FlowerEssencesVictoriaFergusonDiplomaHerbalMedicine

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Healing Horses Naturally Since 1997

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FLOWERESSENCESThehistoryoffloweressencetherapydatesbacktothe16thcenturyandspans many cultures. It started with the great healer and mysticParacelsus who collected the dew from flowers to treat his patients’emotional imbalances. The culture was also known to the Australianaborigines,theEgyptians,MalaysandAfricansandwasprobablyusedbyotherancientcivilisations.Itwasvirtuallylostuntilthegreatrevisionandexpansion led by Dr Edward Bach in the 1903’s. More recently Sydneynaturopath IanWhitehas followed inhis footsteps,applyingtheageoldmethodtothefloweringplantsoftheAustralianbush.TheBachandAustralianBushFloweressencesareanessentialpartoftoday’sholisticapproachtohealing.Theyhavebeenfoundtobeextremelyeffectiveforhorsesandotheranimalswhooftenreactmorequicklytothemthanhumansdo.Therecanbenoplaceboeffectwithanimals.“Floweressencesarenothomeopathic,herbaloraromaticintheirpreparation.Theyaresimilartohomeopathicsinthattheyarevibrationalinnatureandphysicallydilute..”(4)“Themodeofactionofthefloweressencesdoesnotusepharmacologicmeansbutinfluencesthepatientbymanipulating“energy”,affectingthemental,emotionalandphysicalbalanceoftheindividual.”(4)“Whenananimalisill,achangeinbehaviourmayaccompanychangesinphysicalfunction.Thepsycho-emotionalstateoftheanimalmayinfluencetheimmuneandendocrinesystemsbyalteringvariousneurotransmitters...Useoftheessencesbalancesthepsycho-emotionalstate,therebyhelpingtheanimalreachhomeostasis.”(4)TheBachFlowerEssencesDevelopedbythehighlysuccessfulbacteriologistandhomeopathicphysicianDrEdwardBachintheUKinthe1930’s,theBachfloweressencesarenowuniversallypopular.Attheageof43BachgaveuphislucrativeHarleyStreetpracticetospendthelast6yearsofhislifedevelopingtheseuniqueremedies.TodaytheBachFlowerremediesarestillpreparedfromwildflowers,usingthesame

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locationsandtheoriginalmethodsofDrEdwardBach,bytheBachCentreinOxfordshire.Hedevelopedamethodofharvestinghisselectedflowers,allofwhicharenontoxicintheirnaturalstates,attheheightoftheirenergeticpower,whentheflowerswerefreshestandthedewstillpresent,theirpropertiesbeingextractedbydecoctioninspringwaterinfullsun,thenfilteredandmixedwithgrapealcoholsolutionforstability.Floweressencesareperfectlysafetouse–iftheremedyisnotappropriate,itwilldonothing.Theappropriateremediesmaygiveextremelyrapidresultsormaytakeupto3monthstowork.Itisagentleprocess,asteadydevelopmentofthepositivesideofthebeing.Therecanbenooverdosage,nosideeffectsandnoincompatibilitywithothermethodsoftreatment.Thedosagerateforahorseisthesameasforahuman,akittenoranelephant,becausethedoseisnotaphysicalone.Bachflowersworkespeciallywellwhenusedonbothsidesofapartnership–forexamplehorseandrider.Thereare38Bachfloweressences,37beingflowersofwildplants,bushesandtreesBachselectedfromspecieswhicharenon-toxicintheirnaturalstates.Watercomingoutthroughrock–Rockwater–isthelast.RescueRemedyThemostfamousoftheBachflowerremediesisRescueRemedy.Itisacombinationoffiveoftheessences–CherryPlum,Clematis,Impatiens,RockRoseandStarofBethlehem,workingtogetherasone.RescueRemedyisapplicabletoanysituationwhereshock,panic,traumaandorstressofanykindisinvolved.Thefasteritisgiventhebetter.“RescueRemedyhassavedthelivesofmanyanimalsinacuteconditions”(12)Howevercombinationsoftheindividualfloweressencescanbeusedyearslatertomitigatetheaftereffectsofshock,panicandstress.Theessencesareideallygivenasafewdropsinwaterandsyringeddirectlyintothemouthortheycanberubbedintoapulsestraightandcanalsobeaddedtocompresses,washesfortopicaluseoraddedtoherbalextractsfororaluse.

