Horses are majestic creatures that have a character of their own. Back in the day, these animals were mainly used for toil and transport. They’re sturdy and can carry a lot of weight. However, ever since we invented cars, carriages became old fashioned, and all of the farmers that had full stables didn’t need them anymore. Now, most people ride them.
You might be thinking to yourself how is that fun, you’re only sitting and the animal is doing all of the work. But that’s a physical activity that’s quite demanding. You get a ton of fresh air, your balance gets better, and you get to bond with another living creature. If you own one, you know all of the benefits.
However, what should you do when there’s a case of scratches, and everything your vet recommended isn’t working at all. Well, you might want to try some of the home remedies people have been using for hundreds of years before modern medicine came into play. There’s something about that old knowledge that works like magic. Of course, modern science is much better, but nature has a way of mending things on its own. Even CBD oil has many benefits for horses.
Can sauerkraut heal a case of scratches?
Even well-trained equines have the soul of a little kid. Whenever winter ends, and spring comes, all these animals want to do is run in the mud. They don’t care if they get completely dirty, it’s a fun activity, and they want to do it.
Many trainers say that some of their horses want to stay in a puddle and get muddy all up to their fetlocks. But that season is also the time where one of the most common bacterial infections comes into play. You can call it foot rot, cracked heel, greasy heel, or simply scratches.
You can notice it around the heel region, there are small cracks, and the area appears sore. Well, the old way to treat this is to go to the grocery store, get a bunch of sauerkraut, put some on the affected area, and wrap it with some plastic wraps.
The following morning, remove the plastic, wash the area, and in the evening, do it again. While most vets would cringe at this idea, there is a bit of science to back it up. Sauerkraut is one of the remedies which has a lot of vinegar, which makes the skin and the area around it have a lower pH level.
This means the entire area becomes acidic. This kind of environment is usually better for the general health of a horse’s skin. On the other hand, most fungal organisms can’t live in that kind of environment. They die off in a matter of days, which is why elders recommend doing it for more than a week.
If this treatment doesn’t work, you might want to take the equine and bring it on high ground where there isn’t any mud. It’s best if the soil is dry, so water logging and filth don’t pose such a problem.
Can you glue a cracked hoof?
Hoof cracks are pretty common. Equines are massive animals, and when you ride them, they go pretty fast. And mass times acceleration is force, so the hooves have it pretty hard. If trimming doesn’t take care of the crack, you might want to go to the store and buy a pack of Gorilla Glue.
Sealing the crack completely will take care of the problem. This also eliminates the need to shoe the animal, which is quite painful and utterly unnecessary in this day and age.
Before you do this, you might want to take your riding partner to the vet so they can thoroughly clean the area. This method works only if there isn’t any contamination in the crack. If some bacteria or fungus gets inside, that might create a lot of problems in the long run.
Can you use aloe vera for colic?
A lot of vets approve of this home remedy. Giving your horses half a cup of aloe vera twice a day might reduce the colic frequency. However, even if this remedy soothes its stomach, there is always an underlying problem that needs to be addressed. Always go to the vet if you encounter colic.
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