Omega-6 fatty acids, particularly linoleic acid, are essential fats that your horse's body cannot manufacture and must obtain from the diet. They form a critical part of cell membranes throughout the body and are especially important for maintaining the skin's waterproof barrier and producing the oils that give your horse's coat its natural shine. Omega-6 fatty acids are also precursors to pro-inflammatory signaling molecules (prostaglandins and leukotrienes), which sounds alarming but is actually necessary — your horse needs a functioning inflammatory response to fight infection and heal wounds. The key is balance: most equine diets are naturally higher in omega-6 than omega-3, so the goal is typically to boost omega-3 rather than add more omega-6.
Your horse needs a minimum of about 15 to 25 grams of omega-6 fatty acids per day — roughly the amount in a small handful of sunflower seeds. Most forage-and-grain diets easily provide this. The more important consideration is the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. Fresh pasture provides a favorable ratio (roughly 1:3 omega-6 to omega-3), while hay and grain diets skew heavily toward omega-6. Adding a source of omega-3 like ground flaxseed is usually more beneficial than adding omega-6.
0.84% of daily nutrient intake
Omega-6 Fatty Acids makes up 0.84% of your horse's total daily nutritional requirements by weight. That's a tiny amount — but it matters.
Dry, flaky skin, dull or rough coat, poor wound healing, increased susceptibility to skin infections, and potentially impaired reproductive performance. True omega-6 deficiency is quite rare in horses because grains and most feedstuffs are naturally rich in linoleic acid.
Excess omega-6 relative to omega-3 can promote a pro-inflammatory state, potentially contributing to chronic low-grade inflammation, joint stiffness, and skin sensitivity. This is more about ratio imbalance than absolute excess — a grain-heavy, pasture-poor diet tends to skew the ratio toward omega-6.
| Life Stage | Size | Min | Max | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | — | 15 | 30 | g | For a 500kg horse. Most forage-and-grain diets easily meet or exceed omega-6 needs. Focus on balancing the omega-6:omega-3 ratio rather than adding more omega-6. |
Source: general veterinary consensus
