DANDELION LEAF (Taraxacum officinale) *Organic herb for horses - kidney-cleansing, fluid-flushing, mineral-rich leaf power

Dandelion Leaf is a major staple across many of our nutritional supplements where kidney function and diuretic/fluid balance is key for horses:

• B12-Balance for metabolic balance
• BioCARE for antimicrobial cleansing
• CushTonic for PPID vitality
• GutBitters for all-season digestion
• LKLCARE for liver, kidneys, lymph synergy
• OptimaCARE - our regenerative, nutritional 3-stage full-body detox
• SwItchTonic - for itchy/irritated skin and coat symptoms

💧Organic Dandelion Leaf Tincture

Our human-grade, certified organic tinctures give you a ready-to-absorb potent source of phytonutrients at the highest-strength available, for immediate absorption straight into the bloodstream and to the body’s cells.

• Taraxacum officinalis Folia, Leaf
• Infused 1:3 25%
• Organically cultivated

~ Feed Guide - 6ml/100kg bodyweight, daily in feed.

🌿Organic Dried Dandelion Leaf

Grown, harvested and dried without the use of agri-chemicals, non-irradiated and GMO free - see our Quality page for Quality Management & Certification Documents.

• Taraxacum officinalis Folia, Leaf
• Organic Fairwild
• Origin Poland

~ Feed Guide - 5g/100kg bodyweight per day, i.e. 25g for a 500kg horse.

Functional Nutritional Value

Constituents: Vitamins A and B. Leaf: calcium, potassium, iron, carotenoids, coumarins. Root: potassium, calcium, phenolic acids, taraxocoside, inulin.

• Laboratory tested for identification and compliance to the British and European Pharmacopoeia standards.
• Human grade.
• Please be aware that if you're purchasing our dried botanicals for human use, our dried range is cut to appropriate sizes for feeding to horses.
• ♻️ Eco Note: Our packaging is recyclable and refillable.
• 🧊 Storage Tip: Keep cool and dry.

Dandelion Leaf is a gentle, mineral-rich herb that supports natural kidney and fluid balance. Most horses tolerate it beautifully, but it isn’t suitable for pregnant mares or those with kidney issues.

Always ensure plenty of water and forage when feeding cleansing botanicals.

Advisories

• Dandelion Leaf is generally considered a gentle, well-tolerated herb that supports natural kidney function, fluid balance, and mineral replenishment.
• Its mild diuretic effect means horses may urinate more frequently — ensure ad-lib water and adequate salt intake, especially during warm weather or exercise.
• Introduce gradually over 3–5 days for horses with sensitive digestion or those new to cleansing herbs.
• Ideal for short- or long-term use as part of a routine detox, skin support, coat-change care, or metabolic management programme.
• If your horse is on long-term NSAIDs, antibiotics, or multiple supplements, monitor hydration and electrolyte status, as increased kidney activity naturally shifts fluids.

Contraindications

• Not recommended for pregnant or nursing mares, as traditional herbal sources note occasional uterine-stimulating activity.
• Avoid in horses with known kidney disease, impaired renal function, or active kidney inflammation, due to its natural diuretic action.
• Use caution in dehydrated horses, or those recovering from diarrhoea, heavy sweating, or illness where fluid balance may already be compromised.

The humble weed with a hero complex

If there were ever a plant that deserved a public apology, it’s the dandelion.

Gardeners groan, horses nibble, and children (and let’s be honest, most adults) can’t resist blowing those fluffy white seedheads into the wind like nature’s original confetti - while poor dandelion quietly gets on with being one of the most generous, nutritious herbs we’ve had alongside our feet all along.

From its bright golden flowers to its deep, stubborn taproot, dandelion is resilience personified. Medieval folk even nicknamed the bare flower head a “priest’s crown”, which tells you everything about its staying power. This plant digs in - literally - pulling minerals up from deep in the soil in a way most surface-dwellers can only dream of.

Herbalists, unsurprisingly, love it. Because while many see a weed, herbal tradition sees a food, a tonic, and a full-body spring clean, all rolled into one sunny little powerhouse.

Not just a weed - a whole larder and apothecary in one plant

Every part of the dandelion has something to offer, which is delightfully inconvenient for anyone still insisting it’s just a lawn pest.

The leaves, especially in spring, are mineral-rich, slightly salty, and famous among herbalists for their gentle diuretic action. Unlike pharmaceutical diuretics, which can flush out precious potassium, dandelion leaves actually give back what they help release - a kind of herbal “take one, leave one” system that only nature could design.

The roots are a different personality altogether: bitter, earthy, excellent roasted for a coffee alternative (without the jitters), and rich in inulin, a prebiotic fibre that feeds the good gut microbes. Traditional herbalists have used dandelion root to support digestion, liver function, and those sluggish-between-seasons feelings that tend to creep in after winter.

And then we have the flowers - cheerful, tonic, and historically used to make dandelion wine, which, depending on the recipe, is said to lift the spirit both symbolically and… well… quite literally.

Indigenous communities across North America used dandelion extensively too: as a springtime nutrient burst, a food after the lean months, and a support for everything from skin conditions to appetite issues. They all knew its value long before Western herbalism caught up.

A root with a soft spot for the liver

Dandelion root is widely loved as a liver and digestion tonic, the sort you reach for when the whole system feels a bit boggy or “stuck.” Its bitterness isn’t just for show - those bitter compounds nudge the liver to get bile flowing again, which can help things move more smoothly through the digestive tract.

Herbalists often reach for dandelion when they see signs of:

• Sluggish digestion
• Skin niggles linked to poor detox clearance
• Hormonal heaviness (the liver helps with hormone metabolising)
• After-rich-foods discomfort
• A general sense that the system needs a reset

Traditional Chinese Medicine uses dandelion to “clear liver heat,” while Ayurveda prizes it for its cooling, cleansing nature. Same plant, different continents - but remarkably aligned wisdom.

Modern curiosity meets old wisdom

Research into dandelion root shows what herbalists have observed for generations:

• Inulin-rich roots feed beneficial gut bacteria
• Leaves support fluid balance thanks to their clever potassium content
• The plant as a whole contains compounds with natural calming and soothing qualities
• And some early studies suggest it may influence the body’s normal insulin response

Commission E in Germany even gave it official approval for uses such as digestive sluggishness and supporting healthy bile flow.

The plant that does it all

There are dandelion folk remedies for practically everything - from fresh sap dotted on warts, to roots roasted as a coffee, to leaves simmered in soups. Symbolically, it’s long been the plant of hope, persistence, and transformation - qualities that mirror its role as a tonic for many “stuck” states in the body.

As herbalist David Hoffmann beautifully put it:

“Dandelion is a most valuable general tonic and perhaps the best widely applicable diuretic and liver tonic.”

And he’s not wrong.

Dandelion is the herbal equivalent of that unassuming friend who quietly shows up with exactly what you need - nourishment, grounding, or a gentle nudge to get things flowing again.

A humble weed, perhaps. But a pretty awesome one.