CBD oil for horses: health benefits

The health of horses occupies a central place in the daily life of every owner or professional in the equine world, and the delivery of animal care products, including cannabis-based products, plays a crucial role in this management. Every detail, including organic methods, matters to ensure their comfort, vitality, and longevity, far beyond simple feeding or standard veterinary care. For some time now, one solution has intrigued and attracted stables worldwide: CBD oil for horses. Already adopted by humans and dogs for its relaxing and balancing properties, this hemp-extracted oil is gaining popularity even down to the horses' hooves.

CBD: A Look Back at Its Origins and Mechanism

CBD, or cannabidiol, is a molecule derived from hemp (Cannabis sativa). Unlike THC, it causes neither euphoria nor addiction. Its gentle and non-psychoactive action is what its followers rely on, both in humans and animals.

The horse's body, like that of humans, has an endocannabinoid system, where cannabinoids play an essential role. This vast network of receptors regulates various major balances: sleep, pain, mood, immunity... CBD oil, mixed with coconut oil, once administered, interacts with this system, helping the animal maintain or regain a natural state of well-being.

Why Horses?

Horses often experience situations that generate stress or discomfort: transport, competition, changes in environment, injuries, arthritis, or chronic diseases. Responding to these challenges with natural products, such as CBD, is attracting more and more attention, promoting responsible consumption and limiting the use of chemical medications to cases where it is imperative.

Another advantage, the horse, due to its size and the fineness of its metabolism, proves particularly receptive to properly dosed and supervised natural solutions.

The Benefits Observed With CBD Oil

Feedback is increasingly numerous, as well as the first scientific studies, highlighting the importance of CBD concentration in the effectiveness of treatments. What we take away as a priority:

• Reduction of anxiety: calmer horses during transport or changes of location.
• Locomotor support: soothing for horses suffering from stiffness, joint pain, or aging.
• Optimized recovery after exercise: reduction of inflammation signs thanks to anti-inflammatory properties, energy regained more quickly.
• Positive effect on appetite, digestion, and sleep quality.
• Beneficial influence on certain skin disorders.

A striking example is horses exhibiting tic behaviors, agitation, or prolonged loss of appetite, made more complex by the presence of apple in their diet. Regular administration of CBD oil allowed their return to a more peaceful, active, and balanced life.

Practical Uses in Equine Practice

Each situation has its specifics. In stables, CBD oil, often mixed with vegetable oil, administered daily in drops, has several major uses:

• Preparation for a competition or travel
• Management of post-exercise recovery
• Relief for old horses or those with chronic conditions
• Support during convalescence

The sublingual form (drops directly into the horse's mouth) predominates for its ease of absorption and precise dosing. Some mix the oil directly into the grain or mash ration.

Table: Applications of CBD Oil in Horses

Safety and Monitoring: What You Need to Know

Using CBD oil for horses requires a serious approach. Product quality is crucial: ensure its origin, verify the absence of THC, heavy metals, pesticides, or toxic solvents.

The initial dose must take into account the animal's weight, condition, and specific needs, often measured in drops of CBD oil. As a general rule, start "low" and adjust gradually, monitoring the horse's response.

A few points of attention:

• Seek advice from a veterinarian skilled in animal phytotherapy
• Favor broad-spectrum CBD oil, without THC, from organic farming
• Strictly follow the dosage recommended by the manufacturer or veterinarian

Testimonials from Owners and Professionals

Stories accumulate: from leisure horses to competitors, not all react the same way to the introduction of CBD oil, but many report the same feeling: a more "settled" animal, less prone to tension and discomfort.

Sophie, owner of an 18-year-old gelding prone to laminitis and arthritis, says: "After a few weeks of CBD oil, he first starts moving with more energy. I also saw his spirits return, he starts neighing again when I arrive."

On his side, an eventing rider testifies: "I use it before transport, for post-competition stress, and sometimes after a big effort. It really helps him recover and he approaches trips with more serenity."

The emotional dimension frequently appears in these testimonies, proving that the horse's well-being is not limited to physical performance.

What Studies and Science Say

Research on CBD in horses is still young but progressing. While it is well advanced in dogs and cats, results in equines confirm an effect on immune system regulation, management of inflammatory pain, and oxidative stress. The prospects open the way to natural treatments, complementing and sometimes replacing certain chemical molecules.

It is also observed: drops of CBD oil can be easily integrated into existing treatments.

• Good digestive tolerance of CBD in oil form
• Few side effects, often mild and transient (drowsiness, lowered blood pressure)
• Possible combination with many other natural treatments, under veterinary supervision

Legality and Doping Issues

In France, CBD is authorized for sale and consumption for humans and animals if it is free of THC (0%). However, caution is required during official competitions: the FEI (International Equestrian Federation) still considers CBD a prohibited substance on the day of events. It is therefore important to respect a withdrawal period before any official event.

The owner wishing to stay within the rules will respect these measures:

• Source from certified suppliers capable of providing detailed analyses
• Precisely document the periods and doses administered
• Consult with veterinary authorities in case of doubt

Perspectives for Equine Well-Being

The emergence of CBD oil in the daily life of the horse reflects a profound change in the perception of animal health: more natural, more respectful, but also more individualized. It does not replace conventional veterinary medicine or the expertise of equine care professionals, but it is now integrated as a valuable tool to be used with discernment.

Professionals endorse this new approach for:

• Its safety profile
• Ease of administration
• The observed improvement in the quality of life of their horses

The use of CBD oil in the equine world embodies a serene modernity, serving the calm horse, ready to give its best while fully living each moment. Whether it is to relieve pain, support recovery, or ensure psychological comfort, this hemp extract is now part of the recommended solutions, provided that rigor, caution, and adaptability are observed. Horses also deserve this new dimension of well-being, driven by plant innovation and the demanding expectations of their owners.