Aloe Vera - the cool healer

Modern Herbalists are still recommending it for a large number of complaints, especially skin healing..

Aloe Vera's wonderful skin moisturizing and healing properties are found in the mucilaginous gel in the thick fleshy leaves, which contain soothing demulcents and emollients. The outside of the leaf is smooth and rubbery to touch and inside is the Aloe Vera "Gel" that is so highly regarded.

The gel appears to contain a "WOUND HORMONE" that accelerates the rates of healing of injured surfaces. Scientists have found that the Aloe Vera "GEL" is a diverse mixture of antibiotic, astringent, coagulating agent, pain inhibitor, cell growth stimulator and scar inhibitor.

Equine Health Australia has Aloe Vera Gel available in 500g pots and Aloe Vera Gel with Manuka honey and Arnica, which is also available in the 500g pots.

Arnica is great for blood circulation and is used to prevent bruising whilst Manuka Honey has fantastic anti-bacterial quantities.

These additional ingredients make the Aloe Vera Gel with arnica and manuka honey a powerful first aid product all horse owners can keep in their tack room.

Equine Health Aust. has recently included Aloe Vera gels in their range of products available in Australia.

Equine Disinfectants- Germ Free!

Whether you have one horse or many, it is a major part of good horse management to eliminate viruses and ensure that other skin conditions cannot become problems.

When using the same equipment on more than one horse equine disinfectant is an effective way of ensuring no cross contamination of germs and viruses can occur.

Also in stables where horses visit from other properties for lessons or farrier and veterinary services. A professional establishment has equine health as its priority and a good disinfectant makes such a difference.

It is also important to have a cost-effective equine disinfectant! When using only 25mls of a product in 4 litres the disinfectant will go a long way.

Equine disinfectant is effective against the following viruses:

Leptospira-(rare in horses but cases have been identified)

Escherichia Coli (associated with acute diarrhea in foals)

Staphylococcus aureus – associated with skin disease

Streptococcus – associated with wounds Pseudomonas geruginose- associated with old wounds (gangrenous)

Clostridium- muscle infections

Klebsiella choleraeus– common in foals

Enterobactor aerogenes- common in foals

Candida albicans- associated with skin infections & uterine infections

Microsporum – ringworm

Equine disinfection can be used as a wash for control of fungal infections and is an important part of good equine hygiene. It is recommended to use 25mls per 4 litres and left to dry on the coat. It can be repeated for 3 days and then follow up with an equine health shampoo to condition the coat.

This article is sponsored by Equine Health Australia . Equine Health Australia have recently included the equine disinfectant in their range of products available in Australia

Sun Protection for Horses

Sunlight has beneficial effects for the horse just as sunlight in moderation does for us humans. For horses these include the manufacture of vitamin D by the skin, relief of muscle and tendon stiffness and possibly even improved immunity.

For many horses however, unlike their human owners, there can be the lack of opportunities to moderate their exposure to sunlight and sun exposure. Unless your horse can be stabled for those hours that sun exposure is at its most extreme, they are out there in the worst of the summer sun at risk of being burnt.

Horses with pink skinned areas in particular may suffer sunburn if overexposed and could be at higher risk for equine skin cancer over the years.

Whilst some human sun creams can be used on our equine friends, some horses have allergic/sensitivity reactions to these products or the fragrances in them. Who wants to find out the hard way that the human cream causes a reaction to their horses sensitive skin?

Since the reactions themselves are red and angry looking, like sunburn, some horse owners react by putting even more sunscreen on their horses. The result can be extreme reaction with open, oozing skin that is painful and can require extensive and expensive treatment!

A particularly severe type of sun reaction is photosensitivity, where the skin can become red, swollen and cracks. Crusts can develop and loss of skin may occur. The changes of infections developing are greatly increased. These types of reactions occur in pink skinned areas.

So whats the answer for our sunburnt horses ?

Use a natural Sunblock. A Sunblock containing Carrot oil which is nature’s sun protection will provide the protection your horse needs and means you can avoid harmful chemicals. Use on the pink skinned areas and apply often.

This article is sponsored by Equine Health Aust. . Equine Health Aust. have recently added a natural equine sun block containing carrot oils to their range of products available in Australia