Editor’s Note: These two cases of beginning students were shared by Christine Lees, the retiring director of Homeopathy at Wellie Level (HAWL) HAWL teaches homeopathy for use on the farm. The cases show how a very basic understanding of using homoeopathy can be very effective in helping animals on the farm.
Case 1. A Frightened Calf
Last week I had a weaned calf who presented as frightened, shaking, heart pounding, drenched in sweat (really cold day and could see steam). When I went out after the HAWL course at 3pm, I couldn’t get near her at the time and after a while she calmed right back down so I left her quiet.
At bedtime I was throwing up the silage for them and I heard a calf coughing and funnily enough it was her…. so with a little bribery with cake she (and all her mates) put her head in the yokes and I got a sneaky quick spray of Aconite on her nose (these Ainsworth sprays are so handy). I repeated 6 hours later when I got up. Never heard her cough since and no issues.
I was a little puzzled as to why she had ended up in the original state Monday afternoon and it wasn’t until Friday that I heard she had had her head stuck in between the yokes and they ended up using a grinder to free her. As I was busy attending the course I wasn’t there to see and give her a remedy at the time.
Anyway, we have had a sit down with all team members since then about the importance of information sharing for such things… with the result from the meeting that they will put a photo of animal and message on our farm whatsap group so I get the info and record it.
Case 2. Inflamed gums on an 18-year-old Mare
Almost 2 years ago, I purchased an 18-year-old mare 3.2 hands. That was large enough for me as I’m tired of falling long distances. This was my next riding horse after losing my beloved Quarter Horse to colic. When I went to see this mare (Willow), I was basing it on pictures of a nice, round, fit pony.
What I found was an emaciated, broken down mare (yes her ribs were showing) and I absolutely knew she was coming home with me, even though she might not ever be rideable. Her halter had been on her face so long that it had indented and grown into her face and we had to cut it off.
She had an odd bump protruding bone structure as a result on her left side at the upper-molar/jaw level. She was able to gingerly eat some hay but preferred grazing on pasture. She could not “crunch” anything hard on that side without obvious pain signals.
I had an equine dentist out who hand-floated her teeth but couldn’t find anything terribly wrong. In Tennessee, we can graze the horses most of the year, so I wasn’t that worried about her gaining weight. She could eat grain just fine, and she put on 150 lbs. over the next year.
Still, hay was difficult for her. I had my equine vet come out and he floated her teeth again, this past March. He was pretty aggressive with power tools and it was cringeworthy for me. I felt it was too aggressive. After that, she gave up trying to eat any hay at all. She did fine this past summer on pasture but I was extremely worried about going into the winter months.
We had an autumn drought that turned our pastures brown and I thought I’d have to resort to making a warm mash for her all winter, to keep her weight up. She was already starting to lose, but she is a terrifically stoic mare! We had just learned about the “Big 6” in class. The next week, we had a sudden cold snap here. I saw it coming and gave all the animals here (including the two ponies) Aconite in their buckets and administered by spray as well.
I was particularly concerned for Willow since she looked uncharacteristically low in energy. That was the afternoon before the temp actually dropped and the cold wind kicked in. The next morning, I walked into the barn and Willow had strands of hay in her forelock (we use wall feeders in the stalls and I kept hers filled in the hope of a miracle). I thought it was odd, but figured she’d picked it up laying down in the stall or something.
Still, my instincts were nudging me. Something else was going on. I walked back into the barn a few hours later and Willow was eating hay from the hay feeder like there was no tomorrow. I was stunned and watched her not even wince a little bit when she chewed.
The only thing different was that she’d had doses of Aconite (sprayed, and in her water bucket for the last 12-18 hours or so). I went online and researched other keynotes for Aconite and found that it is also a remedy for 1) swollen and inflamed gums and 2) painful jaw.
I immediately thought of the ingrown halter and the damage it might have done to her (or possible gum issues in general). Could it be “undone” so rapidly with just a few doses? I have no other explanation to offer. She has not stopped eating hay since and I have not repeated any doses since. So, that’s my story and if it’s truly an Aconite-happy- ending, then I am “all-in” on Homeopathy at the Wellie-level…and foreve
NOTE:
Homeopathy At Wellie Level (HAWL) is a non-profit organization run by veterinary surgeons and homeopaths, who teach the responsible use of farm homeopathy. This helps farmers reduce antibiotic use and improve the health of animals. Christine Lees has been the volunteer director for the last 22 years. She is now retiring and says that HAWL needs volunteers to teach homeopathy to farmers and keep the program going. She’s asking for support in this endeavour.
You can leave a message at https://www.hawl.co.uk/
or write to the secretary at: [email protected]
