Rice bran vs. oil

[JOltmann@FANCYPUBS.COM]

After reading the posts about rice bran, particularly Susan G's article, I
am a little alarmed about the amount of rice bran I am feeding (about 1 lb a
day). I have been feeding rice bran to my horse for almost two years. My
total combined feeding program (grass hay and alfalfa, a complete
performance feed and rice bran) has netted excellent results. My horse is
very healthy, has developed good bone mass, is never ill, maintains good
weight and finishes rides in the top 10, regardless of distance, looking
like he hadn't been ridden. However, the only reason I feed the rice bran is
because, like many, I thought it was an excellent source of fat. I have
always cringed at the price, but fed it anyway because my horse seems to
benefit from it. So, in light of the recent information about rice bran, it
would make sense to switch to an oil as a source of fat. I've heard,
however, that too much oil can coat the intestines and interfere with
absorption of nutrients. I've also heard that certain types of oil have a
short shelf life and spoil relatively quickly. My questions are these: How
much oil is "too much?" Are some oils better than others? And, what type of
oil is most recommended/used/preferred for endurance horses? I'm reluctant
to just yank the rice bran, because I'm not seeing any negative affects, but
Susan's article has created some concern.