The ONE Must Have Essential Oil at the Barn

If you keep only one essential oil at the barn, let it be Lavender.

A study has shown that Lavender improves recovery time in acute-stressed horses.

Need a calm horse for a vet appointment? Rub 1-2 drops of Lavender in your palms and invite your horse to smell your hands. Watch for signs of release from your horse, like licking and chewing. It’s a sign that it’s working!

Wear a few drops on a diffuser necklace when you’re at the barn so your horse comes to associate feelings of relaxation with you. This is great to do for new-to-you horses and rescued horses.

Flies HATE Lavender. One day, I forgot fly spray so in a pinch I rubbed Lavender down my horse’s legs. Not only did the flies leave him alone, but he was the most relaxed he’d ever been!

Lavender is great to use in DIY mane & tail detangler. I have a recipe in my book, and the detangler is not just for horses - you can use it, too!

Lavender is not just for horses. I once packed a kit of essential oils to keep at the barn. That same day I got rope burn from doing groundwork with an exuberant horse. I put a few drops of Lavender on my palm and it felt better in no time!

A word of caution regarding Lavender. More Lavender is sold every year than is actually grown. Some companies put synthetic ingredients in their Lavender oil which can be dangerous to use topically on you or your horse. This is why I only use Lavender essential oil from Young Living.

Every Wednesday I’ll be sharing tips on using essential oils with your horses. Connect with me on social media and let me know what you think! I’m on Facebook and Instagram.