Horse isolates itself: stress at the cellular level? The advice and information platform for all horse and dog enthusiasts.

The balance in the body can be disrupted by factors such as nutrition, contaminants, or molds, but also by danger, improper training, or stable management that does not suit a horse's nature. The cells of a horse respond to such disruptions, often with a general response that is the same for any type of disturbance, and also a specific response to each type of disruption. This 'cellular stress' is a universal defense mechanism that is very important for the psychological and physical health of any animal.

Stress can be useful

Stress itself is not a disease, but a state of readiness. The body is then ready to address or avoid threats. Stress can have positive and negative effects. It can even help a horse deal with short-term exciting situations and lead to better performance in the competition ring, for example. However, long-term or chronic stress has negative consequences. Chronic stress can occur if an animal is unable to meet its needs for a prolonged period or is in pain. Chronic stress disrupts the hormone balance and leads to changes in the brain. It depletes the body, reduces self-healing ability, allergies can arise, and blood sugar levels can become unbalanced. As a result, a horse can become increasingly anxious and withdrawn. The balance is lost.

Withdrawn horse

A horse can become completely withdrawn. People often see a 'bombproof' horse that is very calm. But in reality, such a horse isolates itself as much as possible from the outside world. The cause of this may be chronic stress or stress at the cellular level. If the horse's nutrition and management are in order, it is not in pain, is in a suitable herd, and receives the correct training, then the disruption may be at the cellular level. Some horses have conditions that make it more difficult to maintain homeostasis (balance). Think, for example, of PPID (Cushing's disease), insulin resistance, and PSSM.

Recognizing cellular stress

Cellular stress can arise, for example, from acid buildup in the body, contaminated drinking water, or a deficiency in vitamins and minerals. Nutrition plays an important role in all these cases. High-quality, long-stemmed, and dry hay forms the basis for a healthy horse. Supplement this with easily absorbable vitamins and minerals from a balancer and possibly a muesli with as few grains as possible and with a low sugar content. Always add EPA and DHA (easily absorbable forms of omega-3) to this. Feeding your horse this way naturally prevents acidification in the intestines. To help your horse restore its natural balance and get it out of a withdrawn state, plant-based cannabinoids can help.

Cannabinoids restore balance

Cannabinoids are signaling molecules necessary for communication between a network of receptors throughout the body. They regulate balance in the body and ensure optimal functioning of the immune system. It has recently been discovered that endocannabinoids play a very important role in the feeling of 'flow' and feeling good after exercising. Previously, it was believed that this was caused by endorphins, a type of hormone. It turns out that this is not the case, as the relatively recently discovered cannabinoids are responsible for this. Normally, the body produces enough cannabinoids on its own. However, in cases of stress at the cellular level, it does not. To help your horse feel good again and restore balance, you can give cannabinoids from plants. The clove plant provides powerful phyto-cannabinoids that can help your horse come out of its shell and regain balance. These substances also boost the immune system and have anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties.