Simple Feeding : Why ''Back to Basics'' is actually ''Anything but Basic''

Why ''Back to Basics'' is actually ''Anything but Basic'' when it comes to feeding horses

We are often told that more is better. More ingredients, more supplements, more complex formulations. When we hear the phrase “back to basics” it’s easy to assume it means we might be settling for something.

But... there’s a profound difference between a diet that is basic and a diet that is simple.

While “basic” is a synonym for “simple” in the English dictionary, when considering the digestive tract of a horse, they really couldn’t be much further apart. 

The ‘Simple System’

Our name isn’t just intended to be a catchy brand - it’s actually a nod to the horse’s physiology. The horse’s digestive tract is, in essence, a “simple system” designed for a one-way flow of high-fibre forage. By aligning our feed with this biological blueprint, we are supporting a system that nature has spent millenia perfecting.

What does ‘simple’ actually look like in the feed room?

1. Transparency Over Complexity Have you ever looked at a feed label and felt like you needed a chemistry degree to decode it? Where raw materials like cereals and cereal by-products are poor sources of nutrition, they must be “topped up” with vitamin and mineral pre-mixes. These often consist of a mix of inorganic and chelated minerals, synthetic vitamins and a carrier.

When formulating feeds, we take a very different path. Our ingredient lists contain forage-based ingredients. They are short and transparent, with everything there for a functional reason - to support the requirements of the horse.

2. One Bag, Multiple Horses The beauty of a forage-based system is its versatility. You shouldn’t need a different coloured bag for every horse on the yard. 

Whether you have a retired pony or a competition horse in peak fitness, the foundation of the diet remains the same: grazing, hay, and a forage balancer - with the addition of forage pellets and chopped forages as appropriate, for additional protein, digestible energy or fibre requirements.

Take Lucie Nuts, for example - our widely utilised ‘hero’. For a good-doing pony, a few hundred grams bulks out their balancer. For a competition horse in regular work? A couple of kilos provides the additional protein and digestible energy needed to perform. 

The individual requirements of each horse are still being met by simply adjusting the volume of the feed.

29 year old Graffi (pictured) has been fed Lucie Nuts throughout her various life stages - as a youngster, when competing amongst the whiteboards, and now as a retiree.

3. Bio-availability: Nature’s Lab There is a common misconception that simple ingredients are “lacking.” In reality, when horses are fed high-quality, species-appropriate forage, they require less heavy supplementation. 

Why? Because quality forage provides bioavailable vitamins and minerals - in forms that the horse’s body can recognise, absorb, and assimilate naturally.

From Maintenance to Performance

Our most simple diet of Timothy Chop, Lucie Fibre Cubes and Total Eclipse, only contains five ingredients - yet, it provides quality protein for muscle tone, essential omega oils for coat shine, and the fibre necessary for mental satiety.

For those needing more, we don’t turn to starch. We look to more nutritious forages and those harvested for optimum nutrition.  Blending Timothy with Cocksfoot grass and a coating of cold-pressed linseed oil creates our Perform & Shine chop. Need more still? Sainfoin Pellets increase the digestible energy and protein without the “fizz” often associated with cereals.

The Species-Appropriate Choice

Feeding “forage first” isn’t just a trend; it’s an acknowledgement of the horse’s evolution. By stripping away unnecessary chemical usage, artificial flavorings, and non-functional fillers, we return to the basic principle of equine health.

Keeping things simple, doesn’t mean doing less for your horse. It means giving them what they need to thrive, to maintain optimum health and to perform at their best. Just as nature intended.

Looking for feeding advice?

Simple System's Feed Line offer a free advice service.

To discuss your horse's individual requirements, contact 01728 604 008 (9am-5pm Monday-Friday), email info@simplesystem.co.uk or complete the online advice form for a free Feed Plan.