The benefits of feeding your horse Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)
Have you discovered just some of the many benefits of feeding Apple Cider Vinegar? It really is one of the wonder products available to horse owners! It is very reasonably priced and is the answer to many common ailments our horses or ponies can suffer from. In addition, it is safe, easy to feed and a fool-proof way of keeping your horse in optimum health.
So why should you use Apple Cider Vinegar? Here at Greg Grant Saddlery, we’ve compiled a list of the Top Ten Uses for Apple Cider Vinegar for horses:
1. Improve digestion and balance PH levels in your horse
Apple Cider Vinegar works to acidify the horse’s stomach for better digestion, cleansing the digestic tract. It can also aid in the absorption of minerals and helps balance the acid/alkaline ratio which is essential for good health. ACV can work as a natural anti-biotic, and can discourage parasites and water-borne diseases. Apple Cider Vinegar also contains anti-oxidants, which are vital to protect the horse’s body from free radicals which can cause a lot of damage.
2. Ease Arthritis symptoms & help with joint movement and muscle function
Both horses and humans have benefited from ACV to help control the pain and stiffness associated with arthritis. It can help break down acid crystals, which can build up in joints and cause your horse tissue stiffness and soreness.
3. Natural Insect Control
By feeding your horse or pony ACV daily in their feed, it causes higher levels of thiamine (vitamin B) to be excreted through their skin, which discourages biting insects such as flies and mosquitos.
You can also make your own fly repellant by mixing together 2 cups ACV, 1 cup water, 1 cup bath oil and 2 teaspoons of citronella. Simply mix well and spray over the horse’s coat for a natural fly repellent!
4. Mane and Tail Conditioner
Condition your horse’s mane and tail naturally by adding 1 cup of ACV to a bucket of water for the final rinse after washing your horse’s tail. Use a spray bottle for the mane with the same quantities of water and ACV. This will leave your horse’s mane and tail incredibly soft and smooth and will remove any soap residue.
5. Treat Hoof Problems
ACV is very effective at treating minor ailments in horse’s hooves such as seedy toe (white line disease), abscesses and thrush. Mix ¼ a cup of ACV in a bucket of water (approx. 3 litres) and if your horse is patient enough have him stand with his hoof in the bucket. If your horse doesn’t have the patience to stand still, add undiluted ACV to a spray bottle and spray the underneath of the hoof.
6. Disguise the taste of water when travelling away from home with your horse
Many horses are fussy about their water and don’t like to drink when away from home if the water tastes different to their usual supply. This is particularly the case if you have tank, dam or bore water at home and you only have access to town (mains) water when travelling. Adding some ACV to the water will disguise the taste and your horse will be more likely to drink it.
7. Weed Killer
If you have weeds in your horse’s paddock and are reluctant to spray them with a pesticide, ACV is a very useful weed killer. For best results, spray weeds in early spring or whenever the growing season starts in your area.
8. Use as a Cleaning Agent for Stable Products
ACV is excellent as a cleaning agent for Stable Products such as Saddle Pads or Saddle Blankets, Bandages, Horse Boots, Rugs etc. Adding some ACV to the rinse water will help remove soap residue and make Saddle Pads more comfortable against your horse’s skin.
9. Treating Minor Ailments
Using ACV on minor ailments such as skin infections, fungus, rain scald etc can reduce healing time by helping to keep bacteria and insects away. Make sure the ACV is diluted so as not to sting your horse or aggravate the ailment. As always, any injuries or ailments that don’t respond to treatment should be treated by a qualified veterinarian.
10. Help Prevent Intestinal Stones (enteroliths)
Intestinal Stones (enteroliths) can be very serious in horse’s resulting in colic which can lead to death. An alkaline environment in your horse’s digestive tract can cause to intestinal stones. The high levels of acidity in ACV can help to prevent Intestinal Stones, and can even help to dissolve them.
At Greg Grant Saddlery, many of our Team Members have discovered the benefits of ACV on with own horse’s. We use and recommend which is made locally in Australia by The NRG Team. Apart from our Top Ten List of Uses for ACV, it can be mixed in to your horse’s feed, or added to their drinking water. Daily dosages are 50ml per day for Adult Horses, or 100ml for Adult Horses in heavy work making it an economical supplement with many benefits.
Not all Apple Cider Vinegar products are the same! NRG Apple Cider Vinegar is Unpasteurised, Unfiltered and Naturally fermented from apples – ensuring your horse receives maximum benefit. Discover the benefits of ACV for yourself today!