Itchy Horses – Herbal Solutions
Humid weather brings with it a host of insects including mosquitoes producing itchy skin irritations in horses with owners tearing their hair out (pun intended!) trying to keep on top of these problems.
Here are herbal solutions from Walkenny Park to relieve these skin problems.
Firstly keep the skin and hair clean using Aloe Vera Shampoo and the Aloe Vera Conditioner for the manes and tails. A build up of dirt and sweat in the skin and hair just makes horses rub themselves even more. The Aloe Vera Shampoo has all the benefits of Aloe Vera, being cleansing, soothing, hydrating and nourishing. The Aloe Vera Conditioner is the perfect partner which softens the hair in manes and tails which reduces rubbing. Both these quality products are human grade with a fresh natural aroma and are completely natural.
Where horses have rubbed the hair off Aloe Vera Gel is the answer. Apply after shampooing and conditioning but can also be applied in between times, and the gel easily spreads over large areas.
It’s also a good idea to wash all rugs and saddle cloths in a natural shampoo with Eucalyptus oil. Bosistos makes a quality Australian product both liquid and powder, which is recommended.
Inflammation can become a problem with chronic skin irritations and in these cases it would be wise to use a herbal anti-inflammatory to reduce the sensitivity.
This is a liquid herbal product which contains Devil’s Claw and Meadowsweet, two very effective herbs for reducing inflammation.
Good old Chamomile
Good old Chamomile has time and again proved it’s worth in relieving allergic skin reactions such as hives. Always wise to keep a supply of Chamomile flowers on hand so you can quickly make up a bucket of tea to use for a wash and you can also syringe some orally. However you will probably find if you simply offer the horse the bucket, he or she will want to drink it and will be more than happy to have it sponged over the affected areas. Treating outside and inside of the body at the same time is super effective.
Feeding Does Make a Difference!
Preventive nutrition is key which means providing horses with the building blocks of minerals they need to maintain health and to repair effectively.
But not all minerals are created equal!
Synthetic minerals and vitamins simply don’t cut it when it comes to preventive nutrition which is why Walkenny Park developed Equi-Vital All Natural Feed Supplement, ten years ago.
Equi-Vital now has 20% extra Rosehips which is highly beneficial for skin health as are all the other ingredients, raw wheat germ, french white millet, brewer’s yeast and Aussie seaweed.
The Skin is part of the Immune System
The efficient functioning of the skin, which is part of the immune system, is essential to good health.
The skin and hair protects the body from trauma, temperature fluctuations and external invasions but it does need proper natural care so it can operate optimally. The skin is also the largest organ of elimination being responsible for excretion of waste products and water together with the kidneys, lungs and bowels. If the skin is not functioning correctly, this will put stress on these organs.
The skin also prevents dehydration, carries sensory nerve receptors and synthesises Vitamin D for absorption in the body.
In humid weather it’s important to ensure that horses are drinking enough to maintain good hydration. Clean water in well filled troughs makes horses more inclined to drink.
