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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 

 



Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition
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Re: wild rose hips

Hi Jane,

Rose hips are fine -- good source of vitamin C!

All the best,

Dr. Getty
Author of Feed Your Horse Like A Horse

Jane Ames
There are a lot of wild rose bushes growing near me (think they are wild). Now they are full of rose hips. Can the rose hips be fed to the horses? Can they be fed whole, dried, cruched, infussed in water...????

Where are you from? Waverly, Ohio

Re: wild rose hips

Do I have to dry them first...or crush them...or diffuse...or can I just pick'em and use them as treats? Can I feed too many?

Where are you from? NY

How did you locate this forum? Dr Getty

Re: wild rose hips

Hi Jane,

Thank you for your patience. Many vitamin C supplements are derived from rose hips. But feeding rose hips.... probably safe but you would have to feed a very large amount to get enough vitamin C. One tablespoon only provide 240 mg of vitamin C, so to get 2400 mg of vitamin C, you would have to feed 10 tablespoons -- that's 5 fluid ounces, or more than 1/2 cup.

You could do that, but it may be more than is practical. And if your horse needs 10,000 mg of vitamin C, that would be over 40 tablespoons!

Harmful at that level? -- I truly do not have a good answer for you since I have not come across any studies on feeding them. But my instinct tells me that feeding 2 1/2 cups of rose hips to get 10,000 mg of vitamin C could have side effects. Remember, it is a plant with other nutrients besides vitamin C, and there is also a lot of sugar, that the plant likely contains.

Some some things to think about...

All the best,

Dr. Getty
Author of Feed Your Horse Like A Horse

Jane Ames
Do I have to dry them first...or crush them...or diffuse...or can I just pick'em and use them as treats? Can I feed too many?

Where are you from? Waverly, Ohio

Re: wild rose hips

Thanks...I actually would not pick enough to fed 10,000 of vit C. Was just curious if I could just feed them PERIOD...maybe as treats or something. Not as a serious Vit C supplement. Sorry, I should have made that clear in the beginning. Hope all is well with you!!

Where are you from? NY

How did you locate this forum? Dr. Getty

Re: wild rose hips

Hi Jane,

Oh -- thank you for the clarification. I don't see any problem in giving them as treats.

All the best,

Dr. Getty
Author of Feed Your Horse Like A Horse

Jane Ames
Thanks...I actually would not pick enough to fed 10,000 of vit C. Was just curious if I could just feed them PERIOD...maybe as treats or something. Not as a serious Vit C supplement. Sorry, I should have made that clear in the beginning. Hope all is well with you!!

Where are you from? Waverly, Ohio