Health Tips For Horses Archives - The Horse Herbalist

Natural Herbs for Horse Joint Pain

Angela Davison — Mon, 04 May 2026 07:10:58 +0000

Natural Herbs for Horse Joint Pain

A practitioner’s guide to what works, what to watch for, and how to get it right

Horses are athletes. Even the backyard pony carries the same skeletal architecture as a Grand Prix show jumper, hooves pounding ground, joints absorbing impact, connective tissue working hard every day. Add age, repetitive work, a hard paddock, or an unlucky landing, and joint pain becomes one of the most common complaints I see in practice.

Over 35 years as a practising medical herbalist, I have reached for the same core group of herbs time and again for joint pain and repair. These are not trendy supplements. They are clinically proven, traditionally well-established, and in many cases backed by human and animal trial data. They work but only when you use them correctly, from good sources, in the right combination for that particular horse.

This is what I use. This is what I know.

“I love how incredibly versatile medicinal plants can be. Magic.” — Angela Davison

Understanding Joint Pain in Horses

Joint pain in horses most commonly presents as osteoarthritis, the wear-and-tear degeneration of joint cartilage and surrounding tissue. You might see it as stiffness after rest, reluctance to work, shortened stride, or swelling around a joint. In more chronic cases, calcifications can develop, and the horse’s way of going changes in subtle ways that experienced eyes pick up long before a vet visit.

What I have learned over many years is that joint pain rarely exists in isolation. A horse who is sore in the joints is often also carrying nutritional deficiencies, chronic low-grade inflammation elsewhere, or an emotional/energetic load that compounds physical symptoms. My Hair Assessment Protocol looks at all of this together. But for this article, I am focusing specifically on the herbs I use most for joint pain and repair, the ones that earn their place in my dispensary again and again.

The Herbs I Reach For Most

The following are not the only herbs useful for equine joint conditions, there are many more. But these are the ones I commonly use in practice, with notes on why, how, and what to watch for.

Celery Seed (Apium graveolens)

Anti-inflammatory, and particularly useful over time for osteoarthritis. What I find so valuable about celery seed is its ability to chip away at calcifications gradually, a slow burn herb that rewards patience and consistency. A much-used extract in my practice.

Cat’s Claw (Uncaria tomentosa)

Stem and bark used. Immune enhancing, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant. Cat’s claw is useful for osteoarthritis, particularly in horses where immune system involvement is part of the picture. One important note: contraindicated in pregnancy.

Boswellia (Boswellia serrata)

The oleogum resin is used medicinally. Anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic, and with some anti-tumour activity. Boswellia is most effective in dried form — the extract is highly resinous and sticks to the tongue unpleasantly. In my experience, horses simply do not enjoy taking it in liquid extract form over the tongue, which is rare. Stick to dried.

Clinical evidence combining Boswellia with Turmeric and Withania over a three-month period showed significant reduction in pain and disability in osteoarthritis patients. This is a combination I respect.

Devil’s Claw (Harpagophytum procumbens)

Root used. Anti-inflammatory, bitter tonic, analgesic. Excellent for osteoarthritis and pain management, and one of the best herbs I know for muscle pain specifically. Devil’s Claw is a workhorse of my dispensary.

But — and I cannot stress this strongly enough — take care when purchasing. There are many adulterants on the market. Not all Harpagophytums are the same species. You need Harpagophytum procumbens root specifically for reliable therapeutic effect. Source matters. Cheap is not always good here.

Nettle Leaf (Urtica dioica / Urtica urens)

Leaf used. Anti-inflammatory, good for osteoarthritis, and with a haemostatic action that makes it useful for bleeders, many old trainers have known this for generations. Nettle leaf is also supportive for skin conditions.

One critical distinction: nettle leaf and nettle root have different actions. For arthritic joint conditions, you want leaf, not root.

A caution worth noting: in 38 years of practice, I have seen one horse with a genuine allergic reaction to nettle leaf, presenting with large itching plaques over the body that resolved within three days of removing the formula. Rare, but worth monitoring when introducing it.

Rosehip (Rosa canina)

Fruit (hips) used. Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, high in Vitamin C, and a genuinely good all-round tonic. Rosehip has clinically demonstrated the ability to reduce arthritis pain, and it requires higher doses to achieve the joint-specific effect.

An interesting experiential observation from my practice: black, brown, bay and chestnut horses seem to respond better to rosehips than greys, coloureds or duns. This is not something you will find in the pharmacopoeias. It is something I have noticed over time. I mention it because it reflects exactly why bespoke formulas matter, individual horses respond differently, and no off-the-shelf blend can account for that.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa)

Rhizome used. Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiplatelet, choleretic. Turmeric helps so many body systems that it has become something of a celebrity herb and for good reason. For joint pain and osteoarthritis specifically, the evidence is compelling.

