How to use Aromatherapy with Horses
Assess the reaction to each oil before each application!
Dilute each essential oil you have chosen individually by adding 2-3 drops to 5 mls of base oil. Do not offer more than five oils at any one time to a horse
Choose a quiet time when you and your horse can concentrate on the oils (not before being fed or directly after feeding) Hold the open bottle firmly in your hand about eight inches away from your horse's nostrils, giving him space to come towards the oil if he chooses. Then patiently observe the reaction and act accordingly. It is best to have your horse loose in its stable if possible so it is free to come closer to or move away from the oils and take your horse's personality into account when judging its reaction. Horses will want the oils for an average of 5 days (but it could be anywhere from 1 to 14 days). Once they go off the oils the treatment is finished and you should see a significant change.
Signs of a keen interest: smelling oils intently for a long time, the lip curls (flehmen) , follows the aroma around, tries to nibble the bottle. Offer oils twice a day.
Signs of a moderate interest: A few sniffs, looks away then returns to the bottle, ears forward, slightly flared nostrils, easily distracted. Offer oils once a day.
No interest: Turns away from the aroma, ears back, walks away. do not apply oils
Applications:
Essential oils start to evaporate as soon as the bottle is opened, their molecules streaming up into your animal's olfactory system and into its brain and blood stream, therefore topical application is rarely necessary. (See Òtopical applicationÓ).
Your horse might just smell the oils, possibly going into a trance-like state. In this case just hold the bottle there until your horse moves away from the bottle. If you are unsure if the horse is still smelling it move the bottle from side to side to see if there is a reaction.
If the horse wants to lick the bottle or behaves very orally, dab a small amount of oil on your hand and allow him to lick it off. Repeat this two or three times.
Your horse may indicate that it wants the oil dabbed onto a particular spot by pointing with its head, stamping a foot, moving into you with its body. In this case just rub a little oil into the appropriate area.
Offer all of the oils for three days even if there is no reaction to one of them. If there is no reaction to an oil after three days you can stop offering that one.
Your horse's reaction to each oil will change from time to time or over a period of days, this is normal. You should expect a keen reaction to at least one of the oils at first. This reaction will diminish day by day until there is no further interest.
Once the horse has shown no interest in an oil for three days do not offer it for two days and then try again. If there is still no interest do not offer again as there is no longer a need for this oil.
If your horse shows no interest at all to the oils when you first offer them change the order in which you are offering them.
Observe their nostrils carefully as they may be taking in small amounts at a time that you haven't noticed. The oils are highly volatile and just being near the open bottle molecules of oil are entering their blood stream.