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About Us

Welcome to Collinson herbs, founded by Ellen Collinson, Europes leading equine iridologist and herbalist 'extroardinaire'. Ellen led a revival of equine iridology after studying human iridology first. Ellen also formualted the unique and powerful herbal formulas, still exactly the same today, using her vast experience, intuitive instincts of herbs and plant medicine. Ellen was fortunate to have trained with some of the very best 'old school' vets and trainers who were then true horsemen and had vast practical hands on knowledge with a holistic view of the patient. Ellen always felt she had a natural connection with plants and horses, which shows in the success of her herbsl products and iridology. After Ellens retirement, I hope to continue her good work and have been fortunate to train and learn much from her. 

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The products are 100% pureherbs with no added fillers, mixers or binders added - hence the need for only a small scoop (supplied). Most of the products at 500gms are to provide one course for one horse lasting approximately 5 to 6 weeks, added to feed, or can be mixed with water or a little light oil (such as sunflower oil) in a syringe and given orally. Larger sizes, 1kg to 5kg's are now available for bigger yards and horses needing long term use.

Herbal products can be made up especially to suit your horses requirements. Sometimes, 'one size does not fit all. We offer a bespoke service where necessary.

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A huge part of any health program or health issues is diet. The majority of problems whether health, temperament, behavioural or performance start in the gut. Ellen originally started the herbal products specifically for digestive issues which were rapidly increasing in the 60's due to the rapid introduction of processed 'convenience' foods. These processed foods caused so much toxic overload and high protein content, putting a huge burden on the horses digestive organs and body systems; and the problem is no better today with the added chemicals, factory byproducts, GM ingredients, soya, mould inhibitors, preservatives, marketing and current fashions, such as excess oils.

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There is information on the herb pages of this website regarding feeding a natural clean diet which can apply to almost all horses, with just the quantities adjusted to the individual horse, his workload, regime and age.

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We have a lifetimes experience in many disciplines of equestrianism. I competed myself at The Horse of the Year Show, Hickstead, Wales and West, & County Shows in show jumping & working hunter. As a child in Pony Club years I competed in the Prince Philip cup teams, PC event and SJ teams. I was lucky enough to hunt with the Quorn back then. I taught riding in the USA and trained in dressage with H. Riegler of the Spanish riding school of Vienna.
My husband and I have bred a few nice horses over the years. 41yrs ago he hand reared an orphan foal given to him, on calf milk!! Easter went on to show jump to grade B and breed a fabulous foal herself which went on to win many working hunter classes at County shows. We currently have a homebred jumping internationally with a leading young rider.
We had  retail saddlery shops for 12 yrs where I learned practical leatherwork and repairs and hold my saddle fitting diploma/certificate.
Our daughters have competed in Pony Club, BSPS, BD and British Show jumping and we have trained with Mary Wanless and Denise O’Reilly in rider bio-mechanics. They have both competed successfully at HOYS, Royal International, Hickstead, and major County Shows as juniors. After leaving school, youngest daughter went on to compete internationally gaining her 1st world ranking points at 21yrs of age, was a BEF squad member,  & on the IEP. She competed in France , Belgium, Spain and China.
My husband is a keen livestock farmer and has reared prize winning pedigree limousins, winning at major County shows, including Cheshire county and The late Royal Show. I was brought up in  market gardening and have always had a keen interest in plants and herbs, for both culinary and medicinal purposes. I have learned much about nutrition and dietary requirements, food combinations, effects of regime/routine and lifestyle and the extraordinary effects certain foods and herbs have on us and our dear equine friends. Both human and horses have sensitive digestive systems.
As a teenager I experienced a horse with a serious infected large leg wound and by accident (or so I thought at the time) the horse self medicated on available herbs, particularly nettles and thistles, and the leg ‘miraculously’ healed, before the vet could do the planned skin grafts and the cutting out of proud flesh. This sparked my interest in the healing properties of plants and herbs. Since then over the years I have learned, researched and studied and been fortunate to train with Ellen in iridology and herbs, passing my exam with her in 2013. Ellen still continues to help us with her wealth of knowledge  and experience.

 

About Ellen

Ellen Collinson grew up in the North of England, started riding at 9 years of age joined the pony club, hunted and showed and show jumped ponies, in later years I continued to hunt and rode point to point but the point to pointing was cut short due to a bad fall. I went to work for a very good small trainer called Freddie Dickinson, he used to train National Hunt horses and Point to pointers in the winter and produce show horses in the summer. In his younger days he rode for Lady Yule and won at the White City on several occasions. He was an exceptionally gifted horseman, with a deep understanding of horses psychology long before the current horse whisperers, he was a brilliant feeder, and used to say regularly that races were won or lost in two places, one in the feed bowl and one at the start he was also a great believer in herbs, and used to use herbs as a natural feed balancer and also as a natural medicine I was very lucky to have worked for such a knowledgeable man who taught me so much and I have tried to continue in my work the way he would have done.

Then when I was living in Ireland I met an Alpine gypsy who told me about Iridology, which is commonly practiced in Europe, especially Germany. I studied human iridology to learn how it worked, on what basis the iris represented the body, then I turned my attention to the horses eye and found the subject fascinating. I spent a long time observing post mortems, and also went to the local knocker's yard to compare the horse's eyes with the state of the organs and structural state of the horse.

Iridology is based on the principle that the markings of the iris of the eye indicate accurately the state of the condition, showing organ strings and weaknesses and especially constitutional inheritance. This aspect of iridology means that problems can be detected long before they can turn into an illness.

In Ireland, Ted Walsh was one of my first clients and if anyone asked him if he could help with a problem horse, he said no, but I know a woman who can.

As well as Iridology consultations I am a qualified herbalist and supply some of the top competition and training yards with my products. These unique and successful combinations are made up either as powders or tinctures and are extremely potent and are sold as Ellen Collinson Herbal Products. Olympic dressage rider Kirsty Mepham said At first I was sceptical about using Herbal Bute and Kidney Herbs for Dikkiloo my horse I took to the Sydney Olympic Games as I was cautious about feeding him anything different. I was recommended to use them after a consultation with Ellen Collinson, the equine iridologist. Ellen identified that Dikkiloo had a blockage on his left hand side, around the kidney area. She asked me if he was sore in that area and also if he was a bit short on the left when ridden. I confirmed both of these observations. As she had so accurately described him without ever seeing him move, I decided to give the herbs a go.

The course of Kidney Herbs and Herbal Bute (now renamed Repair & Builder) lasted a month, but I noticed a difference in a few days. Dikkiloo became looser and had more energy.

Des ONeil writes I heard about Ellen from friends within the racing industry. Some of the trainers had told me of this lady who practised iridology and was an outstanding herbalist. When Lights and Music fractured his pedal bone in training the vets said there was a 90% chance he would never be sound again. I called Ellen to see Lights. She recommended rest and Herbal Bute, Lights was only four. Within six months he was sound. Within a year he was racing again and as a six year old he won the Fairyhouse festival and won again at the Punchestown festival.

I strongly believe without Ellen and her Herbal Bute, (Repair & Builder) Lights and Music would never have raced again.

I am now being approached by more vets who are using my products and recommending them to their clients, where they have seen the benefits to other horses I have treated with success.

I am now teaching Equine Iridology, and anyone interested in learning this very useful skill can contact me for course details. The Iridology course is divided into 10 lessons, it is a correspondence course with a two day practical at the end. It is a diploma course and once completed you will be added to the web page as a qualified practitioner.

Since Ellens retirement please contact Joey Philips for course information at  email:  info@equineiridologycourse.com  This course is copyright.
 

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