Best CBD Oil for Horses – Top 5 CBD Products in 2023
The CBD oil market has grown to a point where even pets — including horses — have their own dedicated formulations.
Some of these CBD oils are designed to help alleviate certain health conditions, while others serve general wellness support.
But why should you give CBD oil to a horse?
Because it has an endocannabinoid system (ECS) — just like you, me, several billion other mammals.
This system is responsible for maintaining our internal biological balance (homeostasis).
But how do you know what CBD oil is right for your horse?
Which products are safe and which should be avoided?
You’ll learn everything about the best CBD oil brands for your horse from today’s article.
Best CBD Oil for Horses: Top Brands for 2023
When it comes to choosing CBD oil for horses, proper research is essential if you don’t want to fall victim to scammers.
There are several features to look for when buying CBD oil online, but we’ll get to that later in the article.
Feeling in a rush?
Here’s an overview of the top CBD brands that make CBD oils for horses and other animals.
1. Royal CBD
| Pros | Cons |
|
|
Royal CBD makes exceptional-quality CBD oil for humans and is now using the same premium extracts to support the well-being of pets.
Offering between 250 mg and 500 mg of CBD per bottle, these oils are suitable for animals of different sizes, including horses.
Our recent review for Royal CBD states that Royal CBD uses organic, non-GMO hemp grown on American farms; these plants are extracted with supercritical CO2 and suspended in MCT oil for better absorption.
Since the product contains the full spectrum of cannabinoids and terpenes, it leverages the entourage effect, allowing the body to process it more efficiently.
If you don’t know how much CBD you should give your horse, the company has got you covered with clear dosage instructions, listing exactly how much CBD is in every milliliter.
2. Gold Bee
| Pros | Cons |
|
|
Similar to Royal CBD, the Gold Bee brand uses the same process to make CBD oil for pets as it does for its human products. The company uses high-terpene CBD strains from organic hemp to ensure the top quality of the sourcing material.
These are full-spectrum extracts, providing your horse with a whole range of components left in to help you get the most out of its supplementation. The oil doesn’t contain any additives, and the natural flavor goes just fine with horses.
3. CBDPure
| Pros | Cons |
|
|
If you have a smaller horse and the two above brands are too strong for their weight, CBDPure comes with a decent alternative.
This company is one of the pioneering brands on the market. Launched in 2016, it has quickly earned their reputation as a meticulous manufacturer that pays great attention to ingredients, hemp sourcing, and extraction methods.
The CBDPure oil for pets is available in only one strength, offering 100 mg of CBD per bottle. If this version has too little CBD for your horse’s needs, you may try one of the company’s human oils; they contain the same ingredients as the pet variant. The potencies between 300 mg and 600 mg should be a good match. You can read more about it in our CBDPure product review.
4. Honest Paws
| Pros | Cons |
|
|
If you’re searching for a reputable brand that makes some of the best CBD oils for horses, Honest Paws is a good place to stop by.
The company focuses on making CBD oils and treats for pets, offering three formulas targeted at different health needs: pain relief, mobility, and general wellness.
These variants also come in three strengths, making it easy for pet parents to find the right dosage.
The products are organic and contain the full-spectrum of cannabinoids and terpenes, allowing your horse to use the full potential of the entourage effect.
Unfortunately, Honest Paws doesn’t ship outside of the US, so if you live outside of the states, getting these products can be challenging.
5. Holistapet
| Pros | Cons |
|
|
Holistapet is another company catering specifically to dogs, cats, and other pets. Among its hemp-derived formulations, you can find high-quality full-spectrum CBD oil for your furry friends.
Holistapet has detailed dosage instructions listed on the bottle and on its website; you can use it as a good starting point and see how your horse reacts to different amounts suggested by the manufacturer.
The Holistapet CBD oil comes in three strengths: 150 mg, 300 mg, and 600 mg. If you own a horse, the 600 mg version should be the most cost-effective in the long run.
How We Selected the Best CBD Oils for Horses
As mentioned earlier in the article, CBD oils for horses vary in terms of the quality of ingredients, formulations, lab testing, and other important aspects.
The market is unregulated when it comes to purity and labeling standards, so the responsibility for finding a trustworthy supplier is on you.
Here I provide the list of the driving factors behind the quality of CBD pet oils.
Hemp Source
Hemp plants are dynamic bioaccumulators — meaning they can absorb everything from their environment. High-quality CBD oils for horses are made from organic hemp because such plants are grown in a clean soil and without pesticides, herbicides, or synthetic growth boosters. They yield high-CBD and terpene-rich flowers, which make for a decent sourcing material.
