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What is Herb Testing?

herb blends

What Is Applied Zoopharmacognosy?

Herb Testing, also known as Applied Zoopharmacognosy, is a science-backed and intuitive method of allowing horses to self-select the herbs their body needs to heal. Rooted in the natural behaviors of wild animals who instinctively medicate themselves with plants, this process allows us to better understand what’s going on beneath the surface—and support healing from the inside out.This service is no longer available as a standalone product but is offered through consultations or in-person if you're local. While not a replacement for veterinary care, it often fills the gaps where diagnostics fall short.

 

Why Choose Herb Testing?

Sometimes, despite our best care, a horse isn’t healing the way we expect. The energy feels off, recovery is slow, or symptoms persist without clear answers. Herb Testing can offer insight when:

  • There's a chronic issue with no clear diagnosis

  • Healing after injury or surgery is delayed

  • Digestive upset, mood shifts, or behavioral changes occur

  • You suspect blood stagnation, inflammation, or metabolic imbalance

  • You’re switching to a species-appropriate diet and want deeper support

  • You’re aiming to transition your horse to a more species-appropriate diet based on real, whole foods and herbs for long-term health

 

Rather than chasing symptoms, this method uncovers the root causes, helping us support the body's healing with exactly what it’s asking for.

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How the Method Works

Herb Testing relies on the horse’s nervous system and innate sensory intelligence. Horses interact with herbs through smell, offering responses such as licking, chewing, yawning, blinking or walking away. These are somatic cues that help us interpret what the body needs. The science behind this process—Zoopharmacognosy—is well-documented in wild animal behavior. It involves sensory feedback loops that connect the olfactory and gustatory systems with the limbic brain and autonomic nervous system. Essentially, your horse knows what it needs—and shows us.

 

Custom Testing Kits: A Personalized Approach

After a consultation, I create a custom herb kit tailored to your horse’s specific issues and history. Unlike my on-site kit of nearly 80 herbs, this personalized version is downsized into functional categories based on what we’re focusing on—such as:

  • Inflammation & Pain

  • Gut Health & Digestion

  • Detoxification (liver, kidney, lymphatic)

  • Blood & Lymph Flow

  • Hormonal Balance

  • Nutrient Deficiency & Mineral Support

  • The "anti" group, Anti-bacterial, Anti-microbial, Anti-cancer, Anti-spasmodic, etc.​

For example, if your horse has arthritis, I’ll select herbs for circulation, inflammation, detox pathways, and structural support to help pinpoint the root issue. If you have multiple horses, the kit will include more herbs to allow each horse to choose what they uniquely need.

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What’s Included in Your Kit

Each kit comes with:

  • A protective storage case

  • A 3-pocket apron for easy testing

  • Clear testing instructions

  • A herb Checklist

  • An herb action list to help you understand each plant’s purpose

Custom kits range from $25 to $50, depending on how many herbs are included and your horse’s needs.

 

Post-Testing: Custom Herbal Formulation

After your horse completes the testing, I analyze the herbs they selected. These may point to inflammation, energetic imbalances, gut issues, blood stagnation, or mineral depletion. Based on this, I craft a custom herbal blend that is both nutritional and therapeutic—supporting healing at the cellular level and working toward resolution of the root cause.

Some herbs in the final blend may not have been in your kit, allowing for deeper tailoring once we understand the whole picture.

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Ongoing Care and Retesting

Many clients choose to test three times per year, allowing their horse’s care to evolve with seasonal, metabolic, and environmental changes. Others move into a pre-made maintenance blend with my guidance, and choose to retest once per year to fine-tune their plan. This approach supports whole-horse wellness over time. With each test and custom blend, we get closer to restoring balance—layer by layer.

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Experience That Matters

After years of testing hundreds of horses, and working with clients across a variety of health cases, I’ve found that a customized kit leads to better outcomes and more accurate insights. It’s not just about which herbs are chosen—it’s about what those herbs are telling us, and how we respond with thoughtful, targeted support.

 

True Healing Takes Time

This is not a quick fix or a band-aid. It’s a gentle but powerful process that honors the body’s intelligence, promotes species-appropriate care, and supports the natural healing your horse is capable of. When paired with the right nutrition and lifestyle, Herb Testing becomes a remarkable tool for healing from the inside out.

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