does anyone use alturnitive care remidies for your horse?

Question

I have read about alternitive care remidies for horses and was wondering if you would recomend them. the cares ive read about are lke calming a horse with diffrent sents and curing colic with natural substances. Also Join-up and T-touch which i use and like alot. I was just wondering if anyone else out there used it.

Answer 1

My horse has had chiropractic and acupuncture. I do therapy/massage on my own horse, and it is used on all of the horses at the therapy program I volunteer with. The vet I work with regularly uses Modipher, an equine pheromone that calms stressed horses when used as a "nasal inhaler". We often prescribe "homeopathic" treatments in addition to traditional care for metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance and cushings. There are vets that I've heard speak that regularly use acupuncture in addition to traditional trauma care in all of their emergency calls. I think it depends on the methods you intend to use, the practitioner you use and how you follow through on it.

As far as TTouch and Join-up, I also use similar training methods. TTouch is used at the therapy program I work with, and I use natural horsemanship methods in all of my training and riding. I find that it allows you to gain more trust and a better relationship with your horse. It also works regardless of what type of riding you do.

Answer 2

I know a lot of people who use alternative medicinal care for their horses, but it's always in conjunction with normal veternary care. One friend who competes in dresses has her horse treated with massage therapy. T-touch is great and can do horses a great deal of good, but again, these are not substitutes for normal care by a vet.

Colic should never be treated by anyone other than a licenced veternarian because of the high risk of complications and fatality. Colic is an obstruction of the horse's digestive tract and every vet I know attempts treatment with the least invasive methods first, such as drenching (using a nasal-gastric tube to flush the system with a lubricant to ease the impaction out naturally) before resortion to anything like surgery.

Answer 3

I personally put a lot of stock in alternative remedies for everything, not just horses. I've always been a fan of the T-touch, and have seen wonderful things come about from the using of chiropractic care in horses with otherwise termed "behavioral" problems. I know a woman who greatly increased her older horse's mobility and comfort with shark cartilidge suppliments, my entire family SWEARS by Dynamite brand suppliments for humans and animals. It's absolutely incredible what the right minerals and vitamins can do to physically and behaviorally enhance both people and animals.

Aromatherapy is a great comfort to humans - hence the ever popular industry of scented candles and perfume. It's highly self-centered to think that we're the only creatures who respond to familiar and soothing smells. Naturally, a horse who's nervous in the stall could be calmed by the use of scents it has been taught to associate with safety, just like they can also become alarmed by the familiar scent of a veterinarian or ointment.
I think it's best to consider horses as a highly complex animal with a broad range of understanding and emotionality. Massage helps horses in the same way it helps humans, just as accupuncture, aromatherapy, hydrotherapy, chiropractic, and supplimental treatments do. However, in the case of real colic I'd be most inclined to seek the help of a skilled veterinarian. Most "alternative" remedies take longer to be effective, and in potentially fatal instances it's better to be safe, than sorry.

Answer 4

I use natural remedies when possible, but only if they are PROVEN. Just because some company says they aren't harmful and work doesn't mean it is true. I look for actual case studies on the topic before I will use it. As for curing colic- if my horse is colicking, I don't want to wait to see if a natural herb will work- I start walking her and call the vet asap. Most colics are too risky for me to want to try new things.
As for the Parelli stuff, I do not use it- but it is a good fad because it helps people actually work with their horses to gain trust, be dominant in a partnership, and build a relationship. Some of the ideas seem ridiculous to me, but anything that works on that relationship is fine by me.
I can get my horse to do all of those "tricks" and she could do them before Parelli even became a big name. You don't need to spend money going to clinics, etc- just work with your horse. The more they trust you as a dominant leader and know your movements- the better they will listen.

Answer 5

I know some people who have had chiropractic work done on their horses and it was wonderful for their backs.
They were no longer sore after being worked on. The horses seems to like it when they were being worked on.
I also know someone who had acupuncture done on a horse and it also seemed to work well
Many people use different natural herbs and aroma therapy oils for the claming effect on the horses. Many use them so it must work for some of the horses.