We've had numerous calls to the Feed Line about underweight horses this month. It will always be easier to put weight on before a cold spell hits, so now is the time to make any dietary adjustments.
If your horse is underweight, or you know your horse is prone to seasonal weight loss, start increasing the size or calorie density of their feeds early. If you can address this early, or better still , pre-empt this, and get more condition on your horse whilst it is still warm, it will take much less feeding to do so.
Thoroughbreds, who seem to do so well over the summer when grass is abundant are typically prone to seasonal weight loss and at Simple System we can offer an easy solution: Blue Bag Grass Pellets. These are 100% timothy grass offering summer-like grazing in a bag, providing slow-release energy and quality protein.
For the very poor doer or harder working horse, we can offer spring-like grazing in a bag with our Red Bag Grass Pellets which are a premium, high calorie fescue grass pellet for a real condition boost. Feed soaked in 2.5 times their volume of water as a feed or alongside their hay / haylage when stabled. You can feed these feeds very generously; there is no limit to meal size as they are cereal free, low starch and digested in the hindgut exactly like grass.
Feeding pelleted feeds is also more economical per kilo than feeding chops so you can omit chops entirely if economics is important. By volume, this will also be more calorie dense as one level Stubbs scoop of 6mm pellets is roughly 1.5kg dry weight whilst a scoopful of chop provides only a few hundred grams.
For horses with small appetites or fussy feeders, try Sainfoin Pellets / Sainfoin Brix or calorie dense TopGain . You can easily increase the calorie density of any meal by including Instant Linseed – a high oil feedstuff that in the cooked meal form also offers a valuable source of protein and fibre.
If you require personalised feeding advice for your poor doer this season please contact our nutritional experts on 01728 604 008 or complete our online form for a free Feed Plan.
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Premium 6mm high fibre grass pellets, providing all the benefits of summer grass, all year round.
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Premium 6mm high protein grass pellets, providing all the benefits of spring grass.
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Sainfoin compressed into 1kg blocks, rich in natural minerals & trace elements. Feed whole & dry to mimic grazing.
Premium forage alternative to lucerne and grass, rich in natural minerals and trace elements.
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