A quick poll, buying feed, brands, and what makes you buy certain feed?

How do you buy your feed?

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KatB said:
Just doing a bit of research really...

*Where do you buy your feed, and why?

*Would you consider other ways of buying feed?

*What makes you choose the brand you use?

*If a relatively unknown feed company contacted you to try their feeds at a competitive rate for a "trial pack", would you do it?

*What would make you try a different brand of feed?

Any answers HUGELY appreciated :) ;)
Click to expand...

I buy:

D&H Competition Concentrate..........feed merchant
Alfa A Oil and Hi-Fi Lite...................feed merchant
Cooked linseed..............................online (Charnwood Mill)
Garlic..........................................online (Charnwood Mill)
Selenium & Vit E...........................online (Horse Health)
Seaweed.....................................online (Horse Health)
Electrolytes..................................online (Horse Health)
Joint Supplement...........................online

If I could buy all online and have delivered from one place I def would if not too expensive!

I choose the brand with the best product.

Yes.

If it offered something that I wanted to use, e.g. if it was similar to D&H Comp Concentrate.
 
Where do you buy your feed, and why?

Feed merchant, then if I need advice they can give it to me without being biased.

*Would you consider other ways of buying feed?

If it was cheaper and easier then yes

*What makes you choose the brand you use?

The only 'specialist' feeds I use ATM are lo cal, and Baileys Endurance mix as I am putting weight on an ex racer, when I am happy with her she will be switched onto my feed merchants own brand feed as it's cheaper.

*If a relatively unknown feed company contacted you to try their feeds at a competitive rate for a "trial pack", would you do it?

If they sounded knowledgeable, could give me a good break down of the feed and had some decent recommendations to back them up then yes.

*What would make you try a different brand of feed?

Recommendations, current brand not working out, cheaper price for essentially same fee as currently using.
 
I buy my feed from a local feed shop who are close, convenient and deliver next day. They also stock a wide range of feeds.

I wouldn't consider changing how I buy my feed as this works really well for me and bulk buying doesn't work as I only have one horse.

I choose different brands because some of their products work for me and others don't! I only choose 'names' because the one time I brought an unbranded feed it went off.
I'm a bit of a feed freak and research my feed closely. I chose D&H fibre nuts because of the D/E compared to other fibre nuts and the level of starch ect. I use baileys lo cal balancer as that works best for my horse and is low in starch and at the moment mollichaff oil chop as it comes in small bags and as it's summer I don't use much. In winter I usually use Dengie as bigger bags!

I would consider using an unknown feed company IF their product worked for me and my horse and was cheaper. I would have to check all the ingredients and protein levels, D/E ect to satisfy it was right before changing.

For the last question same answers as in my last paragraph.

Hope that helps!

:)
 
*Where do you buy your feed, and why?

Local feed merchant. I have always bought my feed from there and it is on the way to the yard.

*Would you consider other ways of buying feed?

No. Having it delivered would mean having to wait around for the delivery man to come and having to be organised.:D

*What makes you choose the brand you use?

It does what I need which is the most important thing. It is also reasonably priced.

*If a relatively unknown feed company contacted you to try their feeds at a competitive rate for a "trial pack", would you do it?

No. I am happy with what I feed. I wouldnt pay to trial a feed but would consider it if it was free.:D

*What would make you try a different brand of feed?

I would only switch if what I was feeding was no longer working. I tend to stay with the same brands and use a different product.

I wouldnt buy a bag of feed just because a top rider feeds it to their horses. I can honestly say that I have never bought a bag of feed just because I have seen it advertised. If I want to change I will research different feeds before buying.
 
*Where do you buy your feed, and why? feed shop, because i work there

*Would you consider other ways of buying feed? not really

*What makes you choose the brand you use? always had good results

*If a relatively unknown feed company contacted you to try their feeds at a competitive rate for a "trial pack", would you do it? yes depending on whether the product was relevant to the horse i was feeding

*What would make you try a different brand of feed? usually because i am after something specific and different to other products.
 
I'm a bit of an anomaly because I know a bit about feeding horses but am a relatively recent transplant so pretty much ALL the brands here were new to me (some are the same company as North American brands but different names, others are not available in Canada at all) and I come from a back ground where, over all, horses are fed MUCH more simply, with less mixing and matching. But I'm answering anyway, in the name of market research . . .

The only horse I am in sole charge of deciding feed for is at livery, so limited by what's available. Other horses I consult on will also have limitations so availability is the first concern. I pick what I think is suitable from what's available.

A FULL break down of ingredients and nutritional information (preferably available on line) is a deal breaker. One horse is allergic to everything and I simply won't feed him anything that doesn't provide an ingredient list, no matter how highly recommended.

