For injury rehab combine:
4kg fresh ground flaxseed (linum usitaissimum)
fresh ground birdseed millet (French),
½ kg yarrow, ½ kg kelp.
Add 2 liters of comfrey root extracted into organic cider vinegar, with 20 drops of Bach Flower Remedy.
Consider millet, yarrow and comfrey a part of treatment that will dramatically improve the rate and quality of healing of all tendon and bone injuries .
For arthritis prevention give 1 cup flaxseed 2 times per day to morning and night feeds along with 20 ml twice a day and continue for 6 weeks or more after the disappearance of the last of the symptoms or evidence of injury. Provide 1 cup per day as maintenance dose.
Support healthy connective tissue , point elasticity strength, re-tension stretched ligaments and relax overly tight or shortened ligaments, by adding flaxseed to your horse's diet as a preventative. Raw fresh ground linseed daily @ 1/2 cup per day is known to promote strong healthy healing of ligament injury, speed up recovery, or as a navicular support .
External use of raw linseed oil daily to the legs of young working horses is excellent to avoid recurring ligament injuries.
For an abscessed hoof or hip when infection causes pus in a pocket or confined area soak the hoof in warm water and Epsom salt to draw out the abscess first. Once draining, clean it and use hot flaxseed meal (just milled) as a poultice for an hour followed by packing with gauze or cotton.
With a hip abscess the vet should establish drainage first, then use linseed meal poultice . In both cases continue until the abscess no longer drains and there are signs of the hole filling in "from the inside out." For complete Omega information, including flax, fish oil, hemp and sea buckthorn, see the December 2007 / January 2008 issue of HOLISTIC HORSE.