Things very busy here at Whitethorn Equine Health here this month. Just returned from the Ingraham Academy Science seminar in the Uk where among other things, we cemented our understanding of secondary metabolites and their action on the neurotransmitters in the brain. Neuroscience is a fascinating topic, if a little complex sometimes.
We are also expanding facilities by extending the stables so that we shall be able to accommodate and work with more horses this season. Not easy when we seem to have snow, sun, rain, hailstones and wind all in the one day!
Update on Ben: He has now been moved along with all the other horses of Sheeffrey Riding Stables, down from the side of Croagh Patrick to a new home on the Mayo coast. Marie asked me to pay him a visit to see how we could help him further. He was being kept in at night with restricted turn out as his near hind leg was swollen as well as the left side of his sheath. He was wind sucking with gusto on the stable door. Not good. Working through the oils, he showed the most interest in Lotus Blossom alongside English Chamomile (both carminative and anxiolytic) and encouragingly he started to show a preference for inhaling rather than wind sucking. This is a first, as before he would only try to inhale oils between wind sucking. During this session he would grab the door with what teeth he has left, and then divert towards the bottles to inhale. A good sign. When he had enough of the essential oils, we moved onto the macerates. Hemp and Safflower were the order of the day and he consumed my complete stash! Hemp oil is indicated for Ulcers and nervous tension and Safflower (thistle oil) is an anti-inflammatory - so both ideal for his presenting symptoms. As I left we agreed it might be good to try if he would take seaweed – Bladderwrack being down on the shore near the stables. Later that week Marie harvested some and offered it to Ben – he took it fresh for a couple of weeks. Seaweed is a fantastic food full of major and trace elements and Ben seemed to prefer seaweed fresh rather than dried. She also continued to offer Hemp and Safflower oil for the next six weeks – litres of Hemp was consumed and at this stage Marie was making enquiries as to where she could purchase in bulk! However she also emailed me to say she couldn’t believe the rate at which he was starting to develop a topline and that she could finally see flesh returning. She was no longer wincing every time she removed his rug and was delighted with his progress. For me, when I saw him on the next visit the biggest improvement – apart from the fact he wasn’t a skeleton any longer, was that he had lost the manic quality to the wind sucking. The worrying look in his eye had gone, and it had softened. Beautiful. A brave guy supported by a devoted owner. Alot done, more to do.......
Other news – two London Universities have decided to incorporate Zoopharmacognosy into one of the 2nd year modules: Equine Sport, Therapy & Rehabilitation (BSc), which will be jointly offered by the University of Greenwich(London) and Hadlow College(Kent). Not quite a full degree course, but it’s only a matter of time.
That’s it for a while. Hopefully next time I post, the March that has come in like a Lion will have gone out like a lamb!
