Taking Horses Back to their Roots with Herbal Remedies
by Amy Harris
While some people consider treating horses with herbal remedies risky,
others argue that there is no better way to treat an herbivore.
republished
with permission of Horse Sport
In the horse industry,
administration of herbal medicines is considered an “alternative
therapy”, which some perceive as risky, and would prefer to avoid.
Others argue that there is no better therapy for an herbivore such
as the horse.
There are a variety
of herbal medicines on the market today that can be used to assist
in the prevention and relief of a wide spectrum of equine illnesses
and conditions affecting, for example, the respiratory system, blood
circulation, internal organs, hooves and skin. Additionally, they
can serve to promote fertility, strength and stamina as well as having
a soothing effect on “hot” horses. Herbal vitamins and minerals,
muscle therapy, weight maintenance and grooming products as well as
dewormers and insect repellents are also available.
Horse owners have the choice to use Eastern or Western herbal remedies,
the theories of which differ significantly from modern Western medicine.
While herbal medicine practitioners work to discover and treat the
cause of illness, modern medical doctors focus on treating the symptoms.
Regardless of
the type of herbal therapy you choose, it is crucial that you only
deal with companies that are able to supply facts on the safety and
efficacy of their products (see sidebar below). Reputable practitioners
(whether Eastern or Western) have extensive training in their field
and can be looked to for guidance in addition to your veterinarian
and/or nutritionist.
Traditional
Chinese Medicine
Eastern herbal medicine, also known as Traditional Chinese Medicine
(TCM), is based on the concept of Yin and Yang, a law that explains
life in the universe, considered the positive and negative energy
of the same force. Yin is related to matter and Yang to spirit. Within
the body, Yin would be the blood and Yang would be the energy it takes
to circulate the blood. Yin and Yang must be balanced in order to
maintain optimum health and well-being. When Yin is deficient, Yang
becomes hyperactive (“hot” horses are a good example of
this circumstance).
Another key aspect
of TCM (and an essential diagnostic tool), the Five Elements of life
- wood, fire, earth, metal and water - represent five basic energy
forms or qualities (i.e. fire is the quality of heat, or of a speeding
up process). An understanding of these elements and the cycle in which
they work together, will help illuminate the theories and methods
behind Eastern medicine. TCM practitioners, who use the Five Elements
theory to assist in tracing the growth, movement and location of an
illness or disease, believe that the elements have influence over
complete well-being. All five elements combined form a self-contained,
self-renewing and self-regulating whole. In order to keep growth within
reasonable limits, thus maintaining balance, each element must control
another (as illustrated by the Nourishing Cycle on page 47).
Not only do the
elements have influence over each other, but they also nourish and
control corresponding main organs, sense organs, tissue types and
emotions. What this means, in terms of diagnosis, is that when you
suspect your horse is not feeling well and you notice he has been
acting out in anger (i.e. showing aggression toward you or other horses)
he may have a circulation problem, for example. Or, perhaps he has
been acting particularly mopey or sad – this could mean he is
suffering from a respiratory disorder (see chart below).
WOOD
FIRE
EARTH
METAL
WATER
Main
Organs
liver,
gall bladder
Heart
& Small Intestines
Spleen
& Stomach
Lungs
& Colon
Kidneys
& Bladder
Emotion
Anger
Joy
Reflection
Sadness
Fright
Sense
Organ
Eyes
Tongue
Mouth
Nose
Ear
Tissues
Tendons,
Hooves
Blood
& Vascular System
Muscles
Hair
& Skin
Bones
& Marrow
Once the TCM practitioner has narrowed down the potential problem
areas, he must identify disease syndromes (a group of symptoms commonly
associated with each other) that will support the evidence he has
gathered using the theories of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements.
Going back to the sad horse, the practitioner may notice the horse
is experiencing shortness of breath or a persistent cough - further
indications of respiratory distress.
Only after the
TCM practitioner has assessed the horse using this systematic approach,
can a diagnosis be made and treatment begun, at which point, the TCM
practitioner can decide which herbs to use and what type of prescription
to follow.
Chinese medicinal
products, in this case, herbs, are known as Yao and even the most
basic formula is made up of at least four, each with their own role.
The “emperor”, the strongest of the Yao, is very powerful
and must be controlled. The “minister” Yao counter balances
the “emperor” and the “assistant” Yao helps channel
the directives of the “minister”. Finally, the “messenger”
takes the medicine to the desired location in the body.
There are seven common types of prescriptions in TCM to be used according
to the type and progression of the illness - 1.Da (large); 2. Xiao
(small); 3. Huan (slow); 4. Ji (fast/urgent); 5. Qi (one action);
6. Ou (double action); Fu (many actions). In a formula type Da, for
example, several strong Yao are used, whereas in a Xiao type, less
powerful herbs are used. If an illness develops rapidly, a Ji type
would be used. Conversely, if an illness develops slowly, a Huan type
prescription is used.
