Case Study: Healing Acute Musculoskeletal Injury

Back in late July of this year, I arrived at the barn after being out of town for a few days to see that my big mustang Rowan was barely able to put weight on his left front leg. It’s one of those things that horse guardians worry about nonstop the moment you have to travel - an horse emergency. Colic, lameness, oh my. There’s a whole lotta ways for horses to hurt themselves, unfortunately. And in the case of my horse Rowan, it seems he’s been especially injury- or illness-prone. As they say though, pain is a powerful teacher. The silver lining of rehabbing my horse through his list of injuries is that it’s taught me a lot about holistic remedies that are safe and effective to use in rehabilitating musculoskeletal injuries.

HerbalismShannon Ray RileyDecember 21, 2023Comment

The Beginner's Guide to Home and Stable Herbalism

There are thousands upon thousands of plants with medicinal constituents, ranging from those that are gentle and nutritive to those that are toxic in large amounts. As a beginner, it can be dizzying to know where to begin as you take your first steps down the plant path. There are also many plant paths to choose from. For instance, paths for those who wish to become clinical herbalists, to researchers, medicine makers, or home herbalists.

In this post, I share my most essential piece of advice for budding herbalists just getting started on the plant path. And at the end, I’ll share my go-to resources that will grow with you from beginner to advanced herbalist, as you work herbal remedies into every aspect of your life. Herd Members have access to my extended, unfiltered list of resources, so if you aren’t already a member, sign up here to get full access!

HerbalismShannon Ray RileyJune 28, 2023Comment

Comfrey: Bringing Together What's Broken

There is perhaps no other herb that is more effective at promoting the speedy healing of wounds, ranging from bruises to broken bones, than comfrey. Comfrey has been known by many names over the centuries. Most commonly called knitbone or bruisewort by herbalists, comfrey has also been hailed as “the arthritic herb” by people who sought it for it’s profound healing powers (de Baïracli Levy, J., 1986: 152).

Throughout history, comfrey has been used in the treatment of ulcers, colic, internal hemorrhages, bone fractures, ruptures, pulmonary ailments, sprains, muscle swelling, myalgia, bruisings, burns, hip dysplasia, rheumatism, arthritis, tooth decay, and to ease ashiness (de Bairacli Levy, 1991; Freeman, 1991; Self, 1996).

HerbalismShannon Ray RileyFebruary 10, 2022Comment

Herbal Wisdom: Top 5 Juliette de Bairacli Levy Quotes

Juliette de Bairacli Levy is a legendary healer and one of our greatest muses and teachers of healing animals with natural remedies. We find inspiration and refuge in her words of wisdom in many of her books such as Traveler's Joy, The Complete Herbal Handbook for the Dog and Cat, and The Complete Herbal Handbook for Farm and Stable.Today we want to share the joy with our top 5 favorite Juliette de Bairacli Levy quotes.

HerbalismShannon Ray RileyMay 26, 2017Comment

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