Opinions on Omega3 fish oils for horses?

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mariaandefe

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Hi,
The vet recommended I give my horse Omega 3 fish oils, however I understand that horses are not necessarily meant to be consuming meat/fish supplements etc.
So I was wondering has anyone supplemented their horses Omega3 fish oils?

Thanks,
 
Pearlsasinger said:
I never give my horses something that they have not evolved to digest.

I would mention "mad cow disease" to any vet who suggest feeding fish to my horses.

I would look into feeding Boswells instead.
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Thanks!
Are Omega 3 oils all purely fish based? Or is there some other type of Omega 3 oils? I don’t know much about Omega 3 oils
 
In 1906 the biggest feeding "trial" ever conducted with horses(the entire Austro-Hungarian army) was to determine if fish oil was good for horses.
The conclusion was a resounding NO. They did not know why ,but ultimately those on the supplement had a significant amount of problems. This was probably due to the very high vitamin D1 content,.
Vitamin D was not identified until the 1940 s .Fish Oil should never be fed except under veterinary advice and it helps to have a vet that understands the serious dangers of excessive vitamin D
 
Bob notacob said:
In 1906 the biggest feeding "trial" ever conducted with horses(the entire Austro-Hungarian army) was to determine if fish oil was good for horses.
The conclusion was a resounding NO. They did not know why ,but ultimately those on the supplement had a significant amount of problems. This was probably due to the very high vitamin D1 content,.
Vitamin D was not identified until the 1940 s.
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that’s really interesting! it’s so weird because brands market fish oils as such amazing supplements.
 
Nocturnal said:
Why not feed linseed oil or some blend of plant based oils designed for horses instead.
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I’m looking for oils specifically for anti inflammatory, coat health and gut health. Would you recommend linseed oil for this? Because i’m not too sure what type of oil to give him :)
 
Marine (fish) omega 3 is more proven for joints and inflammation than plant based (linseed)... https://askanimalweb.com/what-is-the-best-oil-for-horses-and-ponies/ see this bit:

LA is found in plants whilst EPA and DHA are found in fish, krill and algae. In people a small amount of ALA can be converted into EPA (~8%) and DHA (0-4%). Horses and ponies are very poor at converting ALA from plant sources into EPA and DHA. So if you want the anti-inflammatory/immune benefits of omega 3 you MUST feed a FISH OIL (e.g. salmon, cod liver oil, mackerel) or ALGAL source.
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So if you can go for marine/fish oils over linseed based, if you want it to have an effect on inflammation. Problem is a lot of supplements use the cheaper linseed based oil...
 
this is a good link

I think any horse that doesnt have access to decent amount fresh grass (and is not on a specialised diet already), would benenfit from 100gms micronised linsee3ed.

forageplus.co.uk

Omega 3 For Horses | Why Is It Important? | Forageplus

Omega 3 for horses is an essential fatty acid that cannot be made by the horse’s body and must be present in the diet for a horse to be truly healthy.
forageplus.co.uk forageplus.co.uk
 
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