It is very important that your horses have clean water to drink. Do not put fish in your horse's water tank thinking it will keep the water clean. Fish poop in the water and fill the water with bacteria and parasites and this is what your horse is drinking.
Mosquitos and other insects lay eggs in water, bird droppings land in the water and then your horse consumes the water that contains larvae and bacteria and gets parasites or diarrhea.
The tanks or automatic waterers need to be cleaned on a regular basis. Don't let fungus grow in them. Your horse consumes the fungal spores putting stress on the immune system.
Sand and dirt accumulate in the water. It may seem as if the sand settles to the bottom so your horse is okay to drink it. If the water is stirred around which some horses do as they drink, the sand is consumed and could accumulate causing sand colic.
Take the extra time to clean your horse's water tank or automatic waterers. Clean water is life giving. Keep your horses happy and healthy.
Sunday, July 6, 2014
The wrong type of fat for your horse
For years we all have been told to feed oil such as corn, canola or vegetable oil which is usually soy to our horses for many different reasons. The intention is good but the oil is the wrong type of oil. Do not feed your horses corn, soy, canola, or any other inexpensive grocery store oils.
These oils are unhealthful for your horses and for humans as well. The reason being they are high in what is called Omega 6 fatty acids. You may hear this promoted as being something desirable but this is not the type of fatty acids that provide health benefits.
Omega 6 is pro-inflammatory. What this means is if your horse has arthritis or other inflammatory conditions these oils will make the condition worse.
High fat in a horses diet can be beneficial if it is the right type: high in Omega 3's and Omega 9's, low in Omega 6. Omega 3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory.
Because of this, they will help a horse with joint with issues.
Fish oil is what is normally recommended for human consumption to obtain a good quality fatty acid supplement. For your horse there are other types of vegetable oils that are good quality to supplement the diet with.
Flax oil, coconut oil, rice bran oil, and hemp seed oil are good options. With that said, not all of these oils are created equal. What makes a big difference in the quality of the oil is the way it is processed.
For example; there are several different brands of rice bran oil that are manufactured and promoted for horses. If you pay attention to the ingredients most of them are not 100% rice bran oil. They are usually mixed with soy oil because it is less expensive to manufacturer and it will be promoted as rice bran oil. The inexpensive types will be light in color, thin and have no sediment in it. These will not provide the same health benefits to your horse.
Rice bran oil should be dark in color and contain thick lecithins which are high in Vitamin E and other health giving properties. The best rice bran oil is McCauley's
Once you have used this oil you will see a huge difference in the quality of the oil and the results with your horse.
Flaxseed oil is also darker in color and should not be mixed with other inexpensive oils. A good quality flaxseed oil is from Platinum Performance called Healthy Weight.
Coconut oil is harder to feed because in cooler weather it hardens. A good form of coconut oil is a product called Power Stance
Hemp seed oil is a wonderful oil for horses. It provides a good ratio of omega fatty acids. Organic hemp oil for human consumption is an excellent choice.
Oils go rancid fast so they must be kept in a cool/dark area and out of direct sunlight. If you live in a humid climate best to keep them refrigerated. Too often I see bottles of canola or soy oil sitting out in the sunlight in front of a horses stall or paddock. This oil when heated by the sun becomes toxic to your horse creating inflammation in the body.
Choose your oils wisely and learn to read the ingredient labels. The label on the front may say Rice Bran Oil but if you read the little side label of the actual ingredients you will find other oils mixed with it.
These oils are unhealthful for your horses and for humans as well. The reason being they are high in what is called Omega 6 fatty acids. You may hear this promoted as being something desirable but this is not the type of fatty acids that provide health benefits.
Omega 6 is pro-inflammatory. What this means is if your horse has arthritis or other inflammatory conditions these oils will make the condition worse.
High fat in a horses diet can be beneficial if it is the right type: high in Omega 3's and Omega 9's, low in Omega 6. Omega 3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory.
Because of this, they will help a horse with joint with issues.
Fish oil is what is normally recommended for human consumption to obtain a good quality fatty acid supplement. For your horse there are other types of vegetable oils that are good quality to supplement the diet with.
Flax oil, coconut oil, rice bran oil, and hemp seed oil are good options. With that said, not all of these oils are created equal. What makes a big difference in the quality of the oil is the way it is processed.
For example; there are several different brands of rice bran oil that are manufactured and promoted for horses. If you pay attention to the ingredients most of them are not 100% rice bran oil. They are usually mixed with soy oil because it is less expensive to manufacturer and it will be promoted as rice bran oil. The inexpensive types will be light in color, thin and have no sediment in it. These will not provide the same health benefits to your horse.
Rice bran oil should be dark in color and contain thick lecithins which are high in Vitamin E and other health giving properties. The best rice bran oil is McCauley's
Once you have used this oil you will see a huge difference in the quality of the oil and the results with your horse.
Flaxseed oil is also darker in color and should not be mixed with other inexpensive oils. A good quality flaxseed oil is from Platinum Performance called Healthy Weight.
Coconut oil is harder to feed because in cooler weather it hardens. A good form of coconut oil is a product called Power Stance
Hemp seed oil is a wonderful oil for horses. It provides a good ratio of omega fatty acids. Organic hemp oil for human consumption is an excellent choice.
Oils go rancid fast so they must be kept in a cool/dark area and out of direct sunlight. If you live in a humid climate best to keep them refrigerated. Too often I see bottles of canola or soy oil sitting out in the sunlight in front of a horses stall or paddock. This oil when heated by the sun becomes toxic to your horse creating inflammation in the body.
Choose your oils wisely and learn to read the ingredient labels. The label on the front may say Rice Bran Oil but if you read the little side label of the actual ingredients you will find other oils mixed with it.
Saturday, July 5, 2014
Rapid Response
Rapid Response is a unique supplement for horses, dogs, and people. I have used this product for over 10 years. It works! It is highly effective in soft tissue injuries, bone injuries, arthritis, joint issues, digestive upset, slow healing wounds and much more.
I can't say enough good things about this product. I know of several horses that were going to be put down and Rapid Response turned them around. In one case a young foal broke its leg, the desperate owner started him on RR and the foal was able to completely recover.
Michael Plumb's Horse Journal did a review on the product and found it to be a highly effective joint supplement.
Working from a cellular level Rapid Response helps create a healthy environment for the nine vital systems in the body allowing the cells to regenerate quickly. This means healing!
There are several different formulas to chose from. Formula F and the newest one F+ with Hyaluronic acid are the ones I like the best. Any of the formulas can be used by horses, dogs, and humans.
To learn more about it go to the website: Rapid Response
I can't say enough good things about this product. I know of several horses that were going to be put down and Rapid Response turned them around. In one case a young foal broke its leg, the desperate owner started him on RR and the foal was able to completely recover.
Michael Plumb's Horse Journal did a review on the product and found it to be a highly effective joint supplement.
Working from a cellular level Rapid Response helps create a healthy environment for the nine vital systems in the body allowing the cells to regenerate quickly. This means healing!
There are several different formulas to chose from. Formula F and the newest one F+ with Hyaluronic acid are the ones I like the best. Any of the formulas can be used by horses, dogs, and humans.
To learn more about it go to the website: Rapid Response
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)