# How much flax seed?



## luvs2ride1979 (Nov 9, 2007)

1 cup for weight gain of whole or milled or ground flax usually does the trick. You can feed up to 8 oz by weight of milled or ground flax, which usually equals about 1.5-2 cups dry measure.

HorseTech.com has a good producted called NutraFlax. It's balanced Ca ratio and won't spoil. It comes with a 2 oz (1/2 cup) measuring scoop.


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## Enuff (Jun 16, 2009)

Thanks!!!


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## White Foot (Jun 4, 2009)

Make sure you feed the right balance, high volumes of flax oil can cause diarrhea and colic signs in horses. It also contains cyanide.


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## luvs2ride1979 (Nov 9, 2007)

The Flax grown in North America does not contain cyanide. You do not have to grind it, soak it, or boil it. For a horse to colic on flax, you'd have to feed 3 lbs a day or more. 8 oz is a very safe amount for any horse.


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## White Foot (Jun 4, 2009)

All flax, just like apples, corn, alfalfa, cashews extra.. contain cyanide. No matter where it was grown.


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## luvs2ride1979 (Nov 9, 2007)

Flax Seed

"the two components of cyanide that are found in flax are stored in different parts of the seed, never touching each other, and therefore never able to create cyanide."

"(Note that saliva, stomach acid, and other digestive juices break the two components up before they could ever become joined and create cyanide within the horse's digestive tract.)"

"Thankfully, the amount of cyanide created when boiling flax is very small...in fact, we take in more cyanide in our daily lives through our food, water, and the air we breathe than is found in a cup of boiled flax. Cyanide is also very quickly removed from the body and is not stored in the body tissues"

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In looking at the human research on Flax, most sources agree that between 30-75 grams daily (1-2.6 oz) is safe for a human to consume. Horses are 5-10 times our size, so 4-8 oz should be just fine. ;-)


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## luvs2ride1979 (Nov 9, 2007)

Ask the Vet
Ask the Vet Blog - Journal Entries - Is Flax Seed Safe to Use inHorses?

"However, a recent study confirmed that stomach acid inactivates the enzymes that interact with the cyanogenic glycosides to form cyanide so that is why toxicity is not observed. "

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ENRECO | Essential Nutrient Research Corporation

"Flax contains cyanogenic glycosides. Under extreme conditions (pH1 or less), cyanide can be produced – but has never been reported to happen in mammals. Instead, cyanate is produced which is non-toxic. The US FDA did a study in which they fed 10, 20, and 40% of the diet as flax and found no harmful effects of any sort."

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http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=961

"However, we now know that glycosidase enzymes are destroyed in the equine stomach and small intestine long before they can trigger cyanide release. So it appears there is no risk of cyanide toxicosis when horses are fed raw flaxseed."

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Don't believe everything the AQHA tells you ;-). Tens of thousands of horses are fed flax in varrying forms (whole, home ground, milled, in supplements, etc.) for decades. If there was any real threat of health issues, I think we would have heard something about it by now.


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## Barrelracer Up (May 22, 2009)

Be sure to cut out the corn oil - it is high in omega 6 and will defeat the anti-inflammatory properties of your flax. I like to use dac Oil for omega 3.

I would also start a joint supplement to help keep the joint lubricated aid in stopping the inflammation. Here is info on some of the ingredients found in joint supplements.


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## White Foot (Jun 4, 2009)

And don't believe everything you read on a website. :wink: I didn't say that using flax will kill a horse form the cyanide but I'm just making her aware of it.

A direct quote from Equine wellness magazine July/Aug 09, From veterinarian Dr. Hannah Evergreen : 

Q: Is it true that the levels of cyanide in flax can harm my horse?

A: It is true that flax contains cyanide. If fed in proper amounts, however, flax is not harmful to your horse. Studies have shown that high volumes of flax oil can cause diarrhea and colic signs in horses, but it is safe at the recommended levels of 1/3 to 1/2 cup ground flax seed per day.


Another side I found, Ask the Expert -- Supplements

"Q:I have fed flax seed in the past: cooked whole seeds, then ground raw flax meal. I have always gotten 25 -50 lb bags. The last time I picked up a bag, I noticed that the label stated, “Not to be fed to horses intended for food. Not for human consumption.” What is the story? Is it toxic raw or ground? Is it worth feeding?"

