Hemp is becoming increasingly popular, and it is not hugely surprising that many are finding benefits in using hemp oil for horses. Like any animal, a horse is a companion, and your ultimate goal is to give them the best life possible. Part of doing so means ensuring they have optimal health and live a long and happy life.
While the dose is considerably tiny, hemp oil is said to have several health benefits for horses. In other words, it may help their skin, coat, digestion, reproductive health, and breathing. Beyond that, hemp oil could prove beneficial for horses looking for relief from discomfort and inflammation after injuries.
Let’s explore the possible benefits of hemp oil for horses and how it could up your horse’s health game!
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What Is Hemp Oil?
Sometimes referred to as hemp seed oil, hemp oil is derived from the hemp plant. It is said to be very beneficial for several health issues. These include stress and skin problems in addition to possibly enhancing cardiovascular health and reducing inflammation.
The oil is said to boast significant amounts of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. This means hemp oil provides the body with good, unsaturated fats and all nine essential amino acids. Hemp oil is also generally low in calories, fat, sodium, cholesterol, and sugar.
It acts as an excellent protein and provides your body with numerous minerals and vitamins. These include vitamin C, iron, calcium, arginine, gamma-linolenic acid, B vitamins, and magnesium. All of these nutrients and minerals work to help your body achieve overall good health!
The Benefits of Hemp Oil for Horses
Now that you know what hemp oil is, let’s find out how you can use hemp oil for horses.
Hemp oil may ease inflammation
Similar to humans, it is not uncommon for animals to experience minor injuries. In addition, sometimes, it can be challenging to determine whether an animal is in pain. These injuries often become irritated, which can result in inflammation.
For that reason, it is crucial to add something to your horse’s diet that can ease any inflammation or discomfort they may experience. Cold pressed hemp oil for horses contains gamma-linoleic acid (GLA), which has been proven to alleviate inflammation. Research has found GLA to have massive potential as an anti-inflammatory nutrient.
With that in mind, using hemp oil for horses could undoubtedly ease the inflammation they are experiencing. In addition, it may reduce the discomfort that accompanies inflammation or irritation.
It could improve the skin’s condition
What we put into our bodies can have a significant impact on our skin’s condition. As mentioned previously, hemp has an excellent nutritional profile. For this reason, it could help to improve your horses’ skin condition.
As a horse owner, you likely want your horse’s coat and hair to be as healthy as they can be. The fatty acids and vitamins that are present may ensure your horses’ skin remains moisturised and prevents any skin problems. The fatty acids can also help to protect the skin from irritation or inflammation.
Not to mention, hemp oil could be beneficial for dry skin-related issues. It is said to tackle this by bringing back moisture to the skin and reducing irritation. Beyond the skin, hemp oil could prove excellent for your horses’ coat.
It acts as a hair conditioner since it is rich in vitamin E. Hemp oil encourages the hair to grow, ensures it is strong and looks shiny and healthy. As a result, using hemp oil for horses could equal nourished and healthy skin and coats.
Hemp oil may enhance reproductive health
If you plan on breeding your horses, you most likely want them to have optimal reproductive health. Thanks to hemp oil’s great nutritional profile, it may be able to help with this. As mentioned prior, hemp oil is packed with vitamins and omega fatty acids.
These fatty acids greatly help with reproductive success as it boosts the hormone levels necessary for your horse to conceive. In addition, hemp oil can also assist horses in producing nutritious milk, which acts as fuel for further breeding. With that in mind, using hemp oil for horses could very well enhance their reproductive help, enabling them to breed healthy foals.
It may improve your horse’s digestion
It is not uncommon for a horse to struggle with poor digestive health or gut issues. While it is usually the result of inadequate nutrition and energy, other things come to play here. Despite the reason, it is critical to solve this problem as poor digestive health can impact a horse’s overall health.
The excellent news is using hemp oil for horses could help with this. Similar to how it could ease inflammation, the GLA in hemp is said to cover the horse’s intestinal tract. This means food can pass through easier. Inflammation can be a common barrier when it comes to digestive issues for horses.
However, since hemp is said to be anti-inflammatory, it works from the inside out to prevent inflammation and digestive problems. If the horse is struggling to eat or experiencing a lack of appetite, hemp oil could also encourage hunger. It seems hemp oil could be worth a try if your horse struggles with any of these issues.
Hemp oil could naturally enable horses to feel calm and relaxed
Similar to humans, animals often experience stress and anxiety. A lot of everyday situations can trigger this feeling of overwhelm in horses. The most common types of anxiety horses struggle with are performance anxiety and separation anxiety.
While, for the most part, you shouldn’t be worried, anxiety can bring out particular behaviours and actions which are worrying. For example, with performance anxiety, the horse could risk injuring themselves due to feeling under pressure. Separation anxiety could bring out destructive activities such as chewing, tearing, or biting.
It is essential to find solutions if your horse is exhibiting these behaviours or you sense they are feeling a bit stressed out. Using hemp oil for horses could prove helpful since it contains gamma-tocopherol, also known as vitamin E. One animal study from 2011 demonstrated how a deficiency in vitamin E results in enhanced anxiety.
Therefore, the vitamin E in hemp oil could help to lower your horse’s anxiety and enable them to feel calm. This could prove beneficial for them when performing in front of crowds or when you are not together for brief periods of time.
Where to buy hemp oil for horses in the UK
Now you know about hemp’s nutritional benefits and how it could potentially help horses. So, you are probably wondering how you can get your hands on it. There are many different places to purchase hemp oil for horses online and in-store in the UK.
However, it is crucial to ensure that you are purchasing your products from a company with a good reputation. CBD Village is who we would recommend; they ensure all products undergo testing. This testing ensures that you are getting high-quality products that follow all the CBD and hemp guidelines.
Beyond that, they have a wide range of products available on their website. You can find hemp oil capsules, sprays, and oils. In saying that, the best option for your horse may be the oil as you can mix it into their food. Giving them hemp oil combined into their meals could be the most convenient option.
There are a few different types to choose from on the CBD Village website. However, the oil is probably the best way to administer the hemp to your horses. You could opt for the Endoca Hemp Oil drops. These suit animals well since they have no THC.
They also come in a range of different strengths. However, the All Round CBD Full Spectrum Hemp Oil may be your best bet. The drops come in a 10 ml bottle and have a more natural flavour to disguise the usual hemp taste. It also has no THC in it which is better when it comes to animals.
Besides hemp oil, horses can also enjoy the benefits of this plant by chewing on some hemp seeds. Alternatively, there is hemp feed available for horses. This has all the nutrients of hemp with the added bonus of fat and fibre. The choice is yours!
Will using hemp for horses enhance their overall health?
Hemp has a lot of potential health benefits for horses. From reducing inflammation and improving digestion to enhancing the skin and coat, reproductive health, and calming your horse, it seems there’s little reason not to try it. Hemp is natural and will not affect your horse’s mental state.
There are many ways you can use hemp oil for horses, from hemp products to feeds and seeds; the choice is yours. If your horse is a bit fussy, you may find better success with an oil. You just have to ensure you are purchasing from a trustworthy company.
CBD Village has several different hemp oils you can choose from. They come in various strengths and flavours. Since you are planning to give the hemp oil to an animal, we recommend selecting a THC-free option.
