Are Essential Oils An Option When Facing Behavioral Obstacles?
We’ve all seen Heartland and wondered if the essential oils Amy used were movie magic or an actual viable option when facing behavioral obstacles with our horses. I used to be the skeptic, but I found equine aromatherapy a couple of years back, and let me say… it works!
How many times have you been with your horse and wondered if there was something to ease their anxiety or something to help them take the edge off? How easy their life would be if you could help them face these unrelenting emotional obstacles.
My Experiences
This past year, my mare suffered a tragic loss. She lost her 2-month-old foal, “Nox”. I was so concerned for her, she was visibly depressed; she came off her hay and feed, and wouldn’t take her favorite treats. Every time anything in the yard rustled, she looked around every corner thinking her baby was around the corner.
Mila was majorly depressed. She refused to eat her grain. She was barely picking at her hay. Her water trough was just as full as it was the night before. I felt completely helpless.
At this point, I had been using essential oils for a couple of years and I had started a line of equine aromatherapy blends. The week before at a horse show I had just debuted my new blend called “Chin Up Champ”. I had created this soft, flowery blend for depressed and previously traumatized horses & had never had the opportunity to put it to the test.
I remember talking to my sister about how upset we were and how we were at a loss for what we had to do to get her to eat. My sister and I just paused mid-sentence, I remember the lightbulb going off at the same time for each of us. “Grab the ‘Chin up Champ'” and give it a go. Gently, I rubbed the oil into my hands and massaged it into her poll and jaw. I wiped the remainder of the oil around the edges of her nostrils. And finally, within the hour, Mila was eating!
Essential Oils For Horses- Aromatherapy 101
Now that we are aware that Aromatherapy is a potent tool for changing the emotional state of horses, we need to learn to use it respectfully.
What you need to know before charging your horse with lavender is this: A horse’s nose is extremely strong. It is 50 times stronger and more sensitive than ours. While humans have around 5-6 million olfactory receptors, horses have 300 million!
You also need to know, that horses get headaches. This is why it is important to be aware of your horse’s behavior when presenting new essential oils to them.
You want to ensure what you are giving them goes well with their body chemistry. What is good for one horse, may not be good for another. This is the same phenomenon as your friend’s perfume that she “just loves!” but you physically cannot stand.
It is so important that you give your horse the ability to choose. In aromatherapy, a horse chooses what they like; you do not get to decide which one is best for them. You never know what a horse needs until they tell you.
How to use essential oils
First what you will do is hold the bottle near the opening of their nostril to where they can get a good whiff. After this, we wait and watch body language.
If they take their head away after smelling it- bad sign. That’s horse for “get that out of my face”.
The main green flags we are looking for are signs of attraction. If you offer it to them and they keep their nose near it to keep smelling it – great sign. An even greater sign would be them trying to eat it, which, they will… try to eat it so hold that little bottle tight.
When you have found one they like you can put a couple drops in your hand and massage it into their poll or masseter (jaw) or apply it directly to their bridle or halter.
Keep in mind, that horses are insanely intelligent and intuitive about their body. If they favor one essential oil over another, more than likely it is the one they need.
USEF Regulations
If you give horses essential oils at a USEF-regulated show and will it come back positive on a drug test?
Most of the time when people have problems with certain essential oils at shows, it mainly applies to essential oils being ingested. Applying essential oils externally, simply for a horse to smell, there would be a near-impossible chance it would show up on a blood test.
Now, that we know the effects, how to use essential oils, and that it is practically show-legal, I will share with you the 5 best Essential oils for horses. If you want to use the same products I use, I have their Amazon links in each title.
1. Basil
Basil is a crowd favorite among horses and people. The horses love it and the owners love its effects. It is by far one of the most effective and popular essential oils. Basil helps to ease nerves and provide mental clarity. In all honesty, it seems to work like ADHD medication.
2. Clary Sage
Clary sage is a powerful essential oil commonly used to combat irritable behavior in horses, especially irritability due to hormones. Clary sage helps to soothe and uplift. It literally and effectively takes the edge off. I typically recommend this for those horses that get a reputation for being a little ornery.
3. Lavender
When you think essential oils, you think Lavender. Lavender is known for its emotionally calming effects, what many people don’t know is that it also effectively soothes skin irritations. From rashes to burns, Lavender acts as nature’s hydrocortisone- reducing pain, itchiness, and swelling. Lavender is also a deterrent for flies and mosquitos, it can be added to any of your homemade fly spray recipes.
4. Neroli
Neroli is the main essential oil I use to help horses combat severe depression. If a horse has recently undergone a big change, horses who have recently lost an owner or a pasture companion. Neroli acts as an antidepressant– providing comfort and ease as well as confidence.
5. Rose
Rose is a very powerful tool in dealing with emotions such as anger and resentment, especially having to do with past abuse or trauma. Rose is also commonly used in mares because of its hormone-balancing properties. If your mare tends to be harder to work with while she is in season, I would highly recommend using Rose for the duration of her cycle. Rose brings horses comfort and helps horses balance strong mood swings.
When buying essential oils:
Do NOT waste your money on Young Living or Doterra. While I love those brands, they are not a necessity. you can just as easily buy safe quality essential oils for a quarter of the price. However, buying essential oils can prove to be tricky. Some product labels are very deceptive and when shopping for essential oils safe for your horses, you are looking for this key phrase:
“ 100% Therapeautic grade ”
or
” 100% Pure“
if it doesn’t explicitly say either of those two things, it’s not what we’re looking for. It could be diluted, have artificial scents, toxic chemicals, etc. We want to be sure of the ingredients in our essential oils to ensure our horses’ safety. If this feels a little overwhelming, I have included the Amazon links to all the essential oils I use.
Have FUN!
Please have FUN! Play with your horses and see what they like best. You are going to learn so much about them, and you’re going to get some super handy tools to pull out when you find yourself feeling stuck in the future.
Also now you’re pretty knowledgeable about essential oils so you get to tell all your friends and be the one to influence the whole barn. Soon all the tack trunks will reek of their respective horse’s favorite essential oils and you will be the one to blame!
Kidding!
I’d love to hear from you! Have you tried essential oils with your horses? Share your favorite oils or your experiences in the comments below—let’s swap tips and learn from each other
Here’s to healthy horses and happy rides- until next time!
Leah 💛💫
(Disclaimer: I’m not a veterinarian, and the information shared here is based on my personal experience and research. Always consult with your vet before using any new products or treatments, including essential oils, to ensure they are safe and suitable for your horse’s individual needs.)