Introduction to what to consider when buying CBD for your horse.
CBD is one of the very popular health supplements nowadays because of how many people support its effectiveness. It has been seen to be good for humans, dogs, cats, and now, it is also being used for horses. With its benefits of relief from pain, anxiety, and seizures, it is no wonder why many are regularly using this.
In case you own a horse suffering from these issues and you want to try a natural supplement for them, we advise using CBD. Here, we talk about which factors you should remember before buying CBD for your horse to maximize its benefits.
What can CBD help horses with?
First, think about why you will give CBD for your horse. Most of the time, it is used to treat the symptoms of the following:
- Chronic pain
- Anxiety
- Gastrointestinal issues
- Seizures
- Irregular sleep cycles
- Insulin resistance in horses
If your equine companion suffers from these, CBD is an excellent supplement for them. It has both anecdotal and scientific evidence which supports its effectiveness in treating these. The best part is that CBD does not have major side effects unlike some types of horse medicine.
Some owners also use CBD as a general health booster for their horse. After all, CBD has been seen to help in improving the quality of their coat, protecting them from neurodegenerative diseases, and even in preventing the development of tumors.
Which blend of CBD should you use for your horse?
CBD has three major blends. The main difference between the three is their potency as these blends have different ingredients. Even with these, the three have the same effectiveness as long as you dose it properly.
First is the full spectrum blend. As we can see from its name, it aims to provide your horse with all of the contents of the hemp plant. This includes the flavonoids, cannabinoids, and terpenes found in it. These are compounds which are healthy for horses as it provides different benefits including being antioxidants, improving immunity, and reducing inflammations.
The reason behind this is to boost the “entourage effect” of hemp. Through this, the CBD becomes more effective and beneficial. Much like how we should include various types of nutrients in our daily diet, this blend also includes many types of compounds from the hemp plant into the CBD blend to boost its effects.
Full spectrum blend for horses
Because it contains THC, it is the most potent blend. Still, the blends made for horses are ensured to have lower than 0.3% of this compound to make it safe for equine consumption. These blends generally are a good starting point to try to see if your horse responds well to CBD or not.
Broad spectrum blend for horses
The second type is the broad-spectrum blend. This blend removes all THC from the mix. It is a balance between promoting the “entourage effect” while keeping it very safe for your horse. It is a bit less potent than the full spectrum blend, but its main advantage is that it is easier to dose.
CBD isolate blend for horses
This blend removes all the other contents of hemp except for CBD. This makes it the easiest to dose. However, you may need to give a higher dose for this compared to other blends.
Which form of CBD should you give to your horse?
CBD comes in different forms that each have their own advantages and disadvantages. We list them out below to help you in choosing.
CBD oils for horses
These come with a dropper which you use for measuring the dose and dropping it on the horse’s tongue.
Advantages
The dropper can make your dosing measurement very precise.
It is easy to apply in different ways including dropping it on top or below their tongue, mixing it with their food, or rubbing it in their gums.
It is abundant in the pet market and is offered by many CBD companies.
Disadvantages
Having to measure the dose everyday can be cumbersome for others.
Its contents may spill if your horse moves while being given the oil.
CBD treats for horses
These are horse biscuits, cookies, and chewable treats mixed with CBD oils.
Advantages
Its chewable texture and flavoring make it easy to feed to horses
Its dose is already pre-measured
Disadvantages
It needs to be digested by their stomach first to work which means it takes longer to kick in
Horse treats may not be healthy to give every day because some brands have high sugar content. It is best partnered with another form of CBD.
CBD pellets for horses
These are made from edible materials mixed with CBD oil. Much like your everyday feed but infused with CBD.
Advantages
If your horse already eats pellets every day, you can simply mix it in their food.
It is also chewable and can come flavored.
Best partnered with CBD treats.
Disadvantage
Some horses may not be fond of eating pellets and may ignore it.
May also take some time before it works.
Final thoughts on what to look for when buying CBD for your horse
In summary, we advise you to check for the blend, form, and symptom to treat when using CBD. We hope that our list simplified the different terms that many first-time users may not be familiar with. After all, CBD is still a relatively new health supplement, and many may be intimidated by the terminologies attached to it.
We advise you to continuously monitor your horses’ reaction to the supplement to check if their symptoms and issues have been treated. We also advise giving them a low dose of it at first to allow their bodies to adjust.