Is Hemp Safe for My Horse?
Many of us have concerns about feeding hemp to our horses. It’s controversial. It has fans, and it has foes. Hemp is often misunderstood, and almost always subject to strong opinions. It’s use is governed by different laws depending on where you live and where you compete.
Let’s see if we can sort out some facts.
Industrial Hemp vs Marijuana
Both industrial hemp and marijuana plants are classified in the same family, Cannabis Sativa. And that is about the extent of their similarity. They vary drastically in their uses and THC (tetrahydrocannibinoid) levels, the psychoactive causing component of cannabis.
Industrial Hemp (non-psychoactive form) is grown for use in the following industries: Food and Beverage, Health Care, Textiles, Paper, Construction, Plastics, and Biofuel.
Health Canada classifies industrial hemp based strictly on THC levels produced by the plant which must be less than 0.3% THC. Marijuana, on the other hand, contains high levels (up to 35%) of THC which is the ingredient that gives consumers the “high”.
Industrial hemp production in Canada is completely separate from medical or recreational marijuana production. Each individual commercial industrial hemp grower must use pedigreed seeds listed by Health Canada to produce plants having less than 0.3% THC. These seeds and the growers themselves are strictly regulated and routinely tested.
The Health Benefits of Hemp
There are a multitude of health benefits of hemp oil and flour. Here are just a few:
A highly digestible protein source
Contains 20 amino acids and all 9 essential amino acids
Promotes cell development
Improves vitamin absorption
High in polyunsaturated fats and low in saturated fats
Provides 2x more utilizable energy than an equal weight of digested carbohydrate
Decreases metabolic heat production
Shown in studies to decrease inflammatory conditions and lower the heart rate in exercising horses
Free of estrogen mimickers
Naturally lactose, gluten and trypsin free, enabling it to be easily absorbed
Non-GMO
Contains a perfect balance of omega 9, 6, and 3 fatty acids plus gamma linolenic acid
Is It Safe to Feed My Horse Hemp?
Just because a company says their hemp product is THC free, doesn’t mean that it actually is. Equine Canada considers hemp oil to be a nutritional supplement, not a veterinary drug, and warns:
“With regards to nutritional supplements, EC stresses ‘Buyer Beware!’ ”
(Equine Canada Hemp Fact Sheet)
Nutritional supplements may not be subject to the same rigorous standards as an approved veterinary drug. As a horse owner, it’s your responsibility to obtain the THC test from the supplier, and confirm that it applies to the lot number of the product that you are feeding.
To ensure the hemp used in G’s Formula is safe, we obtain our hemp from a Health Canada approved supplier which is regulated and tests from 0.0 to 0.2 ppm THC - well below the approved threshold. At G’s Organic Solutions, we also purchase our hemp in large batches so that we can ensure a consistent product.
Is Hemp Safe in Competition?
Equestrian competitors may shy away from hemp - not because of the potential psychoactive effects, but out of fear of a failed drug test in competition. In FEI, AQHA, and other breed association sanctioned competitions, drug testing may be mandatory or random.
Perhaps you’ve been proactive and asked the supplier for their THC test results. And perhaps you’ve been satisfied to see that the results show less than 0.3% THC, the testing point for industrial hemp. But product test results can be deceiving! Even at less than 0.3%, THC can build up in the horse's fat stores, causing a positive drug test.
Is G’s Formula Safe in Competition?
One of the four, all-natural ingredients in G’s Formula is hemp seed meal. We subjected G’s Formula to independent forensic drug tests that included testing horses over a 2-year period where they consumed 2x the recommended serving of G’s Formula.
G’s Formula Proved Safe for Competition Horses
Still, we understand that for some people feeding hemp is simply not worth the risk.
This is one of the reasons we created G’s International. For G’s International, we substitute whole organic chia seeds in place of hemp meal. It functions just like G’s Formula in field trials, and will soon undergo similar university-led clinical trials to prove its benefits.
Interested in learning more about G’s?
Learn more about G’s Formula and G’s International and shop for yours today!