Horse Care Using Apple Cider Vinegar a Must read! Apple cider vinegar is not only good for us, its a natural horse care product too! How is apple cider vinegar used for horse care you ask? The nutritional bounty found in unpasteurized apple cider vinegar (ACV) is not only good for people, its wholly beneficial for horses as well. Here are just some of the more common ways that ACV is used to help horses, The source of apple cider vinegar health benefits is the apple which has long been known as a nutritional powerhouse. It contains many vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and dietary fiber, while at the same time having very little fat and sodium. Apple cider vinegar, made from whole apples and not pasteurized or filtered, will also contain all these nutrients plus the many enzymes and organic acids produced during the two fermentations needed to make the vinegar. Many experts believe that these extra fermentation products are important elements in apple cider vinegars health benefits. The following list quantifies much of the nutritional bounty found in apples: 1 Medium Apple (138g) Calories:......... 81 calories Water:.......... 115.8 grams Carbohydrates: 21.1 grams Protein:........... 0.3 gram Fat:................ 0.5 gram Dietary Fiber:.... 2.8 grams Vitamin A:....... 74 International Units Vitamin C:........ 8 milligrams Vitamin B1:....... 0.02 milligram Vitamin B2:....... 0.02 milligram Vitamin B6:....... 0.07 milligram Folic acid:........ 4 micrograms Niacin:............. 0.1 milligram Pantothenic:..... 0.08 milligram Sodium:........... 1 milligram Calcium:......... 10 milligrams Magnesium:...... 6 milligrams Zinc:............... 0.05 milligram Manganese:...... 0.06 milligram Potassium:..... 159 milligrams Phosphorus:..... 10 milligrams Iron:............... 0.25 milligram Copper:........... 0.06 milligram Horse Care – Water and Feed Supplement Dr Jarvis, the Vermont country doctor who popularized the use of apple cider vinegar in his book Folk Medicine, found that a horse would chew the wood of his stall because the wood contained potassium. Experimenting with calves, he found that they would not chew the wood of their pens if ACV was added to their drinking water, since apple cider vinegar is an excellent source of easily absorbable potassium and other trace minerals. Besides the nutritional benefits , vinegar helps to purify the drinking water by destroying harmful microorganisms that can thrive in neutral or mildly basic water. (Two thousand years ago Roman soldiers were adding vinegar to their drinking water for the same reasons!) For horses, recommended dosage rates vary from 1 cup (250 ml) of ACV for every 50 gallons (190 liters) of drinking water all the way up to 1 cup (250ml) for every 6 gallons (23 liters). A tip commonly used - for horses that will not drink the water in a new location: add some apple cider vinegar to the unfamiliar water! For a healthy horse, use 1/4 cup (60 ml) of unpasteurized ACV on his feed grain per day. Dilute the vinegar 50/50 with water before adding to the feed. Because of its potassium and associated trace mineral content, this feed supplement is invaluable for mares coming up to foaling and it is also beneficial for older horses with digestive difficulties or arthritis. Horse Care – Intestinal Stones Intestinal stones called enteroliths, can develop in susceptible horses which can cause blockages that require expensive surgery. Since the ingestion of vinegar increases the intestinal acidity in horses, it helps prevent these stones from forming according to veterinary researchers at the University of California at Davis. The number of horses developing enteroliths has increased over the last 10 years especially in certain geographical areas such as the southwestern part of the United States, particularly California. As well, certain breeds such as Arabians and Morgans seem to be more prone to enteroliths than others. Horse Care – A Natural Fly spray Another benefit of feeding your horse apple cider vinegar is to make the horse less attractive to flies and insects. Some specialists believe that horses sweat the vinegar out so that it becomes a natural horse fly spray. Insect bites not only cause your horse itchy discomfort, they can be areas where skin bacterial and fungal infections can occur. As well, some types of hives are commonly caused by insect stings or bites. They can cause other health risks by spreading such diseases as West Nile virus, encephalomyelitis viruses and equine infectious anemia. Never use a commercial fly repellant containing DEET on horses (or other animals) since it can be absorbed or ingested by them and cause unwanted toxic side effects. For those who prefer not to use insecticides for horse care, especially on foals less than 12 