Price is an issue because why pay more than you need to? But convenience, travel etc all factor into that, too. I'd pay slightly more for a similar product that is easily sourced.
Delivery requires storage. If a horse needs anything individual, it's almost never cost effective to have it delivered - even if you can store it, you can't use it quickly enough. (We had feed delivered in bulk in Canada and literally had a metal lined vault to keep it fresh and rodent safe.)

I would not try a feed because a particular rider used it, unless I knew them personally and felt their horses had improved on it. But yes, advertising and name recognition is part of the game. I would be inclined to go with an established company, if only so I knew who to complain to and that they'd be at the other end of the phone, if there was a problem. A company with a reputation has to look after it.

That said, if someone put out a product that suited my needs, provided the information I considered essential, and was priced attractively, I very well might try it. It's usually the ingredient list and availability that are going to decide for me in the end.
 
Take Badminton Horse Feeds - I love the stuff they produce but though its easy for me to get hold of it does not seem to have got round the country. They also do not seem to have the coverage with advertising and now they have been taken over by Baileys I will be very upset if they withdraw Triple Top Up because they have their rip off Outshine as a direct competitor.

I am a complete random shopper for feed as buy basics and it all comes down to price. I try not to feed cereals and loathe mixes as feed by eye so things will go up and down in amounts depending on how horse feels and looks. I love looking at feed at events like Badminton as provides a lot of information in one place. I also pay attention if something has money off vouchers and is very similar to what I already feed.

I do not think I am influenced by sponsored riders but I could tell you who is sponsored by who feed wise so I must notice it in the adverts.
 
*Where do you buy your feed, and why? Mole Valley Farmer as it is the closest

*Would you consider other ways of buying feed? Yes, if it was easy and the price is either the same or cheaper.

*What makes you choose the brand you use? They are well known brands with good reputation for good feed.

*If a relatively unknown feed company contacted you to try their feeds at a competitive rate for a "trial pack", would you do it? Maybe but would have to be convincing.

*What would make you try a different brand of feed? Better suited to my horses needs.
 
*Where do you buy your feed, and why?

I buy it at my favourite local Feed store, because although they are not the cheapest they have the biggest range and the most helpful staff who know what they are on about. They are alos the only place that stocks the food I give to my dog, so it saves on a trip! :D

*Would you consider other ways of buying feed?

Possibly, but mail ordering is a faff I can't be bothered with, I'd have to be organised. Plus there would have to be someone around to get the delivery, assuming they could find the yard, which is unlikely!

*What makes you choose the brand you use?

I use lots of different brands, no brand loyalty, I use the feed which I think is the best at the job I require it for. Baileys No7, because the are IMO the best topline cube, Hifi unmolassed as it was the only unmolassed chaff I could find at the time and Speedibeet again as it was the only unmolassed sugar beet I could buy.

*If a relatively unknown feed company contacted you to try their feeds at a competitive rate for a "trial pack", would you do it?

If they had an equivalent, then possibly

*What would make you try a different brand of feed?

Again, brands don't bother me, I use feeds I like, have had success with or have been recommended to use.
 
LEC said:
Take Badminton Horse Feeds - I love the stuff they produce but though its easy for me to get hold of it does not seem to have got round the country. They also do not seem to have the coverage with advertising and now they have been taken over by Baileys I will be very upset if they withdraw Triple Top Up because they have their rip off Outshine as a direct competitor.
Click to expand...

I used to love Badminton Horse Feeds when I lived in Glos, but up here I can only get hold of their Redigrass stuff, which is a shame as my old lad looked the best he has ever looked on their feeds!
 
*Where do you buy your feed, and why? Local feed merchants. Its close to my yard and stocks lots of equestrian stuff like rugs etc too.

*Would you consider other ways of buying feed? If it was cheaper.

*What makes you choose the brand you use? Spillers Slow Release was recommended to me and the chaff I use is good quality.

*If a relatively unknown feed company contacted you to try their feeds at a competitive rate for a "trial pack", would you do it? Probably not unless it was a free trial or close to. My horse is doing fine with the feed he is having currently.

*What would make you try a different brand of feed? If my horse needed more energy or less or needed to lose or gain weight and if the brand was very well recommended.
 
Hiya, use my local feed merchant because they deliver to me :)

If I could order online for the same delivered price I would.

No brand loyalty as such, whichever feed that suits my need.

Probably wouldn't entertain a "cold caller" as such, maybe would be more open to suggestion at the beginning or end of the season.

Would switch brands if I wasn't getting the results I wanted.

Hope this helps :)
 
Just doing a bit of research really...

*Where do you buy your feed, and why?

