# Quick acting NATURAL pain relief



## eventing2012 (20 August 2010)

Anyone got any recomendations of good natural pain relief supplements that will act within 4 days? I am Eventing next Wednesday and my horse has bashed its hock in the lorry today and is now very slighly lame/ stiff on it so I need quick pain relief. I can't use Bute due to BE regulations. Many Thanks.


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## TarrSteps (20 August 2010)

I'm sure you'll get good suggestions to try but just bear in mind anything PROVEN to work won't be allowed - the principle is you can't show a horse on anything it would be lame without.  It's also quite possible, if it's minor, four days will sort it out anyway.

That said, I presume you're doing the standard icing/cold hosing routine?  I find myself that works as well as anything - for horses and people!


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## eventing2012 (20 August 2010)

Hi, Yes I completely understand that it would be unethical to compete a horse on anything that effectively 'hides' the issue. I was only going to use it so I could give the horse some relief on it and that I could hack out on it. She's not even lame just stiff. As you say I am sure she will be fine to go to Intermediate on Wednesday and I have iced it etc today.


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## schneeko (20 August 2010)

Bit weird but if you have a willow tree they can eat that and it works like a pain killer, not sure it works in the short term though but it's good for them in the long term


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## TarrSteps (21 August 2010)

That would test, though, as willow is the original source of salicin, which is a well known effective NSAID.  It is supposed to be less hard on the stomach but it basically does a similar job to bute.

My point wasn't ethical - you've made it clear you just want to keep the horse comfortable for a few days now - more that anything PROVEN to work, natural or not, will test because it will work by a known mechanism.  There MIGHT be other things that work to some extent but don't test, but don't assume, just because it's a herb or other "natural" substance - or even because it's available over the counter - that it's okay.  Also, not every discipline uses FEI rules like eventing and dressage due, so a substance might be listed as "competition legal" but still banned/controlled for eventing.  As above, there are "natural" painkillers that have willow bark in them but they WILL test positive for NSAIDs.

You could try any of the "no bute" pain relief herbal products, just check the label.


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## Maesfen (21 August 2010)

Perhaps just do what you're already doing but leave her out 24/7 so that she can keep walking it off rather than stiffen up in the box.


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## dreamcometrue (22 August 2010)

The bark of willow trees contains an anti-inflamatory and pain relief compound which is the original sourse of aspirin!  (Salicylic acid).


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## paulineh (22 August 2010)

"No Bute" or such are not band under FEI.

I have recently had random blood testing at competition (Endurance) the horse had some "No Bute" about an hour before hand and when the results came through the vet said that "No Bute " was fine.


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## bahumbug (22 August 2010)

If your horse is lame/stiff surely in fairness to the horse you should be reviewing your competition plans?


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## the watcher (22 August 2010)

Maybe paying for a couple of sessions with massage (equissage or similar) might be the way forward to loosen the horse up rather than masking stiffness


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## Ted's mum (22 August 2010)

I use global herbs bute-ex..find it very good and all natural...


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