I’ve Googled and searched the forum without finding much info (perhaps because there isn’t much!), so I’m posting to see if folks will weigh in… Have you fed collagen (straight/pure) to your horse? If so, how much did you give?
I’m interested in experimenting with giving it to my horse for a few different reasons; she’s currently on MadBarn Three Amigos (amino acid supplement) but when that runs out, I’m curious to try straight collagen.
Oh I did this once. I had a human collagen supplement that tasted like garbage. So I fed it to one of my horses.
Noticed zero difference 
But hey I felt better about that over tossing it out!
Collagen isn’t rich in the amino acids that three amigos covers, so not sure you’d really be getting a comparable swap?
What are you looking to accomplish? Amino acids are very different from collagen, and there are different types of collagen which impact different structures differently.
Huh?
“Collagen is a fibrous protein composed of amino acids. The most abundant amino acids found in collagen are glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline, which together account for approximately 50% of the total amino acid content in collagen”
What’s in Three Amigos is different than what’s in collagen, but uh, collagen IS (other) amino acids. Amino acids are not “very different” from collagen.
Yes, that wasn’t stated correctly, I’m actually well aware what collagen is.
The only thing they share is lysine, and Three Amigos has a higher % of it than collagen does. The main AAs in collagen (one of which isn’t even a proper AA, it’s an AA metabolite) aren’t even in Three Amigos.
So the 2 things aren’t comparable, so the question still is - what’s the intended use.
Not looking to compare them! I’m just waiting til the 3A supplement is done because I’m on a strict budget 
I’m curious as to the dosage others have used, since the equine-specific collagen supps I’ve checked out seem to vary.
When I gave it to my horse, I used a 60 cc scoop, which may have been …40g collagen?
One thing I’ve found about collagen is that it tastes and smells TERRIBLE. Like dirty sweat socks. I guess some people don’t find it nauseating, and my horse didn’t seem to care, but a picky one absolutely might. Just a heads up if you give it a go!
What collagen did you use? I find the usual bovine type to not have any taste or smell. Have not tried other sources.
In general, I wouldn’t do collagen as a dietary protein supplement compared to other amino acids and protein products. But it does help me with my joint issues, so that would be interesting to try with horses, but I don’t know that dosing has ever been studied for the horse. Only time I’ve really used it in any form was with HorseTech’s hoof supplement, and while I do like that supplement, I don’t think it provides all that much total collagen.
Maybe it’s like cilantro? I’ve tried several high rated bovine sourced brands and find it all awful 
Truly I don’t know how you can stomach it.
The only option I’ve found that’s tolerable is Juven (which is collagen + other stuff.) Tastes like tang, lol. I’m not sure it helps my joint stuff, but does improve healing and does awesome things for my hair.
The one I use personally is tasteless and dissolves immediately in liquid! I take it in my coffee first thing in the AM as a small protein boost. Turns out it solved my deep nail cracks (after badly stubbing both big toes) which was a delightful bonus.
There are 29 different collagens coded in our genes, as far as we know so far. Some stabilize tissues, some stabilize other collagens. Type I is the most common found in bone while Type II is found in cartilage. In bone cases, no collagen from the GI tract ever makes it to these structures. They are highly locally controlled by the chondrogenic and osteogenic cells.
I guess the point is - what are you trying to affect? They’re apples and oranges, serving different purposes, so swapping to collagen after TA runs out would likely impact different things.
Same on both accounts - the 2 I’ve used and use don’t taste, and have finally given me strong nails after truly accepting mine were just genetically weak.
As someone who can’t stand cilantro, I feel your pain @Simkie.
Since taking collagen in my coffee almost daily, I’ve significantly reduced use of topical or oral NSAIDs for pain related to my ankle OCD. I represent a company that makes one of the popular collagen products, and I was doing some research on the product development and history as part of my work, and I came across some papers studying it for orthopedic joint issues, where skin and hair effects were noted as side effects. And although most of the marketing for women is on hair/skin/nails, I thought it was worth a try for my joints since that ankle has been bugging me since 2004 and is not going to get any better.
Stronger Nails??
Can you share the type and brand name of whatever worked for you?
Used to have strong nails but now they’re thin and weak.
I only thought collagen was beneficial for joints, and never really thought of it as an amino acid or a replacement.
I give a product that contains collagen along with many other joint supplements (HA, MSM, glucosamine, chondroitin) for my xlarge breed dog to help support her joints. When I was body building I also took collagen to help with my joints after some strenuous workouts as well (in my 40’s, so not as young and spry lol). I honestly never even thought of it to give to horses!
This is the brand that I give my dog:
https://www.omegaalpha.ca/products/pet-products/sinewpet/
I’m in the “what’s it for?” camp regarding feeding it to horses. I’ve seen it in joint supplements, I think, but never fed as an “amino acid supplement” (ala Three Amigos or TriAmino, etc), so I’m curious about replacing Three Amigos with collagen since they don’t contain the same amino acids and I would assume don’t do the same things?
I always thought we were supposed to focus on the big three: Lysine, Methionine, and Threonine. But I’m curious now and willing to learn.
I have not tried feeding collagen to my horse.
However, I tried a collagen supplement for my nails after seeing some recommendations for it here on COTH. It did help but I started using nail wraps, which do a much better job as long as I keep them on with only about a day’s break in between applications to let them breathe.
But a surprise side benefit which seems to be connected to the collagen intake was that my years-long issue with gastritis (got scoped), indigestion, and gastroparesis vastly improved. The doctor put me on Rx meds for reflux, which didn’t help (didn’t match the symptoms of gastric reflux anyway ). The only way I had been able to avoid flare-ups was to avoid triggering foods such as salad/raw veggies 
, apples, popcorn, caffeine, and another hundred or so (so it seemed!) foods.
No idea why the collagen seems to help, but I haven’t had an attack for MONTHS. It had been difficult to go more than a few days previously, no matter how careful I was. I didn’t eat salad for a solid year. 
SOMEtimes a given food would trigger it, other times, it wouldn’t, so it was often hard to figure out what the trigger was. And if I ran out/forgot to bring the supplement on travel for several days, I start noticing symptoms again.
I can now eat salad, apples, popcorn, etc again without problem.
I get the unflavored powder. It does have a slight taste, but not at all unpleasant and no odor. I put a scoop in my morning tea.
Has anyone else noticed improvement with digestive issues on collagen?
Which brand did you use, please? Also, has anyone used tablets instead of powder?
What are your thoughts on collagen-antibody induced arthritis and supplements?
I have noticed some improvement in GI issues. I also don’t tolerate a lot of the foods you listed very well. But one of the collagen products I use also has probiotics and HA, so I figured maybe that was it.
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