Arnica Montana
the flower of Arnica Montana
This plant likes the high mountain altitudes and moist soils of the central west. It is affectionately called the Mountain Daisy or Leopard's Bane. Its yellow/orangeish sunflower-like flowers bloom April through September. You may know it for its phenomenal benefits when used topically. There is no better plant for trauma, sprains, strains, bruising, rheumatism, or inflammation of the skin. There are reported cases of it being used immediately after a bad fall to horse and rider with no bruising occurring in the areas the Arnica was applied. It is often found in liniments or braces. You can use it as a body rub, under bandages, even in bath water. Other herbs work in combination beautifully with Arnica. This is a plant that is very toxic when taken internally in its raw herb state. It is safe to use internally only when prepared homeopathically.
The typical potency for horses is 30X. Your vet may at times suggest a stronger potency depending on the situation. Some have taken the homeopathic pellets and dropped them in water and used the water topically. This is a great way to also get it into your animal's system. You can either dispense the pellets right into the horse's water bucket and let him free drink the water (a good thing to do after a serious injury for continuous dosing), or you can dissolve the pellets in water and squirt directly into the horse's mouth with a syringe for specific dosing. Homeopathic Arnica should be in every barn, home and car in case of an accident. It can be administered for serious trauma while waiting for your vet to arrive.