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Using Essential Oils for Horses: Beneficial Oils & Safety Guidelines

Horse professionals and owners can use essential oils for horses. Here are guidelines for safely getting started:

Do not use undiluted essential oils on a horse's skin.
Never force an essential oil on a horse showing signs of not wanting the oil.
Do not apply oils after bathing the horse while the animal is still wet.
Do not apply oils to the saddle area before riding.
Do not use oils on or near eyes, ear canal, nose, or genitals.
Use only the highest quality essential oils.
Never use essential oils for a medical condition or on a horse taking medication without first consulting your veterinarian.
Use caution around pregnant, nursing, young, or frail animals.
If the horse has a reaction to essential oils or gets some in an eye, don't use water to wash them off. Use a carrier oil or full-fat milk.

Best Essential Oils for Horses

Aromatherapist Catherine Bird, who specializes in aromatherapy for horses, lists these essential oils for basic use:

Basil: To help calm spasms.
Bergamot: To relieve skin irritations and ease anxiety.
Eucalyptus: To prevent illness, freshen the air in a stable, and relieve muscle soreness as part of a post-event muscle rub.
Frankincense: To use in a wash for wounds and in a chest rub for respiratory disorders.
Geranium: To help relieve spasms, provide a mild analgesic effect, and balance hormones and moods.
Lavender: To soothe heat and inflammation.
Lemongrass: To aid in the recovery of tendon problems and shin soreness.
Roman chamomile: To calm. It's also good for muscles.
Tea Tree: To use in a blend of essential oils for rain scald and ringworm and in a wash for wounds to prevent infection.

Bird believes a 3 percent dilution (9 drops essential oil in 1 tablespoon carrier oil) will create a response if you use the right oils for the situation.

Veterinarian Dr. Susan Albright suggests the following essential oils for pain relief:

Clove (Syzguim aromaticum)
Copaiba (Copaifera officinalis)
Helichrysum (Helichrysum italicum)
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
Peppermint (Mentha x piperita)
Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens)

Note: Stronger oils like clove and wintergreen may need to be diluted more that 3 percent.

Blends of Essential Oils for Horses

Moving a horse? The following two blends are for healthy adult horses.

Horse Box Spray

This spray can both reduce the stress of travel and help neutralize germs:

2 pints (4 cups) water
5 drops ravensara essential oil
5 drops geranium essential oil
5 drops bergamot essential oil
5 drops lavender essential oil
3 drops thyme essential oil

Mix ingredients in a clean mister bottle. Shake well. Spray the walls and floor of the horse box about 30 minutes before loading the horse

Calming Oil Brush for a Nervous Horse

10 drops juniper berry essential oil
10 drops roman chamomile essential oil
20 drops sweet orange essential oil
20 drops lavender essential oil
carrier oil

Blend the essential oils in a small dark bottle. Cap and shake gently.
To one pint (2 cups) carrier oil in a bowl, stir in 15 drops of the blend.
Dip a grooming brush in the blend. Using a small amount each time, brush over the horse's coat.

Note: The alternative for moving a foal or an older, frail horse is to spray lavender hydrosol into the trailer about 30 minutes before loading the horse.

Fly-Deterring Wash

5 drops vetiver essential oil
5 drops eucalyptus lemon essential oil
5 drops patchouli essential oil
15 drops peppermint essential oil

Blend the oils.
Add blend to 4 pints (1 quart) water and stir well.
Oils and water will separate, so stir repeatedly as you dip a cloth into the water. Wring out the cloth and then rub it gently over the horse.

Note: Adding a few drops of solubilizer can help keep the essential oils and water mixed.

Massage Oil for Nervous or Stressed Horses

You can use one or more of the following essential oils to make a massage oil. Blend no more than 10 drops of essential oil in 5 ounces carrier oil (about 10 tablespoons or 2/3 cup).