We just wanted to let you know our horses thrive on your "SandGuard" (stone ground flax) product for sand removal. Each horse started off with 4-6 oz. of the product mixed with their oats every morning for 3 days, (4 oz. for the Arabians and Ponies, 6 oz. for the larger breeds like TB’s). With most of the horses, their manure was loose because of this by the second day, but the amount of sand being pushed through on days 2 and 3 was very noticeable.
As a maintenance dose, we give them 1-2 oz. daily (again, depending on the weight of the horse). The rule of thumb we’ve followed is 1 oz. of ground flax for every 1000 lbs. of weight.
We have been using this routine for over 4 months and have done random manure tests for sand content the entire time. The results have always been consistent in that after the initial “loading dose” of ground flax for 3 days, followed by a week of the daily maintenance dose, the amount of sand in the manure of each individual horse has been steadily the same and in small quantities. We test for sand content by placing manure in a clear glass of water, letting it sit for a few hours, then observing the amount of sand at the bottom of the glass.
Our ranch is located on all sand in west Florida. While the amount of ingested sand from our Bahia grass pastures may be more extreme than other sandy locations, we had tried all of the commercial psyllium-based products with either little or no results for 6 months. After researching about psyllium, we observed that – even if pelleted – there was noticeable psyllium dust when the horses were eating. Needless to say, the dust is toxic according to tests the commercial manufacturers have made themselves.
Our search for a safe and beneficial alternative to psyllium for the removal of ingested sand in horses ended with our use of stone ground flax. Of course, the benefits of stone ground flax as a daily nutritional supplement are extraordinary. While removing sand, the Omega 3-6 oils and Lignans have greatly improved the hair and hooves of every horse. We didn’t realize this until our farrier made a comment about the excellent condition of their hooves 3 months after we began using the stone ground flax. We have had people recently ask how our horses have such shiny coats even after rolling in the pastures every day. That’s when we realized that the only feed change we had made was the addition of the stone ground flax.
Even if our horses were on good soil without any sand, I would be supplementing their feed with 1-2 oz. of stone ground flax daily. We are a small non-profit horse sanctuary and have different breeds and sizes and ages, even a miniature. Where we see the greatest health improvement from the stone ground flax is with the older horses in their 20s.
The stone ground flax has improved the conditions of old stiff and overworked joints of worn-out training stable horses. Our 26 year old TB is now enjoying weekly trail rides and a greater quality of life because of the flax. When we got him last year, his joints were so stiff he could barely trot. Now, he acts like a horse half his age and moves like one as well.