How to Treat Horse Ear Mites Naturally

Horses with ear mites often shake their heads vigorously or rub their ears on posts. Ear mites are microscopic, but they are very irritating to horses' ears. Creating a natural remedy for ear mites is simple, but applying the remedy is challenging. Most horses don't like to have the insides of their ears touched, especially when they are inflamed and painful because of an ear mite infestation. Using the correct technique will help you medicate your horse's ears naturally and painlessly.

Things You'll Need

  • Baby wipe
  • Mineral oil or olive oil
  • Yellow dock root extract
  • Water
  • Almond oil
  • Vitamin E oil
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Instructions

    • 1

      Check your horse's ears for ear mites. Use a pre-moistened baby wipe to gently reach as deeply into the ear canal as your finger can reach; clean inside the ears. Mites will leave tiny black dots of a dirt-looking substance. Also, inspect the inside of your horse's ears for redness and irritation.

    • 2

      Insert several drops of mineral oil or olive oil into the horse's ear. The oil will often cover the mites and smother them. Wait until your horse is eating, so it will be relaxed with its head down, then gently grab the tip of one ear. Squirt the drops just inside the ear flap, and let them run down naturally into the ear canal. Make certain that the horse's head is not above yours, as the horse may jerk up its head quickly while being medicated. Repeat with the other ear if necessary.

    • 3

      Mix nine drops of yellow dock root extract with 1 tablespoon of water if the oil doesn't kill the mites. Find yellow dock root at most vitamin retailers, or order online (see Resources). Insert the mixture with a dropper into the horse's ears once every three days until the mites are gone.

    • 4

      Mix 1/2-ounce almond oil with 250 mg of vitamin E oil if the yellow dock root doesn't kill the mites. Heat the mixture for about 10 seconds in the microwave or until it feels near body temperature. Drop half of the mixture into each of the horse's ears for six days. Wait three more days. If the mites are not gone, repeat for six more days.