Cannabis For Horses?

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140 – July/August 2019

by Lisette Arias

People are turning to CBD for a multitude of ailments such as arthritis, anxiety, migraines, nausea, PTSD, and sleep disorders, just to name a few. Just search any given medical condition on the internet and there will likely be a reference as to how CBD use can help to alleviate symptoms and improve one’s overall health.

It has even become quite commonplace to use CBD to help dogs and cats with pain and anxiety issues. More veterinary offices and pet shops are carrying hemp products—that may or may not actually include CBD. But what about using it for horses? What conditions does CBD help alleviate? How do you know the proper dose and where you get it? This article will answer these questions and, hopefully, correct some common misconceptions surrounding cannabis use, as well as clarify how to use CBD properly for maximum benefit to our beautiful, four-legged, loved ones.

WHAT IS CBD?

CBD stands for cannabidiol. It’s one of over 80 cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant species. CBD is very different from the other prevalent cannabinoid found in cannabis: THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol). THC is most commonly known for its psychoactive properties that induce the feeling of being “high,” having an inability to function, and often inducing paranoia while using marijuana. There is a huge difference between consuming CBD that comes from the hemp plant versus THC that comes from the marijuana plant. The most important contrasts are that CBD isn’t mind-altering, since it doesn’t have these psychoactive properties. As a result, it can be purchased without a prescription when it’s derived from the hemp plant.

There is a common misconception that cannabis is marijuana. Admittedly, I was one of those people who had no interest in getting high and wanted nothing to do with cannabis. However, I had a major problem that standard medicine wasn’t solving. I had a Paint Horse with a beautiful, bald face that developed cancer on her nostril which later spread to her lymph nodes. Desperate for a natural remedy alternative, I stumbled upon CBD. After conducting a great deal of research, I learned that CBD can come from two sources, marijuana and hemp, but that I could only buy it legally in my state as a product of the hemp plant. I learned that hemp and marijuana are both of the cannabis species. Hemp naturally grows with a great amount of CBD and a very small amount of THC, while most marijuana plants are grown to include vast amounts of THC and small amounts of CBD. Recreational use of marijuana is legal in a handful of states and available by prescription in an ever-growing list of other states, however, most of us are not interested in the intoxicating effects of cannabis for ourselves—and certainly not for our horses and pets. The goal is to feel better and be free from various forms of pain, anxiety, and illnesses, while still being able to function at a high capacity. CBD is the cannabis compound that offers us the most hope for remedying a vast number of health issues in our animals and ourselves.

Click here to read the complete article
140 – July/August 2019