The addition of linseeds to the horse’s diet is an excellent choice for any horse and particularly in cases where the horse is struggling with inflammatory or immune conditions. Linseeds have a high oil content of around 41% and are commonly used in equine nutrition for their high Omega 3 fatty acid content and their Omega 3 to 6 ratio is very similar to that of grass, the natural diet of the horse! The Omega 3 and Omega 6 group of essential fatty acids are key players in many bodily functions and are extremely important for healthy physiology. They are referred to as ‘essential’ because they must be present in adequate amounts in the diet and cannot be manufactured in the body. The Omega 6’s are needed for inflammatory and innate immune reactions, which means they are considered to be pro-inflammatory. Whereas the Omega 3’s have the opposite function. They are the counter-regulatory substance of inflammation and immune reaction – in other words they have the ability to control inflammation.