The Horse Herbalist

Bucky, Hendra and the Cough that wouldn’t go away

Here’s a story from our client Veronica Luxford, about her horse Bucky.

“4 years ago I started immunizing my open winning barrel horse Tyrone Howdy Cowdy aka “Bucky” for Hendra. Over the next 12 months he gradually stopped winning and developed a dry, intermittent cough.

The cough progressed to a wheeze and within 3 years – I had a horse who I couldn’t even ride down the road. I had tried repeated veterinary interventions which initially helped but he became resistant within 2 treatments. I tried salt therapy, multiple cough mixtures, oils, massage, chiropractics etc etc. Last year he almost died from a respiratory/asthmatic event and I resolved we were done.

Then I found Angela. I called and we discussed the history. Angela was upfront from the start and said given it started with the vaccination – there was no guarantee her treatments could be successful. However, she said we could give it a whirl and reassess as we go but I would need to commit to 15 weeks. We had nothing to lose so I agreed and sent a hair sample.

The result from the first sample confirmed what I had been seeing and helped me adjust his feed to suit his healing. 15 weeks later – I had a horse who had not coughed or wheezed for 3 months; my fingers and toes were firmly crossed!

I started to ride him; and Angela completed his final hair test; she sent me an emergency kit just in case but his was now on his own.

18 weeks since his first treatment and he was big, strong, sound and very happy. He was able to gallop for 30 seconds, run stop and turn around. 6 months after his first hair test I put him back on drums.

The challenge was always going to be the traveling and hot dry dust during spring/summer competition. We spent 2 weeks away in the dust in northern NSW this month. After a week, he coughed during work – I treated him as planned and the cough was controllable. We headed south and entered “Barrels for Bianca” where he finished in the 1st division against over 50 horses.

To put it into context; in the 2 week period we holidayed before his race he traveled over 30 hours in the trailer and lived in dry dirt yards in 30 + degree heat. It has been 4 years since he has been able to do that. I finally have my horse back.

Thank you Angela!” – Veronica Luxford and Bucky