A Horse showing an urgent need for an edible Plant Oil

photo by helen bailey taken @ ace-egypt

Plant products used in all this work are of a specific quality - internal medicinal use - they are a specialist product and have nothing to do with so called "aromatherapy" oils.

The information in this blog relates only to the uses of such products by trained and qualified practitioners.

In the first instance, Animals tend to select Essential oils that address their greatest imbalance. In common with all dynamic living beings, their return to total health requires at least Physical, Psychological & Emotional balance. Trauma, Shock and Distress resonate through all their systems, compromising their ability to correctly function & actively repair & heal and so maintain the systemic balance needed for complete recovery.

Luckily, their innate sensing guides them to select the correct plants needed, whether as an Essential Oil/Fresh or Dried Herb/Vegetable, Seed, Fruit or Nut Oil. In the Animal Kingdom, this highly evolved & in-built sense of Plants & Minerals is known as Zoopharmacognosy. Meaning loosely, Animal Cognition of Medicinal food Plants & Minerals.

At ace-egypt Animals have come for Veterinary Treatment, often injuries are severe and serious. The first approach with Oils is about offering soothing comfort, plants with properties known to strengthen emotionally and psychologically. This is normally the greatest initial balancing, it also supports forming a bond of trust. Many Horses and Donkeys are "hand shy" in a country where their handling is ill informed. I learned from Monty Roberts that it is good to ignore Horses & Donkeys when first coming across them, they much prefer to instigate contact and are naturally curious of anyone who turns their back on them. If they are extremely traumatised, I will open a bottle of oil and hold it near to my shoulder, a vibrant alive oil gives off aroma molecules easily detected by Horses and other Animals at quite a distance. It doesn't take long for a Horse to put his head over my shoulder to get a better smell!

Once Kim has filled me in on any new arrivals and progress of regulars, it is time to visit the stable block. usually ace Vets are about to give more information on some Animals. Yet, the Art of supporting Animals in this way, is to have no preconceptions, just to look, observe, take some account of the individual Animal and it's stage on the healing journey at ace. Animals like to be able to quietly meet the oils offered, they enjoy inhaling the aroma, sometimes standing back, allowing themselves to absorb the smell, they may come straight back for more, perhaps pushing to lick towards the bottle or more inhaling. Emotional reactions may happen, the body may react, muscles ripple, yawning and stretching can be observed. It is as if they can work with the effects in their own time.

Where an oil brings immediate relief, Horses and all Animals can be very clear demanding more! They will inhale or ingest the oil until satisfied and balance is restoring. yet they are not known to take something they don't need nor too much of something they do.

It may take just a few minutes to offer the correct oil and satisfy the need of an Animal or it could be a process taking a hour or more. All depends on the individual animal and the enviroment on the day. Muscle testing brings more information about the particular imbalances and the greatest strengths or weakness they have. Testing may be done with the Animal or a sample of it's Hair/Fur. Testing the sample Hair/Fur in between visits is a great way to monitor their progress, though the phenomenom is not yet understood it is reliable.