Chaff recommendations

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orangegrace

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I have completely overhauled both my horses diets last year and after LOTS of research I moved them onto thunderbrooks feeds and have been very pleased with them. At the moment they are both on token feeds for their supplements so I have just been feeding there herbal chaff to carry the powders. My mate stopped eating the herbal chaff first which wasnt a massive issue as she is very fussy but will eat her devils claw without the chaff to carry it. Now my non fussy gelding has stopped eating the chaff too ! He has quite a lot of supplements so I cut them all out today and he still wont eat it so therefore I've concluded its obviously the chaff 😓
I need to be able to get the supplements into him so I am looking at alternative chaff suggestions. After doing lots of research last year I have become really reluctant to feed lots of the 'popular brand' feeds before of the amount of rubbish they contain so I just dont know which way to turn really. It's got to be a low calorie chaff as gelding a fatty !

I thought about emailing thunderbrook for their advice but I thought they might find it cheeky and wouldn't want to recommend other feeds different to their own ! Has anyone got any ideas/suggestions ?

Thanks ! X
 
Does it have to be a chaff? My fatties love soaked hay cobs as a supplement carrier, I use the Landmuhle ones from Kramer but Thunderbrooks may do them too.
 
Brownmare said:
Does it have to be a chaff? My fatties love soaked hay cobs as a supplement carrier, I use the Landmuhle ones from Kramer but Thunderbrooks may do them too.
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No I dont suppose it does need to be chaff. Older mare (the fussy one) is a pain though and like to have something to chew 🙄 and I did struggle with her last year in the winter as she seems to get bored with the 'sloppy food' x
 
I don't find the hay cobs sloppy, they soak down to what looks lile a very short chopped chaff. Of course I guess it depends how much water you add!
 
Brownmare said:
I don't find the hay cobs sloppy, they soak down to what looks lile a very short chopped chaff. Of course I guess it depends how much water you add!
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Ive not actually trief soaking the hay cobs tbf. I only feed these at treats. It's the meadow nuts I normally soak in the winter so I could give the hay cobs a go 😊 xx
 
I wouldnt email thunderbrooks! you wont get a positive response. Mine happily ate the 5kg sample bag they do but has point blank refused to touch the big bag I bought so I wonder if they have changed something?
 
I use Honeychop too. None of mine will eat the Thunderbrooks chaff, some of them will eat Topchop lite, but they will all eat Honeychop and Hifi Molasses free. Except Alf, but he is the chosen one, so he has his own supply of Dengie Meadow Grass!

I don't actually like feeding chaff, as it seems a bit pointless when they have adlib hay. I use it tactically - so I can feed multiple horses in the field, with no bullying because a higher ranking horse has finished, and heads off to eat everyone elses!
 
For what it is worth I use Hi Fi Molasses free - but you might be better off with soaked cobs? Adding mint might help too?
Also - chaff is basically just chopped hay. If you are happy with your hay supply you can make your own chaff with just a pair of scissors. Then you know exactly what is in it!
 
Another vote for Honeychop Lite and Healthy.
It's full of nice smelling herbs & my fussy boy eats it no problem.
 
Thanks all. I have meadow nuts that I soak in the winter so I'll try that to start with then if not will look at the honeychop!
I have always found thunderbrooks helpful both in person and via email but didnt want to come across cheeky. They have both been eating the herbal chaff for about 18months now and are more than half way through this bag so no idea why they have suddenly changed their minds ! Bloody horses 🙄 they are both already fed mint too.

That gives me a few things to try though so thanks everyone for your replies x
 
Have you tried the thunderbrooks ulsa-x? It's a mash, quite expensive but it's safe and palatable, I only use the 1/4 cup per feed just to make it tasty enough to eat - so a bag lasts about 4 months for my 3 ponies! I still feed with chaff to add a bit of bulk.
 
Mine seems to like a plain grass chaff better than anything else. I use Graze-On as it's what my local shop stocks but they've eaten readigrass and Dengie Just Grass in the past too.
 
After not being able to get hold of
DH just grass last year I started using TopSpec top chop grass. I only use a tiny amount with grass nuts for their linseed, salt and brewers yeast and they all love it.
 
orangegrace said:
I have completely overhauled both my horses diets last year and after LOTS of research I moved them onto thunderbrooks feeds and have been very pleased with them. At the moment they are both on token feeds for their supplements so I have just been feeding there herbal chaff to carry the powders. My mate stopped eating the herbal chaff first which wasnt a massive issue as she is very fussy but will eat her devils claw without the chaff to carry it. Now my non fussy gelding has stopped eating the chaff too ! He has quite a lot of supplements so I cut them all out today and he still wont eat it so therefore I've concluded its obviously the chaff 😓
I need to be able to get the supplements into him so I am looking at alternative chaff suggestions. After doing lots of research last year I have become really reluctant to feed lots of the 'popular brand' feeds before of the amount of rubbish they contain so I just dont know which way to turn really. It's got to be a low calorie chaff as gelding a fatty !

I thought about emailing thunderbrook for their advice but I thought they might find it cheeky and wouldn't want to recommend other feeds different to their own ! Has anyone got any ideas/suggestions ?

Thanks ! X
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I use Agrobs mash my mare salivated she has to have sugar free and it's natural no fillers etc from Red Rufus very knowledgeable ladies and helpful on a par with Thunderbrooks
 
Mine went off the Thunderbrooks too. I feed mine Top Chop Lite mainly. But this summer I’ve been mainly mixing their supplements in a cupful (when dry) of pink mash for my oldie and same amount of speedibeet for my younger horse. I mix in a little of the chaff if it’s a bit too sloppy.
 
mine have Dengie hi fi mollasses free its so tasty I can mix it 50:50 with chopped oat straw and they still enjoy it
 
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