Beware of hemp imported from overseas. It might’ve been grown with the aforementioned chemicals and in contaminated soil. Products made from such hemp need to be refined to get rid of the toxins — losing potency and valuable compounds on the way.
Extraction Method
The best CBD oils for horses are made with CO2 extraction. This method doesn’t require aggressive solvents or additional heat to achieve potent products. The CO2 acts as a solvent in its supercritical state — it has the qualities of a gas and liquid at the same time, dissipating in the end and leaving a thick, concentrated extract.
Other acceptable methods — though not as efficient — include ethanol and olive oil extraction.
Avoid CBD oils for horses that have been extracted with hydrocarbon solvents. Although inexpensive, they’re difficult to purge and may leave a toxic residue at the bottom of the oil.
Lab Testing
Lab testing is paramount in the CBD space because it adds sufficient transparency to the brand’s image.
A laboratory analysis is performed to confirm the potency of the tested sample and its purity. This includes the results for pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, mycotoxins, solvents, and other impurities that could compromise the quality and safety of CBD oil.
After passing the screening, the product receives a Certificate of Analysis (CoA) providing the said results for inspection.
CoAs should be published on a company’s website or sent to customers on request via email. Some companies also attach lab reports to their products in the form of QR code.
Brands that avoid publishing lab reports may have something to hide about the quality of their products. Why would you trust someone with your money if they’re not being honest with you?
Potency
Horses are larger than dogs, so they require more CBD in their routine. When looking for potent CBD oil for your horse, opt for higher concentrations, such as 300 mg or 600 mg.
If the horse has a condition that involves higher daily doses of cannabidiol, you may even choose potencies like 1000 mg.
Lastly, remember to adjust the potency and dose of CBD to your horse’s weight.
Additional Ingredients
CBD oils for horses may come in various formulas, each being designed for different health needs.
For general supplementation, a simple CBD oil containing a hemp extract and MCT carrier oil should suffice.
However, some brands infuse their CBD pet products with additional ingredients that are supposed to enhance or complement the health benefits provided by cannabidiol.
Examples of such ingredients include turmeric, vitamin C, boswellia, 5-HTP, flaxseed, hemp seed oil, and berry fruits.
Always make sure that the CBD oil you’re buying is free from synthetic additives, such as preservatives, thickeners, and sweeteners.
Benefits of Giving CBD Oil to Horses
Since the legalization of hemp with the 2018 Farm Bill, scientists have been investing massive funds into the research on the potential benefits of CBD in medicine.
Of course, these studies have focused on both human and animal health. When it comes to horses, CBD has been found to alleviate chronic pain after surgery.
Although there aren’t many studies focusing on the effects of CBD in horses, all mammals have an endocannabinoid system (ECS) that regulates homeostasis between other systems and organs throughout the body.
The ECS has been proposed by neuroscientists and other researchers as the potential therapeutic target for chronic pain, anxiety, neurodegeneration, gastrointestinal disorders, inflammatory conditions, seizures, migraines, cancer, and other conditions where cannabinoid receptors are involved.
Whether your horse is suffering from physical discomfort, fears loud noises, or has issues with their nervous system, adding CBD oil to their daily routine only makes sense. That being said, you should always consult it with your veterinarian to obtain professional medical advice.
Is CBD Oil Safe for Horses?
Yes, CBD oil is generally safe and well-tolerated by animals and humans. Numerous health organizations, including the WHO, have admitted that CBD has a decent safety profile based on the existing scientific literature.
However, as with any substance, taking too much CBD oil can result in a few side effects. They’re rather mild and include:
- Dry mouth
- Dizziness
- Appetite fluctuation
- Sedation
- Diarrhea
Will My Horse Get High After Taking CBD Oil?
No, CBD oil won’t get your horse high because it contains only a trace amount of THC (0.3% or less). That isn’t enough to produce intoxicating effects, not to mention that CBD can counter the psychedelic potential of its cousin.
The only way your horse could get high off of full-spectrum CBD oil is if it contained more THC than the manufacturer claims. But then again, the THC content should be clearly stated by the lab report.
If the lab reports aren’t there, how can you know what’s inside the product?
How Can I Give CBD to Horses?
There are several ways to give CBD to horses; oil is just one of the many formats.
Here’s the list of CBD products you can try with your horse.
CBD Oil for Horses
Plain CBD oil is the best way to give CBD to your horse. You can do it directly through sublingual administration or mix it in with their food and water sources too.
CBD Treats for Horses
People have their own CBD gummies, so why not give a horse something to munch on either? There are many CBD chewables for horses; what’s great about these treats is that they’re usually flavored to match your horse’s taste so you don’t need to combine them with food.
