The equine industry is one of great competency and pride. It’s no surprise that the ways to care for your horse foster just as much pride amongst horse owners.
Hemp oil or hemp seed is gradually popping up in culinary, cosmetics, and now animal care. You’ll see it in skincare, teas, and especially food as a nutritious addition to many meals. As a new cupboard staple, you might be wondering if hemp has a place in the lives of your equine companion.
Nutritious fibres such as flaxseed, bran, and grains have always been a popular horse treat. It’s fair to say that hemp oil for horses was probably not your initial choice, but we’ve looked into why your mindset should probably change to enhance the overall health of your four legged friend.
Cold Pressed Hemp Oil for Horses
Derived from the hemp plant or cannabis sativa plant, hemp oil is said to have a range of health benefits and is steadily growing in popularity. It may reduce inflammation and symptoms related to cardiovascular disease, as well as aid skin and stress related issues.
As a superfood, hemp is best for our bodies when it is cold pressed. This means that the purity of the oil is rich and unchanged without heating it to extract the oil. This keeps all the vitamins and minerals of the highest quality for consumption. A 2005 study showed that cold pressed hemp seed oil (along with black caraway, cranberry, carrot oils) are natural antioxidants as dietary sources for health and disease prevention.
Hemp oil is rich in vitamin C, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids, gamma linolenic acid (GLA), iron, magnesium, and B vitamins, to name a few. Arginine is an amino acid present in hemp that helps our bodies produce protein, which could be a great way to ensure your horse stays lean and strong. An extensive 2020 study on hemp seeds as a dietary supplement for animals and humans shows encouraging results for the plant’s nutritional value.
It’s important not to confuse hemp oil with cannabis or marijuana. Hemp oil comes from the cannabis sativa plant or simply hemp seed oil, but contains little to no THC within the legal limit.
So, hemp oil has all the good stuff such as nutrients and vitamins without the intoxicating part. Just in case you were afraid of being on your high horse… we’re sorry, we had to.
What Are the Benefits of Hemp Oil for Horses?
Enough horsing around, let's take a look at the benefits we found.
Gives Them Some Horsepower
Sometimes, your horse may need a little encouragement when they’re feeling nervous. We know that feelings of anxiety are not exclusively felt by humans. Our house pets such as dogs and cats can often feel uneasy for a number of reasons, and so do horses.
Horses in particular can garner a lot of care and attention and may feel separation anxiety when their owner is absent.
As well as this, performance anxiety is a reality for horses due to the endurance they go through to prepare for a race. They may be faced with a large crowd, loud noises, and general business which can be difficult for anyone.
There may also be times when you need to transport your horse and they may experience motion anxiety from being on the road.
Horses tend to show signs of nervousness by pacing or by cribbing. Cribbing is often seen as a compulsive or repetitive action that serves no purpose, such as chewing on a fence or a bucket.
Including hemp oil or hemp seed in their diets may have a natural calming effect on their overall wellbeing. This is due to the fact that hemp contains omegas 3, 6, and 9 and gamma-Linolenic acid (GLA) that enhances the horse’s health, which in turn will help their mood.
A good hemp oil for horses in the UK is this full-spectrum hemp oil from All Round CBD. With 0% THC, this oil is the perfect option for calming your horse. All Round CBD uses extracted oil whole from the hemp plant and MCT Oil from coconuts.
We suggest sticking with the original/natural flavour to provide the best plant-tasting option for your horse. Flavours such as peppermint and lemon could be a step too far for their taste buds or stomachs. Just add a little to your horse's feed and you’re good to go!
You Can Become a Horse Whisperer
Okay, that’s a little exaggeration. But it will help you to care for your horse when they can’t exactly tell you what’s wrong.
Whenever we hurt or injure ourselves, we have no problem telling the whole neighbourhood (who doesn’t like a little sympathy). But for animals, the reality is not so simple. They can’t exactly tell us what’s wrong unless you can channel your inner Eliza Thornberry. Smashing!
So, as loving horse owners, you have to simply watch for the signs. These are similar to when your horse is feeling nervous, due to the distress they would be feeling from pain in their body.
You could wait for these telltale signs or simply include hemp oil in your horses’ daily diet to help prevent painful joints and enhance their recovery time.
Powerful omegas and GLA, along with vitamin E act as anti-inflammatory properties found in hemp seed oil. Omegas are an essential nutrient for humans to keep our bodies in check, and horses are no different.
These essentials help keep stiffness at bay for your horse keeping it fitter and able to endure its best performance for years to come.
One of our favourite picks for inflammation is Endoca 1500mg Hemp Oil Drops. With less than 0.2% THC and 50% hemp seed oil, you can be sure your horse is getting a safe option. Endoca uses a Co2 extraction process with no chemicals to ensure a pure hemp product rich in nutrients and terpenes.
Nay More Bad Hair Days
Your horse's mane and tail are two things your horse should wear with pride. Cue a slow-motion shot of a horse galloping in the sun and their mane billowing in the wind. Perfect for any L’oreal ad, in our opinion.
Oftentimes, though, they can get matted and rough looking.
Applying hemp oil directly to the hair is an ideal way to get the essential shine in your animal companion's hair from the goodness of vitamin E. Taking the time to massage or brush the oils into your horse’s locks would be a nice bonding moment, too.
Health Focus Hemp Oil Spray is the perfect option for a silky mane. The brand uses cold-pressed hemp oil for horses from 100% virgin and food-grade hemp seed oil extract. Intended for use under the human tongue, the natural and uncomplicated ingredients means it can also be used to spray directly onto your horse's mane.
You could also protect your horse’s hair from the inside out, boosting the health of their coat too. Simply add up to two tablespoons of your favourite hemp oil into your horse's feed to reap the benefits.
Good for Digestion and Allergies
While some people take apple cider vinegar for digestion, many enjoy a diet rich in hemp seed oil for the same reason. When used correctly, animals may benefit the same from the hemp plant.
Even though you may feed your horse the best of the best you can’t always control what they ingest. Be it chewing a wooden fence or overindulging on grass. Naturally, a horse's stomach is fit for consumption of these elements but may need some encouragement from time to time.
Anxious or nervous stomach is a very real issue in all living things, and research has shown our gut can be directly affected by our moods. Using hemp oil for horses could be a double whammy to keep your pet’s mood in check and look after their ability to digest healthily.
GLA active in hemp oil acts as an anti-inflammatory to keep everything working nicely. Likewise, this can make sure the horse stays in a healthy hungry state, allowing your horse to eat what it needs when it needs it. An anxious mind could usually mean overeating or under eating.
Hemp could also help with food allergies and allergies in general from their natural environment. Hemp reacts with the body to ease our response to allergens in the air or in our foods. This in turn could help your pal have less intense reactions that may cause distress.
Dynamic CBD Organic Hemp Seed Oil is one of our favourite options due to its organic ingredients. THC free and vegan, Dynamic CBD is 100% natural and simple which is the best option for our animals in terms of taste and quality. The brand suggests 2-8 drops a day as this option is quite strong. So, we suggest keeping a minuscule amount of drops for your horse's feed.
Hemp Seed in Your Horses Feed
Hemp seed oil is an amazing option to keep your horse’s health in check. Also, many people love mixing raw hemp seeds directly into their horse’s feed.
As with any animal, it’s important to look after their health and happiness as their primary caregiver. That’s why we suggest trying some hemp seed oils from CBD Village as you will clearly see the various brand’s COA (certificate of analysis). This is essential so you can know that your horse is getting a safe option and of good quality.
Hemp oil for horses is definitely a new trend, but is one that is gaining popularity for good reason. There’s nay two ways about it.
