Dear Rita,

Try not to be squeamish about the subject matter! Leeches can be very helpful in treating various sport horse injuries, particularly when the injured area needs increased circulation.

History of the medicinal use of leeches dates as far back as 500 BC with an almost frenetic increase in their use during the European Renaissance period. The continued increase in the use of leeches throughout Europe and the Americas through the 1800s pushed Hirudo Medicinalis nearly to the point of extinction in its natural habitat.