LEMON BALM (Melissa officinalis)

Benefits of Lemon Balm for Horses

If there were ever a herb that deserved the name “balm,” it’s this one. Said to " bring joy into the melancholy, " Lemon balm is sunshine in leaf form - uplifting, calming, and deliciously lemony.

Whether easing frazzled nerves, soothing a sour stomach, or helping the body feel more rested, it’s a gentle yet powerful tonic for body and spirit. A true balm for both heart and mind.

Please note this is a nutritional, functional horse food supplement and not veterinary medicine. For more on this see Dr Kellon's Horse Sense - Nutrition is not 'Alternative' Therapy .

Find Lemon Balm in the EquiNatural range

Here’s where you’ll also find Lemon Balm in our supplement support for horses:

• CalmTonic - natural organic calm for high-stress situations
• HarmonyTonic - gentle support for emotional loss & grief
• KolicTonic - gentle colic digestive support
• MellowMare - organic hormone harmony for calmer, happier mares
• StressTonic - natural support for equine stress resilience

Feed Guide

💧Organic Lemon Balm 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.

• Melissa officinalis
• Herb
• Cold Macerated 1:2 25%
• Fresh Cultivated

~ Feed Guide - lemon balm tincture for horses

• 6ml/100kg bodyweight, daily in feed.
• ♻️ Our tinctures come in a heat-sealed, twin-neck, child-resistant HDPE plastic dosing bottle, complete with dosing chamber. *HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) plastic is 100% recyclable, and energy-efficient to produce. Safe for food/water storage, it reduces waste and emissions while resisting wear. A top sustainable choice to match the EquiNatural ethos.

🌿Organic Dried Lemon Balm Herb

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

• Melissa officinalis
• Herb
• Cultivated/Wild Harvested
• Origin Bulgaria

~ Feed Guide - dried lemon balm herb for horses

• 5g/100kg bodyweight per day, i.e. 25g for a 500kg horse.
• Want a scoop? You can add a scoop to your basket during checkout.
• ♻️Supplied in a 100% fully recylable, resealable, food-grade foil pouch for freshness.

Footnotes

• 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.

Functional Nutritional Value

Constituents: Volatile oils: (0.06-0.375%): monoterpenes (>60%) including citronellal, citral (geranial and neral), β-ocimene; sesquiterpenes (>35%) including β-caryophyllene, germacrene D . Flavonoids (0.5%): glycosides of luteolin, quercetin, apigenin, kaempferol. Polyphenols: rosmarinic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acids, protocatechuic acid, hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, metrilic acid, tannins. Triterpenic acids. Ursene triterpene glycosides: melissiosides A-C. Vitamin C and carotenoids.

Clinical Considerations

• Always seek veterinary advice for pregnant/nursing mares before feeding.
• Due to lemon balm’s mild thyroxine-inhibiting effect, in cases of thyroid conditions always consult your vet before feeding.

Lemon Balm in History & Tradition

If ever a plant lived up to its name, it’s lemon balm. With its uplifting citrus scent and soft green leaves, this mint family herb has been a friend to both apothecaries and poets for centuries. Shakespeare himself praised its “honeyed sweetness,” and Pliny the Elder noted that beekeepers would rub their hives with it to keep swarms happily at home - a tradition that lasted well into the 20th century.

Brewed into tea, infused in honey, or added to summer salads, lemon balm is as comforting in the kitchen as it is in the medicine chest. It has always been prized as a nervine tonic, a plant that calms a restless mind and lifts a weary spirit. In the 17th century, John Evelyn wrote that it “comforts the heart and driveth away melancholy,” while herbalists called it a bringer of joy for those weighed down by sadness or anxiety.

But lemon balm’s talents don’t end with the nerves. Modern herbal monographs recognise it as a gentle but effective ally for restlessness, poor sleep, and digestive upset, echoing its centuries of traditional use. It soothes spasms, eases tension in the gut, and helps the body unwind after times of stress. Even cold sores benefit from its external use, making it as versatile as it is fragrant.

Across history, people have turned to lemon balm for everything from fevers and poisonous bites to toothaches and breathing troubles. While some of these uses belong to the quirky past, one truth still stands: lemon balm is a plant that softens life’s hard edges, reminding us - as its name suggests - to take comfort in sweetness.

In short… lemon balm is joy in a leaf, bringing calm, clarity, and comfort wherever it goes.

🌿Lemon Balm Trivia - Bee-Loved

Lemon balm ( Melissa officinalis ) gets its name from the Greek word melissa , meaning ‘honeybee’ – and for good reason. Beekeepers have long known that lemon balm calls to bees, its essential oils echoing the pheromones secreted by a queen. In fact, Pliny the Elder wrote that rubbing lemon balm on hives would keep swarms from leaving – a practice that endured for centuries.

But lemon balm’s appeal isn’t just for bees. In folklore, it was considered a herb of joy and longevity. Paracelsus called it the “elixir of life,” and in the Middle Ages, it was steeped in wine to lift the spirits and soothe melancholy. Shakespeare even name-checked it in The Merry Wives of Windsor as a fragrant strewing herb.

And while it’s known today as a gentle nervine that soothes stress and supports digestion, lemon balm has a whimsical side too – said to open the heart, calm the mind, and sweeten the soul.

No wonder it’s been cherished for over 2,000 years – by herbalists, poets, and buzzing bees alike.

Synergy Spotlight: Lemon Balm & Friends

• With Chamomile – A dreamy duo for restless nights, combining Chamomile’s gentle sedation with Lemon Balm’s calming sweetness. Perfect as an evening tea.
• With Lavender – Together, they take the edge off frazzled nerves and anxious thoughts, wrapping the nervous system in a soft, fragrant embrace.
• With Passionflower – Passionflower deepens Lemon Balm’s nervine effects, especially for circular “hamster-wheel” thinking that keeps you awake at night.
• With Peppermint – A refreshing combo for soothing digestive spasms and uplifting low spirits, while still being cooling and light.