Omega 3 Supplements
There are two fatty acids that are considered to be "essential," meaning that the horse's body cannot produce them. Consequently, they must be in the diet. While healthy, growing pasture grasses are high in essential fatty acids, hay is almost completely devoid of them.
Most commercially fortified feeds add "vegetable oil" or soybean oil (same thing), which is very high in the essential omega 6 fatty acid called Linoleic Acid (LA) and extremely low in the essential omega 3 fatty acid, Alpha Linolenic Acid (ALA). If an additional source of omega 3s is not added, the diet will be lopsided, with too much LA, leading to inflammation throughout the body.
To help balance the diet and provide more omega 3s, it is important to feed a supplemental source. The products below will offer your horse the omega 3s needed to maintain health.
For more information on this and other fats, please refer to the Resource Library on Dietary Fat.