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ItisagoodideatohaveseveraldosagebottlesofRescueRemedyonhandsothattheycanbeeasilyandquicklyaccessedifneeded–forhorses,otheranimalsandpeople.Keeponeinthetackroom,oneinthefirstaidkit,oneinthehouseandoneinyourhandbag,buttheymustbekeptoutofsunlightandcool,ortheywilllosetheirpotency.Tomakeupdosagebottlespurchasea20mlstockbottleofRescueRemedy,three100mlbrownorblueglassmedicinebottleswithdroppertops,onebottleofstillspringwaterandasmallbottleofbrandyororganicapplecidervinegar.Fillthebottlesseven-eighthswiththespringwater,one-eighthswithbrandy(ororganicapplecidervinegar)andadd10dropsoftheRescueRemedy.Thisisthedosagebottle.Todosesqueezeadropperfullintoacleanplasticmedicinecup,eggcuporsimilar,pickitupina5mlsyringeandusethattodosethehorse.Keepthedropperandcontentsofthebottleclean.Storebottlesinacoolplaceoutofsunlight.Thedroppercontainsabout2mlwhichisplentyforonedosage.Doseahorseforstress,shock,traumaorpanicasquicklyaspossible,givetheseconddose15minuteslaterandthethirddose30minuteslater.Maintaintreatmentuptofivetimesdailyfor24hoursorforlongerperiodsat2to3timesdaily.RescueRemedyisalsoidealforpreventinganyorallofthese–forexamplebeforetravelling,onarrivalatashoworanythingwhichislikelytoproducestress,trauma,panicorshock,includingsurgery.Ifitisnecessaryforahorsetoreceiveaninjection,alwaysgiveRescueRemedyimmediatelybeforehandandagain15minuteslater.Injectionsproducemetabolicshockandroutinelygivenweakentheimmunesystem.SpecialmixturesofBachfloweressencesforeachindividualhorsecanbemadeupinthesamewayasforRescueRemedyusingthemostappropriateselectionfromthe38BachFloweressences.Trytolimitthenumberofessencesinamixturetofive.WhenincludingRescueRemedyinamixturecountitasoneessence.Theauthor’sNervousNeddiesandNelliesMixisapopularremedyforbothhorseandriderandcontainsRescueRemedy,plusLarch,Aspen,Mimulus,WalnutandWaterViolet.Therearedifferentinterpretationsastotheselectionofthemostsuitableessencesandnoharmcanbecausedbyexperimenting.Holistic

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veterinariansusetheBachfloweressencesasanintegralpartoftheirpractices.ThefollowingisaguidetohelphorseownersmakeanappropriateselectionofBachfloweressencestoobtainanduse.Thisguidehasbeendevelopedfromtheauthor’sconsiderableexperienceinpracticeandwithherownhorses.Otherselectionsmaybejustaseffectiveforcertainindividualhorses.Thisguidedividestheremediesintofourgroups–FEAR,LOWENERGY,HORSESBEHAVINGBADLYandEXCESSENERGY.FearAgrimony,Aspen,Cerato,CherryPlum,Elm,Heather,Larch,Mimulus,Mustard,RedChestnut,RockRose,Scleranthus&WaterViolet.Agrimonyishelpfulfordetoxification.Aspenismostapplicabletohorsesasitisforfearoftheunknownorapprehension.Usefulaspartofamixturefornervoushorsesandforcompetitiondays.Goodforhorsesthathabituallyshy.Ceratoiseffectiveforhorsesthatareeasilydistracted,eitherduringtrainingoratacompetition,alsoforshyingandgenerallackofconcentration.CherryPlumisexcellentforhorsesthatpanicand/ortendtolosecontrolinastressfulsituationorasituationtheyregardasbeingstressful.Forexampleracehorseswhoplayupgoingintothebarriers,horseswhoarepoortravellers,horseswhosebehaviourchangesassoonastheygettoacompetition.OftenusedtogetherwithRockRose.Elmisforfearofresponsibilitysohelpsinrecoveryfrominjuryorillness,maidenmareswhoarenotcopingwell,andsimilarsituations.Heatherisforfearofbeingaloneandshowsupasexcessivewhinnyinginthosehorsesthataredependentonotherhorsesorcertainhorsesinparticular.Needstobegivencontinuouslyfor3months,usuallywithothersfordependence,forexampleCentaury.Larchisforlackofconfidence,forhorsesthathavebeenabusedinthepast,forhorseswhoneedtobebolderandaspartofaninjuryrehabilitationmix.

