Flaxseed?

[AceyHorse]

Hi, I have seen Flaxseed mentioned a few times now as a natural additive to help your horses coat and colour? I was wondering how much to give each feed and also can you use Flaxseed oil? Are there any other 'natural' additives you can give your horse to encourage a glossy coat and great colour? Would love to hear any suggestions, Thanks :bgrin

 

[qtrrae]

I am a firm believer in Flax seed - this is some info which was given to me from Robin C - hope she doesn't mind me posting this on here. I have this info in my saved files.

Possible Benefits of Flax Seed:

The supplementing of flax seed and/or oil will help with many conditions including:

*clear up skin conditions

*relieve arthritic and inflammatory pain

*increase bone strength

*improved skin and coat condition (decreased dandruff and a beautiful shine on their coats! Even some dappling)

*When a pregnant mare was fed flax, her offspring were larger, and grew faster than when previous to being fed flax

*within 9 months cracked hooves were completely healed

*research indicates that horses fed flax and injected with the deadly organism Escherichia coli were better protected than those not fed flax, suggesting enhanced immunity in these animals

*Valuable source of energy (great to feed during the cold months or during times of stress to prevent weight loss)

*keeps less desirable saturated fats mobile in the blood stream

*increases oxygen uptake to the cell

*decreases recovery time from strenuous exercise

*Numerous studies conducted on animals and humans show that flax has powerful anti-tumor properties and may reduce tumor size by 50%.

I personally feed ground flax on a daily basis, 1 heaping tablespoon to my adult minis, less to smaller minis or younger horses. Studies in big horses have shown that flax in excessive amounts MAY affect thyroid function adversely. Flax is one of the "must haves" in my horses' diets, especially for its anti-inflammatory properties. A Canadian study published in a veterinary journal indicated that flax was very effective in reducing cuculoides allergies (sweet itch, Queensland itch) in sensitive horses. That proved to be correct in one of my mares who used to rub herself raw from the no-see-ums. Without the flax, she's bald. With the flax she has a beautiful coat. Enough proof for me!

Robin C

 

[Jill]

I feed about 2 tablespoons of ground flax seed to my show horses. I wouldn't feed both the flax oil and flax seed. I think the flax seed (which I buy whole and grind in a cheap coffee grinder) is much less expensive than the oil and probably every bit as good for the purpose intended.

Many people feed whole black oil sunflower seeds and swear by the results. I got some for our horses years ago but only fed it 1x. I just really worried about the horses eating the shells. But, like I say, MANY people feed them and I don't remember anyone saying they had troubles from it.

This is the only "extra" my show horses get. Here are pictures of them with no shine added but for a bath and that ground flax seed in their diet. They are all fed soft orchard grass hay, the local co-op's complete senior feed (designed by KER), and flax seed. Dewormed every 6wks this time of year. They'd been lightly lunged 3-4 x a week but about not for about 2wks before these pictures due to rain and the footing in my round pen being too slick. So, limited conditioning and NO sweating at all this year. A really simple program, but I am happy with how they are looking...

Some others here will have shinier and more fit horses, I am sure, but I would bet anything they've spent a lot more time lunging, sweating, spraying and brushing than I have. This here is all the result of a good but simple feed program, and probably some decent genetics.

Harrells Flirting With Perfection1yo filly

Harrells Rowdys Reflection of Hope

5yo mare, 2 prior foals, probably carrying her 3rd

Tibbs Sundowner

9yo gelding

Little Kings BT Bacardi Gold

3yo gelding

Erica's Gone and DunIT

2yo stallion

 

[Soggy Bottom Ranch]

I have been feeding 1 tsp flax seed (both a.m. and p.m.) since last fall, and you wouldn't believe the shine on my guys! :aktion033:

 

[Aggravation Acres]

I was feeding my golden palomino ground flax, about a tablespoon full each night.

I was under the impression that it would help with his areas of built up fat. But I was very shocked last week when I clipped him for the show and the amount of black that showed up all over his body. I have stopped feeding it. And hopefuly the gold will come back in time.

Deb

 

[Sunrise Valley]

Where do you buy flax seed? I have seen small boxes at the supermarket, but is there someplace you can buy in bulk?

