# Who feeds spirulina and with what benefit?



## Charlie31 (4 May 2017)

I have been reading up about spirulina and am considering giving it to my horse. It sounds amazing! I'm particularly interested in it due to its claims that it could help respiratory health as my horse does have mild respiratory problems. But everything else about it sounds just great too.

I have to admit that I do tend to be a bit sceptical about these superfood type claims so I thought I would ask around to see about real life experiences of it. So does anybody here feed it to their horse, why do you feed it and have you noticed any benefit from it?

And I suppose the critical question is how do you manage to get your horse to eat it? Mine can be a real fussy ****** at the best of times so I do expect this would be a challenge for me.


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## JillA (4 May 2017)

I do - for protein for my poor doer (along with amino acids etc) and skin support for my summer itcher (along with micronized linseed). https://forageplus.co.uk/product/spirulina/

You have to start with the tiniest amount and mix with damped or soaked feeds - mine have it in soya hulls, Equibeet and bran, and they accept it quite well now. 
As for benefits, it's hard to say - the itcher is on a whole range of things, including immunotherapy and doesn't really start scratching until June anyway, and the poor doer is much improved but has a range of other support too. The only real way to tell is to stop the spirulina but that isn't something I would want to do yet.

Worth also considering Jiaogulan to work alongside it https://forageplus.co.uk/product/jiaogulan-gynostemma/


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## PorkChop (4 May 2017)

I do, primarily for lung function.  I know lots of people struggle to get their horses to eat it, but I have never had a problem, I mix into soaked grass nuts.


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## Goldenstar (4 May 2017)

Non of mine would eat it a large horse needs a fair bit 30 Grammes daily if I remember rightly it's stains everything in the end to get rid of it I buried it in the muck heap the labs dug it up and ate it they a blue heads for weeks .
I just stick to paying the extra for myoplast .


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## Charlie31 (4 May 2017)

Oh no - blue heads don't sound good! Palatability is a real concern for me though as I'm already struggling to get him to eat much now the grass is coming through. I remember a friend doing some weird diet where she had to have spirulina shots and they looked absolutely disgusting. I think she said she swallowed it down and then brought it straight back up one time!

On a more serious note - do you find it has helped with the lung function PorkChop?

And thanks for the recommendation for Jiaogulan JillA. I had seen about this morning and was wondering about it but that's definitely one I have a fear of the unknown with as I've never heard of it before! Some background research is in order there I think.


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## PorkChop (4 May 2017)

Mine do have green noses after their breakfast 

Yes it has helped with lung function.  I have an older mare that definitely benefits from it.


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## Charlie31 (4 May 2017)

PorkChop said:



			Mine do have green noses after their breakfast 

Yes it has helped with lung function.  I have an older mare that definitely benefits from it.
		
Click to expand...

Thanks, have just ordered some to try


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