When We De-Stress, Our Horses and Dogs Can Heal
We live in a very trying time with stress coming at us from all angles. Add a sick beloved horse or dog into the mix, and it is stress overload.
I did a consult recently with an owner who described the multiple issues her horse was dealing with in great detail: gastric ulcers, occasional fecal water syndrome, arthritic hocks, and allergies. In turn, the horse had become grumpy and fearful. She told me how worried she was about him, as well as her concern that he might also have hindgut ulcers and/or a metabolic disease.
As humans who love our animals, it’s easy for us to get stressed over a horse or dog who has health challenges. The irony is, the more stressed we become, the more stressed our animal becomes.
The human stress factor: acute conditions
When an animal is suddenly injured, colics, or becomes ill, we generally respond in one of two ways: we either jump into action, or we are paralyzed with fear. I have always admired those whose brains function highly in an acute emergency. Mine tends to react, then freeze. Once the vet has arrived at the barn, or the dog is at the vet clinic, my brain starts to process again
In these acute situations, worry takes over, which can then turn into anxiety, panic, or further drama.
The human stress factor: ongoing conditions
Caring for a horse or dog dealing with long-term issues like arthritis, immune challenges, metabolic imbalances, and allergies can often cause consistent worry in the human, which can become chronic stress.
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Chronic stress in humans can cause a continuous overproduction of cortisol. This excess in cortisol levels often leads to persistent anxiety, fear, tension, and other discomforts.
Endlessly stressing about our animals can result in fretting over every little detail relating to our horse’s or dog’s long-term conditions. We create new fears about the animal’s health or future; we agonize over what to feed, how to feed, and what supplements to use; we race down rabbit holes looking for answers… All of which seldom settle our anxiety and fear.
The hamster wheel
When I get stuck in chronic stress mode, I feel like a hamster on a wheel. My worry becomes anxiety, and then my anxiety becomes fear. I watch my horse or dog like a hawk, looking for any sign of improvement, change, or deterioration. And in the back of my mind the nagging question remains: are things going to get worse?
The animals know
Our horses and dogs operate on a highly developed level of intuition and awareness. Their amazing sensitivity to humans, other animals, and their environment provide them with a continuous flow of information.
When we are stressed around our horses and dogs, they are quick to pick up on it. Some can shrug off the human stress or even seek to comfort the human. Others are influenced by the negative effect of human stress, which disrupts their bodies’ abilities to heal and repair.
Neutrality is the place of calm
Animals, like humans, can self-heal. This does not mean the animal goes without medications, therapies, or treatments; self-healing is a process that requires time and space. The consideration of space means providing an environment of trust and allowing for and believing in healing.
My stress level affects my animals, and they have shown me that maintaining neutrality provides the space they need for healing.
We love our animals so much that we want to do everything for their wellbeing. Yet, our stress can become a kind of care-taking fanaticism. That energy is not productive to creating the space that animals require for healing.
Being neutral allows our animals to heal without limits, pressures, or expectations.
When my dog or horse is ill, I will often look them in the eye and say “I know you can do this,” then I become neutral and give them the space to let them do what they need to do.
On the other hand, when we say to our horse or dog, “Oh my God, you poor thing. I am so worried about you,” the animal hears our uneasiness, and then they begin to worry right along with you.
Remaining neutral does not mean we don’t care. In fact, being in a neutral place allows for more objective observation, including noticing the little things that happen during the healing and recovery process. We are able to see small changes and details that we can often miss when we are vulnerable to the effects of stress.
Sometimes humans put limits on healing, wellness, and possibilities, because we tend to think linearly when in stress mode. If we establish ourselves in a neutral mindset, healing and recovery can happen beyond our wildest imagination.
Finding neutrality
The moment I realize I am on the hamster wheel is when I take steps to regain my own internal neutral zone.
For me, finding neutrality means taking a walk, sitting under a tree, or becoming an observer again; I focus on little things, like tree bark, leaves, blades of grass, bird sounds, and insects. I watch the clouds, empty my mind into the air, and breathe.
Sometimes I will meditate, listen to music/chants that relax me, light sage, and allow the hamster wheel thoughts to be carried away with the smoke.
Finding what works best for you is key to regaining a neutral state of mind.
Resources for finding neutrality in the body
My go-to is tulsi tea with ginger and turmeric (preferably from Organic India). Tulsi is an Ayurvedic adaptogenic plant; it’s capable of balancing the endocrine, glandular, and circulatory systems. For me, it takes the “sky is falling” mentality away and helps me achieve neutrality.
Green tea is one of the best types of teas for calming and reducing anxiety due to its high Theanine1 content.
Another wonderful, stress relieving, adaptogenic plant from Ayurvedic medicine is ashwagandha. You can take it as a tea or in a concentrated form. If you take ashwagandha as a supplement, look for the KSM-66 extract, as it is the most potent form on the market.
Chamomile is one of the most widely used plants for anxiety and stress. German chamomile is more potent than Roman chamomile. If you want to double-down, try Tea Forte’s Chamomile Citron Tea – in addition to chamomile, it contains verbena, which supports relaxation.
Lemon balm has soothing and relaxing qualities and helps to alleviate feelings of anxiety. I personally grow it in my garden. You can chew on it or add some sprigs to a cup of green tea.
Chocolate: a personal daily choice of mine. There is research showing dark chocolate can reduce the stress hormone cortisol2. Furthermore, eating any kind of chocolate can release the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is commonly known as the “feel-good neurotransmitter.”
Medicinal mushrooms such as lion’s mane and reishi can be beneficial in combating stress. Both are considered tonics in traditional Chinese medicine and can help rebalance Qi (“Chi”). Lion’s mane also modulates neurotransmitters, which is helpful when dealing with anxiety.
Happy is part of healing
Find something that makes your horse or dog happy while they recover. It can be treats, hand grazing, a gentle massage, or a sniff-walk. If your animal likes to be groomed, do a tender brushing.
Don’t focus on the health issue during the happy time. Doing something that makes your horse or dog happy will make you happy, too.
Our animals need us
Our animals need us to be present, but not manic. Our animals need us to give them space, trust, and encouragement in their healing process.
We live in challenging times, and stress abounds from all directions. When our animals are sick on top of our daily human stress, it can become an overload, which feeds on itself.
Remember to take time for yourself. Take time to turn off the noise, the drama, and the angst. Regain your peaceful neutral balance, your calm, and your joy.
When we give space for our animals to heal, we also heal ourselves.
References
1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theanine
2 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6616509/
Header photo: Team BioStar rider Abigail McArdle enjoying the sun with her Corgi, Pepe, and horse, Indigo. Photo courtesy of Hannah C. Kinlaw for Phelps Media Group
About the Author: With over 30 years experience in the equine and human supplement industry, Tigger Montague knows nutrition from the synthetic side as well as the whole food side. She started BioStar US in 2006 with formulas she created in her kitchen. Before she started the company, she was an avid rider and competitor with eventing and show jumping, until she got hooked on dressage in the late 1980’s. She has competed on horses she’s owned and trained all the way from training level to Grand Prix.
