All of us who love horses really enjoy keeping them healthy and working on their health care when they are not. Horses are the biggest teachers when we first learn what is best for their health. And so, the first part for all of us in establishing good horse health is to determine which imbalances we should start with to get the best results.

There are three dimensions of equine healing that must be assessed before deciding on an approach:

1.Physical

2.Emotional

3.Spiritual

Every horse that we support on their healing journey is very different from the next and each horse requires a lot of listening, observing, learning, and intuition.

• Do they need the physical symptoms addressed before the emotional?
• Do they need the emotional symptoms addressed before the physical?
• Or is it half and half?

There are no two cases that are the same. Let’s take a look at some sample cases.

Scenario one

An emotional trauma or experience manifests into a physical health problem.

Unhealthy emotions, when stored for long periods of time, can and do manifest into physical health conditions. Over time negative emotions or stress will alter the chemistry of the organs or body systems. Similar to us, this will eventually cause symptoms of dis-ease.

Let’s consider a horse that has lived in isolation or without friends for most of his life. The emotion attached to that experience would be loneliness and perhaps abandonment. After years of carrying a heavy emotional burden in his heart, he begins to develop heaves.

In this case, both his physical and emotional body need to be supported. If this horse is forced to continue to live in isolation, the emotional trauma will never lift from his physical body and the respiratory condition will persist no matter how you well you support his physical health. Rather, the recommended program to start would be to find him/her a suitable companion to touch, groom, and play with. Then address his respiratory imbalance by formulating an appropriate natural health program using diet, nutrition, and natural medicines.

Scenario two

A subclinical health imbalance is present for several years with no obvious signs of unwellness until it gets triggered by an unexpected trauma.

Horses are very good at adapting to their environment; they are survivors and have learned to be very stoic in order to protect the herd from predators. This means that their physical body can be out of balance for a long period of time before it manifests into a clinical condition. Often, it can be triggered by one traumatic, emotional event.

Let’s consider a horse that has been, over the last five years, eating high sugar grass and feed, is slightly overweight, is bored, and not getting enough exercise. During that time, she didn’t show any outward signs of physical unwellness. And then one day, her best friend passes away. Two days later the horse is extremely sore and is diagnosed with an acute laminitic episode.

In this case, the emotional trauma simply brought the physical imbalances to the surface. The grief that the horse experienced was not directly the cause of the physical condition but the traumatic event triggered a cascade of stress hormones that tipped the scales. The body didn’t have the strength to withstand one more stressor. And now, the once subclinical imbalance has become a clinical physical condition.

The recommended approach in this case is to determine the underlying cause of the physical imbalance, identify any other conditions that may be contributing to poor hoof health (such as improper trimming practices), formulate an appropriate natural health program using diet, nutrients, and natural medicines. Then help them process their grief with energy work, homeopathic medicines, or flower essence therapy.

In All Cases:

• If you suspect an emotional imbalance it is still always important to support the physical body. The healthier it is, the more strength and vitality it will have to clear unhealthy emotions.

• Physical health problems can present as emotional ones. For example, when the physical body is affected by too much stress, a toxic diet, or nutrient deficiencies the emotional body will also be affected. Poor nutrition often affects the physical health of the brain and nervous system, as well as other important organs causing emotional symptoms such as anxiety, depression, irritability, and fatigue.

Identifying the source of horse health imbalances is a complex process for some horses. But with a little guidance and education you will be empowered to peel back their layers, and help them show you the deepest parts of themselves. And for you to show them how much you care.

Meet Elisha

I am an animal lover, health consultant, scientist and educator. I am passionate about delivering safe and effective health care to all animals but horses and dogs have a special place in my heart. I believe that through education and awareness of natural animal health we can drastically improve their quality of life and longevity. I invite you to join me on my quest to make the world a better place for all of them.