Clinical trials in humans with osteoarthritis showed that turmeric rhizome combined with Boswellia resin and Withania somnifera root, given over three months, significantly reduced pain and disability. I have observed comparable results in horses with this combination in appropriate formulas.

Important caution: at high doses, turmeric has antiplatelet activity. Take care with horses (or people) already on antiplatelet or anticoagulant drugs. I am not talking about normal therapeutic doses here, I have been using turmeric in practice for decades and taking it myself without any negative effects. The caution applies specifically to high doses in conjunction with blood-thinning medications.

Willow Bark (Salix alba, S. daphnoides, S. purpurea, S. fragilis)

Bark used medicinally. Anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-fever. Willow bark is the original aspirin the willow species have been used for pain and inflammation for centuries, and they continue to earn their place in my dispensary for joint and muscle conditions. Much used. Reliable. Well-established.

Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus)

Root used. Primarily an immune-enhancing herb, which I have used for many years for chronic infections. More recent clinical evidence in human trials has supported its value in joint problems too. The versatility of medicinal plants never ceases to be remarkable.

Getting the Most From Herbal Treatment

The tea method — a tip worth knowing

If you are using dry herbs, making a tea rather than feeding the dried plant directly will hasten the therapeutic effect. Water-soluble components are absorbed immediately from a tea, rather than having to pass through the entire gastro-intestinal tract first. Leave the plant material in the liquid and add the whole lot to feed. Simple, effective, faster results.

Quality and adulteration — a real problem

The herbal market has quality issues. This is not alarmism, it is a fact I have seen repeatedly in practice. If you are purchasing dry herbs, buy from a reputable, established distributor. Devil’s Claw is a particular area of concern, but adulteration and poor-quality plant material affects many herbs. The best formula in the world will not work if the raw material is substandard.

Individual response matters

The herbs listed here are the ones I commonly reach for with joint conditions. But the right combination for your horse depends on the individual, their age, condition, history, other health factors, and what I discover through assessment. One horse’s ideal joint formula may look nothing like another’s. That is not a flaw in herbal medicine. That is its greatest strength.

“The results are only as good as the operator doing the tests and the knowledge base plus the experience of the practitioner who should be able to collate the whole picture.” — Angela Davison

Frequently Asked Questions

What herbs are good for horse joint pain?

The most effective herbs for horse joint pain include Devil’s Claw (anti-inflammatory and analgesic), Turmeric (powerful anti-inflammatory with clinical trial support), Willow Bark (natural pain relief), Rosehip (antioxidant joint support), Celery Seed (useful for calcifications), Boswellia (anti-arthritic), Nettle Leaf, and Cat’s Claw. The right combination depends on the individual horse. A bespoke formula tailored to the specific animal will always outperform a generic blend.

Is turmeric good for horses with joint pain?

Yes. Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is one of the most widely used herbs for equine joint pain. It is anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and clinical trials show that turmeric combined with Boswellia and Withania significantly reduces osteoarthritis pain and disability over three months. Use standard therapeutic doses — the only caution is at high doses in horses already on antiplatelet or anticoagulant medications.

Can you give a horse Devil’s Claw for arthritis?

Devil’s Claw (Harpagophytum procumbens) is excellent for equine osteoarthritis and muscle pain. It is anti-inflammatory, bitter tonic, and analgesic. The critical detail is quality. Only Harpagophytum procumbens root has reliable therapeutic effect. There are many adulterants on the market and not all Harpagophytum species deliver the same results. Always source from a reputable supplier.

What is the best natural anti-inflammatory for horses?

There is no single best option, the ideal anti-inflammatory herb depends on the horse and the condition. Angela Davison’s most commonly used herbs for equine inflammation include Devil’s Claw, Turmeric, Willow Bark, Boswellia, and Celery Seed for joint-related issues. The most effective approach is always a bespoke formula targeted to the individual rather than a one-size-fits-all supplement.

Is Willow Bark safe for horses?

Yes, Willow Bark (Salix alba and related species) is safe for horses when used appropriately. It provides anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anti-fever effects and is well-established in equine herbal practice for joint and muscle pain. It is one of the original herbal pain-relief medicines, with centuries of traditional use and a strong safety profile.

How do I make a herbal tea for my horse’s joints?

