Introduction to what you should look for in a CBD product for horses
If your horse suffers from anxiety, joint pain, digestion issues, and similar ones, they may greatly benefit from CBD. Because of this CBD stands out among other health supplements because of its low risk of having side effects and its affordable price. While there are many companies which sell cbd products, we list out some factors to consider to choose the best one for your horse.
Things to think about before buying your horse CBD products
1. What is the issue you will use CBD on your horse to fix?
First, know the reason why you should use CBD for your horse.
Some people simply use CBD on their horses as a way of improving their overall health which is valid. CBD can help in boosting homeostasis in the body which is a condition which allows every part to be fully functional and within normal levels. This improves their sleep cycle, makes them process food properly, and improves coat quality.
This is why CBD is commonly used for horses suffering from anxiety. This can be brought by a naturally skittish personality, a noisy environment, and others. CBD can help in making them more relaxed and calmer. Through this, they become easier to command and friendlier to humans.
The best use of CBD is with treating chronic pain in horses. The horse’s performance is a crucial aspect that must be maintained to make them available for horseback riding, farming, and more. However, they may start becoming slower if they experience muscle and joint pain, ulcers in their skin, arthritis, and other diseases. CBD is effective in lessening these symptoms along with reducing their sensitivity to pain.
Some companies have special blends depending on the symptom you will treat which can be seen by the labels of “CBD for Horse Pain” or “CBD for Horse Anxiety”. If you have a specific symptom to treat, choose one specifically made for their specific issues.
2. Ingredients of the CBD blend
CBD is rarely sold by itself as it needs carrier oils and other things to be effective. Usually, it comes with many other natural ingredients which boost its effectiveness for horses. Due to this, users should do their research about the contents of the blend before buying a product.
We recommend those that use a wide variety of choices that contain terpenes and cannabinoids that can boost the effects of CBD. Cannabinoids are known to be more effective when they are mixed with similar compounds because of the “entourage effect”. Examples of plants which contain these are Rosemary, Echinacea, and black pepper. What this basically means is that they work in synergy and the sum of the plants together is better than a pure CBD isolate.
Another thing to keep in mind is the type of carrier oil used in the product. Among all the choices, we prefer MCT oil the most because it is easily digestible for the horse. Given their sensitive stomachs, it is best to find an oil that easily reaches their bloodstream. Other choices for oil include hemp seed oil and pumpkin seed oil.
3. Type of CBD blend for your horse
The type of blend that you purchase will have an impact on how it works in your horses system. While it might be overwhelming the truth is that there are three core types of CBD blends for horses. They are Full spectrum, Broad Spectrum and CBD Isolate.
First is the full-spectrum blend where every compound is included. This includes THC or tetrahydrocannabinol. To ensure that the blend is still safe for horses, it is reduced to less than 0.3% THC content.
Next is the broad-spectrum blend which includes everything that the full spectrum offers but without the THC. This makes it easier to dose and can alleviate any possible issues related to THC and horses.
The final version is CBD isolate blend which strictly only has CBD and other non-hemp ingredients. This is the safest choice. The only downside is that you need to give more of it to see its effects.
It is important to know this as the potency of the blend determines the dose you should give to horses.
4. CBD Certifications or clarity in ingredients
Another thing that is recommended is that you check the certifications provided by the manufacturer about their product. Through this, you can be sure that the hemp they use is free from insecticides, GMO, and high levels of THC. This is provided by a third-party lab that monitors every stage of production closely to see if the product is safe to be used for horses. Please keep in mind that although a product might not have certifications it does not mean it is not a good product. The certifications are just a nice thing to have, if possible.
Other types of certifications include approval from veterinarians, proof that all ingredients are natural, and proof that the hemp is locally grown.
Conclusion to what you should look for in a CBD product for horses
CBD can greatly benefit your horses’ health. If you plan to purchase one, be sure to consider some factors we listed. With the right choice, you can stick to a single product to use for years. It is also important to keep in mind that as CBD continues to grow in popularity there will be more and more products added to the market. With this continued growth will come less than stellar options on the shelves to buy. So if you are still wondering what will make your horse happy take a look at our list of the best CBD products for horses in Canada.