CBD Oil For Horses
There are many different kinds of oils out there, and some are used as supplements for your horse’s food, while others can be used to treat certain issues in a more medical capacity. An example of one of these oils that can be used as a treatment is CBD oil.
CBD oil has become popular for humans and their household pets, but it also has uses for our equine partners, too. Below, we will go over CBD oil in more detail, including what exactly this oil is, as well as its individual characteristics and how it can be used and administered to your horse when in need.
What Is CBD Oil?
Now, what is CBD oil, exactly? You will need to understand what this oil is in order to decide whether or not it is a good addition to your horse’s diet, or a good treatment for your horse. CBD is known to have many different properties for healing people and animals, including treating mental issues like anxiety, as well as physical issues like pain or inflammation.
CBD oil is a tincture which is created from the compound Cannabidiol, which is, of course, found in cannabis. However, though CBD is made from a compound found in cannabis, the CBD oil does not have the effects of smoking the plant— no psychoactive effect, and in fact, high quality CBD products will never have come in contact with THC at all.
THC, of course, is the acronym for tetrahydrocannabinol, the compound that has made cannabis popular for recreational use.
Characteristics of CBD Oil
As we went over above, CBD is a tincture made from Cannabidiol and extracted from the cannabis plant. It is a highly concentrated form of the compound that is made by putting a solvent on the surface of the cannabis plant.
The solvent will make its way through the plant and absorb the CBD as it does so. Then, the solvent is extracted and you have a high concentration of CBD left over in its all-natural and non-toxic form, making it fit for use! It can then be used for people, household animals, and horses, as we are discussing specifically in this article.
How Does CBD Oil Work?
CBD oil works to regulate the mood, immunity, pain levels, and more of the user by stimulating the cannabinoid receptors in the brain. It also supplements the ECS system, which is the system in the body that is recognized as being responsible for many different aspects of your health. Overall, CBD oil acts very similarly to a regular vitamin supplement that is added to the daily diet.
By consuming the Cannabidiol in CBD oil, the body gets an additional dose to stimulate the cannabinoid receptors. CBD is not that much different from giving your horse a regular vitamin, despite the stigma that is associated with CBD and cannabis due to its recreational uses.
Benefits of CBD Oil For Horses
CBD oil is touted as a treatment for many symptoms that occur in animals and in humans alike. Read on for a breakdown of what CBD oil can do for your horse, and some of the incredible benefits of this tincture when used medicinally!
Treating Chronic Pain and Arthritis
One of the common uses of CBD oil is to treat issues such as chronic pain and arthritis, without the need for prescription painkillers or steroids. CBD is able to reduce the swelling around the joints that causes a lot of pain in your horse. It also is able to target the pain receptors located in your horse’s brain, blocking them from activating and recognizing the pain. This means that the neurons in your horse’s brain are not sending pain signals throughout the body. This can help your horse to experience less pain and get back to their usual self!
Also Read – Previcox for Horses with Arthritis
Treating Inflammation
Inflammation is a common issue in our horses, in part because of their size and activity levels. Inflammation can even lead to other issues after persisting for certain periods of time— these issues include arthritis and chronic pain, as well as some heart issues.
CBD can be used to deal with the inflammation that your horse may develop by helping with the immediate discomfort or pain that result from inflammation. CBD can also be given to your horse if they have gone through surgery recently in order to deal with swelling.
Treating Digestive Health
Since horses usually have a grain only diet, they often can experience digestive or gastrointestinal issues. Gastrointestinal issues refer to those such as bloating, nausea, ulcers, indigestion, and lack of appetite, too. Horses that compete may develop these more frequently because they have such demanding lifestyles. CBD oil, however, can be used to treat these digestive and gastrointestinal issues.
The grain-only diet that we mentioned before can lead to irritation in your horse’s stomach. CBD oil, though, can counter this irritation and prevent the development of gastrointestinal issues. If your horse has already developed gastrointestinal issues, then CBD oil can help to manage them.
Also Read – Horse Ulcers
Treating Stress and Anxiety
CBD oil is used pretty commonly to treat stress and anxiety, whether in humans or in animals like our horses. As we know, horses are one of the most emotionally intelligent animals out of all the animals we keep as pets.
This means they are also more susceptible to emotional distress or issues like depression, resulting from changes in their lifestyle, for example. CBD can be used to treat pre-competition stress or anxiety as well if your horse competes in shows and frequently exhibits these kinds of nerves. It can also be used if your horse gets stressed from transport.
Also Read – Calming Supplements
With Cancer Treatment
One of the many benefits of CBD oil is that it can help to reduce the adverse effects that come along with cancer treatments. It may also be able to prevent the further spread of cancer within the body. Research has shown that CBD can have an effect on cancerous cells and keep them from growing.
It may even induce cell death. Plus, CBD acts as an immune system booster, which helps the body fight the development of cancer cells. That being said, CBD oil should not be used instead of cancer treatments, but it can be used in conjunction with them.