 

[AceyHorse]

Wow thanks everyone :aktion033: I've saved the whole page for reference, thanks Robin C for such a comprehensive round up for me and Jill your horses look amazing, those dapples on your grey are stunning. I will definately be incorporating flax seed into my horses diets. (And I'll try the black sunflower seeds too) :bgrin

 

[Jill]

I got a 50# sack of whole flax seeds at the feed store for about $25. Then I ground it all up, and stored what we weren't using at the time in a chest freezer. It will not keep as long once it is ground as it will whole, but I wanted to get it ground up to have it "done".

 

[Jill]

PS I should have said once you grind it and freeze it, if you do it like I did, you can take it straight from the freezer and use it right at that time. It does not freeze into a solid block. Someone asked me that before and it's a good question

: I freeze it in containers, but you could also freeze it in freezer bags.

 

[whitney]

Side note for those feeding Triple Crown 30 supplement the manufacturers rep told me there is 1/4 oz. of flaxseed in the 1/2 pound of supplement my minis get per day.

I had the same results on 1 of my 4 palominos. A Q.H. mare she has black splotches, but I was feeding her the TC30 which gave her 1 ounce and I was giving her 2 additional ounces, per day. But talk about SHINE wowza! My 35 yr old Q.H. mare has some SERIOUS DAPPLES this year. Everyone else shed or clipped out with a really nice shine to their coats.

 

[squeaky]

Hi,

I recently added flax seed to my minis diet. I just did a head and neck clip on her, and holycow is she shiney. I have never had one be that shiny righ after being clipped. I started giving her pelleted rice barn a year ago, but was disappointed in the results. It did put weight on her, but otherwise nothing else. So I switched to ricce bran, and feed 1/4 cup twice a day(i know i know a lot, but the vet said it was ok). I have to say that the full sized horses I work with that are on flax seed have amazinf rich color also.

Amanda

 

[HGFarm]

LOL, I use flax seed myself and grind it as I use it though on a daily basis. The seed itself has a MUCH longer shelf life than after it is ground, even if frozen. They have found that flax can help lower cholesterol, can help in the healing of inflamed intestines. It's really high in the Omage 3 oils and contains anti oxidants. They are looking into other studies a bit regarding flax and health- diabetes, blood pressure, heart disease, breast cancer, etc.... It's also rich in protein, B vitamins, vitamin E, beta carotenes, calcium, potassium, and other things..

It can also help in building your immune system, easing inflammitory conditions like arthritis, and other things.... Flax is high in lignans and alpha-linolenic acid which has been found promising in fighting certain types of cancer.

Are you sold on it yet? LOL

 

[Georgine]

Can flax seed be fed without grinding?

If it is fed that way, are there detrimental effects?

I fed flax for a few weeks, without grinding it, last winter.

I had three mares abort their babies within a week of each other and each of the babies would have been at about 6 months.

The only change in my barn was the flax seed. I stopped the flax and lost no more foals.

Our horses were looking healthy and very "slick" however we could see no other cause for the abortions.

The vet didn't think it could be the flax, however, we have never experienced the phenomena of 3 abortions and also that they should occur within a week.

I would love to use the flax as it did a beautiful job on the horses, but I am afraid to do so.

 

[Kim~Crayonboxminiatures]

I ordered a 25lbs bag from a local health food store, it is organic flax seed, and the darker kind, not the light. I feed 1 TBSP whole flax seed, and I'm seeing great results! I prefer not to grind it for fear of it going bad in our hot humid weather, and they have good grinding teeth anyway.

It did take a bit for two of my "picky" ones to stop picking it out (never thought they'd be able to!) but I like the results from the flax seed, much better than Sunflower seeds.

 

[HGFarm]

Flax seed would have nothing to do with early abortions- I think it would be compared to saying that Grape Nuts caused an abortion in a woman. I would look for other reasons there for the abortions.

 

[qtrrae]

Flax seed would have nothing to do with early abortions- I think it would be compared to saying that Grape Nuts caused an abortion in a woman. I would look for other reasons there for the abortions.

I agree, I have fed all my pregnant mares flax seed throughout their entire pregnancy and have not had any abortions.

I am so sorry that you had to lose three foals, it is never easy losing these precious babies.

 

[Lori]

Why do you have to grind it? Thanks. Lori

 

[HGFarm]

My understanding is that you get more out of it if ground, rather than the seeds passing through whole with just some of the benefits of them. Unground seed really isn't all that digestible and the fiber and other things are found to work really only when it's ground.