Local Feed merchant -prices are competitive, a good range, the store is located close to work (so easy to pop in and out of without driving miles out of my way), they stock a wide range of other tack, rug, clothing, bedding etc so can always pick up whatever else I might need in the journey. They also stock the dog feed I use, so kills two (or three) birds with one stone! I also like to support local businesses and having built up a rapport with them, they are good to me - will order things at short notice or drop off at my yard if I need them too.

*Would you consider other ways of buying feed?

Not particularly at the moment.

*What makes you choose the brand you use?

If it suits my horse's needs, availability, price & information/research available - either on feed bag, via website or through published articles.

*If a relatively unknown feed company contacted you to try their feeds at a competitive rate for a "trial pack", would you do it?

Probably not - I might be interested if it ticked all the above criteria, but it would be unlikely.

*What would make you try a different brand of feed?

Not suiting horse's needs or difficulty in local availability.
 
*Where do you buy your feed, and why?
It is now included in my livery, but I would have used a feed merchant or gone to the manufacturer.

*Would you consider other ways of buying feed?
Why not?

*What makes you choose the brand you use?
When I bought my own feed I looked for a reasonable price, and also if the horse liked it. He can be fussy.

*If a relatively unknown feed company contacted you to try their feeds at a competitive rate for a "trial pack", would you do it?
Provided it was easy to obtain and met my horse's needs, I would give it a go.

*What would make you try a different brand of feed?
Horse going off his feed/change in price. I also changed brand once because the feed was so heavily molassed it was like concrete in the bag!
 
*Where do you buy your feed, and why?

Local feed merchant. a) we have an account, b) it is 5 mins up the road c) they are very accommodating of me removing bags from shelves to check what is written on the back when i'm feeling forgetful, they deliver my bedding & are generally very helpful

*Would you consider other ways of buying feed?

TBH, not really

*What makes you choose the brand you use?

what's inside it (nutritionally) and whether it suits the horse it's for, for me it's not about brand, but type of feed, I buy different brands for different horses depending upon what they are doing.

*If a relatively unknown feed company contacted you to try their feeds at a competitive rate for a "trial pack", would you do it?

only if it was suitable for the horse in question & the work it was doing

*What would make you try a different brand of feed?

if the current one wasn't working

TBH, this is the industry I work in, so i'm a bit square about what i feed to my horses!
 
I buy oats and sugar beet from a farm 'cos it's cheap and I can have my oats rolled hard, the rest I buy from Countrywide because I drive right past it one my way to the yard. I use Countrywide's own brand cubes 'cos they are the cheapest they have, but do splash out on Dengie Alfa A or HIfi depending on the time of year.

I probably wouldn't consider buying feed in another way like online or similar as the delivery costs make it expensive.

I choose feeds that suit my animals' needs and offer the best value.

Would I do a trial of a new brand? Possibly.

I would not change what I feed unless it disagreed with my horses.
I might change brands if I found another that offered better value, but I think that's unlikely to happen!
 
I buy my feed online - as I am able to purchase a relatively large order I have found that the prices including £5 delivery its cheaper for me and I can get the brands that I would have been able to get from my local feed merchant.

I would have stayed with feed merchant but when buying over 40 bags every 3 weeks I needed to look at costs and my time saved by having feed delivered.

I buy the brands I use for quality, type of feed available for different types of horses needs

I may consider using an unknown brand once I had researched it and trialed it.
 
*Where do you buy your feed, and why?

local feed shops

*Would you consider other ways of buying feed?

i'd consider mail order if delivery was reasonable

*What makes you choose the brand you use?

recognised good quality brands - if i was feeding fibre nuts i use cheap brands - for spoecifitc reasons (conditioning, stamina etc) i use trusted brands

allan and page power and performance - after trying a few it suits her best and she's a fussy bugger and likes it
applechaff - only chaff she likes - only used to "hold" added oil so handful in each feed
baileys no4 - as P&P! only used in deepest darkest winter
D&H equibites - because she wont eat a powdered vit and min supp :rolleyes:tried 100's and given 100's of pots away too as she wont eat them!!
gold lable soya oil - she prefers that to the equimins or D&H versions - yes she is VERY fussy!

*If a relatively unknown feed company contacted you to try their feeds at a competitive rate for a "trial pack", would you do it?

yes - as long as they had no alfalfa in (she's v intollerant to it) and is not a mix (she picks at mixes) and offered what i wanted in a feed for her (stamina and energy)

*What would make you try a different brand of feed?

if she stopped eating what she is currently on (that has happened a few times!)
 
Last edited:
KatB said:
Just doing a bit of research really...

*Where do you buy your feed, and why?
Local Feed merchant who delivers foc weekly, and will pop in and drop off something is you need something urgently. He can get just about anything you want in for you, he supplies just about everyone on the yard and is very flexible about "swithcing on and off" what you buy.

*Would you consider other ways of buying feed?
Where we have such a good set up I would be unlikely to change.

