Question

I am looking for nutritional support for a horse with feed allergies. We did a blood test through our vet and received an extensive report listing lots of allergies. Since then we have had the mare on maintenance allergy shots once a month and a feed specially designed for horses with allergies. All seemed to be working until recently her tail and mane started falling out. Do you have any resources or ideas I could investigate?

Answer

There can be many reasons, not all of them related to feed, for a horse to lose hair. Depending on where you are located, heat and humidity can cause horses to rub their manes and tails. Environmental allergens also cause horses to rub, resulting in hair loss. Either way, we recommend adding omega-3 fatty acids to the diet.

Omega-3s, such as alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), promote an increase in inflammation mediators in the body. When omega-3s are given to horses with allergic hyperreactivity, a decrease in response severity is often observed. Omega-3s increase coat and hair quality, as the long-chain fatty acids (EPA and DHA) get incorporated into cell membranes, making them more pliable, decreasing breakage of hair, and improving skin barrier integrity.

Seed oils like flax oil and camelina oil are good sources of ALA. However, ALA must be modified and elongated to produce EPA and DHA to see optimal benefits of supplementation. Marine-derived oil supplies a direct source of EPA and DHA, and does not depend on the conversion of ALA, making it an immediately available source of fatty acids. EO-3 is a palatable marine-derived oil developed by Kentucky Equine Research with a minty apple flavor.