Black oil sunflower seeds

[PrestigeMiniHorses]

I have been feeding BOSS for a looong time. I would say for about 3 years now atleast. I have tried it on a dappled grey, who dappled out superbly and they were loud. I also used it on my grey and white pinto. His grey areas glistened believe it or not. He looked grey. My bay pony that I had shined like a new penny. He really was gorgeous to look at. And he was 22 years old... Sure wish I had pictures of him... I also fed my b/w pinto shetland gelding, who literally shined like a new penny. I always got compliments on him when I brought him places.

Now I have a shetland stallion whose black, his coat was pretty dull when I got him. He only get 1/4 cup of BOSS two times a day, his coat started looking amazing within 2 weeks. Now that he is fluffy his coat texture looks great.... I have gotten lots of compliments on him.....I can't wait to see what he looks like come spring.

I have used Flax seed in the past but I noticed better results when the weather was changing from winter to spring and the animal was shedding. It just seemed to make their coat shed faster... Shiney as well but to me BOSS does a better job all around.

 

[Fanch]

Since this tread has been pulled up again I'll put in my 2 bits. I have used boss for 2 years now on my black gelding and will continue to use it as he looks JET black on it whereas the 1st year I had him he just never got that stunning color. I get compliments from exibitors and judges alike on his coat.

But, I tried boss on my grey gelding and would have to say his coat beacame dull and unatractive to say the least. I don't know if maybe something else way playing in at the same time but I don't feed it to him any more. I may just have the fluke case here though

 

[michele80906]

I put a handful in my little guy's grain morning and night right from the bag and he chomps them right down. When I bought him last spring his coat was in really poor condition and his mane was coming out in clumps. Within a about 4 weeks he dropped his winter coat and his summer hair was just beautiful. Now his mane is coming in very full and thick. My mom has used the seeds on her big horse for about 4 years now..she always has a spectacular coat. I can't wait to see what my guy looks like this summer...should be the bomb!

 

[Genie]

I wonder if the black oil sunflower seeds would be too much if you are already adding canola oil to the feed?

 

[rcfarm]

Do you feed to pregnant mares? I have used before, but stoped. I have a black and white gelding that has a dull coat. So giving it another go.

 

[mdegner]

We have had great success with BOSS and typically feed a handful to our show horses with each meal. We had a filly who was black but kind of a dusty, spotty (roanish) ashey black and after only 6 weeks on BOSS, she was a shiny midnight black. I was quite surprised at how quickly it worked and what a difference it made. In general, we've seen less dandruff, shinier, silkier coats and a deeper more intense color, regardless of the color.

A couple of our babies didn't really care for the seeds as they seemed to have difficulty chewing them but everybody else views them as a treat. And, yes for easy keepers, be careful how much you give them as they are high in fat.

 

[Tenltraining]

We have used Black Oil sunflower seeds and they really do help the hair coat a lot. Even while clipping I think you tell the difference in the skin and hair condition. We have also used Ground flax seed with success too. I dont use two coat supplements at once because of the amount of fat in them, one is plenty. Using too much can make them fatter in the neck, shoulder and above the tail head, so watch these areas. Just using the blackoil sunflower seeds, usually a quarter cup per day on the a sized minis and a little more on the b sized ones is good. I did notice when I was feeding more than that they got heavier in the crest area. So watch the amount youre feeding and slack off a bit if they begin getting too heavy in those areas mentioned above. If you have a really fat horse or one you are reducing they may stay a bit slimmer on the ground flax seed from our experience. Both do a good job on the horses coats and I think we have been pleased with either one really. Also feed your horses a good premium quality feed with adequate protein and nutrients.

We also use the rose oil conditioner spray too right after clipping and a few days after that too to put the oil back into the coat. We use this also when brushing them down before going into the show ring too. It really helps the coats look gorgeous.

 

[Reble]

I did find my easy keeper was gaining too much weight...

Black Oil Sunflower Seeds

High-protein food, with more protein than the grains. Rich in minerals; iron and zinc are plentiful. The high amount of oil in sunflower seeds as polyunsaturated fats, essential linoleic acid, and vitamin E. They are about 25 percent protein, have a good fibre content, and are rich in the B vitamins also, particularly in thiamine, pyridoxine, niacin, and pantothenic acid. With their high potassium and low sodium and with zinc, iron, and calcium all at good levels, sunflower seeds are a very mineral-rich food. The vitamin D that gets stored in these sun-filled seeds helps the utilisation of calcium. Copper, manganese, and phosphorus levels are also relatively high; they are lower in magnesium than in calcium, which is different from other seeds.

 

[Genie]

Earlier I wondered if the black sunflower seeds would be too much if you are also feeding canola oil? Could someone give me an opinion on that please.

