Essential Oils Impact on the Human Brain

Have you ever smelled a scent that reminded you of another time?

·        Does pipe smoke remind you of a grandparent?

·        Does the smell of a campfire bring you back to cozy cabin getaway?

·        If I tell you to think of the smell of crayons, can you remember that waxy smell immediately?

Two smells that most people don’t like that I do are skunk and horse manure. They both remind me of a wonderful summer camp I went to with (of course) horses.  If I smell Lysol, I immediately think of a childhood friend’s house. Start paying attention to how smells trigger specific memories for you.

Here’s how it works. When you inhale a scent, the molecules of the scent travel up your nostrils to the nasal cavity. In your nasal cavity there are receptor cells that transmit signals (I imagine a telegraph signal) to your olfactory bulb, which sends impulses to other parts of the brain like the amygdala, where emotional memories are stored. The sense of smell is the only one of the five senses that directly impacts the limbic system, which regulates emotion, behavior, motivation and long-term memory. Essential oils not only smell good, they can have a profound physiological and psychological impact.

Essential Oils Impact on the Horse Brain

In addition to the olfactory organs that humans and horses share, horses (and most other animals with the exception of humans, whales and dolphins) actually have a second pair of olfactory organs underneath the horse’s nasal cavity. These vomeronasal organs (VNOs) have their own pathways to the brain. They allow horses to detect pheromones in other horses and even in humans (they literally can smell your fear). Have you ever laughed when your horse lifted his lip as if he were smiling?  This is actually an indication that his VNOs are stimulated.

Do Horses Have Emotions?

Ask any horse owner if horses experience emotions and they will tell you “Absolutely!” This isn’t anthropomorphism, it’s a fact. The amygdala is an area of the brain found in all complex vertebrates (which includes humans and other mammals). It performs a primary role in the process of memory, decision making, and emotional reactions. Horses not only have an amygdala – they have the largest amygdala of any domesticated animal.

The limbic system, which includes the amygdala, is the part of the brain that controls blood pressure, heart rate, respiration, memory and hormone balance. It regulates bonding between parent and child – a key to survival for both humans and horses. The limbic system is remarkably similar in humans and other mammals, enabling pair bonding, parenting behaviors, imprinting and enculturation of young, and everyday social community bonds. Horses keenly sense limbic activity, which may be why we humans feel such a strong bond with them.

Because of the way the sense of smell impacts the horse’s brain, essential oils are like a key that unlocks the door to your horse’s emotions.

April was a really busy month for me. I was in charge of a charity event for 300 people, and I was launching my book on horses and essential oils, in addition to working a full-time job. The result was that I hadn’t spent as much time at the barn as I would have liked.

The day after the charity event, I headed out to the barn and I was going to ride my horse! I definitely had an agenda. What helped me get through the month of April was a lot of checklists, and that day at the barn was no different. My checklist was:
-Get Gracie from the pasture
-Groom Gracie
-Saddle Gracie
-Ride Gracie

You know who wasn’t interested in my checklist? Gracie.

Horses are herd animals and bond very closely with their pasture mates. After a long absence of the human, horses can be reluctant to leave their pals in the pasture. This is known as being herd sour or buddy sour. While saddling up Gracie, two of her pasture mates had also been brought in to the barn to be groomed and saddled. I led Gracie in to the arena, where I checked the fit of her saddle before mounting her. She kept looking towards the grooming area where her friends were. The signs were all there that she was more focused on where her friends were than with what I was doing. But I had an agenda! And no time to waste!

I spent about 30 seconds in the saddle before I abruptly dismounted. This may sound obvious but let me state it clearly: never mount a horse that isn’t paying attention to you on the ground. While my dogged persistence in getting things done helped me at work and in my personal life, it had no business at the barn.

The next few visits to the barn involved doing things on Gracie’s time, and without an agenda. The beauty of horses is that they are amazing mirrors to us. When my mind is elsewhere, so is Gracie’s. But when I am present, so is Gracie. And when I make our time together about her, she makes it about us.

It reminds me of that old Buddhist saying:

If you have time to mediate, meditate for fifteen minutes.
If you don’t have time to meditate, meditate for one hour.

The more I’m in a hurry at the barn and have an agenda, the more I need to give up my agenda and be on Gracie’s time. After all, “getting away from it all” is the reason I have horses in my life. Thank you, Gracie, for reminding me what’s really important.