Overall Health
CBD can of course help with all of the aforementioned issues, but it can also help simply with your horse’s overall health. By stimulating the ECS system of your horse, you can create homeostasis in the body.
This CBD treatment and resulting homeostasis can regulate the mood, appetite, and the health of your horse. In addition to this, CBD oil can help to have preventative effects for different conditions that may affect your horse’s overall health and wellbeing.
Types of CBD Oil for Horses
Humans are the biggest market for CBD, but companion animals and horses are the second largest target market for CBD products.
In Canada, CBD products that do not make any health claims may be sold lawfully under the Cannabis Act.
There are currently no Health Canada-approved CBD medications for animals, including horses.
In the USA, CBD is controlled by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA). There are currently no FDA-approved CBD products for animal use, including horses.
In both countries, there are a number of ways animals can receive CBD
CBD Oils: CBD oils are usually the most potent and unprocessed form of cannabidiol. These oils have been removed directly from the flowers, stalks, and seeds of the hemp plant.
CBD Tinctures: Tinctures contain CBD but are typically less potent than CBD oil. The CBD in a tincture has been extracted with alcohol or another solvent.
Edible CBD Products: Pellets and treats are formulated with CBD in them.
Topicals: Creams, lotions, salves, gels, rollers, and sprays containing CBD are commonly used for joint comfort and muscle tension.
Does My Horse Need CBD Oil?
If your horse is dealing with any of the issues that we detailed above, then CBD oil can be a great way to treat these issues and can be an easier way to deal with some of them as it is an all-natural remedy.
Horses that lead active, demanding lifestyles can also benefit greatly from a daily dose of CBD oil, due to its characteristics of being able to treat pain and inflammation— which can frequently result from these demanding and active lifestyles or activities. The amount of CBD oil that you should give your horse will be discussed further in this article.
When it comes to horses that are already on medications or are pregnant or nursing, then you should avoid giving them CBD oil. CBD oil could have adverse effects if mixed with other medications, for instance, so it is important to discuss the effects of CBD oil or discuss whether or not you should give your horses CBD oil in these situations.
How Much CBD Oil Should I Give My Horse?
When you are giving your horse anything— whether it be medicine, a supplement, or vitamins— you will want to be sure you have the correct dosage. After all, if you give them too little, it will not have an effect, and then if you give them too much, you could also end up causing side effects or complications.
The same is true for CBD. Of course, the first thing that you should always do is consult your vet about adding CBD oil to your horse’s daily diet or intake. They will know best how to properly implement this, as well as how much and whether or not it is safe. The general rule of thumb with CBD oil is that a horse should receive between 40 and 100 mg every day, depending upon how chronic or severe the symptoms being treated.
There are a few side effects that you may see in your horse when giving them CBD oil, but luckily, they are minor. You should watch out for lethargy or excessive thirst in your horse when you start to give them CBD oil.
These are still issues that you will want to treat and eliminate, but because CBD is a natural remedy, they are more minor symptoms than those you may see with other kinds of treatments such as steroids.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can CBD oil help horses?
CBD oil is something that has been recommended to help us humans, but also to help dogs and cats with a variety of issues. You may wonder if CBD oil is something that can benefit your horse, too, and the answer to that question is yes!
CBD oil has therapeutic properties and can be used to treat issues like stress and anxiety, and even inflammation and injuries, in horses.
What are the side effects of CBD oil for horses?
It is important to be aware of any possible side effects when you add something new to your horse’s diet, so that you can watch out for them and then remove the new addition from their diet if it is causing any issues.
Some side effects of CBD oil that can appear are lethargy or increased thirst. If you do notice any of these symptoms in your horse, you should cease treatment with CBD oil immediately and remove it from your horse’s diet. If the issues are severe or they persist, then you should also contact your vet. Luckily, though, CBD has very few side effects and is considered to be a pretty safe treatment for your horse!
Can you give CBD to horses on stall rest?
If your horse is on stall rest, then this refers to a period of time in which your horse is kept in their stall or pen because of an illness or injury. This length of time may vary and can be anywhere from a few days to months long.
As CBD is something that can be used to treat injuries as well as anxiety, you may wonder if it can be used when your horse is on stall rest with an injury. After all, we want our horses to feel better as fast as possible! The answer is yes, that CBD can be used to treat horses that are on stall rest. CBD oil is especially effective in treating pain and inflammation, so this is a situation in which it could be very helpful!
Does CBD help horses with pain?
CBD oil has a variety of uses, in both humans and in animals. It is therapeutic that can be used in horses to treat issues such as anxiety and stress. It can also help with physical issues that your horse may be dealing with, such as pain and inflammation from injuries, as well as sluggish digestion or stiffness.
CBD is an anti-inflammatory treatment and can be a great natural pain reliever for your horse. In addition to all of this, it is rising in popularity as a way of treating the pain that comes along with chronic arthritis, which, unfortunately, many breeds of horses suffer from— especially as they age.