Lavender essential oil has a lot of benefits for you as well as your horse. This essential oil is analgesic, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, anticonvulsant, antispasmodic and has anti-tumor properties. It is one of the safest and most versatile oils.

Lavender has been used for centuries by many ancient civilizations because of its calming, relaxing and balancing qualities. It can also be used for your horse to get the same benefits.

Essential oils work on both the physical and emotional level.

Lavender is a great oil for your first aid kit. It can be used for horses who have allergies, arthritis, skin problems, thrush, white line disease, muscle pain, behavioral problems, sarcoids and is excellent for wound care and more.

The oil immediately starts to evaporate once you take the lid off. When horses inhale the oil the chemical constituents are absorbed via the olfactory system (the nose), into the limbic system of the brain.

The limbic system is where emotions, memory and certain regulatory functions are situated. When inhaling the oil it triggers neurotransmitters that can cause sedation, calmness and balancing of the body.

For horses that are stressed or nervous put a drop into the palm of your hand then rub your hands together. Hold the palms of your hand under your horse's nose and allow them to inhale the aroma. Make sure you keep the bottle away from them as you do not want them trying to eat it. If your horse accepts and inhales the oil you can, then rub it on their nose. Never force an oil on your horse if they don't accept it!

To help horses who have a lot of tension put a few drops in the palm of your hand and massage it into the poll area. Horses can also carry a lot of tension in the TMJ (Temporal Mandible Joint) area causing such things as head tossing or shaking, shying away from being touched about the head, bucking, rearing or balking. This is where the lavender can be very beneficial.

Safety precautions: you want to make sure the Lavender you purchase is Lavandula angustifolia and not another species. You don't want to purchase lavandin because it is usually made with synthetics, but is sold as lavender oil.

Most essential oils found in the health food store are not guaranteed to be 100% pure oil. Always purchase your essential oil from a reputable supplier who guarantees and has performed the testing to be 100% pure.

Always seek the advice from a properly trained professional in the use and cautions of essential oils before using them as some oils can be toxic and cause adverse reactions. If your horse is pregnant there are some oils you do not want to use on them.

Lavender essential oil is very effective and gentle to use and can often bring relief when allopathic medicine holds no answer. It is not an alternative to proper veterinary care.