The Hornbeam Horse

Does your horse seem tired to you, or weak and unable to concentrate?  Hornbeam (carpinus betulus) may be the Flower Essence needed to help restore its motivation and enthusiasm.

Horses that require Hornbeam remain curious about new things but remain tired and may appear completely worn out when the first signs of illness occur and take a long time to recover.  They tend to have a tendency towards connective tissue problems mental exhaustion. Hornbeam should be used as a follow up treatment for illnesses and for the horse who is overburdened by work, training or competition.  Hornbeam, the flower of vigor, promotes vitality and hosrses receiving its benefits show renewed motivation and zest for life.

Symptoms where Hornbeam may be indicated:

Problems in old age

Strain

Apathy

Arthritis

Lack of energy

Exhaustion

Weak immune system

Weakness

Lethargy

Tiredness

Boredom if not working to full capacity

After a long illness or overexertion

Flower Essences - Length of Treatment Guidelines

    Generally speaking, Bach Flower Essence therapy should be continued for as long as your pet is showing symptoms that require treatment.  Although some long-standing challenges may require patience until desired change is noticed, the Flower Essences tend to work quickly with notable effectiveness within hours or days.  Therefore, how long you administer a particular essence may vary.  Pet guardians often continue with a chosen essence for two weeks then assess the situation and, if no change is evident, they will consult and determine which essence to administer next.  I do recommend having an outside person (preferably trained or experienced with Flower Essence use) observe the situation.  Often are not as objective as necessary when observing and reporting our findings regarding our own pets.  

    Three therapy timelines have been established:

     

     *  ACUTE THERAPY - This is recommended for critical and sudden displays of disturbed behavior or psychological problems, to be given for an initial period from one day up to two weeks, often with only 1 - 3 essences used

     *  LONG TERM THERAPY - The emphasis is on treating disturbances that have already been in place for a long time.  The Flower Essences are given over a period of several months or even a year.  Usually several flowers are blended and that combination should be reviewed and altered after two to four weeks to determine whether a change is necessary.  

     *  PERMANENT THERAPY  - This approach is applied when a pet shows the tendency to revert to old behavior patterns after taking the chosen essence(s).

Elm flower essence for Dogs

Ulmus procera - Elm 

Dogs can become overwhelmed and mentally taxed by too many impressions happening at once. Those that live in chaotic environments such as big cities or rescue facilities can become confused and unhappy due to sensory overload.  Though, as their guardians we must do our best to reduce the amount of stress a dog has to handle, Elm can help dogs by relaxing their minds in the midst of all the potentially troubling input.

Administering Elm over a period of time, it is also a helpful aid when socializing puppies when they are introduced for the first time to things they will have to deal with in life such as busy streets, rooms filled with people, crowded kennel or daycare situations and group training classes. As a training aid, Elm blends well with Walnut, a remedy that supports confidence and courage.

Dosage:
4 drops, 4 times daily

* PLEASE REMEMBER, do not administer flower essences directly from the glass dropper *

Agrimony for Cats

Agrimonia eupatoria - Agrimony can help any cat suffering from outside stressful influences and combines well with two particular flower remedies; Impatiens and Walnut.
The combination of these three flower essences can be very helpful to ease the stress of temporary situations like confinement while traveling or transporting, kenneling, quarantine or when being introduced to a new home.

Alone, Agrimony helps our feline companions handle the sometimes problematic human world.  Cats are very affected if they live in an environment of perpetual conflict filled with shouting, arguing and upheaval.  If unable to distance themselves physically, they will try to keep out of the way while waiting for calm to return.  When this cycle repeats, cats will develop chronic stress, which may present itself in nervousness, confusion and even depression.

I am aware of cases where the use of Agrimony has lessened chronic licking and biting from flea reactions, settled the endlessly pacing animal, improved the recovery time of slow healing wounds and reduced noise sensitivity.

Dosage:

4 drops, 4 times daily

RESCUE REMEDY

    

Possibly the most well known Bach Flower Remedy is the Five Flower/Rescue Remedy.  This effective combination is intended for all emergency situations such as shock following accident or injury, bee stings, tic bites, collapse, severe fright and other instances of acute fear such as noise sensitivity.  It is a blend of Star of Bethlehem, Rock Rose, Cherry Plum and Impatiens, all capable in their unique ways of significantly reducing the psychological distress of traumatic or emergency incident.  Readily available in health and nutritional markets as well as many grocery stores, Rescue Remedy is an effective "go to" blend and I recommend keeping a bottle handy at all times - carry it with you, toss a bottle in your back pack or saddle bag, should the need arise,

you will be grateful that you did.

    Dosage recommendations:

Dogs and Cats - in acute or extreme instances -  

 4 drops four times an hour until the situation has improved -

In other circumstances, a total of 16 drops per day which may be divided evenly into 2 or 4 administrations of 4-8 drops

Horses 

Foals and Ponies - 6-8 drops four times daily

Large horses - 8-10 drops four times daily

In acute or extreme instances, administer 8 drops four times an hour 

until the situation has improved

    

Cherry Plum Flower Essence for Horses

As I exercise my dogs this time of year, I cannot help noticing all the trees, plants and flowers preparing to burst open sharing their joy and stories.  This is a time of new beginnings - when better to review and adjust our own healthy lifestyle plan as well as that of our beloved working and companion animals. Through my next several posts, I will share knowledge and application of Bach Flower Remedies in the hopes that you look seriously at their implementation as a tool for your supporting your pets' needs.

