b'Arizona Ask the VetREAL COUNTRY BENEFICIAL PLANTS the magazine & HERBS FOR HORSESMike BarnaPublisher S cientific advances have ensured that there is a widesource of potassium, calcium, iron, and beta-carotene. It array of drugs available with which to treat medicalcan stimulate appetite while improving digestion.ArizonaRealCountryMagazine@gmail.com conditions in horses. Your vet can address most equine diseases and conditions with the latest drugs.Efficient at relieving edema, the herb can also aid kidney However, it is possible to boost your horses health withand liver complaints, including jaundice, and works as a Erika Smith Royal herbs and plants. Always do your research and check withmild laxative. All parts of the plant are safe and effective your vet before administering any herbal supplement.to use. You can add a cup of dried dandelion leaf to your Editor Heres a brief guide to plants and herbs for horses and theirhorses ration but be careful if you are harvesting dandelions erika963realcountry@gmail.com potential benefits. Sometimes nature knows best! for your horse, that there is not any kind of chemical treatment used on the area from which you are harvesting.Aloe VeraMisty Voitovski Aloe vera is a natural anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti- Fenugreekviral and anti-bacterial remedy with vitamins C, E, andThese hard little seeds function to strengthen the respiratory Creative Director B12 together with calcium and potassium. You can applysystem, the mucus membranes, and the sinus in cases of aloe vera to broken skin as it does not sting and it helpsupper respiratory infection, sinus issues, or congestion.Contributing Writers address bruises, swellings, and insect bites. Fenugreek also has strong properties of regulating and stimulating the lymphatic system.Add about 2 tablespoons Lee AndersonSienna BakerArnica of the little seeds a day to your horses diet. Fenugreek is also Arnica can also be used to treat wounds, bruises, anda great choice for horses with digestive issues but should Deb BlankenshipJustin Leglermuscle pain. It is only for external use and acts as annever be given to pregnant mares.anti-inflammatory and stimulant. Arnica mixed with Dakota LivesayRandy Miller water or witch hazel is also a good wash-down lotion forGarlicJim & Bobbi Jeen Olsontired muscles. Garlic is rich in vitamin C, thiamine and potassium, and also contains sulfur which helps cleanse the blood. It is an Bill RobertsAlan RockmanBurdockexcellent choice to help prevent laminitis and sweet itch. Burdock can be used in powder form to stimulate digestion.It is a natural insect repellent, can help ward off flies and Bob RoloffJohn Samsill offers antihistamine properties. Garlic is an expectorant Michele Wilson Chamomile and so can help in preventing coughs and clearing the Chamomile is one oflungs of mucous and infection. The juice from garlic bulbs natures most gentlecan be utilized to clean bites, stings, and cuts. It is an 801 W. Wickenburg Way sedatives, and it can beexcellent antioxidant.used in all cases of anxiety, Wickenburg, AZ 85390 sleep issues, nervousThe bulb helps to reduce blood pressure in excitable tension, hyperactivity, andhorses. A good winter-warming remedy, garlic can be fed (602) 254-6644 pain relief (especially ofas a pure herb or in powder, oil, granulated or shredded colicky spasmodic pain).form. As a general additive, two cloves of garlic can be put ArizonaRealCountry.com High in phosphorus and calcium, it strengthensin your horses feed daily. For those suffering from a viral and regulates the parasympathetic nervous system.It isinfection, feed four cloves per day.often used to treat allergic reactions, both externally and internally including hives. Chamomile is a digestiveKelpremedy with a specific use for nervous digestive conditionsKelp is rich in minerals, particularly calcium, iodine,such as diarrhea. It is anti-inflammatory and can be usedand potassium and so is a useful supplement for horses in conjunction with Valerian for any digestive disorderthat have poor quality grazing. Anti-rheumatic and that has a nervous component or origin.Its generalantibiotic, it can be used in compresses to reduce Follow Arizona Realhealth-promoting properties make it an excellent additioninflammation and pain.to a daily herbal supplement and it is best given aboutCountry for news, events,cup at a time mixed with a little water. It is a supremelyLemon Balm safe herb and can be used on even the youngest animals.Lemon Balm contains volatile oils rich in terpenes, that giveaways and more! give the herb its wonderful smell and make the tea so Comfrey refreshing and calming. Experiments have shown that Comfrey has a reputation for healing bone damage,the action of the volatile oil starts in the brain and is then Arizona Real Country is owned andsuch as sore shins, chipped knees, stress fractures (whitetransported via the olfactory nerve to the limbic system, published by Barna Broadcastingcomfrey), and arthritis (pink comfrey), as well as tendonconfirming the herbs action as a tranquilizer. LLC. No person, organization or partystrains. Comfreys healing qualities also extend to repairing damage to the lungs and the respiratory system.Lavendercan copy or reproduce the contentRecently, there has been a suggestion that it can produceLavender oil is for external use only and is an excellent on our website and/or magazine orliver damage if large quantities are fed over long periods.relaxant. Simply rub a little oil on your hands when you any part of this publication withoutHorses usually relish the taste of this versatile herb. are handling a nervous horse. The oil is also an effective a written consent from the editorsantidepressant and can stimulate circulation. Do not use panel and the author of the content, asDandelion the undiluted oil on your horses skin.applicable. The publisher, authors andBoth the root and the leaves of the dandelion offer someMeadowsweetbenefits for horses. The root stimulates liver function contributors reserve their rights withwhilst the leaves are a good diuretic. Dandelion cleansesMeadowsweet contains an aspirin-like compound and has regards to copyright of their work. the blood which makes it an excellent choice for horsesvaluable anti-inflammatory properties. It is good for gut suffering from laminitis, skin conditions, and rheumatism.problems and joint pain, as well as for treating arthritis This plant is rich in vitamins A, B, C, and D and is a goodin the lower limbs. It can also be used to help heal ulcers, continued on page 7ArizonaRealCountry.com December 2021 5'