Every interaction you have with your horse is training — not just the time spent under saddle or doing groundwork, but every moment from haltering to grooming to standing quietly together.
The quality of that interaction matters.
Yet most of us show up at the barn carrying the mental residue of the day — unfinished tasks, conversations replaying in our minds, phones still buzzing. We are physically present, but mentally scattered.
Our horses feel that.
Because horses don’t just respond to cues. They respond to nervous systems.
That’s where a simple essential oil routine for your horse can quietly shift the tone of your ride before the work even begins. A consistent pre ride routine creates a predictable starting point for both of you.
You don’t need to buy a hundred essential oils. You don’t need complicated protocols. You need a handful you like and a rhythm that helps you arrive differently — so your horse can meet you there.
Why Essential Oils Before Riding Support Better Training
Training is not just technique. It’s emotional communication between two nervous systems.
Essential oils stimulate the limbic system — the part of the brain involved in emotion and stress response. Olfactory pathways connect directly to emotional centers in the brain, which is why scent can influence mood and regulation so quickly.
Research shows that stimulation of the olfactory system can influence stress response and emotional regulation in mammals, with certain aromas shown to suppress stress biomarkers and support calmer physiological states across species (see this review on olfaction and stress response).
But here’s what can sometimes matter the most in the barn: the act of offering scent slows you down.
When you hold out an oil and wait for your horse to choose whether to engage, you cannot rush. You have to observe breathing. You notice muscle tone. You see whether the eye softens or stays alert. You pay attention.
That presence changes the quality of training.
You are not replacing training with essential oils. You are elevating the emotional tone of training.
Creating a consistent essential oil routine for your horse before riding builds emotional predictability, which supports better training outcomes over time.
A Simple, Repeatable Pre-Ride Essential Oil Routine
I keep this simple.
Most days, I put two oils in my pocket before heading to the barn. That’s it. No complicated blends. No 10-step system. Just two oils I enjoy and intuitively pick for the day.
Sometimes I’m also making my own perfume — which is really just intentional blending with purpose — and if I want something portable and consistent, I’ll bring a roller blend I’ve already created. If you’re curious about blending oils in a way that feels creative and intuitive, you can explore my post on how to make perfume with essential oils HERE, as a starting point.
But for your basic pre ride routine, simplicity wins.
Step 1: Offer Your Horse a Choice
Before asking anything of your horse, offer scent.
Hold the essential oil bottle about six to eight inches from your horse’s nose and allow them to move toward or away from it.
Some of the most commonly used calming essential oils for horses include lavender, frankincense, copaiba, cedarwood, and Roman chamomile. These oils are commonly used as calming essential oils for horses because they’re gentle in aroma, grounding in effect, and versatile in how they can be used.
Not all essential oils are created equally. Quality matters — especially when you’re using them around your animals. I personally only use oils from a company I’ve visited and participated in the farming and distillation process firsthand. That transparency gives me confidence in their purity and sourcing. If you’d like to explore the brand I use, you can learn more HERE. (This is an affiliate link, which means I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Your support allows me to continue creating educational content like this.)
Sometimes your horse will lean in immediately. Sometimes they pause. Sometimes they barely engage at all. All of that feedback matters.
Choice reinforces communication.
When you allow your horse to opt in rather than forcing exposure, you’re strengthening partnership from the very first moment.
Let them smell as long as they want. Stay still. Observe.
That pause shifts you, too.
Step 2: Apply the Oil to Yourself
After offering the oil to my horse, I often place a drop on my hand, rub my palms together, let him smell again, and then apply the remainder to the back of my neck.
Your nervous system sets the tone.
If you walk into the barn tense, distracted, or rushing, your horse mirrors that energy.
When you take even 30 seconds to anchor your breathing and ground yourself through scent, you leave your mental clutter outside the stall.
Essential oils before riding are just as much about regulating the rider as they are about supporting the horse. That’s why a pre ride essential oil routine works on both sides of the partnership.
When you soften, they often soften.
Step 3: Two Minutes of Intentional Touch
Before I tack up, I spend two intentional minutes with slow strokes along the neck, withers, and chest.
This isn’t corrective bodywork. It’s connection.
Pairing essential oils with intentional touch can deepen body awareness and relaxation. If you’re curious how I combine scent with structured equine massage techniques, I share more about that HERE.
Touch combined with scent reinforces relaxation cues. It creates predictability. It establishes communication before asking for effort.
That foundation improves everything that follows — from mounting to warm-up to transitions.
An Optional Roller Blend for Convenience
While I personally love offering single oils for choice, some riders prefer having a ready-to-go blend in their grooming tote. A simple pre ride essential oil blend can create a consistent scent memory over time.
If you’d like a simple roller option, try this in a 10 ml roller bottle:
- 4 drops lavender
- 3 drops Roman chamomile
- 3 drops cedarwood
Fill the remainder with fractionated coconut oil or your preferred carrier oil.
You can apply this lightly to yourself before riding or allow your horse to smell from your hands.
What Changes When You Create This Routine
Without a pre ride reset, grooming can feel rushed. Mounting can feel tense. Warm-up can feel reactive. Small miscommunications escalate.
With a consistent essential oil routine before riding, breathing slows. Focus improves. Subtle tension shows up earlier. Transitions feel smoother. You notice more. Your horse notices more.
You’re improving the quality of training — and how you and your horse enter the work together.
And that changes the partnership.
If you’d like a deeper framework for integrating essential oils intentionally into your horse’s routine — including how I pair scent with massage and body awareness — you can explore my full essential oils for horses course HERE.
Safety You Can Feel Good About
I don’t believe essential oil use needs to be fear-based or overly complicated.
If your horse is new to essential oils, start diluted and introduce scent slowly. Allow your horse to choose whether to engage. As you gain experience and learn your horse’s preferences, you’ll develop a feel for what works. Experience builds intuition, and intuition builds partnership.
Always observe responses. Respect subtle cues. Let communication guide you.
Less is often more. Consistency matters more than complexity.
Frequently Asked Questions About Using Essential Oils With Horses
Can you use essential oils on horses before riding?
Yes. When introduced gently and intentionally, essential oils can support regulation and presence before training. Start with scent exploration and allow your horse to approach voluntarily.
What are calming essential oils for horses?
Lavender, frankincense, copaiba, cedarwood, and Roman chamomile are commonly used for their grounding and soothing properties. Monitor your horse’s response and adjust as needed.
Do essential oils improve partnership with my horse?
Essential oils are not a replacement for training cues. However, a consistent pre ride routine can support emotional regulation, focus, and communication, which strengthens partnership over time.
Should essential oils always be diluted for horses?
If you are just starting out or introducing oils to a new horse, dilution is a gentle approach. As you gain familiarity and experience, you may refine your methods based on your horse’s responses. Always prioritize comfort and communication.
About the Author
Elissa is an equine massage therapist and educator who teaches horse owners how to use essential oils intentionally to deepen connection, support emotional regulation, and improve the quality of partnership before training.
0 Comments