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During the course of a horse's lifetime it is inevitable that one requires medication from time to time - they do seem to be accident prone! Those minor cuts and bruises, spots and sores, need a little tlc to aid in their healing. All horses seem to be addicted to some kind of minor ailment, some of which are quite stubborn to eliminate. Here are just a few of our experiences:

Miniature shetland, Hamish, with severe, recurrent sweet-itch. Poor little Hamish has suffered from recurrent sweet-itch for many years, and I have tried all kinds of 'off the shelf' treatments, lotions and potions. Finally, I searched the internet, and time and again Avon Skin so Soft Original Dry Oil Body Spray was mentioned as being good at controlling this terrible allergic condition. And it worked all through the 2010 season. I was amazed and delighted with this result, and Hamish now can live a comfortable life with daily treatment with Avon Skin so Soft. This year I am also going to put him on Apple Cider Vinegar with the hope that this will also help alleviate this terrible condition, and marmite sandwiches for vitamin B12 supplement. So Hamish is happy, and much kinder to those that he lives with - it has completely changed his temperament now that he is more comfortable, and he has a beautiful mane and tail to be proud of.
3rd April 2011 - we are now entering the sweet itch season, and Hamish is still unbothered!

Dula, our little miniature shetland mare, has recently given us great cause for concern. During the last two weeks of February and early March, she has been struggling in from the field, and lying down all day, then struggling back out again. Although eating and drinking well she has worried us as her condition did not seem to change. We thought maybe she had been kicked, but showed no sign of pain,... or perhaps laminitis, but again no sign of pain, .... or maybe some internal discomfort, but no sign of pain or colic there either. Our farrier trimmed her feet, and her worm count was low, so neither of these an obvious problem. After a few days we called the vet, and he too was puzzled, with everything looking, feeling and sounding normal. He took various blood samples, and results showed nothing particular, but slightly higher protein levels in her bloods, indicating muscle or slight liver problems, and lower red cell count. We ruled out cancer as there were no strong indications there, and stuck with the muscle problems, such as azoturia. ..... she is never an active little mare, so this seemed strange, as azoturia is often associated with extreme exercise or change of circumstances and stress - Dula never gets stressed. But we started giving her a fairly strong dose of Hilton Herbs MultiFlex Gold twice a day, suggested for azoturia, and a marmite sandwich every other day. We also included a small feed of fibrous feed with ACV and seaweed and rosehip from Hilton. After two weeks, she is trotting out to the field again! Amazing! No proof it was the additives that helped, but strong evidence.

Paps, Welsh Cob x ISH, 5 yrs of age with persistent spots on flank. Paps is our new horse, and he arrived with what appeared to be insect bites on his near flank. I did not think much of these for some time, but when they kept scabbing and persisting, it was clear that these were not going to disappear. I tried various anti-inflammatory creams, ointments, and treatments, with no success. Finally, I decided to try treatment with Apple Cider Vinegar. I applied a gently wash with vinegar for three days, and now put 30ml into his feed on a daily basis. Guess what? No spots after just two weeks of treatment. ACV can be good for allergies and dermatological problems, by balancing the pH of the body, so it is a good additive to give to all animals, with amazing claimed healing properties. I even take it myself now! Certainly, the pre-spring coat of the horses is gleaming!

Cuts and bruises on all horses: THE most amazing cream for all those minor ailments - Phytobalm by Hilton Herbs. Again, I have tried so many ointments, but I keep returning to this one, as it repairs minor wounds so quickly. A must have in any cupboard.

Regular Wormer: We use Verm-x wormer to repel all internal parasites on all our animals, including our birds of prey and owls. It is recommended that all horses should have a laboratory worm count three weeks after treatment to ensure its efficacy.
For years we have been worming our birds of prey regularly, but recent tests consistently show that they do not carry worm infestation. A routine testing programme has replaced this regular worming.

Archie and Dandy, with thrush in their frogs and heels: Archie suffers from narrow heel bulbs, and thrush develops quickly deep between the heel lobes. It is SO difficult to treat and eradicate. The farrier and vets recommend regular washing, soaking, drying and spraying with an oxytetracycline spray. Well, Archie knows all about this spray, and every other spray, and HE KNOWS that the spray monsters are out to kill him. So he tries to kill me in the process! This of course is quite unacceptable, so I have been trying a hundred different ways of treating his feet! Finally, I think I am cracking it. I make every effort to keep his hooves picked out regularly, and whenever possible take him through a local river to give the grooves and frogs a deep clean. By the time we are home they are clean and dry. Then I mix a little greasy cream - I use Naf Mud Guard Ointment - with oxytetracycline sprayed into it, and applied with a small hoof brush. Wonderful - I no longer get kicked out of the stable, and Archie's feet are slowly recovering - at least I think they are under control! To maintain good condition I will use the ointment with a few drops of tea tree oil and apple cider vinegar added to ensure that this terrible condition does not recur.

I have recently been trialling Aromess Aromafrog, and this is AMAZING. In Archie's feet it has killed the dreaded thrush dead, so I hope it comes onto the market shortly. A Must for every equine hoof kit!!

Dandy's thrush occurs from time to time, and he too has responded well to the brush treatment - and hates the spray. (I don't know a horse that does not hate spray bottles!) However, additionally I have added Hoof and Health to their diet, along with apple cider vinegar, and reduced their grain and molasses intake, all with the intention of strengthening the soles of the feet and the hooves. See what they say about seaweed and rosehip on the Hilton Herbs website:

The best of Sea and Soil!
A vitamin and mineral-rich seaweed supplement providing a balanced blend of vital nutrients to support healthy hoof growth, deep coat colour, quality skin and coat condition, and maintain all-round optimum health.....

Rich in vital minerals such as iodine, sulphur, iron, calcium, copper, magnesium, and selenium. Vitamins including beta carotene, B1, B2, B12, C, D, & E, plus 20 amino acids.

I must also recommend our wonderful local equine vets White Lodge Veterinary Clinic, in Minehead, for their excellent service and caring way they handle all our animals when needed.

 

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