Oil in feed - is it heating?

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budatiger

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My boy is a confident but quirky and sometimes difficult arab. He has navicular and has suddenly shown signs of being very slightly uncomfortable with the hard ground. I have been advised to add a small amount of vegetable oil to his feed daily. Can oil be heating, even in moderation for a horse that gets only a small amount of chaff as a feed? He is a Jekyll and Hyde and character very sensitive to mixes and I don't want to add to his 'big' personality!
 
Oil provides slow release energy, so shouldnt cause excitability. Per kg it does provide approx 2.5 times more energy than a kg of cereals though- so it is energy dense.

However, in small amounts it is more beneficial for skin, coat, etc rather than an energy source. If fed for energy you normally feed in much larger amounts and it takes approx 10 weeks for the body to adapt to using oil as an energy source.

Veg oil isnt actually the best oil for any conditions that may have associated inflammation as it is pro-inflammatory. You would be better off with linseed oil, which has anti-inflammatory properties.
 
teddyt, thanks for the information. I purchased the veg oil from the supermarket, then googled and discovered it really was not ideal. Can you buy linseed oil from a non-horse retailer in bulk? Alternatively i could just get some cod liver oil.
 
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