Herbs After Wildfire Evacuation Stress

Last week wildfires laid seige to over 6,000 acres northeast of Oklahoma City, including our area.  When the fires jumped a thoroughfare near us, we led our 5 horses away from the encroaching fires, through traffic and emergency vehicles.  Fortunately the fires missed us.
When we led the horses home and put them in the pasture, the whole herd trotted straight to the herb garden, which they had ignored for some time.  Four of them took generous bites of most of the herbs, but my weanling foal, Strider, ate most of the tarragon.  He has come back to it daily, until it is almost gone.  I'm sure the horses knew herbs are stress relievers.  When I get some time I plan to research this amazing phenomenon.

Mares Shop the Herb Garden

My horse herb garden is doing great; the herd's reactions are so interesting! My mares visit it together, like friends going shopping; they sniff here and there, taste a bit of this and that, all the while exchanging glances and thoughts.  Jenny, my small donkey, has chosen Lemon Balm as her favorite; she keeps the leaves nicely trimmed!
Usually my gelding Renn looks at them, sighs, and continues to graze the pasture. He's leaving the shopping to the girls!

Healing Herb and Flower Garden

3 Varieties of Thyme

According to Maya Cointreau, writing in Equine Wellness Magazine, thyme is a natural anodyne, or pain reliever.  She says that a little in a horse's feed goes a long way toward his general comfort. 

As I was planting my horses' garden, my Arabian mare came to investigate.  I had a peat pot of thyme in my hand; she sniffed it and took a big mouthful!  This was unusual for her, as she is hypersensitive to new smells.  This convinced me that I was on the right track with the garden:  Kira had an eye infection, and thyme is a natural pain reliever.  What amazing animals.

Lavender

Lemon Balm            

Roses

Basil

Violets

Dill

Texas Tarragon

Nasturtium