ENGLISH VERSION rigor, it provides reliable and accessible information on all aspects of the horse industry. The RESPE( Equine Epidemiological Surveillance Network) also offers a well-illustrated guide to toxic plants.
BEWARE OF HAY!
Forage containing toxicplants can be even more dangerous than fresh grass containing the same species. Most plants retain their toxicity after drying, with the exception of buttercups and poison hemlock. However, dehydration removes certain natural deterrents such as bitterness. Once dried, horses are no longer able to sort harmful plants from harmless ones. Even for experts, identifying the species present in hay is extremely difficult because leaves and flowers are damaged during harvesting and drying, while stems often lack distinctive characteristics. Only one hay in France benefits from an official quality label: Crau hay. It is produced in the Bouchesdu-Rhônedepartment. The Crau is an ancient stony delta formed by the Durance River. The production area, protected by a Protected Designation of Origin( PDO) label, is bounded by the Alpilles to the north, the hills around Salon-de-Provence and the Étang de Berre to the east, and the Rhône River
to the west. Producers, whose bales are recognizable by their distinctive red-and-white twine, must comply with very strict production specifications. These requirements define the botanical composition of the hay: meadow foxtail, orchard grass, red clover, and white clover must predominate. The excessive presence of many other species excludes the product from PDO certification. Could systematic hay quality control become a more widespread practice?
HEALTH THROUGH BUDS
Céline and Emmanuelle Kowal, two sisters based in Normandy, were once pioneers in equine balneotherapy. Today, they continue to innovate by creating plant-bud remedies specifically designed for animals.
Anyone who has entered the Kowal sisters’ laboratory remembers the vegetal aromas that fill the air, an unusual, rich, almost intoxicating fragrance. Located at the heart of their Haras de Rollon stud farm in the Eure department, the laboratory is immaculate: spotless white surfaces, meticulous organization, and abundant natural light. In carefully aligned 25-liter plastic containers floats the raw material that Emmanuelle and Céline handle with great care: buds immersed in a mixture of alcohol, glycerin, and water. They remain there for three weeks, gently stirred to stimulate their properties. The buds, which contain all of a plant’ s tissues at the embryonic stage, as well as its complete genetic heritage, gradually release their active compounds. They are then pressed to produce a mother macerate. Approximately one month passes between harvesting the buds and obtaining the finished product. Gemmotherapy, which is not currently recognized as a scientific discipline, was developed by Belgian physician Pol Henry after the Second World War. He conducted research into the biochemical changes that occur following the absorption of remedies derived from buds. However, these young shoots had already been used by Saint Hildegard of Bingen, a prominent figure of monastic medicine, as early as the 12 th century.“ Gemmotherapy is a very specific and absolutely fascinating branch of phytotherapy,” says Emmanuelle Kowal. A former show-jumping rider of a high standard, she first began treating her own horses.“ I didn’ t have substantial financial means, so I only rode off-the-track Thoroughbreds or older horses. They all had health issues to manage, and that’ s how my sister and I developed our care center, by gaining experience with them.” Later, Emmanuelle, who suffered from bone marrow edema, decided to try gemmotherapy on her-
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