening of stomach and back muscles creating tension, which is counterproductive to a successful event. Be vigilant! Always be aware of what can go wrong. We know that during transport, float boots, rest stops for a horse to urinate and drink (including a Dandelion drench as discussed later) are good practice, buffering the effects of travel. When we arrive at our destination, many of us are busy completing event entries or setting up our site and neglect to walk the horse in its new surrounds. Then we place the horse in stalls with no room to roam, in unfamiliar surroundings (and unfamiliar horses). Nervousness, loss of appetite, dehydration and scouring may be exacerbated with the new smells, sights and sounds around the horse. Before the event. To stave off mild dehydration (caused by humidity, heat and sweating), drench your horse in the days prior, during and after the event using Dandelion Extract. This is a good source of magnesium, potassium and other salts and can be obtained from your Medical Herbalist (then diluted with water and apple cider vinegar). This will help maintain a natural electrolyte balance in the body. Try adding four drops of the popular, Dr. Bach’s Rescue Remedy to their drinking water or ask to have an individualised remedy created for your needs. At the grounds. Many horses have “run their race” before they even get to the event, so we create natural tonics to replenish electrolytes giving horses a boost to carry on. Look for herbs that support the immune system such as Echinacea, Calendula, Andrographis or Cats claw. Scouring, travel sickness, digestion and appetite, (depending on individual) can be soothed using Gentian, Globe Artichoke or Dandelion Root. Another critical aspect in sport, is the ability of the body to uptake and utilise oxygen during these periods of extreme exertion. Many herbs fit this bill so ask your trained health professional which one is right for your needs. Post event. Our clients report that using internal herbal medicines and external gels, promote recuperation of their horses post event. Due to customer demand, we have created many handy, mess-free gels for the horse and rider. The “Cool Blue” gel contains natural ingredients such as peppermint oil to promote cooling and is often used by the showjumping, campdrafting and eventing fraternities. Equine massage therapist prefer to use the Hopbush, Arnica and Comfrey Gel during treatment soothing, sore and strained muscles (keep this one in the tack box). At the end of the event, our clients use the Muscle Rinse to calm body and mind, while promoting the movement of lactic acids from the body. Looking after your horse pre, during a post event will ensure your horse is it and well to battle on another day. Preventing injury and ill health, will not only result in a happier, longer performing horse, but will be easier on your chequebook too! © 2009 Linda Vojkovic Medical Herbalist/Iridologist (MNHAA) and owns “The Naturalcare Company” e: enquiries@naturalcare.com.au p: 02 9011 5656
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