flax seed

bit · flax seed

If I can find an affordable place to buy flax seed, I'd like to include it with some boss in the horses diet. Will flax seed oil work the same? Is 82.00 for 50 pounds, includes shipping, a good price?

misstux

Are you anywhere near a store that sells wildlife or wild bird supplies? I buy a 20# bag of flax seed that's labeled for birds and it lasts Scout quite a while - months.

Nashama

Yes, cold pressed linseed oil works as well, one of my herbal teachers tells me. You can usually get it from your local health food store and feed it at about a rate of 2 tablespoons per day.

bit

thanks you guys!

Pedestal*Pony

Someone/all tell me about flax seed? I hear about it but not sure what it is or what it's purpose is?

I have also heard linseed too. Anyone know what that is and what it's purpose is?

learningthedance

Nashama

Flaxseed and linseed are the same thing, yes, and you have to be careful in which oil you buy as some are not useful for joint, muscle and ligament health..

Clarissa

Remember not to buy boiled linseed oil as it is no good for horses.

Also flax/linseed oil/seeds go rancid very quickly so keep dark & cool (not in the fridge). I think I read it is best kept at room temp (16-21C).

Shannon

I had heard that flax was pretty fattening, so if you have a horse with a tendency to be overweight, it is not a good idea to feed.

Perhaps this depends on the amount fed so that you can get the benefit of flax without adding to the pounds?

peachpie

I give Deuce 1/8 cup. That's right, less than a quarter cup. Just a bit of that fat.

Nashama

All seeds should be stored in a cool dry place, not just linseed. I have linseed that is about 4 years old in the feed shed which is just fine as it - and the oats, etc - are stored correctly.

The boiled information is that when in contact with water, linseed releases it's cyanic compounds into a form harmful.

It's best to give fresh ground linseed at a rate of about 1/3 of a metric cup per day. Even that much put too much weight on my horses, so I rarely feed it and when I do I feed the oil. I would grind my linseed and french white millet seed about twice a week. The ration I used was 1/3 linseed to 2/3 millet (as suggested by the equine herbalist from McDowell's), and fed at a rate of 1 cup per day.

Unless you breach both seeds hulls, neither are any use to the horse. I found coffee grinders did not stand up to the work and use a spice grinder.

There is a lot of myth and misinformation about feeding linseed, so sort through what you might find on the Net and work out which are the credible sources.

bit

Was able to buy a 50 pound bag for 20.00 at the local co op. Thanks guys, it's now part of the daily diet. Only a tiny bit for Eclipse, as she is on a mega diet/exercise program right now. The good news, our relationship is amazing, my fat jeans now fit without the muffin top, and enjoying some wonderful riding thanks to a warm and early spring. We are doing a lot of traveling circles, falling leaf patterns, and shoulder/head in's. Yoga for her, massage, and lots of grooming time. I even did her long mane in a basket weave so it doesn't get so tangeled in the spring winds. She looks awsome! I feel great!

ztmag

If you are feeding flax seed, and not the oil, it is best to grind it. If you don't grind the seeds, they will mostly pass right through the horse and you can see them in the manure (the birds will love it). I keep a coffee grinder and grind seeds each morning to add to the feed right before I feed. Apparently, the omega oils are very volatile and will degenerate quickly so it is best to wait until the last minute. You only have to grind them for about 5 seconds to break them open so they will digest. I also know people who grind a bunch at a time and freeze it in ziploc bags to use later.

Also be aware that flax seeds are very light and horse's can aspirate them if they are fed loose and dry. I mix them in to the feed mix and add water.

karmikacres

We get stabilized ground flax from Pizzy's nutritional. It is $25 - $30 delivered for a 50 pound bag.

Mike

Pedestal*Pony

karmikacres

alexwein

appellativo

yeah me too (want to know exactly which product you recommend. I hate trying to figure out mazes.) And didnt someone say that the golden is not what you want to feed your horses?

I have ordered Omega Fields ground stabilized flax before, its free shipping. it's $86 for a 50 lb bag.

this is a quote from a link previous about feeding whole, which echoes what I've read (that it's still utilized by the horse whole):

"The fact is, flax seed CAN be fed as whole seeds. Recent research done on various seeds found that the nutrients were extracted from the seed hulls even if some seeds appeared "whole" in the manure.

"Even though some whole seeds may appear in the manure, the majority of them are used completely in the equine digestive tract."