weeks old, try feeding your horse ACV and make up your own vinegar based natural horse fly spray that you can rub or spray onto your horses coat as needed: 2 cups (500 ml) Apple Cider Vinegar 1 cup (250 ml) Water 1 cup (250 ml) Avon Skin so Soft (bath oil) 2 tsp. ( 10 ml) Eucalyptus oil (or citronella oil) Mix all ingredients well and store in a handy spray bottle. While youre at it, you can take care of all those pesky flies that hang around enclosed areas like barns or transportation trailers, by using you own homemade vinegar fly trap: 3 cups (750 ml) Water 1/4 cup (60 ml) Apple Cider Vinegar 1/4 cup (60 grams) Sugar Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar solution then place in a large jar and punch holes in the lid. The flies will get in but wont be able to fly out. Horse Care – Mild Cure for Skin Conditions Full strength apple cider vinegar can be rubbed directly into the horses skin around a ringworm infection. Ringworm is an infection of the skin and hair by several types of fungi (not worms). Rub in thoroughly two or three times a day for several consecutive days. This is especially useful for ringworm infections that are too close to the eyes to use a copper wash. Horse Care – Horse Hoof Care Thrush and other foot fungus infections can be greatly reduced by a regular spray or soak application of apple cider vinegar to the sole and frog of your horses feet. By making the hoof area more acidic, fungus is no longer able to grow well there. A general horse hoof soaking solution can be prepared by adding 1/4 cup (60 ml) of apple cider vinegar to one gallon (3.8 liters) of water. The vinegar application will, at the same time, speed up the healing of any other foot infections or bruises your horse might have. *ACV,It can soothe sunburn *Its an all-natural massage treatment *ACV/Honey can help allergies in Horses *ACV can help arthritis and Ringbone *ACV can help Possible Ulcers *You can use ACV to rehydrate a horse coming out of a bout of colic *Strangles Swelling Reduced with ACV *ACV can improve horses fertility * Cures horses urinary problems *ACV Helps Horses Stimulate Saliva Production when eating *ACV works wonderfully for clicking joints *ACV Application to help Cool Down (Dressage/Jumping Horse) *Removes shampoo residue & shiny glowing coat *Watch ticks turn and back out with ACV! *ACV foot soak can cure lameness and hoof problems *Treating Open Wounds with ACV We had a horse that got hooked in the shoulder by a bull. It was a deep puncture wound. Washing it every day and applying the following healed it with no scarring. Mix apple cider vinegar with black pepper to make a paste. Apply to the wound and wrap if possible (not necessary). Will heal quickly without scar tissue or proud flesh. This also works for any cut or abrasion. Benefits Of Apple Cider Vinegar For Horses – Alternative Natural Therapy For Chronic Sesamoiditis And Calcium Deposits In The Horseby LISA CARTER on APRIL 13, 2012 The benefits of apple cider vinegar for horses and humans have been touted for many years in the natural health circles. You can find organic apple cider vinegar in the health food and supplement sections of the grocery store and at the local health food stores. The health claims are many: promote healthy joints, an anti-inflammatory for arthritis, a detoxifier, an aide for digestion and gastric upset, and antibacterial properties just to name a few. But the one that interested me most was its use in the reduction of calcium deposits. I had heard many of the claims over the years from friends who use it for themselves, but hand not really heard much about its use in horses until a few years ago. It seems to be effective in breaking up the mucus and stuff in the horses airway. When it was mentioned to the vet, he said it made sense and was clearly working for them. Many of their horses were given to them because their previous owners were paying for large vet bills and their horses couldnt breathe. They also give their horses other medication on serious cases and always water their hay. But I hope this remedy might help your horses breathing! Apple Cider Vinegar For Sesamoiditis Pain Relief And Reduction Of Calcium Deposits In January of 2012, I brought in a natural barefoot trimmer to help with a chronic crack in Spirits hoof. We spoke about his issues with chronic sesamoiditis and she suggested the organic apple cider vinegar for Spirit. She felt that it would help to acidify his system and which might aide in the reduction of the calcium deposits on the affected sesamoid. I was willing to give it a try, as he wasnt showing any improvement with the lameness after nearly 2 months of pasture rest. I certainly didnt feel like it could hurt anything. She had been giving it to her horses for arthritis and felt it