844-436-7691
- Sort by Featured
- Sort by Best Selling
- Sort by Alphabetically, A-Z
- Sort by Alphabetically, Z-A
- Sort by Price, low to high
- Sort by Price, high to low
- Sort by Date, new to old
- Sort by Date, old to new
CBD for Horses
Organic full-spectrum hemp oil from our own Colorado farm, and the only equine CBD we know of that was handed to a university to study, with the results published whether they flattered us or not.
The short answer: CBD for horses is a cannabinoid from hemp, given by mouth, that interacts with the horse's endocannabinoid system. The best evidence so far is behavioral: in a Tarleton State University study, a single serving of our oil lowered stereotypic stall behaviors compared with a control (P = 0.03). A separate transport trial found no change in cortisol, so it is not a proven travel-stress fix.
Dose: the studied range is 0.3 to 0.6 mg of CBD per kg of body weight, roughly 135 to 270 mg for a 1,000 lb horse. Horses absorb only about 8% of an oral dose, which is why equine servings are so large.
Competition: CBD is prohibited under FEI, USEF and HISA rules, and no validated withdrawal time exists.
What Does CBD Do to Horses?
Horses, like all mammals, have an endocannabinoid system: a network of receptors and signaling molecules involved in mood, comfort and balance. Researchers have mapped cannabinoid-related receptors (CB1, CB2, TRPV1, GPR55 and PPARα) in equine joint tissue, skin and gut, which is why owners use full-spectrum hemp for two main goals: calm around known stressors, and everyday comfort in older or hard-working horses.
CBD is non-intoxicating. Hemp-derived oil under 0.3% THC will not make a horse "high," and in the Tarleton dose study heart rates stayed within the normal resting range at both serving levels. For a neutral overview of how cannabinoids work in animals, see Cornell University's veterinary explainer, and our longer guide on how CBD works in horses.
What the Research on CBD for Horses Actually Found
Most equine CBD is sold on owner anecdotes. We funded four studies on this exact oil at Tarleton State University (Texas A&M University System), led by Dr. Kimberly Guay, and independent groups have published more. Here is all of it, including the results that did not go our way.
| Study | Horses | CBD dose | What it found |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tarleton State, stalled-horse behavior (J Anim Sci 2021) | 8 | 0.3 or 0.6 mg/kg, single serving | Positive. Stereotypic behaviors lower on CBD (P = 0.03). On the higher serving, aggression fell from 113 to 26 counts and pawing from 69 to 27. |
| Tarleton State, five days of daily dosing | 8 | 0.3 or 0.6 mg/kg daily × 5 days | No difference in behavior vs. control. The benefit above came from a single serving, not a daily course. |
| Tarleton State, 3-hour transport (J Anim Sci 2022) | 6 | 0.6 mg/kg | Null result. No difference in cortisol (P = 0.646), blood lactate or rectal temperature vs. olive-oil control. |
| Tarleton State, dose and feed studies | 8 and 7 | 0.3 and 0.6 mg/kg | Plasma CBD peaked 1 to 4 hours after a serving and returned to baseline by 16 to 24 hours, with no build-up across five days. No effect on heart rate, glucose or hay intake; horses on CBD took longer over their first meal. |
| Senior-horse pharmacokinetics (Am J Vet Res 2022) | 8 | 2 mg/kg oral | Oral bioavailability only 7.92%; half-life about 7 hours after a single dose. |
| Six-week safety study (J Equine Vet Sci 2022) | 12 | Up to 3 mg/kg loading, then twice daily | Generally well tolerated. Liver enzymes rose in 8 of 12 horses and all normalized within 10 days; mild low calcium in all horses. |
| Osteoarthritis add-on study (Front Vet Sci 2024; summary via KER) | 20 | Oral-transmucosal CBD alongside phenylbutazone | Positive. Chronic pain scores lower at day 14 (median 3 vs. 7). |
| Connemara pony study (Front Vet Sci 2026) | 13 | 2 mg/kg twice daily × 21 days | Well tolerated, but an increased insulin response — a caution for horses prone to equine metabolic syndrome. |
What this means in practice: the evidence supports one serving ahead of a known stressor (stalling, farrier, a new barn) rather than a standing daily course for behavior, and it does not support claims that CBD lowers transport cortisol. The full write-up, with every figure and source, is on our equine study page, and the stall-behavior findings are covered in depth in our cribbing and stall-stress article. For an independent, skeptical take, read US Equestrian's closer look at CBD for horses and Mad Barn's research review.
Free: The Horse Owner's Guide to CBD & Hemp
40 pages on all four Tarleton studies (including the one that found nothing), pumps by weight from ponies to drafts, the competition rules nobody explains, and a printable 14-day log to see whether it's working for your horse.
Get the free guide →How Much CBD Can I Give My Horse?
