Mahanarayan Oil

Mahanarayan oil is an ayurvedic therapeutic herbal oil. The one I am using is a blend of thirty three herbs (all safe for horses) in a base of sesame oil.
It has the qualities of nourishing, strengthening and rejuvenating. Even if the smell of the oil carries also those qualities it is not an aroma oil.

Mahanarayan oil is used to treat conditions as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, cervical or lumbar spondylitis, frozen joints, backache, strains and sprains, musculoskeletal inflammation disorders.

The oil has for effect to:

• strengthen nerves, muscles and ligaments
• soothe sore muscle and aching joints
• relieve muscle and joints stiffness
• reduce inflammation
• enhance blood circulation
• balance the Vata dosha.

In case of arthritis it will act directly on the joint pain and stiffness, the restricted movement and the distortion. The oil will slowly help to restore a normal joint function.

Use of herbal oil with horses

Ayurvedic massages are known to use lots of oil. Unfortunately it is difficult to apply it with horses as it means a very large amount of oil to cover the full body. But it doesn't mean we cannot use some!

I've started to use therapeutic herbal oil in my practice of equine massage. Whenever I feel there is a need because of an injury, a trauma, a condition or just by intuition I will use oil on specific area. Some cases where I used it are:

• sacroiliac joint recovery from injury
• flexor avulsion fracture
• arthritic leg joints (hock and fetlock)
• neck muscle stiffness and pain
• hip trauma (muscle and joint)

I use organic ayurvedic oil, a blend of herbs in a base oil and every time the horses just loved it. I always have them smell it and explain what I will do and ask for permission. As for now they always showed a lot of interest in it; actively smelling the aroma with ears upright, eyes bright. Sometimes they even came to the bottle that I carry in my tool belt, showing it to me.

Whenever I can I warm up the oil and apply it warm on the area to treat. I then use circular stroke alternated with friction to help the absorption process. The oil mixture is absorbed into the bloodstream and takes effect from there.

As I said they are therapeutic oil with healing properties. One that use the most is the Mahanarayan oil but I will write a full post about it (there).