RE: [RC] Flax Seed - Susan E. Garlinghouse, D.V.M.
From:
ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Nancy Sturm Sent: Thursday, June 30, 2005
11:00 AM To: Ridecamp Subject: [RC] Flax Seed
I think I'm going to try
flax seed on my miserably itchy pony. The feed store says to soak it, a UK vet on-line
says that's not necessary.
The pony is 14.1 hands,
probably weighs about 700 lbs - how much should he get? He doesn't
usually get anything except grass hay because (like his owner) he's a typically
easy keeper, but he does love beet pulp. Could I soak 1/2 cup of
flax seed and add it to a small amount of soaked beet pulp?
Nancy Sturm
The deal with flax seed is that you can
still get to the omega 3 fatty acids without soaking or grinding, but you’ll
have to feed about twice as much, IME.
Soaking it for a good hour will release
most of the oils and/or soften the seed coat so it’s easier to
digest. If it’s feasible for you, grinding for about ten seconds in
an electric coffee grinder gives you the most bang for your buck. I do it
during commercials watching TV and can get about twelve pounds ground up during
an hour program.
I would start with about a ¼ for a
pony, as the oil is a powerful cathartic and can cause some soft, runny
poop. Start slowly and add an additional tablespoon once a week until you’re
up to maybe a cup a day. For full size horses, double the amounts you
start with and increase by.
I have some horses I work with that are
getting a couple pounds a day for assorted reasons (including itchiness).