A: "I know many people who do swear by flax seed, however, I do not have any personal experience using it. The raw seeds contain cyanogenic glycoside compounds which, when the seeds are ground, and especially if moistened, will release cyanide! However, this really is not a concern, since the enzymes needed to cause the cyanide release are inactivated by boiling and gastric acids. So, as long as you don't add water before feeding the flax meal, it should not be a problem. If the meal is processed in any way it is also probably totally safe. Read the label again to see if there are other substances added. If not, the warning is probably due to the minuscule risk of cyanide poisoning. But it shouldn’t hurt in small enough quantities. 
The presence of cyanogenic glycosides in the diet is significant only in relation to dose and the nutritional status of the consumer. Flax seed meal contains two cyanogenic glycosides, linustatin and neolinustatin. Many foods are slightly cyanogenic (e.g. wheat and barley!), probably as an evolutionary adaptation to discourage herbivory, and our body and our horses have a limited capacity to detoxify low concentrations of cyanide through addition of sulphur (from amino acids). Thus, if the dietary levels of sulphur-containing amino acids are high, the body can resist a low intake of cyanide, but if the diet is low in protein overall, then we see toxicity. 

It has been determined that up to 50g high-alpha-linolenic acid flaxseed is palatable, safe and may be nutritionally beneficial in humans by raising n-3 fatty acids in plasma and erythrocytes and by decreasing post-prandial glucose responses. (Cunnane S, et al, (University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada) Br J Nutr, 69:443, 1993)"


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## White Foot (Jun 4, 2009)

> Don't believe everything the AQHA tells you :wink:. Tens of thousands of horses are fed flax in varrying forms (whole, home ground, milled, in supplements, etc.) for decades. If there was any real threat of health issues, I think we would have heard something about it by now.


Everyone smoked cigarettes for decades and we're just finding out today what the effects are. :shock::lol:


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## luvs2ride1979 (Nov 9, 2007)

Equestriun said:


> And don't believe everything you read on a website. :wink: I didn't say that using flax will kill a horse form the cyanide but I'm just making her aware of it.
> 
> A direct quote from Equine wellness magazine July/Aug 09, From veterinarian Dr. Hannah Evergreen :
> 
> ...


I don't see anything the contradicts what I posted... ? Bolded areas match what I said/quoted.


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## luvs2ride1979 (Nov 9, 2007)

Equestriun said:


> Everyone smoked cigarettes for decades and we're just finding out today what the effects are. :shock::lol:


Maybe some, but I know plenty of old-timers that had lung and heart problems back in the 60s through 80s that the doctors blamed on smoking. It may not have been wide-spread knowlege, but there were doctors out there warning about smoking too much, even 50 years ago.

Also, today's cigarettes are a lot more harmful than pure tabacco smoked in the early part of the 1900s (1990-1950). They add all kinds of nasty chemical to cigarettes now that they didn't used to.

So comparing smoking to feeding flax is not really a great compareson...

You could however compare what was fed to horses back in the early 1900s (plain oats) to the "fancy" horse feeds now, which we're finding out are not as good for the long-term health of our horses as we thought... :wink:


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## White Foot (Jun 4, 2009)

luvs2ride, I wasn't looking to "contradict" you. I simply stated to watch how much she give her horse, and that it does contain cyanide. I never said the cyanide will kill the horse. I don't see where you think I was trying to say that the cyanide in flax can seriously injure a horse. 

I said..


> Make sure you feed the right balance, high volumes of flax oil can cause diarrhea and colic signs in horses. It also contains cyanide.


How can you try disagree with that quote?. 



> You could however compare what was fed to horses back in the early 1900s (plain oats) to the "fancy" horse feeds now, which we're finding out are not as good for the long-term health of our horses as we thought...


Do you have to argue with everything?.


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## luvs2ride1979 (Nov 9, 2007)

Yes, you said it contains cyanide. Apparently it does, but that is a moot point/comment. Research has shown that it has absolutely NO effect on the horse. That is what I was trying to point out.

Also, you posted your initial comments after my post on how much to feed, implying that my directions were incorrect, and without giving any of your own suggestions/directions.

I'm not arguing, only attempting to provide factual information on the issue of flax.


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## White Foot (Jun 4, 2009)

luvs2ride1979 said:


> Yes, you said it contains cyanide. Apparently it does, but that is a moot point/comment. Research has shown that it has absolutely NO effect on the horse. That is what I was trying to point out.
> 
> Also, you posted your initial comments after my post on how much to feed, implying that my directions were incorrect, and without giving any of your own suggestions/directions.
> 
> I'm not arguing, only attempting to provide factual information on the issue of flax.


I think telling the owner what's in what they're feeding there horses has great significance to the topic. Even if it doesn't have any short-term side effects. Wouldn't you want to know what was in what you were eating?.

