Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids are extremely beneficial when it comes to your horse’s health and appearance. Both play important roles in immune system regulation, cell membrane stability, development, and maintenance of the central nervous system and oxygen transfer.
Benefits of Omega fatty acids in horse movements
Omega-6 fatty acids are used by the horse's body to make pro-inflammatory mediators for the immune system, while omega-3 fatty acids have less inflammatory products leading to a decrease in inflammation, stiffness, and joint pain.
To break it down a little more specifically, omega-6 fatty acids are used by the body to make pro-inflammatory mediators for the immune system, while omega-3 fatty acids are converted to less inflammatory products. Since there is a lot of information and it tends to be a bit overwhelming, today’s post will focus on mainly Omega-3 fatty acid.
Two recent studies by the University of Florida and Michigan State focused on the affects of Omega 3 fatty acids, particularly how they benefit the body cells and joint inflammation in horses.
In the study at the University of Florida, horses were fed either flax oil or fish oil, both good sources of omega-3 fatty acid. After 10 weeks, those receiving fish oil had higher levels of omegas than horses in the flax oil group.
Stallions supplemented with marine-source omega-3 fatty acids for 90 days showed a 46% increase in daily spermatozoa output, although sperm motion characteristics such as motility and viability were not different from unsupplemented stallions.
Researchers at Michigan State University believed that horses suffering from joint stiffness were less stiff when fed omega-3 fatty acids and had less joint inflammation. To test this theory, they measured stride length at the walk and trot for 18 Arabian horses (12 mature animals and 6 two-year-olds).
Horses were paired and all horses were fed sweet feed and Timothy hay. One horse in each group was supplemented with fish oil for 75 days while the other was given corn oil to supply an equal number of calories. The horses were exercised five days a week under saddle, on a longe line, or on a free-flow exerciser.
At the conclusion of the trial, plasma levels of omega-3 fatty acids were higher in the fish-oil-supplemented horses than in the corn-oil-supplemented horses. In simpler terms, there was no change in stride length at the walk, but horses supplemented with fish oil tended to have an increased length of stride at the trot.
The increase in trotting stride length in supplemented horses suggests a decrease in inflammation, stiffness, and joint pain associated with movement.