My mare is a 90% black Paint. I do keep a fly sheet on her to help block the sun, but she still fades somewhat. I've thought about trying Black As Knight. I came across some threads at other forums talking about this product. They generally state that it works really well, but some said that they use just straight paprika. Has anyone else heard of this or tried it? It would certainly cost less! They did state that in some organizations it tests and is not allowed, but I don't show anyway so this is not a concern for me. I just want her to be as black all summer as she sheds out in the spring.

Where are you from? Michigan

How did you locate this forum? web search

Exposure to strong sunlight for extended periods of time is the enemy of black coats. Most people who show black horses manage the fading problem by turning out only at night, or at least when the sun's rays are less likely to bleach the coat, like early morning or late evening.

Where are you from? Poolville TX

How did you locate this forum? equine DDS

I do sometimes put her in her stall for a couple hours in the afternoon. We try to keep things as "natural" as possible, though, so do not put our horses in unless we really need to. That's why I keep the fly sheet on her. There is also shade in their paddock. Most of her fading is in the shape of the saddle pad and cinch, indicating that sweat is part of the problem. I try to rinse her off as often as I can after riding, but she still fades.

Where are you from? Michigan

How did you locate this forum? web search

Hi Pam and Krista,

Sun bleaching is certainly a factor in any haircoat, but it is especially apparent with black horses. So, keeping them indoors during the hottest part of the day will certainly help.

Flaxseed meal, along with some paprika, is very helpful and I recommend Blackenall for that reason.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

You mean adding a little paprika might help JC's coat? He is a liver chestnut color but looks like a dun right now. I don't know why he burns so bad! I am giving him 3 scoops of nutra flax trying to improve his coat right now. How much paprika should I add Dr. Getty? He's getting Accel and Tractguard too with his SafeChoice, hay and pasture.
Thanks,
Lynette

Hi Lynette,

I would say approximately 1 tablespoon per day. But, there are not hard and fast rules regarding this.

Keep me posted!

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

I have a black & white (mostly black) Missouri Foxtrotter. What will the paprika or Blackanall do to her white? Mostly just curious as I don't show this horse at all. She works on the ranch and the cows sure don't care what color she is!

Thanks,
Penny

Where are you from? Oregon

How did you locate this forum? by accident, but have been using it for 2 years.

I have been giving my mare 1 heaping tbsp. of paprika for a little over a month now. I also added 1 cup of BOSS (black oil sunflower seeds) about three weeks ago. I'm noticing lately that the burnt orange hairs seem to be shedding out and she's coming back in a shiny black. Hurray! The combination seems to be working! Other than that, she gets 3 cups of plain oats, grass/alfalfa mix hay, and/or pasture. It doesn't seem to effect her white areas, except that those areas are just as shiny as the black areas. Her mane has also grown longer. I'm definitely sold on paprika and BOSS.

Where are you from? Michigan

How did you locate this forum? internet

Hello Penny and Krista,

No, paprika won't affect the white areas, so it is fine to use it. Black oil sunflower seeds, in moderation, are also fine for most horses, but they contain a very high concentration of omega 6 fatty acids, which can cause inflammation. So, I don't recommend them for horses that have problems with joint or muscle pain.

Blackenall provides fat from flaxseed meal, so I recommend it instead of sunflower seeds since flaxseeds are high in omega 3s, which reduce inflammation.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

Thank you for the info on the omega 6. The pony gets 1/4 cup daily, the horses (including my black Paint) get one cup daily. None of them have joint or muscle problems, but is one cup going to be too much? My Paint has completely shed out the burnt orange hairs and is now very black . Should I cut back on the BOSS?

Where are you from? Michigan

How did you locate this forum? internet

Hi Krista,

One cup is the upper limit regarding flaxseed meal supplementation. And, if you're giving this amount, with no other source of soybean oil (the most commonly supplemented oil in most horse feeds) then you can add the BOSS. Otherwise, if they are already getting soybean oil in their diet (high in omega 6s) you don't want to add more omega 6s (from BOSS).

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

One more thing, Krista,

If you grind your own flaxseeds, the meal has an inverted calcium to phosphorus ratio (more phosphorus than calcium). So, if the diet does not contain an additional source of calcium (such as alfalfa), you may be providing too much phosphorus to the diet. This is another reason why I like a product such as Blackenall since it has added calcium to correct the inverted ratio.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO