Question
I currently feed my horse a coconut/soybean oil blend for weight maintenance. Would EO-3 be a comparable replacement? He currently gets 6 oz spread over two feedings to maintain weight. He had colic surgery 18 months ago and receives 2.5 lb (1 kg) of high-fiber concentrate each day in addition to hay.
Answer
Before I address your primary question about the oils, I’d like to mention the concentrate portion of your horse’s diet. Because you only feed 2.5 lb of concentrate daily, your horse is not receiving optimal vitamin and mineral nutrition, a problem for horses that consume primarily forage. This can be corrected by increasing the feeding rate of your current concentrate to the recommended amount, which may also help with weight maintenance. Alternatively, you could add a ration balancer or a high-quality vitamin and mineral supplement.
EO-3 is not typically used for weight maintenance because it is fed in relatively small amounts. Instead, it is fed as a direct source of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), known for their effects as mediators of inflammation. EPA and DHA have greater anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties than the short-chain fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is found in plant-based sources such as flax. Soybean oil, coconut oil and other plant-based oils also supply ALA rather than EPA and DHA, so the immune support is not as strong as that seen with supplementation of marine-based oils.
EO-3 can positively affect various inflammatory conditions such as joint integrity and mobility, skin and coat conditions, reproductive efficiency, and exercise recovery.
To take advantage of the numerous benefits of EPA and DHA, EO-3 can be fed at a rate of 1-2 oz per day. Gradually add EO-3 to the diet, taking seven to 10 days to reach the full dose. Your horse may maintain its weight well on this amount and not need more than that. If weight drops off slightly, you could increase the concentrate a bit or add another oil just for calories (canola oil, for example).
Read more about omega-3 fatty acids:
Omega Fatty Acids: A Brief Overview
Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation Provides Significant Benefits
Marine-Derived Oils and Omega-3s: Source Matters
Omega-3 and -6 Fatty Acids for Horses: Is There an Ideal Ratio?
