Thunderbrooks V spillers

[poiuytrewq]

I used to feed Thunderbrooks, if anyone knows of The Hoof Geek, she was my neighbour and helped me out with a laminitic years ago and recommended it.
I stopped when I lost that horse and as it was difficult to get hold of, I had to drive further afield to get it and all the sex pest stuff put me off at the time.

After a few trial and errors I’ve been using Spillers Happy Hoof, the molasses free version and everyone’s eating it and doing ok on it. Big horse has it as chaff and gets added other stuff, ponies get it as their sole feed pretty much.

Recently I got my horse back from his retirement home and wanted to stick with the diet he was used to until he was settled etc at least.
That was Thunderbrooks chaff, copra and Speedibeet, finding out there is now a very local stockist, in fact two, coupled with the old Thunderbrooks being updated with the new owners info I thought actually I may stick with and switch the others to it.

However, fussy pony isn’t keen on even a tiny bit mixed with his HH, the others haven’t noticed.
Also I did look into the sugar/starch contents and Happy Hoof is way lower combined.
Thunderbrooks state sugar as being 2-9% which is a big difference. I’d be happy with the lower end of the scale but not 9%
It’s low in starch but Happy hoof is way lower sugar wise and combined sugar/starch.

I vaguely remember being told why to disregard this but I can’t for the life of me think why.

Any thoughts?

 

[holeymoley]

The composition of Spillers HH is questionable. It really depends on your horse and why you're feeding it. I personally don't like the sound of these: 'Cereal straw treated (oat & wheat, sodium), Chopped cereal straw (oat & wheat), Sunflower seed meal dehulled, Oatfeed, Lucerne (alfalfa), Wheatfeed, Rapeseed oil, Calcium carbonate, Sodium chloride (salt), Magnesium oxide, Garlic ' and wouldn't feed it to my laminitic, to me it's a bit full of junk. I prefer a much more 'purer' feed. Thuderbrooks is more 'natural' Dehydrated grass, linseed oil, chamomile flowers and leaves dried, lemon balm dried, mint leaves dried. That said, I have used it and I'm not sure if it was ever just so slightly high in sugar for mine. I changed to Honeychop - 'Oat Straw, Timothy Grass, Linseed & Rapeseed Oil, Marigold, Limestone, Cinnamon, Thyme, Oregano, Mint, Basil' again, more natural composition.

 

[poiuytrewq]

That was actually something I was going to add.
The ingredients list.
I know and understand all the Thunderbrooks ingredients.
The spillers does sound dubious.

I did switch them to honeychop first and stuck it out a long time but it was thrown away twice a day, particularly by the fussy one who I need to get a cushings pill into

 

[GemmaRuby]

Thunderbrook was sold as a going concern last week so has changed hands. Really pleased as I can finally feed it without contributing to that individual.

 

[GemmaRuby]

Additionally you need to look at the whole bowl as one, so if you are mixing with something like unmollassed beet it will lower the overall sugar/starch level and won't spike insulins

 

[poiuytrewq]

Thunderbrook was sold as a going concern last week so has changed hands. Really pleased as I can finally feed it without contributing to that individual.

Well this was my thought. I wonder if it will stay exactly the same?

I don’t currently give the ponies speedibeet but could do.

I simply started with the Spillers stuff because the choice of unmolassed chaff that they would actually eat was very very low.
They have been fine on it but if there’s now another option I’d prefer it.
Being able to get it close to home is a huge bonus. I used to have to phone and order it, then drive way out of my way which was a complete pain

 

[poiuytrewq]

They could of course just have pills in speedibeet and cut the chaff all together, again I’d stopped using it as it freezes in winter and I just remembered soaking being a pita but having got back into the swing of it it’s fine, I’ve only forgotten once this week so far

 

[Nari]

Since you have a horse with issues I would pay for a consultation with a qualified independent equine nutritionist. Treated cereal straw isn't rubbish, it's a low calorie digestible fibre source and the treatment can actually help digestive health, but I'm not a qualified person and I'm not going to try and argue for it when someone qualified would give you proper advice relevant to your horses.

 

[dreamcometrue]

I've just started my pony on Baileys Light Chaff. Oat straw, alfalfa, soya oil, mint. Its a big hit with her and she's quite chaff faffy. She's having Baileys Lo Cal with it and looking fabulous. She is EMS and recovering from ulcers so chose these specifically for that.

 

[Goldenstar]

It’s about amounts given so if the horse is eating a half kilo a day of straw that was harvested after being killed with glyphosate it’s very different to a horse eating ten kilos .

 

[onemoretime]

Thunderbrook was sold as a going concern last week so has changed hands. Really pleased as I can finally feed it without contributing to that individual.

that's great to head, I can now go back to using it.

 

[Belmont]

I believe that individual will still be managing TB.

 

[poiuytrewq]

It’s about amounts given so if the horse is eating a half kilo a day of straw that was harvested after being killed with glyphosate it’s very different to a horse eating ten kilos .

To be honest that doesn’t worry me massively.
My horses are bedded on sprayed off straw. I eat food which has been sprayed.

Ponies have made their decision anyway. They point blank refuse Thunderbrooks.

 

[Goldenstar]

Since you have a horse with issues I would pay for a consultation with a qualified independent equine nutritionist. Treated cereal straw isn't rubbish, it's a low calorie digestible fibre source and the treatment can actually help digestive health, but I'm not a qualified person and I'm not going to try and argue for it when someone qualified would give you proper advice relevant to your horses.

I never said it was rubbish it’s sprayed glysophate and that something which other forages like grass and alfalfa and the like won’t be .

 

[Nari]

I never said it was rubbish it’s sprayed glysophate and that something which other forages like grass and alfalfa and the like won’t be .

Since my comment this thread was before yours I don't see why you think I was replying to you?

 

[spotty_pony2]

I feed two of mine happy hoof and they love it! I’ve heard about all sorts of rubbish found in Thunderbrooks - plastic bags etc and wouldn’t touch it. Also IME when I’ve fed it to horses on livery they generally do not seem to like it. I’m a big spillers fan. My old boy is on their conditioning fibre and loves it and looks really well on it.