Why did you choose your particular brand/type of feed?

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estellebradley

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Hey

I know this isn't the most interesting post but desperately need some help/opinions for some uni work.

Can anyone tell me why they chose their particular brand/type of feed?

All the major brands product their own veteran mix, h &p cubes, competition mix etc just wondered what swayed you.

Thanks in advance, I'll put everyone who helps in my thank you speech when I graduate!!
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hi

i am literally just about to change from D and H to spillers. have researched loads and main reasons are spillers imo do a better conditioning veteren mix than D and H and the horse and pony cubes are done as cubes, not a mix!!
 
Mine will probably be the least scientific reply you get - we put my girl on the same food that she had been fed on by her previous owners:

Farmshop - cool mix, Dengie Alpha A, Veg oil + carrots/apples

We're new to horse ownership and thought 'if it ain't broke don't fix it'.

She's doing well on it, not dropping weight, has actually put on a little but did need to.

I'll be interested to read other replies.

Holly B
 
My choice is based on wanting higher protein&oil versus starch levels and the comparitive price of feeds that give me that.

Currently I'm on alfa a, coolstance copra meal and a&p power and performance. I vary the ratio's depending on the work done.
 
I started using Allen & Page with my last horse as I needed something that was low in protein but still high in other nutrients. Their Slim & Healthy mix was just the ticket. I carried on with them out of habit I suppose - my mare started on the S&H when I first got her and always looked well, so when she needed a bit more from her feed I just swapped up to their Hacking Mix. I also use their comp mix during the summer season. I believe they use good ingredients and have always found their advisors very helpful too.

Plus, my local feed merchant stocks the full range
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I use Allen and page, and dengie for their consistant quality and texture, and our shop's own brand cubes for treat ball filling.
 
I'm rubbish when it comes to food but it's doing the job so far....

- 'Alfa Oil' because it has a high percent of oil in and therefore helps to put weight on, and because the shop owner recommended it.

- Speedibeet because it adds that extra bulk to the feed and helps to keep them warm in their tummys.

- Pegasus mix because it's cheap at £6, non heating and adds a bit of variety/flavour. No idea on the nutritional content though.

- Naf General Pupose Supplement because during the winter months they need that little extra boost of vitamins and minerals.
 
I have my pone on D&H safe and sound because it is a fibre feed that has all the vits and mins in it. I also liked it because it has some cubes and nuts in it to add some interest for him.

However, since I have found out my lad is a veteran, I may need to do some research and have a rethink!
 
Hi,
When I worked on a big yard the event horses were fed on Spillers and from then I have always fed Spillers, when I got my horse last Feb she was lacking in topline so I fed her Spillers H & P and their Conditioning mix, now we have topline I changed it to Coolmix. I think they are a fair price and their range is now very extensive. I also feed her Dengie Alfa-A and Alpha Beet too as I spent a long time at a horse trials in their tent and the woman was extremely helpful. Hope that helps and your college work isn't too dull,
Rachel
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I am feeding A&P Slim and Healthy and Dengie Good doer as they are the lowest cal feeds which have vitamins included I could find as I have a fatty!
 
Thanks for all your replies guys, they are really going to help. I could only come up with price, horse always fed on it and didn't want to change, and particluar need!

And Rach1, there is nothing I'd rather be doing - not!
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Having just got a pony & companion pony, I kept them on what they were being fed by previous owners (one just grass, the other a bit of HiFi and a few pony nuts) because I thought with the upheaval of moving them both to a new place (each came from different area of the country) keeping the food the same would be less unsettling than changing the feed to. As it was the older one did get much softer poos due to the fact we had a lot more grass than he was used to. If I make any changes for the one that is fed, it'll be with discussion with daughters RI (who is very experienced) and will also be taking cost into account.
 
Trial, error and a little research - whch made my head spin. Personally I prefer a high fibre diet. I also do not like feeding cereals to my horses

Spillers makes my old horse itchy.

My lot are on A&P Fast Fibre, Growell's Fibregest and Alfa A Original. My old lad is also on Equijewel - for the high calories.
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I try to keep my feeds simple...
 
Allen and Page Quiet Mix in winter with a chaff - chosen because the previous owner had him on it and it seems just right for him, and I liked the fact that they're veggie and non-GM too tho many feeds are nowadays. He loves it but then he'd eat anything! I've also tried their Slim & Healthy one too.
 
I did a lot of research into the most natural diet for a horse, that would maintain a decent weight while ensuring the horses sanity remained. I wanted a healthy stress free animal, so I moved onto Simple Systems - a grass based diet. I added in naturally occuring oil - linseed and provided brewers yeast to ensure all the vits and minerals are available. The result is actually a yard of 16 sane horses, all looking healthy and well, and a by product is that the feed costs very little as no additional suppliments are needed, no calmers etc.
 
allen and paige because yo gets it direct from manufacturer on our yard.Previously found my tbx was explosive on any hard feed but calm and condition really suits her she has fast fibre in winter to add bulk.
 
I don't have much choice over here! The proprietary 'horse mixes' look like wood pellets and are full of sugar.

I feed soaked oats, sugar beet, corn oil, cider vinegar and seaweed powder. Plus a little apple or carrot at tea time.

Neither of mine have any special requirements and this diet, along with plenty of hay keeps them fit and healthy.
 
price, i buy our own brand (work in a feedmerchant part time) conditioning cubes, alpa a, this time alpha oil coz it was on offer. (price again) and solid gold feed balancer coz its the cheapest balancer, i spend a huge amount on food to keep his weight on so cant afford expensive brands when own brands are just as good.
 
My feed regime isn't complicated.

I use Alfa A and Hifi from Dengie - just simple chaffs that do what they say on the tin.
I then use speedibeet as the only other option in my feed shop is fibrebeet, and my poor-doer needs higher energy. Both are from BHF, so it would be the same brand whichever I fed.
 
I feed top spec balancer as my horse looked a bit poor when I bought him in July and I wanted to make sure he was getting everything he should have. He has top spec cool condition cubes as (before all the snow) he was hunting hard and I don't want him to drop condition. D&H unmolassed sugar beet shreds to add condition without fizzing him up, it's very cheap and no other manufacturer makes it.

Ponies just get hifi and a mug of lo-cal balancer because it's a cheap way of feeding fatties and they get all the vits and mins they need.
 
Hi!

My WBxTB is on 1/4 scoop A + P quiet pencils, I scoop Dengie Hi Fi (wetted) and carrots twice a day. Seems v small amount for 16.2 who is being worked 5-6 days a wk but he was wacky on Spillers Cool Mix and Alfa A, just too much protein for him. He does have ad lib haylage too and looks extremely well
 
I use saracen and dengie at the moment - always used dengie but have gone over to saracen with current horse as ne needed an endurance mix and only baileys and saracen do one and I have never had a horse that has reacted well to baileys feed. Theyare also local to me so I can talk to heir nutritionists face to face which is really handy
 
i took advice from my vet friend and then spoke to they feed company she suggested (Baileys) and the recommended the same feed - No14 low cal balancer
 
My two heavy horses are on Simple System. I saw Jane van Lennep (founder of Simple System feeds) many years ago taking a part in a 60 mile endurance ride - her horse was fab and was barefoot behind. I got in touch with her about feeding and she totally changed my approach - I now feed forage based feeds which are free from starch and molasses. My horses are calm, happy and keep weight on. In the recent terrible weather, these feeds have been brilliant - I have given my heavy horses 3 x trugs of feed per day which take them ages to eat and keep them happy. I would never go back to feeding mixes and molassed feed again.
 
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