Prunus Cerasifera, cherry plum, is the right flower for horses who have had an accident or a similar frightening experience, for mares following a stillbirth as well as for foals who have been separated from their mother too early.  Their life force seems diminished and the animals are often highly-strung and tense.  

Cherry Plum, the flower of composure, helps to promote inner peace.  The horse becomes more balanced and the violent outbursts are not as strong or even disappear altogether.  Horses that need Cherry Plum are under a great deal of pressure from within and are prone to temperamental outbursts. Suppressed fears can suddenly burst forth in a violent manner:  the horses in question are unpredictable and can be dangerous in this panic attack state.

Some behaviors that are positively influenced by Cherry Plum include:

Aggression towards other horses

Viciousness (i.e. during grooming)

Bucking

Irritability

Muscular tension

Nervousness

Jumpiness

Rearing

Excessive protectiveness

Sudden temperamental outbursts

Unpredictability

Trembling with tension and agitation

After traumatic experiences (accident, shock)

Dosage and Dispensing 

You will need:  pure or filtered water (do not use alcohol, vinegar or sparkling water), a 20 ml or 

30 ml dark glass bottle with a dropper lid or pipette, the concentrate of the selected flower essence.

If you are using one flower remedy, add two drops of the concentrate for every 10 ml of water. When blending more than one flower add three drops of each flower to 30 ml of water.  Store the bottles should be stored at room temperature, away from light and kept away from electrical appliances such as computers, microwaves, cell phones and televisions.  Properly stored, your mixture (and the original concentrate) have a long expiration time of a year or more.

Bach Flower Remedies work on energy not by means of prescribed methods.  Higher doses do not have a greater effect than the quantities recommended. Since the essences are absorbed most efficently through the mucous membranes of the mouth, please note:

*  Do not give your pet the flower remedies with food or water but instead, place directly in the mouth or on a piece of apple, carrot or dry treat

*  Administer the dosage before feeding times

*  If your pet is receiving any other treatment (homeopathic medication or other) leave a gap of 15-20 minutes between the two

Initially intense physical or psychological reactions to the remedies MAY occur. Though this is not the usual case, it is important that I share the existence of the possibility. This is a positive sign that the energetic qualities of the remedy is in action.  First reactions may include a need for more sleep, restlessness or a lack of interest in normal activities.  In extremely rare circumstance, diarrhea is present.  These effects pass very quickly (usually within 1-2 hours) and give way to effective healing.Of course, if any physical response or change concerns you, notify your veterinarian.  

Basic Dosage Guidelines for Horses

Foals and Ponies   2-3 times daily, 2-5 drops

Large Horses   2-3 times daily, 5-8 drops

As symptoms fade, do not abruptly stop administering the flower essence, instead, gradually reduce the amount given.  For example, if you are giving 5 drops twice daily, reduce it to 4 drops twice daily for the next two days and then reduce it to 3 drops twice daily for two days, 

then  2 drops twice daily for the final two days.

Flower Essences for the Animals in Our Lives

      The holistic approach to health, disease and healing is based on the concept of perfect unity of all things, and the utter uniqueness of every system contained within it.

      Flower essences are herbal infusions acting on the body's inner health and harmony.  They are highly effective, non-toxic herbal preparations made from wild flowers.  Flower essences are 100% safe and widely available.  They do not contain material doses of plant chemicals and can be used alongside any form of medication without any risk of adverse interactions.   Animals respond well to them, sometimes showing signs of improvement within minutes.  Their purpose is mainly in helping to heal negative emotional states and moods that cause suffering, or are the result of suffering.  These states include emotions like sadness and despair, fear and anxiety, hostility and defensiveness, and the effects of emotional trauma past and present. Bringing balance in these areas is a major factor in developing our pets' sound mind and body health.

     Living beings are very much energetic in nature.  Every molecule of a living organism vibrates at a particular electromagnetic frequency, and has a very real, yet unseen, bio-electrical field, which surrounds, penetrates and permeates the physical body.

     Energy underlies and dictates all physical relationships between thing, and is crucial to the existence and stability of matter.  What we sense with our five physical senses and feel with our our emotional capacity, is a reflection, a by-product of an unseen energy realm.  By activating positive energy, flower essences can have a dramatic effect on the immune system.  They are not intended to be used instead of consulting a vet when your pet is ill but rather to balance out disharmony that can lead to an illness or which are triggered by illness.  

     Once the state of mind becomes stable, the body's ability to heal itself improves and the illness can be healed more easily and more rapidly.  Flower essences regulate negative vibrations and produce a harmonious balance.  If a situation arises in which a pet needs to be calmed - for example, following a shock, a negative experience or because of deep-rooted psychological disturbances - giving the correct combination of flower remedies can be invaluable.  Anxiety and aggression can be eliminated, self-confidence can be re-established and symptoms of shock involving feelings of grief or jealousy can be alleviated.  

    

     My knowledge and training of this healing system is based upon the research and wisdom of Dr. Edward Bach, who is credited as its creator. I have used, with marked success, flower essence remedies on horses, dogs, cats, birds and, at one time, an iguana!  Each animal I worked with exhibited either anxiety, apathy, fear, restlessness, stress, depression or grief and after treatments were noticeably more psychologically balanced and engaged with their life, activities and work.