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Mimulusisforknownfears.OftenusedwithAspen.OneofthebestandmostwidelyusedBachsforhorsesforobviousreasons.Mustardismainlyusefulforhormonebalancinginmarestogetherwithherbs.RedChestnutisforoverconcernforthewelfareofothers,formaresoverlyanxiousabouttheirfoals,andotherhorseswhoarethesameabouttheirownersorotherherdmembersandasaresultarealwaysanxiousaboutanychangestoroutine.RockRoseisforextremefear,terrorandpanic.Indicatedforhorsesthatsweatwhentheypanicandwhohaveahighlydevelopedflightresponse.OftenusedwithCherryPlum.Scleranthusisforlossofbalanceandlackofco-ordinationsoisespeciallyindicatedintreatmentofphysicalillnessandinjury.WaterVioletisforfearofdamagefromothers.Thisisexcellentwhenhorseshavebeeninjuredphysicallybyotherhorsesorphysicallyoremotionallybypeople.Alsoforhorsesthatare“fieldshy”andcan’ttoleratehorsescomingtowardsthemorupbehindthemwhenundersaddle.Alsoforhorsesthatareparticularlyalooffromhorsesorpeople.HorsesthatneedtreatmentwithBachflowersforfearofdifferentkindsareallexperiencingdepletionofadrenalenergytosomeextentandRosehipsandotherherbsarealsoneeded.LowEnergyCentaury,ChestnutBud,Clematis,CrabApple,Gorse,Honeysuckle,Hornbeam,Oak,Olive,SweetChestnut,WalnutandWildRoseCentauryisforthesubmissivehorsethatisatthebottomofthepeckingorderandneedstolearntodefenditselfbetter.Forexampleayounghorsethatisstillmakingfoalfaceslongafteritshouldhavestopped!Alsoforextremedependence.CentauryistheoppositeofVine.ChestnutBudisfortheslowlearnersoisusefulintrainingandimprovingunacceptablebehaviour.TohelpbreakbadhabitsusewithStarofBethlehem,HoneysuckleandRockwaterforthreemonthscontinuously.ClematisisoneoftheflowersinRescueRemedyforpossiblelossofconsciousness.Onitsownitisforlackofenergyinthepresentsoisusefultoaidtraumarecovery,forexamplefromcolicorlongtermdrugusage.

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CrabAppleisacleansingflowerwhichisexcellentaspartofacleaningandhealingwashforexternaluseonwoundsandskininfections.Alsousedinternallyaspartofdetoxificationtreatment.Gorseisforverygreathopelessness.Highlyindicatedifahorseisdepressedandnotrecoveringwellfromillnessorinjury.Honeysuckleisessentialforhorsesthathavehadbadexperiencesinthepastsoisunfortunatelyapplicabletoalotofcasestohelptheminreformingnervoushabits.Hornbeamiswonderfulforhorseswhoaretiredanddisinterestedtoliftenergyquickly.Thereisnoneedtocontinueusageafterthedesiredeffectshavebeenachieved,asitwillbecomeveryobvious!Oakisforvalianthorsesthatkeepongoingphysicallyeveniftheyaredespondent.Rebuildsphysicalstrengthsoisgoodforhorsesthatrequirestaminasuchasracehorses,eventersandendurancehorses.Oliveisformentalandphysicalexhaustionusuallycausedfromchronicillnessorinjury.SweetChestnutappliestotheemotionalstateofextremedespairanddesolationhavingreachedthelimitofendurance.Verygoodforahorsesavedfromconditionsofabuseorisextremelydepressedduetophysicalfactors.Walnutisapowerfulprotectiveremedyandlinkbreaker.Soitisindicatedforsensitivehorsesthatareinfluencedeasilybycircumstances.Verygoodaspartofamixturefortravel,competition,surgery,goingtoanewowneroranychangeincircumstances.WildRoseisforverylowenergy,disinterestinlifegenerallyaswellaspassivedisobedience.Canbeveryusefulforthelazy,apatheticorstubbornhorsethatisdifficulttomotivate.Onceenergylevelshavereturned,thereisnoneedtocontinuegivingtheBachfloweressencesforthispurpose.

