Myth: A Shiny Horse is a Healthy Horse

Omega-3s block the formation of inflammatory molecules that are readily formed from omega-6s. Take a close look at the fat sources you are feeding to confirm that enough omega-3s are in the diet. Read the ingredients and note the concentrations. Manufacturers of products that are high in soybean oil, for example, will often tout that the product contains omega-3s. This is true, but misleading. Soybean oil does contain about seven percent omega-3s. But what they don’t tell you is that 50 percent of the fatty acids in soybean oil are from linoleic acid (omega-6).

Coconut oil is popular, but it has no omega-3s. Therefore, if you feed this as your only source of fat, your horse will become deficient in this essential fatty acid. He’ll be very shiny, but he will be unhealthy. Coconut oil is more than 90 percent saturated, with a smidgen of linoleic acid. The saturated fatty acids exist mostly as medium chain triglycerides, which is controversial because these types of fatty acids do not exist in grasses.

Once fresh grass is cut, dried, and stored, the naturally occurring unsaturated fatty acids are destroyed by oxygen. If hay is the predominant forage source for your horse, it is critical that you add a fat source that offers more omega-3s than omega-6s. Ground flaxseed or chia seeds are best for omega-3s. When supplementing, limit the amount fed to no more than a one-half cup per 400 lbs of body weight (120 ml per 180 kg of body weight). The dosage for flaxseed oil should be 1.5 tablespoons per 400 lbs of body weight (22.5 ml per 180 kg body weight).Hay has virtually no fatty acid content

Not all equines are the same