SELF SELECTION / APPLIED ZOOPHARMACOGNOSY: OVER A DECADE IN IRELAND!

Over a decade of working with animals and self-selection/ Applied Zoopharmacognosy

At a risk of sounding like an old woman (which in fact I am), doesn’t time fly?! I was looking for a folder in the office and came across this old article from a newspaper (for those of you under 20 a newspaper is a pile of large pieces of paper with writing on them that we used to clean windows and wrap chips in before Health & Safety got over zealous). I wrote this article for the Irish Horse Review (published April 2012) in an attempt to create an awareness of the animal’s innate ability to self-select herbs in order to restore health. It received a lukewarm (if not Baltic) reception and from that response, I knew my work was cut out. Therein followed much blood, sweat and tears to spread the word on Applied Zoopharmacognosy (self-selection) throughout Ireland and how it could help animal carer's support their animals and restore health. ​Since that time our work here at Whitethorn Herbals & Whitethorn Equine Health has increased rapidly and exponentially with Zoopharmacognosy making it onto mainstream TV along with being listed in Wikipedia!

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My first talk in NI on herbs and horses self selecting in order to restore health

Looking back over the last decade there have been tears, laughter, loads of joy as well as disappointment and copious amounts of fear when I have had to put my big brave pants on. There have been a few almighty cock up's (involving live streams - we shall say no more) as well as many, many moments of pure magic! It's never easy for anyone (or business) challenging the status quo and I have received my fair share of mockery, attempted bullying and downright rudeness. But I have also experienced incredible support from family and friends that believed in me and also just as importantly the seen (and unseen!) horse and dog community as we have gone on to build our tribe initially nationally and now globally. ​

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Early days at Whitethorn Farm - building block by block!

​I won’t harp on about the fact that running your own business is not a walk in the park - some of you will already know this. Suffice to say during the first few years, visualise 70hr working weeks, coffee via IV drip, hands pretty much glued to the steering wheel and a hair style that Bob Marley would be proud of (come to think of it, that part hasn’t changed). And to be honest with you - I would do it all again in a shot! Such an amazing journey. When I built Whitethorn Farm (2000) and put up the stables (before the house of course!) I knew that I wanted to do something with animals ​but little did I know what was in store. I just knew it had to be in the animals interests.

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In the garden with my siblings learning my trade with Jam jars and fallen rose petals

​​I have heard it said that whatever you enjoy doing at the ages of around 7 or 8 is your true soul path as at that age you haven’t been influenced by society/education (ok, I know, controversial - but let's just park that topic there for another day). For myself, at 7yrs of age I could be found out in the garden making herbal potions using Roses and other plants, immersing them in water in jam jars and leaving them to infuse high up in the tree house away from my brother’s interference. I would come back and check on them regularly to check their potency in anticipation of giving them to one of the members of our menagerie! Which by the way, in it's hay day, had a dog, goat, donkey and around 19 guinea pigs and a few rabbits. And a tortoise which had our house no painted on it's under shell incase it went rambling (this was the 60's when things were different). All of that in suburban leafy Surrey (UK). I giggle to myself when I remember that when I am often working in the shop packing herbs or working with horses around the world on zoom. Tempus fugit!

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To see any animal, receive what they need often after such a long period of lack makes my heart swell. To see a glimmer of hope or a sparkle of Love in the eye of an animal as they realise, they are being listened to and their needs are being met. To see the relief when healing is received, or a glance of recognition and appreciation from a fellow animal indeed is without doubt food for my soul (may I ask 'what feeds yours?'). These are things money cannot buy. They feed the soul like no other and it humbles me and I feel so privileged to work with our animal friends.

​I guess the take home message here is, dreams do come true but at the same time you also make your own Luck, so set your sites high and do what it takes to fulfill your dream and your soul's destiny. And if there is such a thing as Karma, I must have been an angel in a past life, because I sure got lucky in this one - to do what I love and love what I do!
Wishing the same for you, Carly

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