Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have a suggestion for specific health issues?
For our equine products we have created a quiz that helps you choose the best prodcuts for your horse.
On some of your products it says, not for long term use. What does that mean?
We believe in giving the individual what they need it, when they need it. For some that might mean to be on a product 2 months, another, 2 years. Focus on their needs, and adjust to their needs.
How long does it take the herbs to work?
All animals are different, therefore may require a little different attention. There is a rule of thumb that states that it takes one month of rebuilding health for each year the animal has had the problem, with a minimum of three months. Horses and dogs respond very well, in most cases, to herbal products because their system is not full of junk foods. The environment, fresh water, exercise, consistency, etc. all play an important role in the healing process.
How soon will results be recognized?
Herbs are assimilated at the cellular level as they enter the body and travel throughout the system. The benefits of a complete and healthy diet may take 30-90 days to recognize.
How are Silver Lining Herbs given and in what form will I receive them?
Our horse line products come in a powder form. They are best given in the grain as a top dressing. Our dog line products come in powder or capsule form. They are to be given orally or mixed in with food as a top dressing.
My horse/dog is a finicky eater. Are they palatable?
Here is a great article that will share some great tips – 6 Tips to Help a Picky Eater. Most horses/dogs are excited about getting the herbs, but there are those who do not particularly care for them at first. If you will put the herbs in front of them as a top dressing and walk away, they will generally be gone when you come back. Using a lesser amount for a few days and gradually increase until recommended amount is achieved is also a good way to get your horse/dog to get the herbs. You can also mix the herbal products with water to create a paste and paste them orally with a large syringe for a few days until they start getting accustomed to them.
Can I keep feeding my horse/dog the “sweet and extruded feeds” and still get the results that I desire from the herbs?
Without a good diet you are going to get some good results from the herbs but it will take longer because the herbs are going to need to move the toxins generated by the feeds that are not as good for the system. It is like dusting your house with the doors and windows open on a windy day. It will help to dust but, to do a good job, you will need to close the doors and windows or stop the new toxins from coming in.
Do I need to give vitamins and minerals with the herbal products?
Herbs are the purest form of vitamins and minerals and the easiest assimilated, therefore they will do a magnificent job to maintain your animals’ natural health if they are the only product you choose to use.
I know that herbs are natural, but can I give too much or can you over use these products?
Herbs are to be used with prudence and care therefore we recommend you to follow the dosage instructions on the package. Though they are natural, herbs very well do have an effect on the system and you need to have a good feel for what it is you want to accomplish as you are dealing with them. Herbs are generally safer than drugs. There are some herbs that should not be given for extended periods of time and there are some herbs that are not to be given during pregnancy or when certain drugs are being administered, such as blood thinners. If you are not sure about a particular herbal combination, contact Silver Linings’ customer support at 208-423-3492. Silver Lining Herbs’ combinations are among the best health products in the industry and have been given for many years.
Do you recommend a loading dose?
No we don’t. We have not seen an advantage in doing a loading dose, and feel in many cases animals do better this way.
Why do you think that your herbal products are better than the products that I am now feeding?
We believe herbs are the purest form of vitamins and mineral known and the easiest assimilated. Therefore, they will get to the cellular level. That is where the product has got to get to do the good your horse/dog needs. At this point, the cell will either accept or reject it. Most synthetic products never get to this point, and if they do they are generally rejected here because they are not recognized as food by the cell. The herbs, on the other hand, are recognized at the cellular level. They are then only rejected if the cell does not lack the constituents that they contain. Silver Lining Herbs are 100% herbs with no additives or fillers.
What are some of the most frequent problems Silver Lining deals with?
What we see the most in animals is kidneys/liver and immune deficiencies. We look at the rich feeds, for the kidney issues, such as high protein alfalfa hay (fed at the wrong time of year, the hotter feeds need to be fed when it is cold to help build body heat), corn, barley, molasses, rice bran, and many of the high publicized feed products. Along with unnatural environments where they are not able to do a lot of the natural things a horse/dog does. Such as stretching and running spontaneously. In areas where there are high protein grasses, horses do not need to be on them 24-7. It is far better, to put them out on pasture for 12 hours and then put them in a corral for 12 hours with fresh water. Of course, water should be available at all times for both horses and dogs. The liver problems are from the over use of chemicals, such as wormers and excessive immunizations, along with the herbicides and insecticides that are being used to raise the feeds that are being fed to our animals. The immune system suffers from the stress environments, such as showing and hauling, change in feed and water and, simply put, “Jet Lag”.
