Best feed for horses

[piglet99]

wondering if there's such a thing as the best feed for horses? I've fed baileys and dodson & horrel and horses did well. loved the concept of pure feed and tried that for a while but had a really bad experience with them so went back to baileys. horses look well and I can't complain about the way they go (although I do sometimes, but all these companies promise so much that i'm wondering if any of them live up to their promises? don't get me wrong, I'm happy with baileys at the mo - the horses eat it and in good enough condition, but they don't look like the horses in their promo literature! I'm just wondering whether to switch back to a cheaper option and mix my own with straights and a good balancer?

 

[maisie06]

Nothing looks like the promo material this time of year!! Most of it is photoshopped anyway!! I like to keep things simple and base the diet on good quality hay or haylage and then hard feed if needed, my welsh needs a competition feed when in work as he lacks energy and I have found power and performance fed with grass nuts fits the bill nicely, However if I fed this to my other lad he would be off his rocker!! Horses are individuals and must be treated as such, no one feed will suit all.

Personally the only thing I add to my feeds is micronised Linseed meal, this is brilliant stuff and mine have never had better coats and my welsh has even been able to come off his joint supplement. I have even stopped bothering with a vitamin supplement as our hay is superb and they get a bit of Fast fibre anyway which has vits and mins added at a decent rate. My welsh is looking better now than when he was on a balancer.

The feed companies have marketing departments for a reason - they are brilliant at producing the glossy brochures with lovely pics to make you part with your money - feed alone will NOT provide the shine and topline, this comes through work and elbow grease!!

Keep things simple and you won't go wrong!

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

Most feed companies have a range of feeds that virtually mirror those of other feed companies. As soon as a company brings out a feed that has a particular feature that appears to attract horse owners to it you'll find other companies will follow with their version of the feed. They are all fighting for our business.

Some of the more simple feeds they make will also be made by the lesser known or 'own brand' feeds like 'Countrywide' & they will be considerably cheaper as those companies don't have to recoup a large advertising budget.

If your horse is doing well on what you are feeding don't change because they don't look like the horses in the advertising literature. If you use 'Rimmel' eye make up, you may get 'The London Look', but don't think for a moment you're going to turn into Kate Moss.

If the feed is doing a good job then stick with it.

 

[bluebellfreddy]

We feed simple systems, this is as natural as you can get. It is just grass with some other feed balances like linseed, herbs and flowers. They all look great on it and one of the horses has been 3* eventing on it and defiantly had enough energy from it.

 

[piglet99]

Thank you! Good advice. It's hard not to feel inadequate when you look at all the mags and the ads and as you saym the time of year doesn't help. I suppose it's like shampoo ads - no one ever looks liek that after washing their hair!! lol

Nothing looks like the promo material this time of year!! Most of it is photoshopped anyway!! I like to keep things simple and base the diet on good quality hay or haylage and then hard feed if needed, my welsh needs a competition feed when in work as he lacks energy and I have found power and performance fed with grass nuts fits the bill nicely, However if I fed this to my other lad he would be off his rocker!! Horses are individuals and must be treated as such, no one feed will suit all.

Personally the only thing I add to my feeds is micronised Linseed meal, this is brilliant stuff and mine have never had better coats and my welsh has even been able to come off his joint supplement. I have even stopped bothering with a vitamin supplement as our hay is superb and they get a bit of Fast fibre anyway which has vits and mins added at a decent rate. My welsh is looking better now than when he was on a balancer.

The feed companies have marketing departments for a reason - they are brilliant at producing the glossy brochures with lovely pics to make you part with your money - feed alone will NOT provide the shine and topline, this comes through work and elbow grease!!

Keep things simple and you won't go wrong!

 

[piglet99]

Lol on Kate Moss!! They are doing fine on Baileys and far better than they did on pure feed, but i was just wondering if i culd possibly get better results, or even the same results for less money. you're right Toby - most of them are more of the same.

Most feed companies have a range of feeds that virtually mirror those of other feed companies. As soon as a company brings out a feed that has a particular feature that appears to attract horse owners to it you'll find other companies will follow with their version of the feed. They are all fighting for our business.