 

[Reble]

I dont use two coat supplements at once because of the amount of fat in them, one is plenty. Using too much can make them fatter in the neck, shoulder and above the tail head, so watch these areas.

If canola oil is working do not try to fix something not broken, less is best.

talk soon genie...

 

[Genie]

I dont use two coat supplements at once because of the amount of fat in them, one is plenty. Using too much can make them fatter in the neck, shoulder and above the tail head, so watch these areas.

If canola oil is working do not try to fix something not broken, less is best.

talk soon genie...

Thanks friend

 

[Knighthawke]

We also use the rose oil conditioner spray too right after clipping and a few days after that too to put the oil back into the coat. We use this also when brushing them down before going into the show ring too. It really helps the coats look gorgeous.

What is rose oil conditioner? Do you just get rose oil and mix it up with water or what? And where would you buy it.

 

[Tenltraining]

The rose oil conditioner is great for bringing back the color and moisture after clipping. You spray it on and then brush the horse well and it helps more than any other product IVe tried. I have been buying mine from www.sterlingstarfarm.com

and have had good service there as well. I also buy my body builder from them for horses that are needing to fill out more, works great on those gangly yearlings that need a boost when they come in for training a little light or immature.

 

[Minxiesmom]

I just got the Rose Oil conditioner for myself and a friend. I look forward to trying it this spring. We will report back after results are noted! Thanks for reviving this thread. I will buy a bag of the BOSS today. It seems that I have heard we are not to use the ones from the bird food shops, as they are treated with something that is not good for the horses? I know our Grange Co-op carries some that doesn't have this treatment on them.

 

[My2Minis]

I'm feeding Farnam Super 14 for improving dry coats ( 1 TBSP a day) ...can I feed BOSS with that for easy keepers?

 

[Reijel's Mom]

I just got the Rose Oil conditioner for myself and a friend. I look forward to trying it this spring. We will report back after results are noted! Thanks for reviving this thread. I will buy a bag of the BOSS today. It seems that I have heard we are not to use the ones from the bird food shops, as they are treated with something that is not good for the horses? I know our Grange Co-op carries some that doesn't have this treatment on them.

Uh oh. . .is this true, are there different types of BOSS we shouldn't give to our horses?

 

[gatorbait4sure]

Hi there
I use black sunflower seeds for my minis and my big horse.

Other people I know feed them straight from the bag, but I prefer to soften mine by soaking them for a little while. For my big horse I use a mugful per day and I noticed a difference within a few weeks. I feed the seeds along with boiled barley and a little stud and conditioning mix.

Didn't think it mattered what colour horse/pony you used them on.

Hope this helps you a bit.

If I fed my minis a "Little Stud" daily I'd be OVERFLOWING with fillies and colts!

......just a little giggle from Cape Cod.......

 

[chandab]

I just got the Rose Oil conditioner for myself and a friend. I look forward to trying it this spring. We will report back after results are noted! Thanks for reviving this thread. I will buy a bag of the BOSS today. It seems that I have heard we are not to use the ones from the bird food shops, as they are treated with something that is not good for the horses? I know our Grange Co-op carries some that doesn't have this treatment on them.

Uh oh. . .is this true, are there different types of BOSS we shouldn't give to our horses?

Sort of... Some companies add a product called BirdKote to the BOSS for feeding birds (seems this is the variety WalMart usually sells). Just be sure the ingredients list is only Black-Oil Sunflower seeds and you should be fine.

I buy ACE brand at the local ACE hardware, only kind I can get; its mostly BOSS, but there is a minimal amount of other birdseed in the mix (like maybe 1% in the bag), otherwise it is very clean and the horses love it.

 

[Pritanio]

... I must admit, however, it can be difficult to get the horses to eat it every now and then. I have a couple of chow hounds that refused to touch their feed if the sunflower seeds were in it. Even if I mixed them in carefully.

Here we are almost 12 years later and it's my turn. My 10 year old mare was enjoying breakfast and supper both including sunflower seeds for MONTHS. Then all of a sudden, she went off her breakfast feed. Both meals are quite wet and include apples.
She would eat the apples then let the rest of her breakfast sit. Turns out sunflower seeds are no longer a breakfast item. Happy to eat them for supper but turns her nose up for breakfast.
I'm just starting to research alternatives and laughed when this comment appeared.

 

[chandab]

I commented on this thread, 11 years ago, and I've since learned that BOSS is not the best thing to feed horses. BOSS is high in Omega 6 fatty acids, which the equine diet contains in abundance, more than they need; and BOSS is not screened for aflatoxins, since it's generally sold for birds. So, for shiny coat and the Omega 3 fatty acids, I now feed stabilized ground flax seed. [You can buy whole and grind yourself, but it doesn't keep, so you can only grind about a week's worth at a time, and store in the fridge.]