Re: Arthritis & cider vinegar

["Annette Gordon" <agordon@worldofwonder.net>]

Hi Brenda

The woman who owns and runs Hilton's Herbs, Hilary Self has written a book
about herbs and their uses etc. In it she cites that Cider Vinegar has many
good minerals and vitamins and is a good preventative for Azoturia (tying
up). There is a section where she generally discusses which herbs etc. to
use in general to get the most minerals and vitamins. She says (and I
paraphrase because I don't have the book in front of me but have had reason
to read this section many times over!) "if you feed seaweed and cider
vinegar you can't go far wrong since both these substances contain all the
minerals and vitamins your horse will need". 

And before I get jumped on in true Ridecamp fashion! yes I know that seaweed
has more minerals etc. than cider vinegar but Hilary Self indicates that
cider vinegar has a fair few as well. Sorry I don't have the book here so I
can't list the exact ones, maybe tomorrow if I remember to bring the book
into work. 

Also here in the UK cider vinegar is commonly accepted to be very good for
arthritis and as a preventative against tying up. Of course you couldn't get
a vet to swear to that but then most of the vets I know are very suspicous
about herbs, homeopathy in any case. A debate which I suspect rages equally
fiercely on both sides of the Atlantic. 

I've been feeding Spot (he tied up twice badly this year and last) cider
vinegar now for about 8 months. I feed it for the two reasons stated:
arthritis and Azoturia (tying up) also for minerals etc. He gets seaweed,
kelp and rosehip supplement as well. When he originally tied up I think he
was very run down and just before it happened he was not his usual perky
self. Since there was no other reason for the tying up to happen (wasn't
that fit, has never been fed cereal in the 3 years I've had him, wasn't
being excersised hard without warm up etc. etc.) I have always been
convinced that the whole thing happened due to a weakening of his immune
system, a chemical imbalance and an inability to process his toxic waste
effectively - something like that. 

I'm not a vet nor very scientific as you can see, but none of the vets that
treated him could come up with any answers either so this is what I feel in
my gut rather than based on any scientific fact. I feel I have to watch out
for him in terms of minerals and vitamins which is why he gets the seaweed
and cider vinegar. 

So far he is healthy and happy and once we are past March 1999 I will be
able to relax a little because it will have been a whole year since the last
attack and summer will be round the corner. I certainly be able to insure
him against tying up again. 

Maybe the apples grown in the UK have a higher mineral content or
something??? Anyway I'm sure you can get a hold of Hilary Self's book via
Chamisa Ridge who sell and distribute Hilton Herbs products in the U.S. One
thing I know she prides herself on and that is the quality of the herbs etc.
used in the products she sells. 

A lot of people feed cider vinegar in the UK for the above reasons. 

Hope this helps 

Annette 

An apple a day keeps the doctor away! 



----------
>From: "B. Miskimmin/J. Curtis" <limnos@bctel.ca>
>To: agordon@worldofwonder.net
>Subject: Arthritis
>Date: Tue, Dec 1, 1998, 6:27 pm
>

>>>Cider vinegar has loads of minerals and vitamins and is supposed to be a
>good
>preventative against tying up (Azoturia). >>
>
>I'm curious as to where you heard that. I'm the one that sent out all the
>articles I found on tying up and never saw a mention of it. I have very
>good reasons for needing to find out as much as possible about preventing
>cramping.
>Do tell!!
>thanks
>Brenda
>
>
>