Feeding Seeds/Oils for Conditioning & Coat Enhancement

The point to understand is that the ratio of Omega 3’s to Omega 6’s in his diet is critical for your horse’s long term health. There should always be more Omega 3’s because Omega 6’s are known to be INflammatory, whilst Omega 3’s are ANTI-inflammatory.

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For instance black sunflower seeds, which are a source of protein, magnesium and fat, but unfortunately the fat is predominantly Omega 6’s. To counteract this, for every 1 cup of sunflower seeds added to your horses feed, you would need to add 2 cups of ground flaxseed.

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The ratio of Omega 3’s to 6’s is best in fresh green grass, which means therefore Omega 3’s in some form or other, need to be added to feed when horses are completely off the grass for whatever reason because hay has virtually no Omega 3 content.

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One of the best sources of Omega 3’s is Flaxseed oil. Ground flaxseed, (linseed) which is another source of protein and fibre, contains residual amounts of the oil, the meal is what is left after the oil has been extracted.

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ALL vegetable oils are higher in Omega 6’s than Omega 3’s – including rice bran oil (RBO), and therefore need to be balanced up especially if your horse is prone to any of the conditions ending in ‘itis’ which means ‘inflammation’. (Laminitis, Arthritis, Uveitis, Myositis (inflammation of the muscles – very common in Grass Affected horses), Dermatitis, Colitis (inflammation of the digestive tract) and more)

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What about feeding Fish Oil to horses?

Even though horses would never normally eat fish, fish oil, as in Cod Liver Oil for instance, is rich in what are known as long-chain, omega-3 fatty acids called EPA and DHA. These acids form beneficial hormones called eicosanoids that reduce inflammation and help your horse’s immune system.

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Many people feed fish oil to horses without problems, however fish oil does not contain the essential fatty acid Alpha Linolenic Acid (ALA) which the horse cannot manufacture on his own and therefore needs to be supplied in the diet. ALA is found in Flaxseed and Chia Seeds.

 

While there are benefits of feeding fish oil for the other Omega 3 fatty acids, it is completely lacks ALA. This is why some companies blend several oil sources together to get the ideal mix.

Commercial feeds usually contain soybean or corn oils, which are very high in inflammatory omega 6s. It is not that Omega 6’s are ‘bad’, they are just as necessary as Omega 3’s, you just need to ensure the ratio between the two is correct.

The moral of the story is, the less fresh green grass your horse consumes, the more you will need to be conscious of adding fatty acids to your horses diet.

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