1. Homeopathic is not the same thing as natural.
Homeopathy is the branch of medicine (some controversy could be raised
over the use of this word, but I'm going to use it anyway) which takes a
substance which would normally cause a pathology in a healthy person and
dilutes it down until there is virtually nothing left of it. (This is a
broad and brief description and there are many details and all kinds of
theories about why this works which I will not go into.)
Therefore, arnica is NOT homeopathic. It is an analgesic (pain killer
to you and me) not all together unlike benzocaine, novocaine....cocaine
(which, incidentally, is also a naturally produced topical anesthetic).
Just because something is natural, it doesn't mean that it isn't a drug.
Clear examples include cocaine (as mentioned above), heroin, marijuana,
digitalis, and nicotine. All of these natural substances have VERY
strong pharmacological effects even in fairly small doses, and I don't
know anybody (there may be some) who would put any of them on the
supplement side of the drug/supplement line.
I am not saying that ginseng (a Chinese herbal extract) is the same
thing as heroin (a Chinese herbal extract), but I am saying that
'natural' substances should be approached with the same caution as their
'chemically' produced relations. After all, belladonna and oleander are
dangerous to the point of being deadly. The use of herbs (and other
naturally occurring substances) in the art of healing is how the modern
study of pharmacology got started.
I am not saying don't use natural substances; just be careful.
2. Just because it is safe for horses doesn't mean it is safe for
people.
Guilty as charged. I am, after all, the first person who mentioned that
I use Mineral Ice on myself. I do not fool myself, though, into
thinking that I am doing anything other than drugging myself (the AERC
doesn't have a no drug policy for riders) by using it. And I am
probably doing some long term damage to myself (and my knees) by using
it for pain relief from the effects of arthritis. I enjoy endurance
riding, and am willing to take that risk for the chance to enjoy my
hobby.
Using drugs/supplements (whatever you want to call them) that are
designed for horses on people is turning yourself into a human guinea
pig (or call it a clinical trial if you want to use the medical research
world's word for it). This is risky, and nobody really knows how risky.
If you recognize this and are willing to take the risk for the possible
benefits, then fine. Just be sure to understand that what you are doing
is experimenting on yourself.
My horse eats poison oak. I asked my vet if I need to be concerned
about it, and he told me that he had never heard of any horse having a
problem with it (and UC Davis does not include it on the list of
poisonous grazing plants indigenous to California). Considering the
effects of poison oak on me topically, and the effects on the people who
were hospitalized for inhaling a small quantity of smoke from burning
the plant, I would never dream of eating it and suspect that it could
have some really unpleasant side effects in humans.
It also goes the other way. There are plenty of substances that are of
benefit to people which could very well be deadly to horses (some rather
innocuous foods come to mind). There is a reason that over the counter
drugs include the words "Use only as recommended" on the label. The
manufacturers of these products will not guarantee the effects when
their product is used for something other than what is recommended.
Many of the products I buy in the feed store include the words "for use
in horses only." This is not a joke, and ought to carefully considered.
I am not saying don't use horse products on people; just be careful.
3. Just because it doesn't show up in a drug test, doesn't mean it
isn't a drug.
Drug tests, generally, are designed to look for specific drugs. So if
the cops stop you for DUI (DWI to some of you) they will test for the
drugs that people usually use to become intoxicated, not every drug
under the sun (e.g. they don't test for the use of steroids, while the
International Olympic Committee does).
Drug tests on horses are designed to find the drugs that are used on
horses. In drug testing (as with poisoning) you have to know what you
are looking for before you can find it. Additionally, for some drugs,
as yet, there is no test developed which will find them in blood or
urine samples. This doesn't mean that the substance isn't there in the
sample, just that the tests they currently use won't find it.
Do not assume that just because your horse will test clean that you
haven't drugged your horse. (It may mean, however, that you won't get
caught...if that is your only concern.)
4. Some substances interract.
If you are going to take it upon yourself to design your own
supplement/drug program contrary to the recommendations of the
manufactures of the product, be aware that there may be something in
this product that interracts negatively with something else you are
using on you or your horse.
Additionally, when you trot off to your local health food store and buy
whatever supplements (which may be supplements in name only) you do,
mixing them may have some unpredictable consequences, since rarely ever
are tests for this done by the manufacturers of these products, and even
if they were, they are not allowed to put that kind of information on
the label. In order to sell the substance as a supplement they are not
allowed to make any claims about its pharmacological effects on the
label. The manufacturers and/or sellers of this product may be aware of
any pharmacology/side effects of the product, but they aren't ALLOWED to
tell you.
As a summation:
Be aware that you are experimenting, and be careful; you may be
experimenting with some very powerful drugs. Many people on this list
have done alot of experimenting themselves and are willing to share the
outcome of their experiments. This information is valuable as long as it
is recognized for what it is...outcome of experiments which may or may not
be very well controlled.
For those of us who are sharing the outcome of our experiments, it would
probably be worthwhile to also share the environment and situation under
which these experiments have been conducted.
kat
Orange County, Calif.