We are on the verge of a fundamental paradigm shift in the natural health products industry. Gentle home remedies advocated by history and Grandma will soon, by necessity, be augmented by the powerful foundation of science. As availability of products grows, so does the confusion for horsepeople as to which product they should buy. Fortunately, the news can only be good, and the key is education. Horsepeople must educate themselves on the potential benefits and hazards of natural health product before they buy.
Many people uphold the philosophy that, perhaps, natural is better.
As consumers, we need to be aware that the politics of plants is in transition. The rapid, and occasionally irrational, interest in plant therapies has ballooned so quickly that regulatory bodies are left scrambling to accommodate them within existing legislation. The result is an uneven playing field, where the odds of getting what you pay for are not necessarily good. When looking into buying herbs and other natural health products, consider only reputable companies who are knowledgeable in the special needs of horses, and have a good reputation to protect. Often these companies will provide a tremendous amount of information when it is requested.