Brew your chosen dry herbs as a tea, leave the plant material in the liquid, and add directly to feed. This method accelerates therapeutic effect because water-soluble components are absorbed immediately rather than passing through the full gastro-intestinal tract. Always source dry herbs from a reputable distributor — quality and adulteration are genuine concerns in the herbal market.

A Note on Formulas and Individual Assessment

Everything in this article reflects what I use regularly in clinical practice. But I want to be clear: listing individual herbs is only one layer of the picture. The real work, the work that gets lasting results, is figuring out which herbs in which combination are right for a specific horse at a specific time.

An off-the-shelf joint supplement may contain several of these herbs. It may help. But a horse with a chronic joint condition, recurring lameness, or a complex health history will almost always benefit from a more thorough look at the whole horse, not just the sore joint. That is what my Hair Assessment Protocol is designed to do.

In the meantime, these herbs represent the best of what plant medicine has to offer for joint pain and repair. Used well, from good sources, they are genuinely powerful. That is not marketing. That is 38 years of clinical experience talking.

— Angela Davison, ATMS Fellow

Angela Davison

Angela Davison is an ATMS Fellow and accredited herbal medicine practitioner with over 30 years of experience in natural animal health. As the founder of The Horse Herbalist, she is dedicated to restoring equine wellbeing through pharmaceutical-grade herbal formulas and her proprietary Hair Assessment Protocol, which provides a unique, whole-horse perspective on physical, mental, and spiritual health.

Angela’s passion lies in empowering horse owners to move beyond conventional limitations by harnessing the innate healing power of nature. Whether through her bespoke herbal blends or expert guidance on long-term wellness, she helps horses perform at their best while maintaining the balance, happiness, and longevity they deserve.

goldfreedomau.com

The post Natural Herbs for Horse Joint Pain appeared first on The Horse Herbalist.

How Does Horse Hair Testing Work?

Angela Davison — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 12:13:33 +0000

And why no two hair assessments — or horses — are ever the same

If you’ve searched for ‘horse hair testing’ recently, you may have found yourself more confused after the search than before it. Hair testing. Hair analysis. Hair assessment. Mineral analysis. The terms are used almost interchangeably online — but they describe very different things, with very different results.

This article explains what horse hair testing actually is, what Angela Davison’s unique Hair Assessment Protocol involves, and why the quality of the practitioner doing the assessment matters every bit as much as the method itself.

“All of these services are only as good as the knowledge and experience of the practitioner.” — Angela Davison, ATMS Fellow & Equine Herbalist

First: Not All Horse Hair Testing Is the Same

This is the most important thing to understand before you invest in any hair-based service for your horse.

There are broadly three categories of horse hair testing available today:

Angela Davison’s Hair Assessment Protocol – Australia’s Original

Angela Davison’s Hair Assessment Protocol is an energetic assessment system developed in the early 1990s – the original horse hair testing service in Australia. A small sample of your horse’s hair is used to access detailed health information across approximately 500 questions, covering organs, body systems, nutrition, joints, emotional health, and more. No laboratory. No chemical analysis. A complete, individualised picture of your horse’s health, returned with a bespoke herbal treatment plan.

Angela’s approach doesn’t fit neatly into any standard testing category. Developed from scratch and refined over more than 30 years, it is a proprietary system that works on an entirely different level – and with a depth of questioning that goes far beyond standard testing. It is in Angela’s own words, unlike any other.

For Comparison: Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA)

HTMA is a laboratory-based test that chemically measures mineral content, heavy metals, or toxins present in the hair shaft — a physical measurement, science in a test tube. It is a useful tool when interpreted by an equine nutritionist. It is a completely different service to Angela Davison’s Hair Assessment Programme.

Different laboratories test for different things, and the results are only as useful as whoever interprets them. Some services include interpretation in their fee; many don’t. Always ask.

Basic Hair Testing Services

There is a growing range of hair testing services — many operating online — that use dowsing, pendulums, or simple energetic scanning to return a list of suggested supplements or deficiencies. Methods, qualifications, and the depth of information returned vary enormously.

The Origins of the Hair Assessment Protocol

Angela Davison has been a practising medical herbalist since 1988. Long before hair testing became a recognisable term in equine health circles, she was working with horses using muscle testing — a technique requiring her to be physically present with the animal, with another person acting as a surrogate to channel the horse’s responses.

It worked. But it was logistically demanding and hard on her partners, who were pressed into service holding out their arms for dozens of questions per session.

She wanted something better. Something that could work at a distance. Something that would let her access the horse’s deeper health picture not just surface symptoms, but the underlying causes, the emotional and energetic layers, the nutritional picture unique to that individual horse.

