Our Story
W.F.Young, Inc., makers of Absorbine, was established in 1892. Absorbine Veterinary Liniment, W.F.Y.’s first product, was invented by Mary Ida and Wilbur F. Young. The two were living in Connecticut just before the turn of last the century. Wilbur delivered cargo with a wagon and a team of horses. Mary Ida was an avid horse enthusiast and cared for all of their horses. Wilbur’s team would get tired after long days of pulling freight and often would be too sore the next day to pull cargo as effectively.
In those days, if a horse had stiffness or soreness, a common procedure was to “blister” the skin using an acidic or otherwise caustic agent. The blistered skin would cause blood to flood the area, speeding recovery of the muscles and connective tissues underneath. This was a harsh measure and often very uncomfortable for the horse. It would also necessitate two to three days of recovery. Mary Ida and Wilbur disapproved of this practice. Mary Ida decided there must be a smarter, more humane way. She then took special care to formulate a time honored blend of aromatic and essential oils that remain a family secret to this day. They named it Absorbine Liniment. The product caught on quickly, and the business grew. Today, Absorbine Veterinary Liniment is sold online, in tack shops across America and around the world in the classic ochre colored bottle.
The combined effect of our liniment and the act of rubbing it onto the horse by hand creates a special synergy. The physical action of the rubbing accelerates the blood flow even more, helping the body heal itself. As an added benefit, when you rub down the horse, you are touching every part of the legs, observing any bumps, heat, swelling etc. This proven hands-on style of horse management is practiced by farriers and horse health experts around the world. They know the best way to treat any ailment is to know about it early, before it causes a domino effect on the horses health.
Absorbine Veterinary Liniment Gel uses the same herbs and menthol as our original liquid liniment, but in a convenient gel form. It soothes the soreness from arthritis, sore joints and muscle aches for hours. It is a high quality herbal medicine deserving of the Absorbine name.