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HorsesBehavingBadlyChicory,Gentian,Holly,Pine,WillowHorsesdonotbehavebadlywithoutreason,butitmaybedifficulttofathomwhatthereasonsare,sotheuseoftheseflowersmayhelptounravelthesebehaviours.Thebehaviourofhorsesinneedofanyoftheseessences,hasbeencreatedbycrueltreatment,chronicillnessorinjury,poorconditions,badtraining,starvation,stressandtrauma.Thereisalwaysareasonwhyhorsesexhibitangryoraggressivebehaviour.Veryrarelyisahorsenaturallybad.Chicoryisforextremepossessiveness.Agoodexampleisformareswhowantothermares’foalsandmaycausedamagetryingtotakethemover.Butitcanapplytopossessivenessofhumanstoo.Gentianisfornastiness.Thehorseusesthedefenceofkicking,bitingorstrikingtokeeppeopleandhorsesawayfromthem,becausetheyhavebeendamagedinthepastandthisistheirwayoftryingtoprotectthemselves.Hollyisforaggressiveness,angerandhatred.Thismayshowupasselfdamageaswellasviolencetopeople,horsesorotheranimals.GivewithRescueRemedytomitigatetheeffectsofangerbeingreleased.Pineisforhorseswhoacceptorhaveacceptedbadtreatmentfromhumanssoisusefulinrehabilitationmixtures.Willowisforresentmentinanyform.Theattitudeislikelytobebitterandcanberevengefulaswell.Forexamplelayingearsback,tryingtokickandbite,generalwarningtostayaway.ExcessEnergyBeech,Impatiens,Rockwater,Vervain,Vine,WhiteChestnutandWildOatBeechisforintolerance–ofpeople,animals,theenvironmentandcircumstances.Usefulforhorseswhodon’tlikeanybodyexcepttheirmasterandinthetreatmentofallergies.

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Impatiensasthenameimpliesisforimpatienceaswellasirritabilityandnervousness.Widelyusedforhorseswhowanttorusheverything–forexamplepawing,diggingholes.Itoftenextendstotheintestinesaswellshowingupasloosemanureorevenscours.Rockwaterisforextremeenergyofthewillandinflexibility.Asthenameimpliesitisnotmadefromaplantbutfromwaterwhichcanwearawaythehardestrock.UsewithStarofBethelehem,HoneysuckleandChestnutBudtohelpbreakoldhabits.Vervainisforoverconscientiousnessandexcessivenervousenergy.Veryusefulformanyhorseswhoarehighlystrunganduseuptheirexcessenergyinfencewalkingforexample.Alsoforthosebigheartedhorseswhoarepronetooverdoingthingsandstrainingthemselvesphysically.Vineisforhorseswhoareextremelydominantandcanthereforebedifficulttotrain.Oncetheylearntoworkwithyoutheyareoftenamongstthebesthorsesbecauseoftheirtoughness.TheoppositeofCentaury.WhiteChestnutisusefulforhorsesthatisalwaysworryingfornoapparentreason,andhavedifficultyinrelaxing.WildOatisforhorseswhoareunfulfilled,forexampletheretireewhoisboredandobviouslydoesnotappreciatethesecircumstances.Hasbeenusedforlowlibidoinstallions.ItwasDrEdwardBach’swishthathisremedieswouldbeuniversallyaccessible,forpeopletouseinhealingandself-healing.“TousetheBachremediessuccessfullycallsfornotraininginmedicineorpsychology,butforperceptiveness,theabilitytothink&appreciate,andaboveallanaturalsensitivityandfeelingfortheotherbeing.”(12)THEAUSTRALIANBUSHFLOWERESSENCESIanWhitehasproducedover80floweressencestappingintotheenergyandpowerinthisancientland,whichmanifestsinthehealingpropertiesofitsplants.Ittakesalongtimetobecomefamiliarwithsomanyessences,sothefollowingisaselectionwhichhasworkedwellinhorsesintheauthor’spractice.

