What’s The Deal With Liniment?

As we look back through equine history, old-time horsemen relied on liquid suspensions of herbal extracts known as liniments to ease their horses’ aching muscles, tendons and joints. Their liniment recipes were often closely guarded secrets passed from generation to generation.

Setting the Bar High

The well-known Absorbine Veterinary Liniment, was invented by Mary Ida and Wilbur F. Young just before the turn of the century. Wilbur delivered cargo with a wagon and a team of horses. Mary Ida was an avid horse enthusiast and cared for all of their horses. Wilbur’s team of horses would get tired after long days of pulling freight. And often would be too sore the next day to pull cargo as effectively.

Back in those days, it was common to “blister” the skin using a caustic agent if a horse had stiffness or soreness. This caused blood to flood the area, speeding recovery of the muscles and connective tissues underneath. Harsh and uncomfortable for the horse, this practice also necessitated two to three days of recovery. Deciding there must be a more humane way to relieve sore muscles, Mary Ida went to work. She formulated a time-honored blend of aromatic and essential oils that remains a family secret to this day. The Youngs named it Absorbine Liniment.

 It was a “medicine chest in a bottle.” Because in addition to relieving sore muscles with little down time, the formula has powerful antiseptic properties that help prevent bacterial and fungal infections such as rain-rot, summer itch, tail itch and minor skin infections. There is even a recipe right on the bottle for making a body wash for your horse. One that refreshes, disinfects and washes away sweat and grime. The product caught on quickly, and the business grew.

How Does Liniment Work?

A good liniment works by penetrating the soft tissues of the skin, opening up pores and capillaries to increase blood flow to the muscles. This increased blood flow delivers vital nutrients and also eliminates the fatigue acids that make muscles sore.

This, in turn, speeds the healing—and the pain goes away. In effect, liniments help horses heal themselves. Whether it’s a racehorse with ouchy tendons after a workout, a ranch horse who is body sore after hours doctoring cattle, or a cutting horse with a tender back after a session in the pen. Even retirees with arthritis can benefit from liniment application, depending on what your veterinarian advises. Apply liniment to stiff joints and muscles before workouts to lessen pain and injury.

Warming Vs. Cooling

Warming formulas are ideal for relieving stiff joints and sore muscles and tendons. A brisk pre-workout massage with a warming liniment can improve flexibility in even chronic cases. Meanwhile, cooling formulas are refreshing and invigorating on hot days and after workouts. They are also useful as cold therapy duringacute flare-ups of pain, heat and swelling.