Question

My 8-year-old Paint mare spends most of her time in a drylot. Though I ride her five days a week, she needs to lose some weight. Her current diet includes 3 lb (1.4 kg) of a performance feed and grass hay. She is also fed a blend of camelina oil and pumpkin seed oil for omegas. Can you review the components of my mare’s diet, including the omega-3 product, and tell me if my choices are suitable for her?

Answer

The feed you’re currently offering your mare does not provide optimal levels of trace minerals to balance the grass hay she’s consuming. You have chosen to feed less than the manufacturer recommends, likely to avoid weight gain. When fed at 3 lb (1.4 kg) per day with good-quality grass hay, the diet is undersupplying selenium, copper, and zinc, all important minerals for overall health and performance.

To correct this, I suggest adding a concentrated micronutrient supplement to provide essential nutrients. Adding a well-formulated supplement to her diet will not increase calorie intake.

Short-chain omega-3 fatty acids are found in plant-based omega sources, like flax, whereas long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, such as DHA and EPA, are found in marine-derived sources, particularly fish oil. Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids have shown the most health benefits in both humans and animals.

Horses convert short-chain omega-3s to long-chain omega-3s, though this process has limitations, so providing a direct source of DHA and EPA is preferred. Horses predisposed to inflammatory-related conditions and metabolic syndrome benefit from fish oil supplementation.

EO-3, a marine-derived oil supplement developed by Kentucky Equine Research, will provide your horse with a comprehensive omega-3 fatty acid profile. EO-3 is a rich source of DHA and EPA and just 1-2 oz significantly boosts dietary omega-3 fatty acid levels. When introducing a marine-derived product, it is best to do so slowly in small increments. Most horses will readily consume EO-3 once accustomed to the novel taste.