Do you continue to feed linseed in the summer?

[Charlie31]

This winter I have been giving my horse linseed for the first time. Mostly it was to help him grow stronger hooves but I also liked the general anti-inflammatory benefits and the fact that it gave a few more calories over the winter. I changed to new farrier at the same time as I started on the linseed. His hooves have improved massively due to the new farrier but the farrier also says that what's growing down now is really strong.

So as I come to the end of the current bag of linseed I have to decide whether to buy a new one or not? In theory I understand that the summer grass should now provide the benefits that the linseed was giving over the winter but in practice I'm a bit afraid of stopping it. Do you linseed feeders carry on all year round or just give it over the winter?

He won't need the calories now so my other option is to just give him a tablespoon of linseed oil each day along with his balancer. Would this work do people think?

 

[supsup]

I don't, but mostly because my horse doesn't like linseed particularly, and becomes more picky about his bucket feed when there is spring grass to be had!
I wouldn't consider linseed to be particularly grood/critical for hoof health, to be honest. It provides a bit of extra protein, and the omega 3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory, but beyond that I don't know that I'd say it's particularly important for hoof health specifically. I'd be more inclined to think that the balancer has made a difference (essential amino acids, copper, zinc can all have impact on skin and hoof quality). Fresh grass should provide the omega 3s as well as protein (and at a mugful, I wouldn't say the amount of protein in the linseed will do much one way or the other), so I'd feel quite okay leaving it out.
My only exception to this would be if I had to really restrict grazing a lot (for weight/laminitis reasons) and ended up feeding hay instead, in which case there would be less omega 3s coming from fresh grass.

 

[Charlie31]

Thanks for that. I have to admit that palatability was one of my key concerns given that it's a battle to get him to eat much at the best of times, and I know from my own experience that linseed isn't exactly tasty! I think I'll knock it on the head for the summer then as I reckon I just about stand a chance of getting him to eat his balancer only with a bit of oil stirred in.

I take your point about the hoof quality probably being more to do with the balancer than the linseed. Quite a few people on here recommended linseed for hoof health when I asked for advice a while back though so I thought it worth a go. Interestingly though, even though I can see for myself how strong the hoof that's coming down looks, I've thought for a while now that his coat looks a bit dull. Perhaps it's just where he was clipped though so I'll see how his summer coat grows through. I kind of find it a bit weird in a way though.

 

[nikkimariet]

I feed linseed all year round.

 

[AdorableAlice]

I feed it all year round too. Puts a good skin on them and makes life easy when I get them out in public. Give them a wipe over with a damp cloth and they are ready to go.

 

[millikins]

I usually stop using linseed in summer. I would take issue about the effect on hooves, my first farrier visit after starting them on it was "what on earth was I feeding them?" as so much hoof growth.

 

[claret09]

I use linseed all year round. great for coats, joints and think it helps with sweet itch. my boy is 20 in may and looks amazing

 

[PorkChop]

I feed it all year round. My good doers only get a couple of tablespoons a day, but it still gives them a shine to their coat.

 

[xgemmax]

I feed it all year round but I cut it down by half so feed one little scoop instead of two

 

[Janovich]

I too feed it all year round,... although i do cut it down a little during the summer months. As has been said above, it's many benefits outweigh the extra few calories to a degree and it's great for the coat, particularly at this time of year when they're changing them. My boy used to itch like mad when changing coats. I'd like to believe that his linseed addition helps him through the coat changing stage as he doesn't seem to itch anywhere near as much nowadays.

 

[BarneyTheChestnutOne]

I feed it all year round, 2 mugs a day in winter, down to either 1 mug or 1/2 a mug a day in summer, depending on the weight of my horse.

 

[tallyho!]

If the hooves are so good, why would you stop?

 

[Charlie31]

If the hooves are so good, why would you stop?

Thanks for all the replies. The main reason I thought I'd stop was because I understood that all the good stuff that's in the linseed was in the grass in the summer so the linseed isn't needed then. Also, although his hooves look good I don't think his coat actually looks all that great.

Confused now as to whether to continue to feed it at a reduced rate or give him oil instead. Hmm.

 

[peanut]

I feed it all the year round for hooves, joints and dandruff. My horse is on restricted grass from spring to autumn as she's had laminitis in the past so she actually needs a few extra calories at this time.

 

[tallyho!]

Thanks for all the replies. The main reason I thought I'd stop was because I understood that all the good stuff that's in the linseed was in the grass in the summer so the linseed isn't needed then. Also, although his hooves look good I don't think his coat actually looks all that great.

Confused now as to whether to continue to feed it at a reduced rate or give him oil instead. Hmm.

Definitely don't replace it with oil, then you are feeding pure fat and reduced goodness. That's a step in the wrong direction micronised linseed works so well because it's a wholefood.

 

[Equi]

I wanted to, because i think it helps to give my horse some joint care too but at the end of my bag i could not find any ANYWHERE. (micronised by the way, not oil) frankly hes not been the same since stopping and its really annoying me! The only place i could get it was asking for £20 for 5kg....i was getting 20kg for that!

 

[tallyho!]

I wanted to, because i think it helps to give my horse some joint care too but at the end of my bag i could not find any ANYWHERE. (micronised by the way, not oil) frankly hes not been the same since stopping and its really annoying me! The only place i could get it was asking for £20 for 5kg....i was getting 20kg for that!

Have you looked at charnwood mills? http://www.charnwoodmilling.co.uk/mail-order/Horse_Food.html