The studied range is 0.3 to 0.6 mg of CBD per kg of body weight. Our 5000mg horse oil delivers about 20 mg per pump, so serving sizes are easy to count:
| Horse weight | Lower serving (0.3 mg/kg) | Higher serving (0.6 mg/kg) |
|---|---|---|
| ~500 lb (pony / young horse) | ~70 mg · about 4 pumps | ~135 mg · about 7 pumps |
| ~1,000 lb (average horse) | ~135 mg · about 7 pumps | ~270 mg · about 13 pumps |
| ~1,200 lb (large horse) | ~165 mg · about 8 pumps | ~325 mg · about 16 pumps |
| ~1,500 lb (draft) | ~205 mg · about 10 pumps | ~410 mg · about 20 pumps |
Why so much more than a dog? Size is only part of it. A horse absorbs just 7.92% of an oral CBD dose, so most of what you give never reaches the bloodstream. That is the published reason equine servings run into the hundreds of milligrams.
Timing: for a known stressor, give one serving 1 to 4 hours ahead, which lines up with the plasma peak in the Tarleton dose study. For everyday comfort in a senior or working horse, owners give a daily serving and judge results over two to three weeks. Start at the lower serving either way, and confirm the amount with your veterinarian if your horse is on medication. More detail by weight and goal is in our CBD dosage for horses guide.
How to Give CBD to Your Horse (and How Fast It Works)
Pump the oil straight onto grain or a small handful of feed. Our formula uses organic olive oil as the carrier, which most horses accept without fuss. Owners commonly report a calmer horse within about 30 to 60 minutes of a serving on feed, and blood levels in the Tarleton dose study peaked between 1 and 4 hours. A serving clears from the blood within roughly a day, but repeated daily dosing loads fat tissue, so it lingers far longer (see competition rules below).
Types of CBD Products for Horses
| Format | What it is | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil (pump or dropper) | Hemp extract in a carrier oil, top-dressed on feed | Precise, adjustable servings by weight | Check mg of CBD per pump or ml, not just the bottle total |
| Paste | Pre-measured oral syringe | One-off use before trailering or the farrier | Fixed dose per syringe; may be too little for a large horse |
| Pellets | Hemp flower or extract pressed into feed pellets | Easy daily feeding | Often low CBD per scoop; ask for the mg per serving |
| Powder | Dried extract or plant material mixed into grain | Picky eaters who refuse oil | Potency varies by batch; demand a COA |
| Hemp seed oil | Cold-pressed oil from seeds | Omega fats for coat and condition | Contains little to no CBD. It is not a CBD product. |
What Is the Best CBD Oil for Horses?
There is no single "best," but there is a reliable checklist. A product worth buying should have:
- Full-spectrum extract, not isolate, so CBD comes with the plant's other cannabinoids and terpenes.
- A batch-specific Certificate of Analysis showing cannabinoid content, THC under 0.3%, and clean results for pesticides, heavy metals and solvents. Ours are on our lab results page.
- Stated mg of CBD per serving, so you can dose by weight instead of guessing.
- Known, US-grown hemp. Hemp pulls whatever is in the soil into the plant, so origin matters.
- Research on that exact product, published honestly. Very few equine brands can show any.
Our horse formula meets every point: we breed and grow our own hemp on a certified-organic Colorado farm, formulate in-house to human-grade standards, test every batch, and put this oil through university research.
HempMy Pet CBD for Horses
5000mg Full-Spectrum CBD Oil for Horses
Organic olive-oil base · about 20 mg per pump · ~250 pumps · 94 reviews
$199 · or $169.15 with Subscribe & Save
Shop the Horse Oil
The Horse Owner's Guide (Free)
40 pages · the research, dosing by weight, show rules, 14-day log
Free download
Get the GuideGrown on our own certified-organic Colorado farm and third-party tested in every batch. The same oil works for dogs over 75 lb; see hemp for dogs.
What Is the Most Effective Calming Drug for Horses?
If you need a horse genuinely sedated, for a procedure, clipping, or a dangerous situation, prescription sedatives from your veterinarian are far stronger than any supplement. Common options include acepromazine and detomidine, including an oral gel approved for standing sedation. They work reliably, but they are drugs: they need a vet's direction, they carry side effects, and they are not meant for everyday use.
Over-the-counter calming supplements (magnesium, tryptophan, herbal blends) are milder, and their evidence is mixed. Full-spectrum hemp sits in that non-sedating category with one important difference: a small, peer-reviewed study on this exact oil found lower stall stress behaviors after a single serving, without the horse being drugged or drowsy. The honest summary is that hemp is a support for a horse that is anxious around a predictable trigger, not a substitute for sedation. For trailering specifically, read our guide to CBD and travel stress, which explains why the transport study came back null.
Is CBD Safe for Horses?
Across the published equine studies, CBD has been generally well tolerated at the doses tested. The things worth knowing:
- Liver enzymes rose in 8 of 12 horses in a six-week study and returned to normal within 10 days.