She began experimenting with hair in the early 1990s. She looked at Vega machines, radionics equipment, crystal work. She attended workshops with respected practitioners. She wrote out on a board every system and organ she wanted to test, and she developed, painstakingly, over six to seven years, a method that worked.

“I wanted to use the hair of the horse and work energetically with it, accessing the horse’s higher self rather than the conscious mind.” — Angela Davison

By 1998, she was confident enough to offer the hair testing protocol in practice. It has been evolving ever since.

What Angela’s Hair Assessment Actually Involves

When Angela receives a hair sample from your horse, she doesn’t run it through a machine. She works with it energetically, accessing information through the hair that the horse’s conscious, reactive mind would not necessarily reveal in a standard clinical setting.

If that sounds unusual, Angela is the first to acknowledge it. She’s heard the scepticism and she understands it. We live in an era of peer-reviewed studies and diagnostic imaging, and anything outside that framework can seem hard to credit. But she also has more than 35 years of clinical results, a loyal following of clients whose horses have genuinely improved, and a depth of questioning that is simply not possible through any other method she has encountered.

The protocol began with around 30 to 50 questions per session. Today, it involves closer to 500.

What Gets Assessed

A full Hair Assessment with Angela covers:

All major organs and body systems — checking for imbalances and when those imbalances were established
Individual nutritional ratings — what supplements and nutritional supports suit this particular horse, not a generic recommendation. These individual nutrition ratings can then be used by an independent Equine Nutritionist if necessary.
Joint ratings — identifying which joints may be coming under stress before problems become obvious
Hooves, connective tissue, and muscle health
Physical energy and mental/emotional energy — two very different things in a horse
The horse’s environment — including paddock, feed, and management factors
The rider or handler — because a horse’s ‘misbehaviour’ is often a direct mirror of confusion, inconsistency, or tension coming from the human end of the relationship
The discipline the horse is being asked to perform — because not every horse is built or suited for every job

That last point is one Angela feels strongly about. If a horse is being asked to do something it physically cannot do, or is temperamentally unsuited for, the owner and trainer are — in her words — fitting a square peg into a round hole. The assessment helps identify that, often before it becomes a welfare or performance crisis.

Causal Reasons — Going Deeper Than Symptoms

One of the most significant aspects of Angela’s protocol is that it doesn’t stop at ‘what is wrong.’ It explores when an imbalance was established in the body and, often, why.

This distinction matters enormously in practice. A horse presenting with recurring digestive issues, poor coat condition, or anxiety under saddle may have a very different underlying cause to another horse showing identical symptoms. Treating the symptom without addressing the cause is why so many horses cycle through the same problems repeatedly.

Angela’s background as a herbalist gives her the treatment vocabulary to match what the assessment reveals. She works with a library of herbs — choosing not the first-line option, but the specific one or two that are indicated for this horse at this point in time. She has, for example, six major liver herbs. The assessment will indicate which one is appropriate for the individual. That precision is what makes bespoke herbal formulas different from buying an off-the-shelf blend.

Hair Testing vs Blood Testing vs X-Ray — A Useful Comparison

Angela’s take on the matter is direct: hair testing, blood tests, X-rays — they are all tools. The results are only as good as the operator running the test and the knowledge base of the practitioner interpreting them.

Blood tests capture a moment in time and can miss chronic, low-grade imbalances that haven’t yet crossed diagnostic thresholds. X-rays reveal structural issues but say nothing about energetic or nutritional states. Angela’s hair assessment works in a different dimension — longitudinal, energetic, and individualised — and is most powerful when used as a complement to, rather than a replacement for, conventional diagnostics.

What it offers that most other methods don’t: the ability to work at a distance, to access the full picture of body, mind, and spirit in a single session, and to indicate not just what is happening but when it started and what may have caused it.

Frequently Asked Questions About Horse Hair Testing

How does horse hair testing work?

In Angela Davison’s Hair Assessment Protocol, a small sample of your horse’s mane hair is used as a medium to access energetic information about the animal’s health. Rather than testing mineral content chemically, Angela works with the hair to assess around 500 questions spanning organs, body systems, nutrition, joints, emotional health, and more — returning a detailed, individualised health picture and herbal treatment plan.

What is the difference between hair testing and hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA) for horses?

Hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA) is a laboratory test that measures mineral content and heavy metals in the hair shaft chemically. Angela Davison’s Hair Assessment Protocol is an energetic assessment system — entirely different in method and scope. HTMA gives you data about chemical composition; the Hair Assessment gives you a whole-of-horse picture including organs, emotions, nutrition, joints, and causal health history.

