Hemp for Horses
How Does a Body Use Hemp?
Humans are mammals and so are many common domestic animals including cats, dogs, and horses. Generally speaking, a mammal is any warm-blooded animal with hair or fur and they normally give nourishment to their young through milk. All mammals have receptors throughout their body and these make use of organic material. A specific type of receptor is called a cannabinoid receptor. These are part of the endocannabinoid system which makes all mammals susceptible to some effect from the use of cannabis plants. Hemp is a part of the cannabis family of plants.
Use of Cannabis in Mammals
This doesn’t mean that we would use psychoactive cannabis on every mammal. The psychoactive part is what gives the feeling of a “high” and we think of it when we consider the use of marijuana or THC. There are other components in hemp plants that do not cause a psychoactive response but do help mammals with pain and stiffness and/or anxiety. Hemp and CDB from plants are in this category. These are not difficult to obtain in most regions and can be purchased locally or ordered online with no issues.
Effects of Hemp on Horses
The endocannabinoid system is a discovery that helps us understand how hemp and similar products can be of benefit to people, horses, and other mammals. Equines are especially prone to pain issues since they are high-performance animals and they live a long time compared to some domestic animals. The chemical present in hemp can help horses with anxiety, pain, and discomfort in the joints. It is a legal alternative to some of the heavy pain medications often used and since it does not cause disorientation it can be used while a horse is active if the horse is healthy enough.
Products for Horses
Horse experts are working toward the development of a variety of hemp products for horses. These include feeds that contain hemp, oils, and tinctures that can be used orally or topically and supplements that are similar to vitamins but contain hemp products. If you have a horse that experiences occasional or chronic pain, hemp may be a solution to consider!
For information on Hemp for Dogs read HERE.
