The Art of Natural Dressage

Hi Lisa and Dee,
I can't say that I have any personal experience in the use of Virgin Coconutoil for horses, nor do I know what the oil content of copra (dried coconut meat ) is. Some virgin coconutoil is made from copra, some is made from fresh coconut. There is also a distinction between expeller pressed and virgin coconutoil, the latter having more benefits. The only kind to absolutely avoid is hydogenated coconutoil. I found two websites that have a lot more information:
http://www.mnwelldir.org/docs/nutrition/coconut.htm
http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/
Tropical Traditions is one of the companies that sells coconutoil for both people and animals and I've dealt with them and found to be reputable.
The book I mentioned is probably the best resource on the topic. There is another book on the topic by Bruce Fife, both are easy to find on amazon.com
I have used coconutoil topically for hooves, skin care (animals and people) and leather care. It has some antibacterial properties as well. It goes from solid to liquid at 76C but should not be microwaved to heat.
Hope that helps,
Birgit

on the different treats - my horse gets minimum amounts of carrot (yes! so small....300 treats, like 300 peck pigeon?!?!?!?) - almonds, brazil nuts (jackpot) banana, sunflower seeds (I think he thinks it's the big verboten.....oats! ) and the big one.....prunes!!!! (sticky horrid messy but oh so effective ) occasionally mints. He is funny about broccoli....at first he'll gobble it up then after a while will spit it out...I guess enough broccoli is enough! now artichoke stalks.....

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Hi Birgit
Thank you for usefull information !
Best Wishes
Lisa

Dee,
I only realized now that I could have responded better to your post. I believe that feeding copra (dried coconut meat) should have the effect of helping the horse stay warmer, rather than being fattening because the lauric acid in the oil will be burned for energy rather than stored.
Birgit

Thanks for your help. Maybe im getting confused about its purpose .

I thought I was told by our feed stores and mags that it is fattening. Although fattening and energy are different. I feed mine rice based feeds and they get vege oil for energy for trail rides and endurance.

What i do like about copra is that one cup multiplies into 5 cups. It also makes their coats darker in colour.

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Live, Love, Dream

Hi Dee,
don't know if you had a chance to read the webpages I passed on. That's where I got my information in addition to the book by Cherie Calbom.
I'm also thinking that maybe the non-oily part of copra is probably carbs, which would be used by the body to store (turned into fat). Now I'll want to do more research! There might also be different kinds of copra, some with part or all of the oil removed. You might want to contact the company that makes the copra you use. Do you know the brand/manufacturer?
Birgit

Thanks Susan, for all the ideas!!

So if prunes are good, how about raisons??? Anyone know if they are o.k.??? NOT o.k. for dogs I know!!!

Brenda

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Brenda,
I had never heard that dogs are not supposed to have raisins. My dogs eat them all the time with no ill effects. I wonder if it's mostly a matter of quantity. Given the size of a horse I can't imagine that a few raisins could do much damage unless there is issues like IR or other health problems.

In our local horse and pony mag they were talking about some of the benefits of feeding grapes ie oil, seeds,leaves, pulp etc. I don't know about once they are dried though.

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Live, Love, Dream

Hey Birgit:

On raisins and dogs:



More at wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grape_and_ ... ty_in_dogs

As to horses -- while I find the occasional reference to grapes and raisins being toxic to horses as I wander around surfing those net waves, I haven't found any veterinary opinion on the subject...and it didn't show up in the online version of Merck...

Cheers!
Leigh

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Leigh,
thanks for doing the research on that. I guess it is better to be careful than sorry, at least with dogs.
I'm going to check into it some more too. I wonder if it's the seeds or the fruit or skin. If I find any details I share them here.

I don't know what im talking about but in the Hoofbeat mag they said that nearly evey part of the grapevine can be used medicinally. They starting to refer to it as a herb.

Medicinal Uses
The leaves can be made into tea for Arthritis, inflamation,menopause, unrinary problems, skin rashes, gout, nausea, nose bleeds, has also been used to threatened abortions.

Dried powered leaves are used to treat scours, and over wounds as a poultice.

The flowers can be infused to strenghten the nerve and support bone marrow in the spine.

The grape are used to fortify blood tonic as they are nourishing - good for aneamia or when the horse is run down. The content of the grape is similar to that of blood plasma. Grapes are high in sugar and are known to stimulate kidney and liver function. They can also be used as a laxative.

The seeds are rich in minerals and the oil after being refined has many antioxidant benefits. Standardised extract of grape seed can be used to regulate blood sugar, ADHD,heart disease, high cholestral and degeneration of the eye and cancer.

Its used in Bach Flower remedy, which I have used on my son and horse on show days to calm nerves etc.

Feeding
The nutrious waste from the wineries is often made into silage and fed to cattle at 6.5kg a day. It can be to fibrous for horses but the grape marc is suitable to feed at 10% of their feeed rations.

You can share a few grapes with the horses for refreshments, and also a few leaves to support your horses health. If your after stronger antioxidant benefits you can buy a good quality grape seed extract and add a small amount to your horses feed,

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Live, Love, Dream

well I have to say that each year I wait for the rain to come and wash off all the spray stuff on the vines (copper sulphate mainly) and then the horse and I have a grand feast every time we go out.....wine grapes are small and fleshy and sometimes quite sharp, but always soooooooooooo good.....horse likes the leaves too, maybe even better, but never known to refuse a good bite of a nice dangling bunch....and we've never had any ill effects afterwards.....so hopefully it's not one of those things that seems good but has odd effects on different species..... the only ill effects I've ever had, come to think of it, are when the farmer has spotted us raiding........

In fact riding in Italy can be seen as a gastronomic event with definite seasons. In autumn there are plenty of wild apple pear and fig trees just begging to be raided, and in early summer you can both pig out on the cherry trees too. blackberries in september, he eats the low ones I get the higher ones..... plum and apricot trees are interesting, horsie has no problem spitting out the stones and enjoying the fruit! trouble is, horse remembers every bush tree and grassy bit where the apples fall.....even when there are none, so we have to stop and search and search and search.....

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Susan,
I can relate to that so well. In my horse's mind a trail ride at certain times of the year is like a winery tour for people where I live, going from one gourmet snack bar to the next and stuffing it all in for free. Our snacks are mostly wild prunes, apples and wild oats. I always worry about prune and cherry pits, glad to hear that your horses spit them out.

I usually use dry (very dry!) pieces of bread.

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Then I started asking myself: "What can I do for my horse?"