Luvs2ride, I posted that for a horse owner to horse owner tip, it's a known fact that if fed to much of flax it can cause some potential health issues. Did you ever think that your directions could be wrong?. We're human and we do make mistakes. I actually did give my own suggestion and you tried to say that it wasn't true. Next time don't assume things =)


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## Enuff (Jun 16, 2009)

Thanks everyone for your information and your concerns. I did stop feeding the corn oil because of the omega 6. I added 1 cup of whole flax seed. I am feeding corta-flex joint supplement which seem to do wonder the first five days when I was suppose to double it, but after going back to regular dose it seemed like she was a little stiff again. My daughter is riding her every day (walk, then trot, not much canter right now) because the vet said it would be better to keep riding as much as possible. The vet even wanted my daughter to keep gaming her but that worries me a little. I just wish horses could tell you how they feel.


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## luvs2ride1979 (Nov 9, 2007)

Your vet is right about keeping her moving, but I would feel bad about working hard if she's still stiff too. You might keep her on the double dose of Corta-Flex for a while longer, then try backing off of it again in 2-3 weeks.

If you ever want to feed milled flax, horsetech.com makes great flax-based supplements. Their joint supplements are really good, and they'll custom blend anything you want for no extra charges, just the cost of the ingredients. You tell them how much flax you want to feed daily, and they'll tailor the rest of the mix around that and your horse's other needs.


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## Enuff (Jun 16, 2009)

luvstoride I think that is exactly what I am going to do. My daughter rode her this morning and she is very willing but still is favoring that back leg. I called the company for corta-flex but they are closed until July 13th. So I figured what can it hurt to see if doubling the amount for a couple of weeks will help. I wish I knew if this was the right joint supplement or if there is a better one out there. Everyone has different opinions as to which is the best. I also want to give it a month or two because it could take time for the supplement to work well. Thanks again!!!


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## aabqh (May 22, 2009)

As far as oral joint supplements go there isn't a *right or best* answer. Opinions vary widely from owners and research hasn't narrowed down exactly what works the best and to what degree, it is an ongoing process. There are a lot of articles out there on the topic but no definitive answer. The main ingredients in joint supplements are Chondroitin and Glucosamine. HA and msn are also added to many though in certain states msn is not allowed for regulatory reason in joint supplements and must be fed seperate. The main thing to remember is to buy from a reputable company where the gauranteed analysis is not in question and different problems will respond differently.

The more expensive approach for joint health is Adequan which is an FDA approved drug administered IM, not a supplement that does have research to suppurt claims of reducing inflamation in joints. Will it help your horse and is it cost effective? That's up to you and should be discussed w/ your vet. There are a lot of liquid HA supplements out there also that some people love but the price is nearly as high as Adequan on some.

Another thing to consider is that research has shown that Omega 3 fatty acids help w/ reducing inflammation. The flax seed is fine especially when conserving money but a marine based omega 3 like EO3 oil is absorbed better due to the chemical properties and is easier to digest. We all have to know when to say when when buying supplements and adding thing to the horses diet.


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## luvs2ride1979 (Nov 9, 2007)

Yup, what aabqh said. Oral supplements carry widely in how they work for different horses. If something works for your horse, you have to stick with it.

Injectable Hyaluronic Acid (sp?) has been shown to have good results as well. The generic form isn't even that expensive. I used it with my 90 lbs Doberman and saw very good results. We was like a puppy again!


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## Barrelracer Up (May 22, 2009)

aabqh said:


> As far as oral joint supplements go there isn't a *right or best* answer. Opinions vary widely from owners and research hasn't narrowed down exactly what works the best and to what degree, it is an ongoing process. There are a lot of articles out there on the topic but no definitive answer. The main ingredients in joint supplements are Chondroitin and Glucosamine. HA and msn are also added to many though in certain states msn is not allowed for regulatory reason in joint supplements and must be fed seperate. The main thing to remember is to buy from a reputable company where the gauranteed analysis is not in question and different problems will respond differently.
> 
> The more expensive approach for joint health is Adequan which is an FDA approved drug administered IM, not a supplement that does have research to suppurt claims of reducing inflamation in joints. Will it help your horse and is it cost effective? That's up to you and should be discussed w/ your vet. There are a lot of liquid HA supplements out there also that some people love but the price is nearly as high as Adequan on some.
> 
> Another thing to consider is that research has shown that Omega 3 fatty acids help w/ reducing inflammation. The flax seed is fine especially when conserving money but a marine based omega 3 like EO3 oil is absorbed better due to the chemical properties and is easier to digest. We all have to know when to say when when buying supplements and adding thing to the horses diet.


That is why I use dac Oil for omega 3.....it has fish oil included. Before I sold him, my barrel horse was on Herbal Respond for his ouchy days and his joint supplement was Optimum Flex. The links will give a lot of details about what is in them and how they work.


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