- Metabolic horses: a 2026 pony study saw an increased insulin response. Talk to your vet before using CBD in a horse with or prone to equine metabolic syndrome or laminitis.
- Medications: CBD is processed by the liver and can interact with other drugs. Check with your vet if your horse is on anything.
- Pregnant and breeding horses: not studied. Avoid unless your vet advises otherwise.
Our full breakdown is in Is CBD Safe for Horses? Side Effects & Show Rules.
CBD, Hemp and Competition Rules
CBD and other cannabinoids are prohibited substances under FEI, USEF and HISA rules, whether or not the product contains THC, and US Equestrian accepts no medication report form to justify them. There is also no validated withdrawal time. A single serving clears the blood within about a day, but after weeks of daily dosing, CBD's terminal half-life has been measured at around 161 hours because it stores in fat tissue and leaches back slowly. If your horse competes in a tested discipline, talk to your vet and your governing body before using any hemp product. For pleasure, trail and retired horses, there are no such restrictions.
What Horse Owners Tell Us
"Wise Guy walked into the ring like an old pro. He wasn't tense, wasn't nervous, and didn't put a bad foot forward. He wasn't drugged or drowsy. He was 100% himself, just a better him." — Audrie, on Wise Guy, dressage, Wellington, Florida.
Read more owners in their own words on our equine testimonials and case studies page.
Frequently Asked Questions About CBD for Horses
What does CBD do to horses?
CBD interacts with the horse's endocannabinoid system, which helps regulate mood and comfort. In a Tarleton State study, a single serving lowered stereotypic stall behaviors compared with a control (P = 0.03). It is non-intoxicating and does not sedate.
How much CBD can I give my horse?
The studied range is 0.3 to 0.6 mg per kg of body weight: about 135 to 270 mg for a 1,000 lb horse, or roughly 7 to 13 pumps of our 5000mg oil. Start at the lower serving and confirm with your vet if your horse is on medication.
What is the best CBD oil for horses?
Look for full-spectrum extract, a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis, a stated mg of CBD per serving, known US-grown hemp, and published research on that exact product.
What is the most effective calming drug for horses?
For real sedation, prescription drugs from your vet such as acepromazine or detomidine are far stronger than any supplement. Hemp is a non-sedating support for horses anxious around predictable triggers, not a replacement for sedation.
Is CBD safe for horses?
It has been generally well tolerated in published studies. Liver enzymes can rise temporarily, and horses prone to metabolic syndrome should be checked by a vet first because of an insulin-response finding.
Can I give my horse CBD before a competition?
No. CBD is prohibited under FEI, USEF and HISA rules, and there is no validated withdrawal time because repeated dosing makes it linger for days.
How long does CBD take to work in a horse?
Owners commonly report effects within 30 to 60 minutes on feed. Blood levels in the Tarleton dose study peaked 1 to 4 hours after a serving, so give it 1 to 4 hours before a known stressor.
Is hemp oil the same as CBD oil for horses?
Not always. Hemp seed oil comes from the seeds and contains little to no CBD. Full-spectrum hemp extract, like our horse formula, comes from the flower and contains CBD and other cannabinoids.
Not ready to buy? Start with the free guide.
Everything on this page and more, written by the family that funded the Tarleton research. Instant download.
Get the free guide → Shop the Horse OilMore Horse CBD Guides
- CBD Dosage for Horses
- Is CBD Safe for Horses?
- CBD for Trailering & Travel
- How CBD Works in Horses
- Cribbing & Stall Stress Research
- Our Tarleton Equine Study
- All Clinical Trials
About this page
Marc Brannigan
Co-Founder & CEO, HempMy Pet
Marc co-founded HempMy Pet with his wife, Natalie Mondine (COO), in 2016. They were making hemp oil for people on their own farm before bottling it for animals, which made HempMy Pet one of the first CBD products for pets. They breed their own genetics on a certified-organic Colorado farm and formulate in-house to human-grade standards, seed to sale. About us · Lab results
The research behind our horse claims
Tarleton State University · Texas A&M University System
Four studies on our equine formula at Tarleton State's Equine Center, led by Dr. Kimberly Guay, Ph.D., P.A.S., with results published in the Journal of Animal Science: one significant behavioral finding, one null transport result, plus dose and feed-intake data. Our dog research, a 90-day osteoarthritis trial with Colorado State University researchers, is on our clinical trials page.
This page is reviewed and updated as new peer-reviewed equine research is published. Where the evidence is thin or negative, we say so. Last updated October 2026.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. HempMy Pet products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. This page is educational and not a substitute for veterinary advice.
Why HempMy Pet
Every Product Starts With University-Studied Oil
One full-spectrum extract, bred and grown on our own Colorado farm, studied by Colorado State and Tarleton State researchers — in everything we make.
