Can we talk about paprika?

[Robyn]

So my deep gold, dappled palomino arrived at my barn in June. He was a sight to behold. However, after a long sunny summer he’s now beige, but still has his dapples. Yuck. So I’ve invested in bulk paprika and just started feeding him a bit less than 1/4 cup twice a day. I would like to know if feeding it now will do any good, or if I should wait till he starts growing his summer coat - maybe February? Also, I don’t show so don’t care if it tests, but would like to know if it is in any way contraindicated? Any health, behavior issues associated with using it? And am I using the correct amount?

Thanks!

[jennycash]

I use paprika for my horses, keeps them soooo dark and gorgeous. I only did a tablespoon or 2 depending on the horse. Start mid winter so when they start shedding in spring its in their system.

[JB]

The only thing I know that it might negatively effect is ulcers, but you can use sweet paprika with little risk of that.

The Winter coat is still coming in, so you can feed it now, but the Winter coats on creams are usually lighter anyway, so it may not be worth it.

You’d want to start feeding it by early January at the latest, and mid-December just to be sure, as that’s when the days start to get a bit more noticeably longer, hence the trigger for Summer coat production.

[Simkie]

I’m surprised he didn’t darken back up when he got his winter coat in. All of mine faded this summer but are back to their rich colored coats already.

If his winter coat is sickly looking, I’d consider a mineral imbalance. Around here (SE MN) I have SO much iron that it throws copper and zinc outta whack. Had a few coat issues until I started adding cu and zn to their feed.

[JB]

The creams almost always go light(er) for the Winter.

[enjoytheride]

I did a lot of research on Paprika as I bought a solid black mare. Paprika works if your horse is nutritionally deficient and only then. My black mare bleaches where she sweats, in distinct saddle or saddle shaped patterns. Frequent hosing is the only thing to prevent that and maybe a UV sheet. She’s back to solid black with her winter coat.

[Twisting]

It works by giving the horse’s body access to the copper it needs to lay down pigment in the hair shaft as the hair grows. It really only needs to be fed as the horse grows hair. The horse is still only going to put so much pigment in each hair, but giving paprika makes sure the horse has enough copper to lay down as much pigment as it’s genetically wired to do. Just like you can’t get a horse to grow taller than it is genetically wire to grow*, you can’t get a horse to have more pigment, but you can make the most of what it is going to lay down.

• You can get a horse to grow taller than it is genetically wire to grow by gelding or spaying prior to puberty. Hormones released at puberty are part of the biological trigger to close growth plates, without that hormone rush growth plates close later and the bones grow longer than they would have if the animal had been left intact.

[JB]

@enjoytheride;8902693

Paprika works if your horse is nutritionally deficient and only then. [/QUOTE]
Yes, but it doesn’t always work. It depends on how deficient the horse is. 2tbsp did nothing for my guy. I ended up going to straight copper and zinc (polysaccharide form) and that’s what it took.

[QUOTE=Twisting;8902825]It works by giving the horse’s body access to the copper it needs to lay down pigment in the hair shaft as the hair grows. It really only needs to be fed as the horse grows hair. The horse is still only going to put so much pigment in each hair, but giving paprika makes sure the horse has enough copper to lay down as much pigment as it’s genetically wired to do. Just like you can’t get a horse to grow taller than it is genetically wire to grow*, you can’t get a horse to have more pigment, but you can make the most of what it is going to lay down.

Agree, but I’d still put value in supplementing year-round, as a deficiency is a deficiency IMHO

• You can get a horse to grow taller than it is genetically wire to grow by gelding or spaying prior to puberty. Hormones released at puberty are part of the biological trigger to close growth plates, without that hormone rush growth plates close later and the bones grow longer than they would have if the animal had been left intact.

That’s still only as tall as it is genetically programmed. It’s the later gelding, allowing the surge of testosterone, that causes the early closing of growth plates for a smaller horse - smaller than genetically designed

[csaper58]

Add whole flax seed and your horse will be darker and shine!

[Robyn]

All mine have been on whole flax for many years. And yes, even my old gray sill shines

[Katona]

1/4 of a cup twice a day seems like a lot, IMHO.

I feed 1-2 tbs daily and have noticed better coat and FEC. It’s cheaper and easier for me to access than a zinc/copper supplement in Canada.

[Robyn]

I think I read that amount somewhere but am totally open to using less if I still get a result. I’ve also discontinued it for another month or so based on the comments about using it when the horse is growing new coat. I do not believe that he is deficient in anything. He gets great pasture, the best alfalfa mix hay I can buy and Triple Crown 30% Ration Balancer…

[grayarab]

I feed nothing to enhance coat color,my horses stay the same color never fade out during summer months. Winter the one gelding gets a lot lighter winter coat,that’s just him nothing will change that.

Mine get hay/pasture and ADM grow strong,they look just as good if not better then horses fed all the fancy expensive feeds and supplements. They live outside 24/7 no shelter only shelter is a tree line.