I use ground flax seed in our diets on a regular basis as it is high in healthy Omega-3 fatty acids. Flax seed even makes a great egg replacement in many gluten free recipes. As we were getting ready to bring our horses home, both Munchkin and I started doing a good deal of research into nutrition for horses. We found that just like flax see is wonderful for human overall health, it’s also great for the overall well-being of horses.
We learned that it can help reduce inflammation, relieve various skin conditions, alleviate symptoms of allergies, help with the symptoms of arthritis and/or joint stiffness, boost the immune system, and help regulate thyroid function. It’s also good for the hooves, coat, mane, and tail.
It can be fed both whole and ground although most research that we found points towards grinding it prior to feeding. Because it will go rancid due to the oils, it’s best to either ground right before use or store in the freezer after grinding. The whole flax seed can be stored for up to 2 years with no issues depending on the storage conditions.
It is generally accepted that you should feed no more than 8 oz. of flax seed per day to a horse. It’s best to add it gradually to the diet to allow the horse to adjust to the change in diet. Flax seed is great for horses of all ages which is one of the nice things about this particular supplement. It’s one of the few things that will improve the health of virtually all horses.
I’ve heard that you can find this inexpensively in bulk at feed mills, but we don’t have access to a feed mill. One day, when we were at the Dollar Store, I came across 1 lb. bags of flax seed, so we’ve been stocking up here and there whenever they have it on hand. At only a $1 a pound, it’s a great way to supplement our horses diet – especially since we’re in a desert environment where they don’t have access to a beautiful grass pasture. We did see 1 lb. bags at Big Lots for a slightly higher price, but it was still a good price point.
Yesterday, I decided that I wanted to go ahead and get a bunch of the flax seed ground up. I processed 18 lbs. of flax seed in my Blendtec blender, and it’s all now stored in the freezer for easy use as needed. I was just grinding it week to week, but I think this will work a little better for us. We add the ground flax seed to their daily feed ration. Phantom eats alfalfa pellets with minerals and raspberry leaves while Dixie eats senior feed mixed with some alfalfa pellets with raspberry leaves and a joint supplement. For now, it works for us.