*What makes you choose the brand you use?

*If a relatively unknown feed company contacted you to try their feeds at a competitive rate for a "trial pack", would you do it?
Possibly, as long as the "trial pack" was sufficient in size to get a real idea of how it works. It would have to supply the save nutritional values as the feed I currently use - I wold want to see detailed ingredients and nutritional breakdown - inlcuding starch levels.

*What would make you try a different brand of feed?
Cost - if a feed to could deliver the same nutritional values for a lower cost with the same ease of supply, that is single bag delivery FOC I would possibly consider it. I do have to be really careful with the grey boy who is on loan - he reacts quite rapidly to feed changes and can get quite on top of himself. He is on loan as a achoolmaster to a nervous rider so whilst I would cope with any changes she would not so I there would have to be significant benefits (cost!) for me to consider a change for him.

Any answers HUGELY appreciated :) ;)
Click to expand...

See my answers above!
 
*Where do you buy your feed, and why?

Local feed store, like to support them, very close so easy to pop over or even take a wheelbarrow round when I've run out!

*Would you consider other ways of buying feed?

Nope, unless there was a massive price difference maybe..

*What makes you choose the brand you use?

Recommendation, reading up on their websites, trial and error! Also if I've used it before with success then I'll use it again.

*If a relatively unknown feed company contacted you to try their feeds at a competitive rate for a "trial pack", would you do it?

Perhaps, but I'd be reluctant to as I'm happy with what he's on at the moment.

*What would make you try a different brand of feed?

If I thought it would be more suited to his needs than what I currently feed, price also would play a part... I did swap to a cheaper, less well known brand over the winter as it seemed more economical to feed 2 1/2 scoops of that a day rather than 2 1/2 scoops of Baileys a day, but I guess you could argue that maybe you wouldn't need to feed so much of the baileys for results... I don't know!

Hope that helps :) xx
 
*Where do you buy your feed, and why? At my local feed merchants

*Would you consider other ways of buying feed? Maybe

*What makes you choose the brand you use? Because it is approved my the Laminitic Trust (mine are both good doers and one is prone to Laminitis)

*If a relatively unknown feed company contacted you to try their feeds at a competitive rate for a "trial pack", would you do it? No, my horses look and perform well already on what they are fed already so I don't see any reason to change.

*What would make you try a different brand of feed? If I got a horse which needed a different diet/type of feed or if one if mine needed a change of diet for whatever reason.
 
*Where do you buy your feed, and why?

We are near to 'Youngs' so from there as excellent wide range of stock and reasonable price

*Would you consider other ways of buying feed?

If it made a big saving perhaps, although wouldn't want to be tied to waiting to sign for delivery and would depend on order time/organisation if I was buying over web.

*What makes you choose the brand you use?

I'm fairly knowledgeable about feeds as I've done a Masters in Equine Studies, so I look at ingredient lists and read journals. I will also speak to reps/call the info lines/ask friends. I tend to feed straights because I prefer the flexibility of mixing my own feeds rather than buying a 'mix' or 'cube' which you can then only vary amount rather than content, or you have to swap feeds.

*If a relatively unknown feed company contacted you to try their feeds at a competitive rate for a "trial pack", would you do it?

Maybe if I though the product was better than what I was already feeding

*What would make you try a different brand of feed?

I'm not brand loyal as such but there are products I like because I've found they suit me and my horses. I probably wouldn't swap just for consistency but something new to the market with good research and that had been formulated and trialed with evidence that it does xyz better I'd give a go.
 
*Where do you buy your feed, and why? From a local store, usually because I am passing, but it is actually the nearest one anyway

*Would you consider other ways of buying feed?
Not really because I don't like keeping lots around, and I am usually to poor to organise paying over the phone

*What makes you choose the brand you use?
Because it suits my horses and is easily available

*If a relatively unknown feed company contacted you to try their feeds at a competitive rate for a "trial pack", would you do it?
Not unless it was revolutionary and they could guarantee the availability

*What would make you try a different brand of feed?
If my horse went off the current feed, or his performance level changed
 
*Where do you buy your feed, and why?
Rearsby Lodge Feeds - because they will source anything that you want them to get in for you!

*Would you consider other ways of buying feed?
No, because I like the fact that they are my most local feed/saddlery shop and they will go out of their way to be accomodating

*What makes you choose the brand you use?
Initially, recommendation/reputation. pricing and spec...

*If a relatively unknown feed company contacted you to try their feeds at a competitive rate for a "trial pack", would you do it?
I had my horse on the very early Winergy trials, but I don't think I would play around with their diets now.

*What would make you try a different brand of feed?
If I thought that a problem that I was having with a horse could be influenced or remedied with diet. Other than that, I work on "if it ain't broke..."
 
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