138 lines
5.7 KiB
Plaintext
138 lines
5.7 KiB
Plaintext
This Article is taken from The Herbalist, newsletter of the
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Canadian Herbal Research Society. COPYRIGHT June 1988.
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Membership in the Society is $25.00 Canadian per year. You
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receive four copies of the Journal each year and help to promote
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herbalism and botanic medicine throughout Canada.
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THE SOCIETY HAS NO PAID OFFICIALS and is run entirely by
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volunteers from among the membership.
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If you would like more info please write:
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Botanic Medicine Society.
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P.O. Box 82. Stn. A.
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Willowdale, Ont. CANADA.
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M2N 5S7.
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HERBS FOR ANIMALS - Helen Massingham-Howells
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On reflection perhaps I should have called this piece Herbs for
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Horses! Nearly all of these remedies were used by the European
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Gypsies and they have proven their effectivness through many
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generations. I am sure that you too, will them helpful.
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Most horses will take herbs when mixed with molasses or honey.
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Many times a brew with strong tasting herbs can be disguised with
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black currant syrup or honey, particularly if cider vinegar has
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been added.
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Hops (Humulus lupulus)
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"Hop tops" young shoots given to colts to condition them. A good
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tonic. Flowers fed in fodder to quiet restless animals, 1 or 2
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cups for young animals, 2 or 3 cups (1 cup equals 1 handful) for
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adults.
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Ivy, Common (Glechoma Hederacea)
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Very good for internal cleansing after birth, 1 to 2 cups chopped
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herb for mares immediately after giving birth. In treating
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retained afterbirth make a strong brew; in 1 pint of water add 1
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to 2 cups of common Ivy half pint drenches approximately every 3
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hours. Do not confuse with Poison Ivy please!
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Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla vulgaris)
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Horses like this herb so do sheep and goats. A good tonic.
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Parsley piert or Alchemilla arvensis is a gypsy cure for stones
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and a tonic after treating colic. It has been said that should
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man or animals take this herb on mid summers eve they could
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become invisible!! I have not tried that one, maybe one would
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have to take Woad (Ivatis tinctoria) to bring one back in sight.
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Of course the bluish hue might startle a few animals and people!
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Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)
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Used by gypsies as a spring tonic for horses, 1 to 2 cups of
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flowers cut up and mixed with mash or corn brew in 1.5 pints of
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water.
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Nettle, Common (Urtica dioica)
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Good forage dried for horses, rich in minerals, lime, sodium,
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iron, chlorine and a naturally good in protein value. Nettle
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juice mixed with nettle seeds is a good hair tonic: use
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internally 1 cup of juice in the animals mash. Use externally to
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wash the coat, it will give it a beautiful shine, beneficial for
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show or racehorses.
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Oak (Quercus robur)
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Gypsies used the ripe acorns ground and dried them and mixed them
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with wheat flour to make a gruel. The green cups are very
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astringent and made into a strong brew are used to check bleeding
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internally and externally, 1 to 2 oz to 1.5 pints water.
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Poplar, Black (Populus nigra)
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Buds crushed in milk, honey and wine a good tonic for horses. For
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sores, wounds, ulcers. Used externally too (by making an ointment
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with the young buds).
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Puffball (Fungus)
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Used to stem bleeding and promote healing. Crushed and then
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applied to wounds.
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Quince (Pyrus Cydonia.
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Hair tonic for manes and tails. The peel is made into a brew 1
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cup to 1 pint.
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Sanicle (Sanicula europaea)
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Used as a talisman on banners and shields to protect war-horses
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and hopefully their riders. Good fodder. Effective for internal
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bleeding and wounds. Whole plant used make a brew or give 1 to 2
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cupfuls of the herb in feed.
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Scabious (Scabiosa arvensis) (Gypsy Rose)
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Cleansing and antiseptic. A brew of the root and herb thickened
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with borax, removes old sores and dandruff. Mix about 2 cups
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herb and root to one and a half pints water. Put in 1 tablespoons
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of borax powder while still hot and stir well. Apply when cooled.
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Strawberry or Wild Strawberry (Fragaria vesca)
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Leaves help prevent abortion, fruit good for nervous or slow
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horses. Foliage good for show and racehorses. 2 cups of leaves or
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leaves and root daily or handful of berries daily.
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Sweet Cicely (Myrrhus odorata)
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Horses love this herb. A good tonic. Crush some or bruise the
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root and hold in the hand, they will usually come to one. Native
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Indians used this trick to catch the wild horses. Note make sure
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you catch the right horse!
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Tea Plant (Indian tea, China tea), (Thea sinensis)
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Make a strong infusion, 2 parts to 1 of vinegar, (cider if
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possible). Soak cotton cloth when cold and apply. Very good for
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sun stroke, sunburn, fine burns. Dose internally: 1 dessert-spoon
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cider vinegar to 3 tablespoons tea mixture. Make the tea mixture
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with 2 tablespoons in 10 oz. hot water, add a pinch of cinnamon
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or 1 to 2 cloves or both. Give cold if possible.
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Willow, White (Salix alba)
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Young shoots and foliage given by gypsies for cattle and horses
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as a tonic
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Willow (Salix caprea)
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Given to goats to calm their hot tempers and cool their blood. I
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am not sure whether that means they gave it to the old goats or
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not. What is good for the animals is good for man too!
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That's all I have space for just now. It's easy to forget that
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the "beasts of the field" originally taught us much of our herb
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law, (by our observations of them). They deserve more
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consideration than we often care to give them nowadays. By using
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these simple remedies we can do much to make their lives more
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comfortable and productive.
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About the author:
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Helen Massingham was born in England and has lived in Canada
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since 1967. She has spent most of her life working with animals,
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both on her father's estate and in the Far East. Long a proponent
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of Herbal Medicines for animals she is Regional Vice-President of
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the Canadian Equine Society. |