Some of the more simple feeds they make will also be made by the lesser known or 'own brand' feeds like 'Countrywide' & they will be considerably cheaper as those companies don't have to recoup a large advertising budget.

If your horse is doing well on what you are feeding don't change because they don't look like the horses in the advertising literature. If you use 'Rimmel' eye make up, you may get 'The London Look', but don't think for a moment you're going to turn into Kate Moss.

If the feed is doing a good job then stick with it.

 

[Dottie]

I 've been using Thunderbrook feeds for a few months now after becoming completely lost over all the different options on feeds. They are completely organic and I'm really impressed by it and my horse is doing very well. Have a look at the website. It is a real eye opener as to what actually goes in to our horses feeds!

 

[windand rain]

Horses for courses if it suits your horse then why change
I dont like mixes too much sugar and starch but that is only my preference
Mine have a small amount of hay ad lib short grass and a bucket feed of grass nuts and speedibeet soaked together, with seaweed, brewers yeast, linseed meal, salt and a double handful of molasses free alfalfa chaff they are a little fat at the minute so are only getting a small amount of linseed but they all have mirror shiny coats, and great feet they are rugged which helps with the coats but they look wonderful on this feed. All work daily and are fit strong and full of go

 

[claribella]

I think you will probably get a difference answer from every person on here as feeding is a minefield. Ive come to the conclusion after tonnes of research that what they put in most pre bagged feeds is diabolical and shouldn't be aloud. Shovelling sugar loaded stuff down a horses throat its no wonder horses are off their heads or have bad hooves and then if you go for the low sugar unmollassed stuff then that's mostly built up of straw that has been treated with caustic soda which is also used in oven cleaners etc. I care what I put in my mouth and so I care what I put in my horses mouth and want to give her the most natural feed I can possibly find. Its been a long old journey but Ive found Thunderbrook base mix and that is where we are staying. Ive never seen my girl look and feel so good on so little. She has a cup a day and I know shes etting everything she needs vits and mins wise. Shes never been a good doer at all and last winter I was pouring fast fibre and linseed down her by the gallon. She has hay as well but that's it and shes still rug less and keeping weight. I highly recommend it. Its totally organic so no nasty sprays, it contains pre and pro biotics, its good for poor doers, for feet and the people who sell the stuff are really knowlegable. A bag last me about twelve weeks at the moment and the only other thing I add is turmeric for joints and salt so it works out really economical

 

[Littlemissmerlin]

I think you will probably get a difference answer from every person on here as feeding is a minefield. Ive come to the conclusion after tonnes of research that what they put in most pre bagged feeds is diabolical and shouldn't be aloud. Shovelling sugar loaded stuff down a horses throat its no wonder horses are off their heads or have bad hooves and then if you go for the low sugar unmollassed stuff then that's mostly built up of straw that has been treated with caustic soda which is also used in oven cleaners etc. I care what I put in my mouth and so I care what I put in my horses mouth and want to give her the most natural feed I can possibly find. Its been a long old journey but Ive found Thunderbrook base mix and that is where we are staying. Ive never seen my girl look and feel so good on so little. She has a cup a day and I know shes etting everything she needs vits and mins wise. Shes never been a good doer at all and last winter I was pouring fast fibre and linseed down her by the gallon. She has hay as well but that's it and shes still rug less and keeping weight. I highly recommend it. Its totally organic so no nasty sprays, it contains pre and pro biotics, its good for poor doers, for feet and the people who sell the stuff are really knowlegable. A bag last me about twelve weeks at the moment and the only other thing I add is turmeric for joints and salt so it works out really economical

Another vote for thunderbrooks. After you recommended it to me months ago on here. I bought a bag and its amazing stuff. I use the base mix with the gut restore. My boys feet are defo getting better and his coat and mane are super shiny. A bag lasts forever and I know for sure my boy is getting his vits and mins without a load of rubbish added in. The gut restore help with the squits.

 

[claribella]

littlemissmerlin that's great news! Its good to hear you like it but its quite encouraging to hear that you went out and brought a bag after a recommendation. Sometimes I write on here and wonder if Im wasting my time so its great to know that you went for it

 

[maccachic]

Best thing for mine Alfalfa, whole oats and a good multi vit/min and salt. Better results than any processed / premix I tried over the years.