Finding the Unicorn of Feed for Allergic Horse

[silversnaffle]

Long story short, after three months of diagnostic testing and feed experiments, vet believes new boarder has allergic dermatitis, most likely feed based. We figured out pretty quickly that she was allergic to flax and she improved somewhat when we removed that. Had serum allergy testing done to see if there were other clues. (I know it’s not hugely accurate but it was a place to start.) Looking at the results and focusing on the things that scored positive over 200 - no surprise flax was the highest. She also came back highly positive for oats and cottonseed. The added complication is that her owner says she’s highly sensitive to soy. A little is okay but too much and her estrus is really unpleasant and she gets pretty cranky. For now she’s on a forage diet with V/M supplement to see if we can get this under control. Long term, I’m not sure if this will work. I’m not opposed to the idea but hay testing isn’t an option. I don’t have enough storage to take delivery of more than 6 weeks worth at a time. My hay supplier has good quality mixed grass but I’m not always getting it from the same load. I’d feel a lot better about forage based if I could get the hay hay tested to balance v/m.

I’ve been searching for a feed and/or RB that is oat/flax/cottonseed free with little or no soy. I love flax generally but it seems everyone is adding to their feed. Great for most but not if you have a horse that’s allergic to it. And oats are pretty basic too.

Any suggestions would be most appreciated. TIA

[quietann]

With a good V/M supplement, you could add beet pulp, hay pellets, etc. to be sure the horse gets enough calories. Protein could still be an issue, though. Alfalfa pellets to help? Or alfalfa hay?

I’m in a situation with my mare where hay testing just isn’t going to work. Barn gets new hay every 3 or 4 weeks, and it varies a lot. I know second cut will make her footsore, so whatever first cut we get is what she gets fed. She gets a good V/M supplement and is doing fine. This has worked so far (about 2 years.) And honestly, I’m just happy that my BO was willing to add first cut hay to what she offers.

[JB]

@silversnaffle

For now she’s on a forage diet with V/M supplement to see if we can get this under control. Long term, I’m not sure if this will work. I’m not opposed to the idea but hay testing isn’t an option. I don’t have enough storage to take delivery of more than 6 weeks worth at a time. My hay supplier has good quality mixed grass but I’m not always getting it from the same load. I’d feel a lot better about forage based if I could get the hay hay tested to balance v/m.

What makes you feel long-term that diet won’t work? Without a forage analysis, choosing a ration balancer isn’t any more, or less, guaranteed to “balance” things than a forage balancer.

What v/m do you have her on? Some are more robust than others - High Point Grass, Uckele Sporthorse Grass are 2 off the top of my head that also don’t have flax. Vermont Blend and VB Pro are pretty nice too.

[silversnaffle]

JB,
Fair point. I suppose that without a hay analysis, I worry that I might be missing something. For now she’s getting 1 lb. of soaked Standlee Alfalfa/Timothy pellets AM + PM as a carrier for her supplements (and so she thinks she’s getting fed like everyone else). Supplements are Mad Barn Omneity, an extra boost of Copper/Zinc (Mad Barn 3:1 Zinc Copper) and Elevate Vitamin E. Additionally, 4 lbs. of soaked alfalfa cubes for lunch and free choice grass hay.

The comments from @quietann sound like it’s working for her horse without hay testing. I’m going to look into Vermont Blend. I too like HP Grass. Based on her diet, is there one you’d like better than the other? And eventually it would be nice to find a way to get some Omega 3’s into her… but that will probably have to wait a while.

Thank you!

[quietann]

Purina has something called Omega Match Ahiflower Oil for omega supplementation… I don’t know what an ahiflower is, but it’s not flax. Might be worth looking into.

[walkinthewalk]

I have one horse with grain & soy sensitivity and environmental allergies, and one horse who is IR/Cushings. I have been feeding both of them HorseTechs High Point grass vit/min supplement since 2014. I mix it in timothy pellets and a bit of water.

Far as a quality Omega oil, someone on this forum had recommended Camelina Oil.

Camelina Oil for Equine - 3.78L Jug | Smart Earth Seeds

I put my IR/Cushings horse on it first. I never said anything to the chiropractor who sees my horses monthly. She noticed an improvement in his coat (and the feel of it) on her next visit. He’s been on Camelina oil for a year.

When I finished the bag of flax last January, I started the allergy horse on it. I will keep them both on it until someone convinces me there is a better Omega product:)

The 3.5 gallon container comes with a hand pump. I THINK Smart Earth now includes a hand pump with the gallon container as well. No mess that way:)

[quietann]

I use the same V/M, except in pellet form and like High Point products in general.

