Is All Natural really safe?

There are a lot of products on the market making claims about their contents. One of the ones I see most frequently is all natural. The term really doesn’t mean anything from a manufacturing standpoint. Most ingredients are considered “natural” but that doesn’t mean they are healthy. Poison ivy is natural, so is arsenic. So a label claim of all natural isn’t enough to determine if a product is really the safest option for your horse.

Always read the label

I’ve seen so many products claim to be all natural but then when I look at the ingredients list, there’s nothing but chemicals. When choosing a product for your horse make sure to always read the labels. Get to understand what each ingredient does before you put it on your horse. If you don’t know what the ingredient does, ask the manufacturer. If they can’t or want tell you, consider why the need for secrecy. Horses are very sensitive, so it is especially important to make the right choices when selecting horse-care products.

The Equi-Spa Difference

One of the reasons I started a blog at Equi-Spa is so that I can inform my customers of what each of the ingredients in our products do. I want everyone to understand why I choose the ingredients I do. All of my products are based on aromatherapy and use therapeutic-grade essential oils. I also always encourage my customers to contact me with any questions they have about the ingredients we use. I want you to feel confident every time you use an Equi-Spa product.

Essential oils to get you started

If you are looking for a truly all natural product for your horse, I always recommend starting with some basic essential oils:

• Lavender: An anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-spasmodic, and anti-depressant. It also has analgesic and calming properties so it is a perfect topical treatment for minor scrapes.
• Peppermint: A decongestant and pain reliever. It has cooling properties and is a great pest repellent, which makes it the goto oil during the summer.
• Tea Tree: Has similar properties to lavender, but is also an anti-fungal.
• Sweet Orange: An anti-inflammatory with mood lifting properties. It helps combat depression in horses on stall rest and boosts their confidence.
• Patchouli: Extremely calming and soothing. It’s great mixed with witch-hazel for the topical treatment of injuries and pain.
• Witch-hazel: A natural tonic, skin cleanser, and anti-inflammatory that has been used for centuries. It’s main use is as a carrier to dilute the above essential oils ready to be applied on the skin, but it can also be used on its own to treat bruises, swelling and other skin irritations.

Beware of claims about all natural because they aren’t always what they seem. Instead, try remedies like essential oils and Equi-Spa products to ensure that you are giving your horses the healthiest option, and if you have questions please post them in the comments or reach out to me using the email or social media addresses below.