My most popular blog post by far is one I wrote comparing RC and RAVEN essential oil blends. Since people want to know the difference between them and how best to use each one, I figured many people may have the same questions about Peace & Calming and Stress Away essential oils blends.

Let’s start by reviewing the oils that make up each blend.

Peace & Calming essential oil blend comprises:

• Tangerine

• Orange

• Ylang Ylang

• Patchouli

• Blue Tansy

Stress Away essential oil blend comprises:

• Copaiba

• Lime

• Cedarwood

• Vanilla

• Ocotea

• Lavender

Both oil blends contain citrus oils which are great mood boosters. A Mie University study found that citrus fragrances boosted immunity, induced relaxation, and reduced depression (Komodo, et al., 1995).

Peace & Calming has multiple oils (Orange, Patchouli and Ylang Ylang) that have been shown to have analgesic, anti-depressant and sedative qualities.

Stress Away boasts two oils high in beta-caryophyllene (Copaiba and Octoea). This sesquiterpene is a great pain reliever. Cedarwood, another sesquiterpene, stimulates the pineal gland which releases melatonin. That’s one reason why I diffuse Cedarwood every night! And Lavender has been shown to increase beta waves in the brain, suggesting a heightened effect on relaxation.

Which of these blends will work best on you? Well, that depends on what your body needs. Unless you happen to know your body needs more beta-caryophyllene or d-limonene (wouldn’t that be cool if we could just “know” that?) than you’ll probably need to use some trial & error to see what works best for you.

One thing to ask yourself is which one you prefer? Personally, I prefer Stress Away. Not because it’s “better” than Peace & Calming, just because I prefer the scent over that of Peace & Calming. I know a lot of people prefer Peace & Calming over Stress Away.

Animals also have preferences, so put a few drops of one blend in your palms, rub them together, and offer your hands to your horse to smell. Notice your horse’s reaction. Does your horse turn his head away? Or does he try to get closer to get a better smell? Wait a few minutes and then do the same exercise with the other blend. Does your horse have a clear preference? Or does he like both? Perhaps he seems to dislike both? Everyone has opinions on the scents, even horses.

Whichever one your horse prefers, “reward” him with a whiff of it after a training session, put a few drops of it on a cotton pad and place it in the trailer when traveling with your horse, or wear it on a diffuser necklace. Your horse will thank you!

My horse Gracie is the very definition of an easy-keeper. She gains weight just looking at grass. She’s currently in a paddock with horses that are not easy-keepers. The owner of the barn called me the other day to suggest moving Gracie to another paddock with other easy-keepers. They would have less access to pasture (they are let out for a shorter time) and less hay. I was ecstatic to hear this! 

Gracie is very attached to her herdmates (which won’t surprise any horse people), so it will be stressful on all the horses. There are currently four horses in the herd. One is leaving as she is pregnant and is being sent to a place that specializes in care for expectant (horse) mothers. They are going to move Gracie at that time and bring another horse in her place. 

When something in the herd changes, it can be very stressful on the entire herd. One way I plan to support Gracie’s emotional well-being will be to wear a diffuser necklace with either Stress Away or Peace and Calming essential oil blends on it. I will also put a few drops in my hands and let Gracie inhale the scent from both nostrils. The good news is the rest of the herd will benefit as I walk around with one of those blends on my diffuser necklace!

How do we know that essential oils can support a horse’s emotional well-being? Because essential oils impact the amygdala, the emotional center of the brain and part of the limbic system which controls heart rate, respiration, hormones, etc. And if you’ve read my book you know that horses have the largest amygdala of any domesticated animal! You can now buy a copy of my book in my shop if you’re in the US or my eBook if you’re outside the US.

I’m so grateful for the emotional support I can provide my horses thanks to essential oils. Are you using essential oils with your horses yet? If not, what are you waiting for? 

Some horses have had an easy life since the day they were born. Others were not so lucky.

My horse Seven was one of the unlucky ones.

He had a piece of wood lodged near his stifle joint for over a year and a half before I got him. It took two surgeries to find the wood and take it out.⠀⠀

I am happy to report that he has recovered physically as well as emotionally.

Being injured for a long time is certainly very traumatic for a horse. I used a lot of essential oils, including Trauma Life, to help my horse heal emotionally.

Healing takes time. But now I’m proud to say Seven is a good citizen of the barn now.

Please note, when using Trauma Life around a horse, it’s important to stay with the horse for the first 30 minutes. If the horse’s trauma is related to abandonment, you don’t want to risk re-traumatizing your horse by walking away while he’s processing his emotions.

And yes, we know horses have emotions because of the existence and size of their amygdala, the emotional center of the brain!

This is the piece of wood that was found near Seven’s stifle joint during the second surgery on his leg.