[JB]

@silversnaffle

For now she’s getting 1 lb. of soaked Standlee Alfalfa/Timothy pellets AM + PM as a carrier for her supplements (and so she thinks she’s getting fed like everyone else). Supplements are Mad Barn Omneity, an extra boost of Copper/Zinc (Mad Barn 3:1 Zinc Copper) and Elevate Vitamin E.

This is a great diet, as good as any guess of a ration balancer The MB Amino Trace is another option. There are some things in the Omneity that horses in general don’t NEED - B vitamins (including biotin), cobalt, and some other things. AT has more amino acids (not necessarily an issue with your alfalfa/mix), and also more copper and zinc (so you could likely drop the extra)

As far are Omneity vs Amino Trace vs HPG vs VB - without a forage analysis, it’s purely a guess. You can see if your local province, or whomever my do forage analyses in your area as a service (like we have tax-supported county extension agencies who usually do this) you can see if they have an average of your type of hay for your area, and use that. But truly, Omneity or Amino Trace are great options

Omegas are flax, chia, MB has the W-3 oil which is marine-source and more useful than the Omega 3s in plant-based sources

The Purina Omega Match Ahiflower oil is REALLY expensive. It is a good source of O3, but IMHO it is really, really not worth the price

The Smart Earth Camelina is a great option as well

Flax oil is of course an option, but it’s $$ for being so fragile and if you’re just using it for 1 horse, it’s not worth the effort of keeping it protected

[IPEsq]

Is camelina related to flax? I have heard it called “false flax”. You might want to check she’s not allergic to that too.

[JB]

Camelina is in a different Order/Family/Genus than flax. It’s very unlikely they share the same protein that is the problem in flax, but never say never LOL

That said, the oil is rarely an issue since it doesn’t contain proteins, and while camelina does come in meal form, I’ve never seen it commercially packaged. I know the meal is used in some formulas for chickens and pigs, but I’ve just never seen it as a commercially available product (but then, I’m not a pig farmer LOL)

[silversnaffle]

First off, Thank you to everyone for your responses. I am a long time lurker but not frequent poster so thanks for helping me out.

1. I am going to stop worrying that the mare is missing micro minerals, probiotics, digestive aids, enzymes, and all the other miracle solve-all-your-problem additives that the feed companies tout as necessary for a healthy horse. I.E. She isn’t going to end up with scurvy, LOL.

2. I am going to look into Camelia oil. As JB said, vets advises that “most” food allergies are to the proteins so oil may be an option. Camelina has a better O3/6 ratio than some others and while not as good as flaxseed oil, it’s better than nothing. Plus the shelf life is way better.

3. Ahiflower - admittedly have never heard of it. I did a little googling and am intrigued.

I found this on the Springtime site.
Active Ingredients per pump (30 ml)
Omega-3 fatty acids: (Ahiflower oil) Providing 11,226 mg of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and
4,562 mg of stearidonic acid (SDA) 15,788 mg
Omega-6 fatty acids: (Ahilflower oil) Providing 2,423 mg of linoleic acid (LA) and 1,211 mg of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) 3,634 mg**
Omega-9 fatty acids: (Ahiflower oil)**
Providing 1,603 mg of oleic acid (OA) and 1,069 mg of palmitic acid (PA)

It has a really good O3/6 ratio(4:1) but I have no idea what to make of the SDA. There is some research in HUMANS that the conversion to EPA is better. That is supposed to be the draw for fish oil in horses, better EPA conversion than flax or other plant based sources.

[IPEsq]

BioStar’s Gold Star camelina oil is a good product if you want to go that route. I think it was more stable than the flax oil I used to buy from Ultra Cruz.

You could try something like Forco for the digestive piece. I also like HorseTech’s Gutwerks, which I believe is a flax free formula, also yeast based.

[OutsidersOpinion]

My horse has the exact same allergies listed, with flax also being his most reactive.

I have him on Hallway’s Pure and Simple ration balancer, ½ cup barley (he is a gp horse and taking out starch took away our stamina, but he is allergic to barley), 2lbs Beet Pulp, 1 cup alfalfa pellets, and about 6 oz of rice bran oil 2x a day in addition to as much Orchard grass hay he will eat. He is also on a few other supplements, mainly ulcer prevention due to his allergies. Feel free to message with any questions, this diet has worked super and he stays super shiny and fit.