Hemp for Horses: Safety and Uses
- Posted by Clair Thunes, PhD
Hemp oil, hemp meal, CBD, and THC all come from similar—and sometimes the same—plants and are becoming more popular as cannabis and industrial hemp regulations loosen. Learn how nutritionally rich hemp might help your horse.
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Hemp seeds are a source of good-quality protein that rival the soybean’s amino acid profile and omega-3 fatty acid content. Hemp for horses comes in two forms: oil and meal. | Photo: iStock
Q.Recently, on social media, I’ve seen advertising for hemp-based equine products—mainly weight-gain, muscle-development-type supplements. Is hemp safe to feed horses? If so, when might a horse benefit from it?
—Via e-mail
A.This is a great question and a hot topic right now. Here’s a look at what we know
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Written by:
Clair Thunes, PhD
Clair Thunes, PhD, is an equine nutritionist who owns Clarity Equine Nutrition, based in Gilbert, Arizona. She works as a consultant with owners/trainers and veterinarians across the United States and globally to take the guesswork out of feeding horses and provides services to select companies. As a nutritionist she works with all equids, from WEG competitors to Miniature donkeys and everything in between. Born in England, she earned her undergraduate degree at Edinburgh University, in Scotland, and her master’s and doctorate in nutrition at the University of California, Davis. Growing up, she competed in a wide array of disciplines and was an active member of the U.K. Pony Club. Today, she serves as the district commissioner for the Salt River Pony Club.
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3 Responses
Hi Janet,
I’m on a hemp + hobby farm in SW Colorado and we give our aging horses and goats CBD in horse treats. Google Heritage River Hemp Horse Wellness Treats for more information! Let me know if you have any questions!
Where can we get it in Arizona? I have a mare that has lost weight and is on NSAIDs and I’m sure it would really help her.
Thank you for addressing this topic. We are a Industrial Hemp farmer in Yadkinville, NC. The type of hemp we are growing is for the flower, typically used for making CBD, full spectrum CBD oil and smokable flower.
I started using our CBD Isolate in MCT oil on my 17 yr old TWH that has stifle issues. He was subscribed bute for the pain. I was uncomfortable using it too much due to the long term effects.
I started using the infused CBD isolate, giving him 10 mg 1 x per day. The results were that he went from walking everywhere to being able to run with the heard. Even the farrier noticed he was able to pick up his back legs without it catching.
I am very pleased withe the results for him and myself using it.
Your article is addressing more the hemp for fiber/seeds. I hope that more schools will do more resurch on this wonderful plant that has so many benefits for horses, dogs, cats, and humans.
Thank you for making people more aware of the Cannabis Sativa L plant.