How do I know what is best for my animals’ health, and how do I know when he needs special attention?
By watching and keeping track of the evacuation, i.e. manure texture and frequency are important as well as urine and behaviors. All of these elements are important and should be monitored daily. If your horse or dog is ever lethargic or does not respond readily to feed or water it should direct your attention, immediately. Nobody knows your animals’ habits better than you do, so you should watch them closely to make sure you are on top of any problem areas that may arise. Your animals may not talk your language so it is up to you to learn theirs. When you know your horse or dog is not giving you 100% you can be alerted, in most cases, because a horse or dog is very willing to do his or her best. Learn about the teeth and feet from the people who make their living dealing with them, i.e., farriers, groomers, dentists etc. Then you will be able to detect problems in these areas as well.
What is wrong with feeding corn, barley, molasses, rice bran and oils, and how do I get that hair shine that I need to look good at the shows?
A healthy horse or dog will have a natural, healthy shine to them that animals fed these alternative feeds do not have. They will also feel better and have better endurance than horses/dogs fed on rice bran, corn, molasses and oils will have. All feeds are not designed to be fed to all animals. Corn and barley are good feed for cows, and molasses are fine when fed to an animal that has a short life expectancy, as is the case in cattle, they are not assimilated well when fed to a horse or dog. They do not need sugar and sugar products. A whole oat, on the other hand, is a horse feed which holds some very beneficial qualities that need to be a part of his daily diet. Among these benefits are, keeping his teeth and gums in good repair by helping to break the hooks and comers off. The whole oat then massages the esophagus and continues to the stomach and the intestinal tract where it promotes a natural peristaltic action and adds oxygen to the blood and silica for the nervous system and the bony structure and tendons and ligaments. They then continue on to where they massage the colon where a few of them pass out of the system to help feed the birds. It is very natural for a few of the oats to pass through the system to keep the colon clean, so don’t be fooled or persuaded to think that the horse is not getting what they need from them because the horse is not digesting them. Most are being digested. As for the dog a raw diet would compare to a more natural diet that they should have.
What are the effects of kidney issues?
With horses you will see stocking in the hind legs or water retention in other places in the body, such as the sheath. You may also see soreness over the kidneys, which are located directly under the back of the bars of the saddle. This is right where the riders weight is distributed, which will frequently cause the horse to step out of his stops or refuse to stop all together. Sometimes the horse will not want to turn as well one way or the other or to step out with the hind end when turning around. Horses with kidney issues will also have a tendency to become tense in the muscles. They may also have a tendency to drink excessively and urinate frequently. Sometimes the urine is foul smelling as well. These same horses will sometimes make you think that they are nervous because they don’t want to stand still. This could easily be because they hurt over the kidneys when they stand still, with the rider’s weight sitting on the sore area.With dogs they may retain water and start to drink more water, which then can cause excess urinating. You may also notice soreness over the kidneys. Extreme cases can cause the buildup of urea in the stomach, causing vomiting.
Why is using an herbal wormer better than using a synthetic wormer?
The herbal wormer is much gentler on the horses and dogs than are the synthetic wormers that work by poisoning the parasite. Herbal wormers simply change the favorable environment of the parasite so that the parasite would rather be dining somewhere else. A lot of the time the parasite or worm will be found in the manure still very much alive.
If my horse/dog does not have any problems that I know of, which of your products should I be giving him?
For a horses our Maintenance product is the combination you can give to keep your horse doing well, if you know he or she is in good health. We may add at this point that a horse is like a car in one respect, and that is, if you want it to perform you must supply it with the proper ingredients to perform with. A car needs gas and oil, a horse needs a well-rounded diet. That diet is not available by simply feeding grass and alfalfa hay and the traditional rolled mixes. If the horse were to be turned out on natural vegetation he would pick a variety to supplement his whole body. Since they do not have the option to do this, we must supply these needs for them.For a dog we recommend to use the Foundation product.
Do you have to use both the Foundation with another product or will the other products standalone by themselves?
Yes the other products will stand alone, but for best results adding the Foundation product with another combination you may see the best results.
Why shouldn’t I use the Foundation with the Keep Cool product?
It is Silver Lining Herbs’ suggestion to give the Foundation with other combinations when dealing with specific issues, except for the Keep Cool. The reason is that the Foundation product contains Panax Ginseng, which is a great herb to increase energy and in the case of an anxious dog, which is when a person would use the Keep Cool, it may not be a good idea to give that dog herbs for extra energy.