Paprika for coat?

I noticed that there were several mentions of paprika here for a horse's coat and I must say I find it quite interesting and would like to know more about it's kind and its effects. My questions are:

01. What kind of paprika? Ground paprika that we buy at the grocery, or fresh? Is it like this one here?



02. What does it do? Does it darken, or lighten the coat? Does it have any other effects (i.e. The horse's mood, appetite, etc) + any other external/internal effects

03. How often, and what is the portion?

Thanks you gorgeous horsey people x

I believe the usual amount is 2tsp-1 heaping tbsp once a day, but it depends on the horse. Always start with a small amount (maybe 1tsp) and work your way up. It gives a red coat (bay, chestnut, brown) a redder, deeper colour, and a black coat a deeper black coat. You can also feed sunflower seeds for a deeper colour and shinier coat. Use regular ground red paprika you get at the grocery or dollar store. It takes about a month for it to show up. I think if you are showing you're supposed to stop feeding it 7-14 days before hand as it can show up in drug tests. It's not a drug, but it masks (hides) other drugs.

How about sunflowerseed oil?

The sunflower seeds have to be the black oil sunflower seeds. They darken and shine a coat and they are fairly inexpensive. I have used them before in my minis. The only thing is that it does make them somewhat hot headed. It worked out for my minis because they are mainly deadheads and they game them that little bit of attitude they needed for the ring. The sunflower seeds do wonders on silver dapples...

Sorry about the paprika, I know nothing other than the majority of coat color conditioners contain paprika.

Sorry for double post but if it was black oil sunflower seed oil, then it should work.

Are you looking to enhance the coat for show? A little trick with mine I use... Mayonaise. And no, not fed to them. Coat them with it a couple weeks prior to show, and you can even bake it on by applying it to the coat, then putting on a sheet or blanket and let it stand for a couple days. Do this after the show clip.

Never tried the mayonaise, one question though. How bad does that mayonaise smell after two days of being out in the heat? I would think it would be kinda nasty smelling, that is what turns me off to that idea. I am probably wrong and it does not smell at all. Just never heard of that before.

I know, I know.. I had the same thing in mind when I was first advised to use it, but surprisingly enough.. There isnt a real bad aroma, as long as you don't let it stay for more then 2-3 days. It isnt gloppe don, so the smell of it naturally goes quick.

I will say, I don't like applying it. It has always bugged me to stick my hands in the jar and start the paint up. LOL

Id wear gloves...lol

What is in it that makes it effective? I have never heard of doing that before.

Maybe I will leave one of mine off super 14 next spring and when we body clip for the first show give it a try and see which I like better. I know using super 14 all the time within 2 days of clipping their hair is back to being soft and shiny and its normal color.
Also, do you have to rub it is or just wipe it on?