Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition
Welcome to my forum.
Here you will find more than 6 years of questions and my answers. It is searchable and offers a great deal of information.
Currently, I am discontinuing new questions. This may change in the future, but in the meantime, please know that It has been a true pleasure serving you.
Take a look at my Nutrition Library and Tips of the Month for a variety of answers on selected topics. Be sure to sign up for my monthly e-newsletter, Forage for Thought.
I also have a growing number of recordings on "Teleseminars on Nutrition Topics that Concern You" as well as the new, Spotlight on Equine Nutrition Series -- printed versions of favorite teleseminars.
And finally, look for my articles in a variety of local publications and online newsletters, as well as the Horse Journal, where I am the Contributing Nutrition Editor.
All the best,
Dr. Getty
Hi Janelle,
Cocosoya oil tastes very good, which makes it an easy oil to feed. But, all oil has the same number of calories, whether it comes from soybean, coconut, corn, canola, rice bran, wheat germ, flaxseed, etc. So, adding oil, in general, is a good way to get concentrated calories into a horse.
I do not like cocosoya oil for two reasons. First, it contains soybean oil. Soybean oil is very, very high in omega 6 fatty acids -- nearly 70% -- and omega 6s cause inflammation. This is a problem for any horse that has muscle or joint strain or inflammation/pain anywhere in the body.
Second, it contains coconut oil. Coconut oil is more saturated than beef fat and is not a natural component of a horse's diet. Some saturated fat is fine, but too much can be problematic since horse's are not designed to assimilate much saturated fat into their tissues.
So, I'm pleased the cocosoyo oil worked well for you. As I mentioned, horse's love it because of the coconut oil content. And, getting a horse to eat oily feed can be challenging. But, it's not a good choice for horses that have underlying inflammation.
All the best,
Dr. Getty 
Where are you from? Bayfield, CO