Why is sunflower oil not suitable for horses?

For sober horses that lack energy for their work, giving oil can be a convenient solution. The horses get more energy from it without getting fat or suffering from sugar cravings or insulin resistance. Many people choose sunflower oil because it is easy to obtain and cheap. But unfortunately, sunflower oil is not suitable for your horse! In this article, you will learn why.

2 November '21 - 4 min reading time

Many horse owners like to give their horse some oil. The horse's coat will shine, and oil is a good energy source for horses that easily become overweight from sugars and grains. Or for horses that suffer from metabolic diseases like insulin resistance. Flaxseed oil and sunflower oil are therefore often on the horse menu and are even often recommended by veterinarians. This while sunflower oil is actually not recommended at all.

Fatty acids: important nutrients for your horse

It is important for all horses to receive essential fatty acids through their diet. These include the so-called Omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. Horses (and humans) cannot produce these substances themselves, but they are essential for certain bodily processes. That is why it is important that horses receive Omega 3 daily.

Omega 3 fatty acids:

• Are anti-inflammatory

• Contribute to a healthy coat

• Have a positive effect on metabolism

• Reduce allergies

• Keep the brain healthy

• Ensure good fertility

• Are good for the eyes

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Which fatty acids are necessary?

Horses mainly need the three Omega 3 fatty acids in their ration, which are abbreviated ALA, EPA, and DHA. The horse's body can convert ALA (which occurs in fresh green and vegetable oils) to EPA and DHA, but often this is not sufficient to meet the daily need for EPA and DHA. Actually, it is best to give these three fatty acids all in the diet.

Why not sunflower oil?

Sunflower oil only contains Omega 6 and no Omega 3. Sunflower oil is extracted from the seeds of the sunflower (Helianthus annuus). This oil consists of:

• 62 to 70% linoleic acid (omega 6)

• 15 - 25% is oleic acid

• 5 - 7% is palmitic acid

• 4 - 6% is stearic acid

The main component, linoleic acid, is a polyunsaturated, essential, omega 6 fatty acid. Did you know that Omega 6 fatty acids actually promote inflammation? The conversion of ALA Omega 3 to EPA and DHA only functions when not too much Omega 6 is given. An improper ratio between Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids can actually exacerbate inflammatory reactions and therefore have a negative effect on the health of your horse. In addition, the conversion of ALA to EPA and DHA can be disrupted if there is too much Omega 6 present in the feed. If this happens, your horse will still lack essential fatty acids.

Never give sunflower oil to your horse. It actually causes inflammatory responses and is therefore not a healthy addition to your horse's diet.

Do give Omega 3 daily!

Give your horse a source of Omega 3 fatty acids if he is not out in the pasture all day. Especially dried algae and fish oil contain a lot of EPA and DHA. Flaxseed mainly contains ALA, which your horse still has to convert to EPA and DHA. For horses with a disrupted metabolism such as insulin resistance and sweet itch, this conversion does not always work well, those horses benefit more from the salmon oil or dried algae. In any case, never choose sunflower oil!

All information in this article is sourced from https://askheltie.com/en/articles/heltiehorse/why-is-sunflower-oil-not-suitable-for-horses