Black Oil SunFlower Seeds

[h2opony]

Hi guys. I was wondering if anyone has fed Black Oil Sunflower seeds to their horses to gain weight? I was talking with a couple of vets out here and they told me that horses love them, and that they contain 42-48 percent fat. and to top it all off it makes their coat extra shiny!

I will be putting Hollywood on it to shine him up, he is a pretty easy keeper, 1/2 cup twice a day. Beau will be worked up to three cups a day and then weaned back down once i get the weight up on him. He has always been a tough one to get the meat to stick to his bones! haha

Well just wondering if anyone else fed them! Thanks!

[Meghan]

We feed our ponies Tiger Oats.
Its Quite good for them and makes them ready for a new day the next morning!

[Heather T]

We have fed our horses black oil sunflower seeds (BOSS) in the past, and I know that our show horses get them now, but it's not for weight - it's for the oil, which makes their coats so healthy and dark and shiny. I've never heard of giving it for weight. We use beet pulp (SOAKED!!!) for that.

I must note too - that we had a filly colic in the spring of this year (Dancer). When they opened her up she was full of food and unchewed BOSS. They told us that it may or may not have caused the colic, but either way, they suggested that she never get it again, which she hasn't, nor have any of our "home" horses.

Our show horses get worked enough that I think they'd be okay, but I'm sure the bowels move at different rates on a working and a non-working horse. Just my opinion.

[BettyB]

Yes i use it also for a nice glowing coat, especially on a black based horse in my case. I was told not to feed more then a 1/4 cup a feeding though for my Mini's. Our Belgians get it also and they get a handful a day on their grain. As with many things i believe "more" is not necessarily better. Just my thoughts though.

[Golden Girl]

That is interesting Heather. A gal on another site suggested that it in fact did put weight on horses. I fed it to my 20yo TB mare all summer, along with her soaked beet pulp, corn oil, etc, etc, and she did not gain any more weight then without them. AND sunflowers germinated out of allot of Manunu piles!! Well I have since discontinued the BOSS and still do not see any change in her weight!

[amby]

I have never tried BOSS or beet pulp for casper. However I was worried about his hair coat. His daily dewormer helped with growth, but it wasn't as shiny as I like it. The vet recommended Rice Bran Oil. Its really cheap in my area, 18.41 for 5gal (Riceland is right down the road. He has gotten SO SHINY and has put on weight rather fast. He is looking great. Also, the oil helps prevent and heal ulcers and helps prevent impaction. He gets 2 cups daily (one for each feeding) and LOVES it! Also it does not make him HOT!! Which as we all know is very important for my HIGHSTRUNG TWH and his Green Rider.
;D

Amby