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SunshineWattleisabsolutelywonderfulforliftingthespiritsofhorseswhoseenergyisverylowduetoillness,especiallychronicorterminalillness.Thenameandappearanceoftheflowersaloneisenoughtoliftthehumanspiritwithitsjoyful,yellowflowers!WildPotatoBushisessentialforhelpinghorsescopebetterwithsicknessorinjuryasitisaremedyforanybodyfeelingburdenedorfrustratedbyphysicalrestrictionorlimitationwiththeirbody.AttheoppositeendofthespectrumBlackEyedSusanworkswellonhorseswhoneedtheirenergylevelsreduced.Forexamplewhentheyneedtobeconfinedduetoinjuryandarenotsettlingandwanttobephysicallyoveractive.Itisalsousefultohelpbalanceoveradrenalisedbehaviour.GreySpiderFlowerhasgivenexceptionalresultsonseveralhorseswhowereterrifiedbycertainexperiences.Itcansometimesbequitedifficulttoascertainwhetherfeargetstothepointofactualterror,andinthesecases,itwas,butitmaybemoreappropriatetochooseoneofthefearremedies.ThisflowerisagoodillustrationoftheDoctrineofSignatures.Thisdoctrineexplainshowcertainhealingqualitiesofplantsareillustratedbysomeelementoftheplantitself,suchasitsshape,colour,scentortaste.Thisflowerresemblesterrifyingspidersinanuncannyfashion!Peach-floweredTea-treeishelpfultobalanceoutquirkymoodswings,especiallyasatrainingaidforsensitivehorses.RedSuvaFrangipaniisaremedyforrelationshipdifficulties,sothereforewillworkmuchbetterifbothsidesofthepartnershiptakeitatthesametime.Recommendedforbothhorseandriderwhoarehavingtrainingorrelationshipdifficulties.Therearethreeflowerswhichworknicelytogethertoprotecthorsesinchanginglifesituationsorwhohavesufferedabuseinthepastandaregoingthroughaperiodofrehabilitation.TheseareBushIris,FringedVioletandAngelSwordwhichshouldbeusedwithRescueRemedy.MongaWaratahisafavouritefordependenthorses,eitheronaparticularhorseorhorsesingeneral,itwon’tchangethemcompletelybutitwillhelptomakethemalotmoreacceptingofmatescomingandgoing.

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PawPawisspecificforhelpingtohealalldigestiveproblemsandCroweaisexcellentforhelpingtorelaxorrepairmuscles.HorseswhoareneedinghelpwithendurancetogetthroughillnessorinjurywillfindMacrocarpaaboost.ForoldageOldManBanksiahelpswithenergylevelsandevenimprovesmobility.MullaMullahsbeensuccessfulinhelpinghorsesdealwithexcessivelyhotweatherconditions,includingonewhowassufferingtraumafrombeingburntinbushfire.Thefloweressencescansafelybeusedbyanyonewhowouldliketoworkouttheirowncombinations.AustralianbushfloweressencesandBachfloweressencescanbemixedtogether.Trynottoexceedfiveremediespermixtureanddon’texpectinstantresults,theyshouldbegivennightandmorningforaminimumperiodofamonthinitiallybeforeanyrealassessmentcanbemade.Resultsaresometimesseenwithinafewdayswhileothersneedtobegivenforseveralmonthstobeeffective.Manypeopleprefertouseapractitionertomakeupfloweressencemixesforthemselvesandortheirhorses,especiallyiftheyarenotfamiliarwiththeessences.