Orange is the new White!
More and more studies are proving that the golden spice turmeric can effectively be used to replace or reduce the standard dose of hard drugs like non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS) and cortisones. If you’re not paying attention to this news, both your horse and your pocketbook could be paying the price!
Turmeric root and powder on white background
Turmeric has proven beneficial (in humans, horses and other animals) for treating the following conditions:
- Skin Problems: promotes and speeds up wound healing; effectively treats many inflammatory skin conditions.
- Arthritis: alleviates pain and lessens constriction of movement.
- Immunity: builds resistance to infection, shortens virus activity and enhances the curative effects of some medicines.
- Cancer: proven to have positive effects on various types of cancer cells.
- Dementia: improves the activity level and socialization of dogs.
- Liver Detoxification: increases levels of glutathione in the liver, thus enhancing detoxification and elimination of harmful compounds.
Additionally, Turmeric is showing promise as an effective treatment for both founder and uveitis – two of the most common ailments in horses.
different types of turmeric barks
The most important things to know when considering a turmeric product to feed your horses (or dogs or cats!) are:
- not all curcumin (the healing ingredient in turmeric) is created equal, and
- turmeric must be fed in combination with 2 other vital ingredients in order for its powerful healing potential to be unlocked by the body. These two vital ingredients are a healthy oil and black peppercorn.
Equitec’s Turmericle Powder (sold through Stance Equine USA) is specially formulated using high quality curcumin, Power Stance (powdered coconut oil) and ground black pepper.
Most horse owners prefer to feed natural supplements over pharmaceutical medications whenever possible, but many worry that the cost of products like Turmericle are too high and/or that there may be hidden side effects. The good news is that a wide variety of studies have now been completed proving the safety of turmeric supplementation for most horses. And, as you can see from the comparison below, not only are there far fewer potential side effects but the cost of supplementing with Turmericle Powder vs. Phenylbutazone is also less!
If you’re interested in reading a wide variety of first-hand testimonials about the powerful healing properties of turmeric for animals and humans, join the Turmeric Users Group on Facebook.