With the competition season in full swing you may be looking for ways to improve your horse’s performance. Offering a Target Feed may just be the ticket...
Target Feeding is the practice of offering a forage feed directly before work. As the name suggests, offering a feed in the moments before you get on board provides targeted energy to fuel the work that is required - allowing them to stay focused and comfortable. Feeding in this way also helps to line and protect the stomach against acid splash - a common cause of squamous ulcers.
There are many competition and leisure horses who don’t drink enough when they are away from home. By offering a soaked forage pellet as part of your Target Feed you are also improving your horse’s hydration.
What about the ‘Rule of Feeding’? Many of us were taught that our horses needed a period of rest before exercise if they had eaten a traditional hard feed. This is still the case if a starchy or cereal based feed is given.
It does not apply with any of our Simple System Feeds. This is because our feeds are based on the horse’s natural diet - forage. If you think back to when horses were free roaming, prior to being domesticated, they would have fled danger at a moment’s notice. If a horse had to wait an hour or so for the grass to go down first they would have most likely been predated to extinction.
Back to Target Feeding... Many customers have excellent results when Target Feeding, reporting greater energy levels, improved stamina and greater focus.
Most horses can be Target Fed with their existing Simple System feeds, although for those wanting a ‘one bag’ option, SimplyComplete is a convenient choice. For an extra energy boost try adding Red Bag Grass Pellets - they offer energy levels likened to good spring grass.
Mr Quinn (pictured) enjoys a target feed of Blue Bag Grass Pellets, Lucie Nuts and Build & Shine before each phase. He also has Simple Balance + for his forage balancer.