Oil vs Colic

[Mike Franklin]

Because I live in the sand south of San Antonio people often ask me why my ponies don't colic. I think it's because I feed oil. A Trainer was at my house yesterday and when she saw me feeding she commented that my ponies must never colic because they get so much oil. Emmett Dalton, my Shire, gets a total of 2 1/2 cups a day, Scar, my QH, gets a cup. I've been feeding oil for I guess about 8 1/2 years now and have not had a single case of colic.
So ya'll think there's a real connection? Is it just a coincidence?

 

[Beefy]

very possible. what kind of oil do you feed?

 

[oscar p]

You can use any cheap cooking oil. Just mix it with their feed. I put a double hand full of wheat bran in mine's feed. Same results.

 

[Mike Franklin]

When I'm flush I use corn oil. 4 days before pay day they get vegetable oil. The only problem I have is gettin' large jugs of oil. I can't find anything within 22 miles of home except 1 gal bottles.

P.S. Don't use any oil that has additives for frying. Get Pure stuff.

 

[Alan]

Sorry for the late post, but sand colic is something I also watch for. I don't feed that much oil, but I do a simple test to see how much sand is in their system. I take about 10 chunks of manure (apples) and let them soak in a bucket of water for a few days, 3 or 4, I stir the water once or twice a day to completely desolve the apples, fresh apples are better and easier to desolve. After the apples are completely desolved the sand is left on the bottom. I'll treat them with sand clear if I get more than a table spoon of sand.

 

[flaboy?]

Good info Alan.

 

[skidboots]

I don't live very far from Mike. When we came to this sand country, we had lots of episodes of sand colic. Treated it with Sand Clear. However, for the last 7 yrs, our horses have no episodes of colic, and I do nothing to prevent it. Go figure!

Anyway, bran may be a good preventative. I feed pellets, and fear the oil might cause choking. When I fed sweet feed (many years ago) I used to topdress with Wheat Germ Oil, and that did not cause choking, so it probably works good on grain.

 

[flaboy?]

Just sprinkle on a couple table spoons full of Metamucil once a week.

 

[Mike Franklin]

I've fed oil on pellets, grains, beet pulp, alfalfa pellets and sweet feed. I've never had a horse choke or colic while I fed'm oil (which was all the time). I guess about 16 horses over 10 years, everything from QHs to Arabs to TBs to Drafts.

 

[mid-tn country boy]

Purnia feeds has a pelleted feed that is called safe choice, it is designed to help the horses from getting the colic, and I think that some kind of vegetable oil is one of the ingredients that is in the product.

 

[rk]

Purnia feeds has a pelleted feed that is called safe choice, it is designed to help the horses from getting the colic, and I think that some kind of vegetable oil is one of the ingredients that is in the product.

SafeChoice is made by Nutrena. So is LiteBalance. Nothing to do with Purina.

 

[persianhorse]

Hi:

Echo Beefy.

Best wishes.