Does anyone feed Black Oil Sun Flower Seeds?

I read somewhere, can't remember the site off hand, that feeding Black Oil Sun Flower seeds can help with a horses coat.

So when Toby moved into the pasture I started to feed them to call three of the horses.
-I was hoping that it might help with his rain rot (I'm not sure if it did! But it was a hope)

Come summer time I will see if the horses coats are any nicer.
Has anyone used BOSS before?

I just read on another post that you should feed flax instead of BOSS because of the Omega-6's in it. It can cause inflammation.
Can someone help me out please?

I've never fed black oil sunflower seeds before and can't help you out there, but I have fed flax seed, I always ground it up in a coffee bean grinder and poured it over their grain, beet pulp or mine will just lick off their hay, out of a bucket or my hand. My horses L O V E it! You can work your horse up to 2 cups per day ground if needed. I've only ever given mine a cup per day.

I've seen noticeable improvements in their overall weight, hair, coat, skin and hoof condition. If you feed it all winter long, you'll notice your horses will shed out super fast in the spring too and their coat will gleam! :) Totally worth it!

Good Luck and hope you get your answer about the BOSS.

Nakiska

Flax seed is also supposed to have anti-inflamatory properties and anti-bacterial properties.

BOSS won't cause inflammation but it will aggravate any sort of inflammation because it is so high in Omega-6 and lacking in Omega-3.

Flax contains both so is the safer route.

This link is four years old but is a well-written article regarding feeding BOSS to horses. BOSS: Black Oil Sunflower Seeds for Horses

I won't touch the stuff, I prefer Omega-3 Horseshine which has a natural balance of -3 & -6. I especially won't touch BOSS as I have two horses with metabolic issues and excessive amounts of Omega-6 are not healthy for them. The EMS exploded the hock arthritis on one horse and I have no doubt BOSS would aggravate than inflammation.

Conversely, I am acquainted with one or two folks who give their horses injections for arthritis and STILL won't take the BOSS out of the diets. They are convinced BOSS is the be-all-end-all to their horses good health

Since no scientific studies have been done, to my knowlege, nobody knows the long-term good or bad effects of BOSS. Some are willing to take this cheap route, others of us are not.

For anyone that does by BOSS:

1. DO NOT buy the bird seed that says "bird kote" on the bag.

2. I have heard not to buy the striped hulls but I don't know why.

3. It is better to spend the extra $$ and buy the hulless seed but then you might as well buy the Omega-3 Horseshine and do that portion of the diet the right way

Hope this helps answer your question

I use whole flaxseed, one cup per day, and my horses coat and muscling have improved a lot. I did this after some online research. I read that it is not necessary to grind it. My horses like it and eat it mixed with their ration balancer once a day.
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Exactly my routine too......and my guy has a beautiful coat!

I also prefer flax over BOSS. My horse gets very little fresh grass, especially this time of year, so he needs all the omega-3 he can get. My horse is boarded and I can't grind fresh for each feeding, so I just feed it whole. 2oz twice a day. I don't see it coming through in his manure, so I feel pretty confident that it's getting digested properly.

IIRC it's because the black oil variety has a softer more digestible hull; the striped kind is harder and doesn't get digested. It might also increase risk of impaction colic.

Stupid question ... where do you get flaxseed? Because I can't seem to find it anywhere.

I get mine in the bulk section of my grocery store (.80/lb), but they also have 50 lb bags at the feed store for slightly cheaper.

I feed both BOSS and flaxseed oil. I'm probably doubling up, but my horses are doing well and their coats are simply magnificent. My gelding has shine like I've never seen before on him [and his coat feels like silk!], and my filly has a naturally pretty awesome coat but on this combination she is iridescent.

I only feed two handfuls of BOSS, and about 50mL of flaxseed oil. My two don't need much more than that. The BOSS is for darkening [one is chestnut and I love me some dark chestnut pony] and the flax for shine.