Each prescription
can then be used in eight different ways – 1. Han (perspire);
2. Tu (induce vomiting – not used with horses); 3. Xia (purge);
4. He (harmonize); 5. Wen (warm); 6. Qing (purify or refresh/clear
heat); 7. Xiao (disperse); 8. Bu (tonify/reconstruct).
These prescriptions
and actions are based on an understanding of the theories and strategies
of TCM. Centuries of hands-on knowledge and practical use confirm
the wisdom of this medicine that, in the past, was mostly prescribed
to the Chinese elite and emperors. Today, a combination of herbal
formulas and acupuncture may be used to successfully treat horses.
Western Herbal
Medicine
Western herbal medicine, which evolved in Greece, was strongly influenced
by Persis and Arab culture and is based on the philosophies of pervasive
life energy, the humours.
The Greek Humoural
system consists of 1. Sanguine (air); 2. Melancholic (earth); 3. Phlegmatic
(water); 4. Choleric (fire) – each with associated qualities
(see box at right). Similar to the Five Elements of TCM, the Greek
humours form a network throughout the body and share a common life
force or energy, known as “prana” to the Greeks and “Qi”
to the Chinese.
Herbs are classified
as hot or cold, to four degrees, for a total of eight possible categories.
Herbs or substances from the first degree affect metabolism without
overt physical sensation (example: water). Second degree substances
act upon the body, causing metabolic change, but are overwhelmed by
the body in the end (example: ginger). All medicinal substances are
categorized in the third degree as they all act upon the body in some
way. Fourth degree substances contain poisons that can put an end
to metabolic functions (example: Hemlock). These substances can be
used as medicine, but only in small amounts. In terms of hot and cold
values, a second degree hot substance would be used to speed up metabolism,
while a second degree cold substance would be used to slow it down.
Western herbal
medicine practitioners use two major and three supportive herbs in
each formula. Usually, two major herbs are used to modify a problem
and three supportive herbs serve to stimulate elimination of toxins
or waste products resulting from the illness or injury.
Because, with
herbal medicine, an emphasis is placed on determining the cause of
illness first, then treating the problem, the benefits are usually
long-lasting; without identifying the cause, the problem will continue
to occur. And so, rather than viewing herbal medicine as a straight
alternative to modern medicine, the conscientious horseman should
consider it is as a valuable additional therapy instead.
For more information
on Eastern herbal medicine or TCM, contact Arno Leblic of Horse Sense
Herbs at 1 800 434-3727 or visit www.horsesenseherbs.ca For additional
information on Western herbal medicine, call Ralph Robinson of Herbs
for Horses at 1 888 423-7777 or visit www.horseherbs.com
Horse Sport would like to thank both gentleman, for their contributions
to this article.
DO YOUR HOMEWORK
In Canada, no regulatory body exists to oversee the production and
sale of natural products for animals. In fact, the companies that
market them are not even required to supply safety or efficacy data
to their clients. Wendy Pearson, president of the Nutraceutical Alliance,
formed in 1998 as a global research resource for the natural animal
supplement industry, said that the only level of protection and assurance
of a product’s efficacy the consumer has is the reputation of
the company.
In animal industries,
companies can, but are not required to, register their natural products
with the Canadian Food and Inspection Agency as either a drug or a
feed. According to Pearson, natural products registered as drugs undergo
the same testing and are subject to the same regulations as pharmaceutical
drugs. “You’re looking at hundreds of thousands of dollars
to have safety and efficacy research done,” she said, “and
because most of the companies in this sector are small to mid-size,
most of them will not have the budget to do so. In fact, there isn’t
a single naturally-based product in Canada, right now, for animal
use that is designated as a drug.”
If a product has
been registered as a feed, the company is not allowed to make any
health claims on the label whatsoever. “Even a product’s
name can be considered a health claim,” said Pearson. “To
this point, however, regulators have not been that stringent, as there
are several products on the market that do make these claims.” Pearson said that people interested in using herbs or other natural
products on their horses should remember how critical it is to involve
their veterinarians.
“There’s
a real danger in herb/drug interaction, especially when, for instance,
you are feeding a type of herb for a respiratory condition and then
your vet comes along, doesn’t know that the herb is being fed
and prescribes a drug for the same purpose – there’s definitely
potential for an interaction there.”
Horse owners are
encouraged to purchase natural products from reputable companies only
and to request safety and efficacy fact sheets about their products.
You may also visit
the Nutraceutical Alliance website, www.nutraceuticalalliance.com
to review the latest reports and research information on a variety
of natural products for animals.
A
Craze ? A Phase? We are turning to herbs for our health so it
is natural to want to help our equine partner in the same way.
But do we know enough?
*webmaster cr
In
the horse industry, administration of herbal medicines is considered
an “alternative therapy”, which some perceive as risky,
and would prefer to avoid. Others argue that there is no better
therapy for an herbivore such as the horse.
Learn about 2 very different systems