What does horse hair testing reveal?

Angela’s protocol assesses all major organ systems, individual nutritional requirements, joint health ratings, hoof and connective tissue condition, physical and emotional energy, the influence of the rider or handler, and whether the horse is suited to the discipline it’s being asked to perform. It also works to identify when imbalances were established in the body and potential causal reasons, going well beyond surface symptoms.

Can horse hair testing be done remotely?

Yes. One of the key advantages of Angela Davison’s Hair Assessment Protocol is that it works at a distance. You simply send your horse’s mane hair sample (with a short history), and Angela conducts the full assessment from her practice in Ballina, NSW. Results and a bespoke herbal formula recommendation are returned to you without the need for travel or in-person appointments.

Is herbal medicine safe for horses?

When prescribed by a qualified, experienced practitioner, herbal medicine has a long and documented history of safe use in horses. Angela Davison is an ATMS Fellow and accredited medical herbalist with over 35 years of clinical experience. She creates pharmaceutical-grade bespoke herbal formulas tailored to the individual horse, not generic blends and monitors progress over time.

How is Angela Davison’s Hair Assessment different from other horse hair testing services?

Angela’s protocol was developed from scratch from the early 1990s and refined over 35+ years of clinical practice. It involves approximately 500 questions per session, covering body, mind, and spirit, a depth that most hair testing services cannot approach. Angela is also a qualified medical herbalist, meaning she can translate assessment findings directly into a bespoke treatment plan. No other Australian service combines these elements.

A Note on Credentials and Experience

Angela Davison is an ATMS Fellow, one of the most senior credentials awarded by the Australian Traditional Medicine Society and has been a practising medical herbalist since 1988. She was also one of Australia’s first female jockeys, riding 366 winners during her racing career. She understands horses from the inside out: not just as a clinician, but as a horsewoman.

Her Hair Assessment Protocol is offered to horses both across Australia and internationally.

If you are wondering whether a hair assessment is the right next step for your horse, the most useful thing to do is read more about the protocol and the process and then reach out with your questions. Angela is happy to talk you through whether it’s the right fit.

“The horses did and continue to teach me most days.” — Angela Davison

Angela Davison

goldfreedomau.com

The post How Does Horse Hair Testing Work? appeared first on The Horse Herbalist.

The Use of Omeprazole in Horses (gastric & duodenal ulcers)

Sophie — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 03:45:00 +0000

Omeprazole is used to treat gastric and duodenal ulcers. Omeprazole brands include: Ulcerguard, Omeguard, Gastroguard, Gastropell, Equesta Equine Granules and more.

ALWAYS check the ingredients list of any supplements you are buying for your horse.

Gastric ulcers (EGUS) in the nonglandular squamous mucosa and glandular mucosa are common in horses involved in competition. Risk factors include intense exercise and dietary factors, such as high concentrate diets and periods of food restriction.

Gastric ulcers should be suspected if the horse shows one or more of the following signs:

Unwillingness to perform as usual, including resistance to riding aids.
Picky appetite.
Transient colic signs directly after feeding, especially when feeding high grain feed.
Dullness.
Low Body Condition Score.
Resistance to girthing.

A saliva test can be used to detect ulcers.

Your horse may be diagnosed with either EGGD – Equine Glandular Gastric Disease or ESGD- Equine Squamous Gastric Disease. Omeprazole heals Squamous ulcers but not ulcers in the glandular portion of the gut so DO NOT SELF DIAGNOSE and potentially cause more problems for your horse.

If your horse is diagnosed with ESGD then a course of omeprazole will be between 30-60 days. Best practice is to start reducing the dose before finishing the course to try to reduce the rebound effect.

Long term use of omeprazole inhibits calcium and magnesium absorption. It’s not proven yet in horses to cause fractures but this has been proven in humans. This will also hasten any deterioration in bones and joints. Long term use totally ruins any gut balance.

Make sure the horse has access to hay 24/7. Medicinal Aloe, linseed and chia are all mucilaginous, Slippery Elm powder given daily lines the entire gastro-intestinal tract. A low sugar diet is also advised.

Ongoing research shows pectin and lecithin combined with polysaccharides from medicinal mushrooms helps to stabilize and protect the intestinal mucosa, including the glandular region of the gut.

In summary – Use omeprazole judiciously. Make sure you and your vet have a plan to allow the squamous ulcers to heal whist putting in place dietary changes and supplements to avoid the gut ulcerating again.

jesse

thehorseherbalist.com

The post Crofton Weed and Horses appeared first on The Horse Herbalist.