Chia Seeds for Horses
If your horse doesn’t have access to fresh grass, there is a chance they are missing out on healthy fats, omegas, and vitamin E. The best option for providing a necessary fat source, with a proper Omega 3:6 ratio, is to provide your horse with either ground flax (fresh or stabilized) or chia seeds (which can be fed whole).
Benefits:
Chia is a nutrient dense food rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. They also contain vitamin B in the form of niacin which has been linked to allergy relief and gut health. Chia seeds are also a good source of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc and copper. Chia seeds have a mucilage property and become slimy upon hydration. Many owners swear by chia seeds for their ability to soothe gastric ulcers and prevent colic episodes. Because of their omega content, they are assumed to be a natural anti-inflammatory agent which can help with joint pain, sore muscles, skin issues, hoof issues and more. Chia are also safe to feed to laminitic or foundered horses.
Amount:
The standard recommended amount of chia for horses is 1/3 cup per day for a 1,000lbs horse. This can be adjusted easily and split between multiple meals.
Cost:
Feeding chia may be slightly more expensive than feeding flax but if you are able to buy and store them in bulk you can typically find some pretty good deals.
Storage:
Chia seeds have significantly less problems with storage than flax. They can be withstand extreme temperatures and their shelf-life is years compared to months.
Soaking:
Both flax and chia have a mucilage property meaning that they absorb water and get slimy. Soaking or hydrating is not required but when chia seeds are not exposed to water, they swell up and create a ‘pudding’ like consistency. I prefer to add water to my chia that way the chia has been exposed to hydration before reaching the digestive tract. There is a chance the chia could pull hydration from the digestive system as they are moving along - which is not something I want to play with.
Where to Buy:
Chia seeds are expensive if you purchase them at the regular grocery store.
Costco sells a 2 lbs bag for around $7-8 and many Amazon retailers sell similar quantities for a similar cost. 2lbs typically lasts me 2 weeks so I prefer to purchase a larger amount each time. I now buy a 10lbs bag for about $45 on Amazon.
