Essential Oils have been used for thousands of years as traditional remedies to enhance health and wellbeing. Essential oils have stood the test of time and the practice of aromatherapy is well established in the lexicon of natural healing.
A single essential oil contains, as many as 100 chemical components which work together to give the oil it’s unique properties and aroma. Each component plays a role, however some are more dominant and determine how an oil will act on the the horses body and mind. The chemistry of oils are made up of major, minor and trace components, the all work together to optimise the oils aroma and therapeutic value. Which is why it is paramount to choose the correct combination of oils so they holistically work together to heal Mind, Body and Soul.
The Horse’s skin is a very complex organism. It is the horse’s largest organ, ranging from 12-24% of his weight, dependant on age. There are three main layers that make up your horse’s skin. These various cellular and tissue components consist of the epidermis, dermis and subcutis. This intricate composition of cells, tissues, chemicals, nerves and energy is simply called skin. Yet it does the one of the most important jobs on the horse’s body, it acts as the horse’s protector. The horse’s hair provides a mechanical protection and acts as a filtering system and insulator. The superficial layer of the epidermis with its highly developed, tough, durable and flexible membrane acts as a chemical and waterproofing structure. The skin provides protection from the sun’s rays and it regulates your horse’s temperature through its sweating mechanism.
Ultimately, the skin communicates the well-being of your horse’s health. It is a vital, sensory organ that provides information about the condition and well-being of our horse.
So how do Essential Oils play such a vital role in the healing and therapeutic process???
The molecular structure of Essential Oils are small and simple; making it easy for them to pass through the skin. Essential oils enter the body through the body through the skin via the ducts of the sweat glands and hair follicles. The skin produces its own sebum and the essential oils absorb readily into this fatty layer. Once they have passed through this layer the enter the blood stream and pass through the rest of the body. Thus the healing process begins.