really helped them. I couldnt imagine that a horse would like the vinegary flavor, but she assured me that all her horses loved it. Apple cider vinegar is often used as a food supplement to improve horse nutrition. It can be mixed with water or sprayed directly on a horses coat to very successfully keep the flies off. ACV is often used in wound care for its antibiotic properties. Adding it to a horses diet, or direct application, can improve the immune system and help fight off fungal infections, bacteria, hives, and conditions such as hoof rot. Apple cider vinegar is also said to reduce the habit of cribbing. Natural ACV Remedies For Horses Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is one of the most popular remedies for horses and has a very long history of use as a health tonic and natural medical treatment for horses (and cows). It is often given regularly to horses in their feed or water, an addition many horse owners and trainers report as most welcomed by their equine charges. Apple Cider Vinegar Soak Organic apple cider vinegar (ACV) is a great natural way to restore pH to hooves and skin. I use it when I have a horse with scratches, as well as for regular soaking to get feet to loosen up. Horses seem to like apple cider soaks better than plain warm water, but Im careful with vinegar and horses because some horses dont handle the acids in cider vinegar well. The remedy: Saturate a cloth with apple cider vinegar and wrap it around the muscle for 20 minutes; the pain should disappear within a few hours. Reapply every three to four hours for continued relief until the pain is gone for good. We personally use a paper sack cut in strips to wrap around area. WORKS GREAT! We leave wrap on for 24 hours. Why it works: Apple cider vinegar is a muscle reliever; it helps to draw lactic acid (the stuff that causes soreness) out of your muscles after exercise. Also helps with arthritis pain in older horses! Apple cider vinegar ...has been used for centuries as a folk remedy for a selection of ills. The ancient Egyptians, as far back as 3000 BC, and even the father of modern medicine, Hippocrates, sang the praises of this unique, yet humble, product. Here, grouped by nutritional category, here are some of the apple cider vinegar health benefits we can all make use of: Organic Acids Apple cider vinegar contains 5% acetic acid and much smaller amounts of malic acid, lactic acid, and various amino acids. They give apple cider vinegar its antiseptic property, which helps deter the growth of unwanted bacteria and yeasts in the digestive track. By taking a little apple cider vinegar before a meal, you can increase stomach acidity and thereby improve digestion and nutrient uptake. Dr Jarvis M.D., author of Folk Medicine: A Vermont Doctors Guide to Good Health, advocated the use of apple cider vinegar to maintain the acid alkaline balance (pH balance) of the bodys urine. He maintained that the urine shifts from its healthy acidic pH toward alkalinity when you are ill. Through years of research he found that restoring the urines pH to the acid region enabled his subjects to either bypass illnesses such as the common cold or to at least get better faster and to reduce the pain or severity of sinus, allergy and asthma attacks. Vitamins and other antioxidants Some of the vitamins, amino acids, and bioflavonoids found in apples and apple cider vinegar are antioxidants,which help prevent cancer and protect the body against damage caused by exposure to chemical toxins. Hows that for an apple cider vinegar health benefit! Fiber Apples and apple cider vinegar contain pectin, a water soluble fiber which can absorb water, fat, toxins, and cholesterol in the digestive tract and remove them from the body. Pectin also improves glucose metabolism and lowers blood pressure resulting in improved heart health. The insoluble fiber in apples aids digestion and elimination, promotes regularity, and contributes to bowel cleaning. Minerals As shown in the list of nutrients, apples and apple cider vinegar have a host of easily absorbable minerals, with potassium being by far the most plentiful. Potassium works together with sodium in the control of the bodys water balance, conduction of nerve impulses, contraction of muscles, maintenance of a normal heart rhythm, and it is essential for the storage of carbohydrate and its breakdown for energy. Magnesium, a mineral found in smaller amounts, is a vital catalyst in enzyme activity, involved in the production of energy from food. It assists in the uptake of calcium and potassium and is required for the formation of healthy bones and teeth. Note from apple-cider-vinegar-benefits: Alfalfa hay, especially alfalfa from California, contains high amounts of magnesium and protein. An excessive amount of free ammonium