Flower essences are a small one ounce bottle of liquid
with a dropper top. They are filled with water which has been energetically
imprinted with the properties of a particular flower by the sun.
Brandy is added as a
preservative. Flower essences are not contraindicated with any
other form of health care. They will not interfere with pharmaceuticals,
herbs or homeopathy. They are safe for elderly animals, newborns
and pregnant animals. You cannot overdose with flower essences. The
standard dosage is 4 drops in the mouth minimum 4 times per day. Flower
essences are available at health food stores and through many sites on
the internet. The recommended dose is 4 drops in the mouth or 1-2 droppersful
in trough. I give them a few drops directly into their mouths when possible.
It is not quite as effective to give it in their food or on treats, but
I do this when I have to. I often squirt remedies right onto grain.
I also like to put the essences on my fingers and rub the horse just above
the lip, on the gums or on the head between the eyes. You cannot overdose
on flower essences. They are most effective when given frequently-
4 times per day is ideal.
Trauma Remedy is the flower essence that I recommend
everyone should have on hand. I have bottles of Trauma Remedy all
over the house, barn and car. Trauma remedy, also sold as Rescue Remedy.
Five Flower Essence and Natures Rescue is for any kind of emergency,
trauma, accident, or stressor, large or
small. It is also the remedy I recommend when you don't have
"specific" essences on hand. Trauma remedy is immediately calming
to any animal or person. Several Years ago I heard what sounded like thunder
outside. I looked out the door and saw my neighbors baby Percheron,
Kansas, wildly running around our corral. His people were teaching
him to pull carriages. He was dressed in the full pulling regalia, yoke,
with chains coming off of it and tires attached at ground level for weight.
Something spooked him and he was off like a flash of lightening.
He was running around the corral , frothing. I could just see the
chains and tires entangling in the coral and pulling it down, killing or
injuring my horses. My daughter ran for a can of grain and
I squirted it with trauma remedy. My daughter shook the can of
grain, his ears perked up and he came to a screeching halt in front of
us. In seconds you could actually see a calm from the Trauma Remedy
wash over him. His people arrived, wild eyed and stunned that anything
could have settled him so quickly. I think the key is remembering
that you have the flower essence and remembering to use it.
Fear is one of my favorite flower essences because
it is so remarkable to witness its effectiveness. Animals and people
who react strongly to thunderstorms and firecrackers are helped dramatically
with this essence.
I have gotten the most heartwarming letter and emails from people who
tell me they "have a new animal" after the Fear essence. I've gotten
letters about dogs who would literally dig through a door to get inside
during a
thunderstorm when their people were away. I find that 2-3 doses
of the flower essence is remarkable in calming the animal's fears.
A friend's mare was about to foal and the 4th of
July was approaching. She was worried because there were some concerns
around the pregnancy and this mare had a history of great agitation with
thunder and firecrackers. Donna gave her horse 3 doses of Fear
essence during the day and planned to camp out with
her all night in hopes of keeping her calm. The horse was not oblivious
to the fireworks, but she remained calm amidst the noise and smell of sulpher
in the air.
I blended Fear and Trauma once to use on a formerly
abused stallion. My children told a stranger from the stock show
that he could keep this horse in our barn for the night before he hauled
it 5 hours to Grand Junction.
The next morning I watched this old cowboy lead the horse away 4 times.
Four times the horse returned to the barn minus his person. I had asked
if I could help by giving him some flower essences. The response
was a firm "No". I t was obvious he'd never heard of flower essences
. He toldme that the horse had been abused and that when he got within
15 feet of the trailer, he bolted. I ignored the very patient, but
frustrated man as I
squirted the blend of Trauma and Fear into some grain. I let
the horse eat a little and waited a couple of minutes. Then I very
slowly led him to the trailer and tied him in. The man was so amazed
that he quickly shut the trailer door and latched it, with me still inside!
I wiggled myself right out the window in record time and dropped the blend
into my own mouth all the way back down the driveway.
Holly Essence is specific for jealousy and Quaking
Grass is an essence that helps animals in accepting new members of the
household, litter or herd. I generally like to mix Holly and Quaking
Grass essences whenever there is a new addition to the home or barn. This
works well for permanent additions and for temporary conditions such as
pet sitting and visiting horses. Chamomile Flower essence is calming for
general nervous upset. Prickly Pear is a sweet essence for animals who
may suffer from loneliness when its
person(s) needs to be away for extended periods. Animals, like
us, have different levels of sensitivity. Some are lonely if we need
to leave them for the weekend while others may be lonely during the day
while we are at
work. Prickly Pear in the trough alleviates some of this
loneliness.
I sent my daughter to the fair with Chestnut Bud, Dill and Trauma essences. Chestnut Bud stimulates the animals emotional memory to help retain training and lessons, helping to not repeat the same mistakes over and over. Dill is helpful when animals are overwhelmed or confused especially during travel or change of normal routine. She came home 4 days later and all the essence bottles were empty. I asked her if she spilled them all. She said, "no, mom, everyone was using them".
Another favorite essence is Self Heal. This essence is used when the animal is sick or recovering. Self Heal brings out everything the horse has inside for recuperation and the will to live. We dropped some Self Heal essence around the beaks of some tiny turkeys that looked as if they had already gone. They are big, ugly, healthy and walking around today. I haven't had too many occasions to use Vine flower essence, but I was very grateful to have it when the need arose.
Vine is for very aggressive animals, those who tend to display "bully" behavior. Snapdragon essence is effective for horses who crib or bite and nip. These are just a few of the essences I use for horses. I have and use about 70 essences in total. I suggest some of the following books if you are interested in learning more about flower essences for horses. I'm always happy to answer questions via email or phone. I love how gentle and yet powerfully effective the essences work.
*My Very Favorite Book is The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care
CJ Puotinen
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves animals.
Flower Essence Repertory by Patricia Kaminsky and Richard Katz
The Healing Herbs of Edward Bach by Julian and Martine Barnard
Flower Essences and Vibrational Healing by Gurudas
Plant Spirit Medicine by Eliot Cowan
Flowers that Heal by Patricia Kaminsky
Vibrational Medicine by Richard Gerber MD
If you would like more information about flower essences or where to
find
them email blumesfarm@mindspring.com
or call Christina 303-646-6081
One of Christina's favorite courses is "All Natural Care for Our Four Legged Family Members" where she discusses the use of flower essences for behavioral/emotional traits in pets.