Question

Can you think of a reason why witch hazel would be fed to horses, perhaps as some sort of digestive palliative, maybe for stomach ulcers, like aloe vera juice?

Answer

Witch hazel is a liquid distillation of the leaves, bark, and twigs of the deciduous shrub Hamamelis virginiana, commonly referred to as the spotted alder, winterbloom, or snapping hazelnut, a plant indigenous to the Atlantic Coast of North America.¹

As a topical medication for humans, witch hazel is an effective astringent and anti-inflammatory, often used for insect bites, sunburn, and windburn. As a hemostatic, or an agent to stop bleeding, it can be swabbed on minor wounds or abrasions.

I know of no reason why witch hazel would be fed to horses.

In regard to gastric ulcers, some horsemen use aloe vera juice in an effort to heal ulcers, though a study performed in Australia disproved its effectiveness when compared to omeprazole.² To heal gastric ulcers, horse owners should look to omeprazole, as prescribed by their veterinarians. As omeprazole therapy is tailing off, ulcer-prone horses should be placed on a research-proven digestive supplement to keep ulcers from recurring, which is often the case if a horse is left untreated.

Further, some sources purport that witch hazel confers body-wide anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. Research has proven that horses gain multiple health advantages from fish oil (as an anti-inflammatory), and coenzyme Q10 and vitamin E (as antioxidants).

¹USDA National Resources Conservation Service. Hamamelis virginiana L. (American witchhazel). Accessed February 10, 2020.

²Bush, J., R. van den Boom, and S. Franklin. 2018. Comparison of aloe vera and omeprazole in the treatment of equine gastric ulcer syndrome. Equine Veterinary Journal 50:34-40.