may be released from the digestion of high protein hay like alfalfa. (At the university of California /Davis it was found that most of the horses with intestinal stones called enteroliths had a diet of 50% alfalfa hay!) To help prevent enteroliths from forming, researchers at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine suggest that you decrease intestinal pH levels by adding one cup (250 ml) of vinegar a day to your horse. Rid Your Horse Of Rain Rot With Apple Cider Rain Rot (a type of fungus) occurs as raised hair and scurf causing scab like areas on your horse, usually on his/her back and usually caused by warm weather and rain especially if living in a dusty area or your horse rolls a lot making him/her more likely to have dirt on his/her back. Using undiluted apple cider vinegar as a spray after washing and rinsing your horse will help restore natural ph levels while the citric acid (acetic acid) in the vinegar will heal the rain rot leaving a nice shiny coat within days. The vinegar spray can be used as needed after the initial bath for maintenance and also on minor wounds. Apple cider vinegar and my herd..... I have had my herd of horses on apple cider vinegar for over a year now and I have to say hands down that it is one of the best natural products out there for a number of reasons. Horses who have apple cider vinegar in their water drink way more of it. This is a fact with my herd. . An added benefit to adding it to their water is if the horse is travelling, he will never shy away from new water as the ACV hides any taste of a new environment. I know a few show people who swear by adding it to water when they go to shows and they have had no issues with them refusing water. ACV works wonders on cracked hooves as well as improving the quality of new growth in the foot. It can be sprayed directly on the hoof as well as the frog and it has the added benefit of acting as a hostile environment for thrush and fungus to live in as well. ***The vinegar is high in potassium and horses which are low in potassium will seek out wood to chew on which is also high in potassium for horses. I met an old cowboy the other day that has used ACV mixed with crushed garlic daily in horse feed to prevent ulcers in race horses. I am not sure if its a cure-all or not but I have found that adding the ACV to the water in the stall can really pack on the pounds. ACV can be used as a natural fly spray and I have read wonders about using it as such. I will be using it on my horses this summer and I will advise what I find out although I have read glowing recommendations about it on-line. (ACV mixed equal parts with Avon skin so soft and citronella. ) My research on-line also showed that ACV can help with arthritis in horses. Im convinced that if it can work on arthritis in humans, it does also work equally well in our equine friends. I know from experience that ACV mixed with black pepper works wonders on proud-flesh. I used the combination with ichthamol on Maverick when he came as a rescue and the results were amazing. My vet was even impressed. The race track here keeps ACV on hand always for horses that colic. They shoot it into the mouths of horses in a syringe and it helps with the pain. They also soak standing bandages in it before wrapping to bring down swelling in the legs of worked horses. Finally, ACV added to pasture water helps reduce algae and keeps flies and mosquitoes from hanging out by it. Hands down, ACV is one of the best natural products that can be used on horses. I have used it for a long time and the lists of things that it can do is extensive and really quite impressive. It has worked wonders with my herd and I thought it a great idea to put the research out there that I have done on using ACV on horses and the results of doing so. use apple cider vinegar. It has potassium. when horses crib it is because they need potassium and potassium is in wood Testimonial...My horse came down with uvitis commonly called moonblindness and after 4 weeks of doing everything the vet said he still was unable to open his eyefrom the pain, it also drained constantly. I bought him a special mask and everything. Two weeks ago I started him on acv and he is now opening his eye and the draining is much better. We highly recommend the use of Apple Cider Vinegar! Search for yourself so many reasons to give it a try..what have you got to lose? To us here at the rescue it has been a inexpensive, natural cure all for many problems we have come in contact with here. Would love to hear back from you any feedback...have you tried ACV? Did it work? What did you use it for? Love to know what you have discovered... rockyacreshorserescue.org
Posted on: Fri, 25 Jul 2014 14:03:01 +0000
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