Animals all over the world are starting to experience the benefit of CBD hemp oil; you may have noticed people use it for their dogs or cats. However, did you know all mammals have an endocannabinoid system like us? This means that all mammals have the potential to benefit from medical cannabis, including horses. However, if you want to give your horse relief through cannabinoids, you will not be able to participate in events held by the U.S. Equestrian Federation.
On September 1st, 2019, the U.S. Equestrian Federation (USEF) will prohibit the use of all cannabinoids in horses participating in events, including the cannabinoid CBD. Any horse that tests positive for cannabinoids or synthetic cannabinoids will violate their new rule.
Why Can’t Horses Compete With CBD?
Considering that CBD has become well known for not having any intoxicating effects, what is it about CBD that has made it banned at USEF events? It turns out that it isn’t that this is altering the horses by making them high that is the problem; it is the possible increase in the horse’s performance. Many are curious as to how they will know that the horses have taken CBD, considering that THC is commonly the only cannabinoid that is tested for. But the USEF says that they are creating analytical methods to detect all cannabinoids.
How Does CBD Oil Effect Horses?
Horses, by nature, are big bundles of anxiety. They had to be on the top of their flight-or-flight game to survive in the wild being a prey species. One reason horse owners are giving their horses CBD hemp oil supplements is that CBD oil has shown to reduce anxiety by elevating chemicals that already exist in the brain. Being able to help with anxiety in horses can help with the following issues:
- Separation Anxiety
- Generalized Anxiety
- Trailering Problems
Anxiety isn’t the only thing that horses deal with, arthritis and other causes of pain can also cause your horse to have a less fulfilling life. CBD oil has shown in studies to reduce inflammation as well as reduce the brain’s sensitivity to pain signals without having some of the same side-effects that common painkillers have. CBD oil may be able to help horses with the following:
- Equine Arthritis
- Chronic Laminitis
- Muscle Soreness
- Appetite
- Nausea
- Seizures
If you have a horse that participates in USEF events, you, unfortunately, have to say good-bye to cannabinoids that may be helping your horse. Luckily, they are still allowing the human athletes to utilize the benefits of CBD hemp oil; however, they will continue to have a ban on THC.