CBD Massage Oil for Horses
Topical CBD administration is great for improving the skin and hair of your dog, but it can also ease localized problems, such as pain, redness, soreness, muscle tension. Some CBD oil can be used to massage your horse — giving them relaxation and relief from discomfort. It’s very similar to how CBD creams and balms work.
CBD Pellets for Horses
Looking for a quick way to give your horses CBD without putting a dropper directly in their mouth? Simply mix some CBD pellets with their food and they’ll eat everything.
CBD Dosage for Horses
There are no established dosage guidelines when it comes to giving CBD oil to horses. CBD is considered a novel drug or a health supplement, and as such, no official agency regulates its dosages for specific health conditions.
There are, however, reports from horse owners, as well as dosing instructions from manufacturers that you can use as a quick point of reference.
Most companies recommend starting out with 0.25 mg to 0.5 mg per every pound of the horse’s weight.
You can keep a journal of your dosages to track the effects and monitor your horse’s behavior. If no results are observed, you can up the dose and continue for another week — until you find the optimal amount of CBD oil.
Frequently Asked Questions About Horses & CBD Oil
How much CBD does a horse need?
As mentioned, there isn’t much research on this topic, so there are no standardized dosages for horses. It’s best to follow the recommended doses on the product label and ask a veterinarian for guidance.
Can you rub CBD oil on the horse’s gums?
Yes. Many people do this especially to soothe inflammation on their horse’s gums. Moreover, rubbing CBD on gums increases the surface area for the absorption of CBD oil — improving its bioavailability.
Can you put CBD oil directly on a wound?
Yes, you can. People have been doing this for years to deal with localized discomforts, such as inflammation, pain, swelling, or itching. However, make sure that you’re using a dedicated topical product, such as CBD cream, ointment, or balm. These products come with a rich fatty base, which improves the CBD’s absorption.
How does CBD work to improve animal health?
CBD is the modulator of the mammalian endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS consists of endocannabinoids (messengers), receptors (receivers), and enzymes that metabolize endocannabinoids once they’ve been used.
The role of the ECS is to maintain the internal balance between the activity of other systems and organs throughout the body.
It controls a wide range of essential functions, from memory to mood to pain perception, body temperature, immune response, neuroprotection, fertility, sleep cycles, and more.
Whenever this balance falls out of whack, the ECS starts to produce more endocannabinoids to bring it back.
However, since endocannabinoids are short-lived and produced ‘on demand,’ the ECS may need support from outside sources.
CBD interacts with the ECS, signaling it to produce even more endocannabinoids; at the same time, it’s the inhibitor of the FAAH enzyme that breaks these molecules down.
As a result, more cannabinoids are available for the body — allowing it to restore the said balance.
On top of that, CBD operates on 65 molecular targets, including receptor-based and receptor-independent routes.
Key Takeaways on the Best CBD Oils for Horses
Horses can benefit from taking CBD oils the same way humans reap them. After all, mammals share the endocannabinoid system that is responsible for keeping us in good shape — both physically and mentally.
Whether your horse suffers from chronic pain, has anxiety, or struggles with stiff and inflamed joints, you can help them by adding CBD oil to their routine.
However, not all CBD oils for horses are created equal. Thorough research is required if you want to make a well-informed decision and not fall victim to scammers.
You can use the tips from this guide along with my personal recommendations for the best CBD oils for horses if you’re in a rush.
Let me know in the comments which option you’ve chosen — and how your horse reacts to CBD oil.
Cheers!
Sources:
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (2018). The Farm Bill. USDA.gov. Available from: https://www.usda.gov/farmbill [1]
- Mackie K. (2006). Cannabinoid receptors as therapeutic targets. Annual review of pharmacology and toxicology, 46, 101–122. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.pharmtox.46.120604.141254 [2]
- Iffland, K., & Grotenhermen, F. (2017). An Update on Safety and Side Effects of Cannabidiol: A Review of Clinical Data and Relevant Animal Studies. Cannabis and cannabinoid research, 2(1), 139–154. https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2016.0034 [3]
- Hudson, R., Renard, J., Norris, C., Rushlow, W. J., & Laviolette, S. R. (2019). Cannabidiol Counteracts the Psychotropic Side-Effects of Δ-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol in the Ventral Hippocampus through Bidirectional Control of ERK1-2 Phosphorylation. The Journal of neuroscience: the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, 39(44), 8762–8777. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0708-19.2019 [4]
- Zou, S., & Kumar, U. (2018). Cannabinoid Receptors and the Endocannabinoid System: Signaling and Function in the Central Nervous System. International journal of molecular sciences, 19(3), 833.https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms19030833 [5]
