Simple System Horse Feeds Jane van Lennep

Jane van Lennep - the Start of The Simple System Story

02 June 2026

Getting to know Simple System Horse Feeds...

Simple System is an independent horse feed company based in rural Suffolk. Although the company was officially incorporated on 1st June 1996 by founders Jane van Lennep, Tim Warren and Sue Warren, the brand's story began long before its formal launch through the lifelong passion and vision of Jane van Lennep.

Jane van Lennep - the very start of the Simple System story...

Born in rural Essex, the daughter of a farmer and brought up with her mother’s growing herd of Arabs, Hunters and Riding School ponies, Jane’s passion for horses and nature stems from her very early years. It was perhaps inevitable that Jane's career would eventually lead her to equine nutrition.

The early years education and an inherent love for nature...

As a toddler, Jane would enjoy offering ‘Fevver’ (actually Heather) her feed each time she came home from a drive out with her mother in the governess cart. Jane was known not to settle if she couldn’t offer Heather a feed after her work. Knowing Jane’s level of determination, we can only begin to imagine the fallout if she was not involved at feeding time!

Jane’s family horses were almost entirely fed a diet of barley, hay and grass grown on the farm. These ‘home grown’ horses and ponies took Jane and her sister through Pony Club, Riding Club and to local shows. Home-produced was very much a way of life for the van Lenneps. It is this lifestyle that provided Jane’s inherent interest in plants and botany.

During Jane’s education, her teachers may well have described as ‘distant’, often reprimanding her for watching any happenings out of the window rather than paying attention in class. When challenged, Jane was always able to demonstrate she had indeed taken her lessons on board, answering questions correctly and achieving top marks in tests. But this longing for nature and the outdoors, was where Jane’s heart was. She knew she had many questions to answer, none of which could be found in the conventional classroom of the time.

As a young adult Jane left home for university. For her first degree, she read ‘Combined Science in Botany and Geography’. This gave her a valuable insight into the connection between an organism and its environment, and further stimulated Jane’s enquiring mind. Of course, the horses were not forgotten - Jane managed to find time to ride and represent London University as captain in International student 2-day events during her studies.

Returning home to run the family equestrian business...

Upon her return home to the family farm, Jane took over the responsibility for running the equestrian business. In partnership with her sister and father, Jane redirected the riding school business to set up a livery, training, stud and competition yard, with Fliss (Jane’s sister) overseeing equitation and Jane responsible for stable management.

Caring for a large number (over 70 at any one time) of diverse horses and ponies was a valuable and unique experience.

Learning the effects of forage vs cereals first-hand...

Being responsible for feeding so many horses gave Jane first-hand experience of the effects of diet on many different types and disciplines. Following her studies, Jane was already challenging the suitability of starchy grains for horses, bearing in mind these feeds were not part of their evolution and that they lack the ability to digest starch.

As a result, Jane’s dad was ordered to put all the arable down to grass and, instead of fretting over cereal yields, he instead worried about the weather during haymaking. Jane’s dad was, as it turned out, the best hay maker, ever.

Under Jane’s care, all the horses were moved to a forage die:, a combination of home-grown hay and, to replace the barley they had always been fed, locally sourced lucerne nuts.

All of Jane’s research confirmed that lucerne, wherever it was grown in the world, was considered an excellent feed for horses. Each group of horses that was switched away from cereal and onto forage, thrived. Behaviour was more consistent; youngsters were calmer; hooves stronger and colic was just about non-existent.

Competition success fuelled by a forage-based diet...

Jane has had an impressive competitive career. She has produced National Champions, in-hand and ridden, and County Champion Shetlands. She broke the record in the AHS Marathon and achieved Gold in Golden Horse Shoe Ride on Exmoor. She was longlisted for the GB Endurance Team. A pinnacle of her success was winning the British National Championship with Triumphal Chant, her Arab Stallion.

An enquiring mind and further education...

During this era, Jane was able to further her experience and expand her knowledge base. This extended to include flat racing as both a trainer, jockey adn owner; she was a panel judge for the Arab Horse Society; an examiner for NPS (National Pony Society) and ABRS (Association of British Riding Schools); she acquired a qualification in Adult Education through teaching at Evening Classes for the local authority; and passed the Stable Manager’s part of the BHSI and both Diplomas of the NPS. The BHS and ABRS held various conferences and training seminars and Jane attended as many of these as possible, with stud management and judging courses through the Arab Horse Society.

In the 1980’s, Jane had the opportunity to study for a MSc. degree in Equine Studies at Aberystwyth University under the renowned Jim Lees. A deeper understanding of evolution, anatomy, physiology, endocrine systems, digestion, and nutrition, all backed up Jane’s philosophy for feeding horses. Jane has described the course as, “intense, and in many ways, life changing”. Jane’s quest for knowledge, and her desire to share it, has never stopped.

Spreading the word 'From Bucket to Barrow'...

Jane since has lectured at universities, colleges and riding schools, travelling the width and breadth of the UK delivering her iconic “Bucket to Barrow” talk; a deep dive into the horse's digestive journey.

She has also lectured at evening classes and to groups such as Round Table and Rotary Club.

A noteworthy author...

A published author, Jane has written two books First Foal and First Steps, the first of which was a JA Allen bestseller.

Over the years she has contributed to Horse and Hound, Horse & Rider Magazine, Essex Rider and Arab Horse News amongst others. Not to mention Simple System’s extensive article library which is shared widely online and through social media.

As the titles of her books suggest, Jane is an experienced stud owner. She has bred over 100 horses to date. Jane still has a herd of her ‘Heronstream’ Arabian horses at home, which includes retired broodmares, ridden ponies and youngstock. Her most recent foal, Aurianne, was born in 2023. Jane enjoys taking part in pleasure rides, only recently stepping down as a committee member and ride organiser for the Anglian Distance Riders.

1996: The launch of Simple System Horse Feeds

In 1996, Jane founded Simple System Ltd. with Tim and Sue Warren, to bring her forage feeding ethos to the wider equestrian industry. The company started with two products – Sun Dried Lucerne (Lucie Nuts) and Instant Linseed. Simple System became the first horse feed company to use and market cooked linseed.

Over the years Simple System expanded and now has a range of over 50 products, all based on a system of feeding Jane has been developing since 1973. Customers are national, international, and range from competition horses to companion ponies with everything in between - including elephants, alpacas and chinchillas!

Exacting standards...

Over twenty years ago, in 2003, Simple System became a BETA member, and later accredited to the BETA NOPS scheme. In 2005 the company was able to demonstrate its commitment to the horse as an obligate herbivore by gaining registration for the entire range of feeds with the Vegan Society - the first in the UK to do so. To date it is still the only horse feed company to have its entire range registered with the Vegan Society. In 2009 In 2012 Simple System certified its organic range of feeds with the Soil Association.

Jane has a strong commitment to the environment, with food miles, green energy and – for anyone who has ever been in a car with Jane – her drive for optimum fuel efficiency being of the upmost importance.

Over the years Simple System has expanded and now has a range of over 50 products, all based on a system of feeding Jane has been developing since 1973. Customers are national, international, and range from competition horses to companion ponies with everything in between (including Elephants, Alpacas and Chinchillas).

Jane has worked tirelessly alongside our trusted growers to produce forage feeds with strict nutritional profiles, making the range suitable and accessible for all horse types. Jane has overseen the development of Simple System’s whole range of feeds, from market leading hay replacer - HayCare (which took 6 years to convince our farmers to grow it for us to our unique specification), to championing the resurgence of sainfoin as a forage for horses, right through to developing Meadow Forage Pellets - the UK’s first feed grown as a herbal ley created specifically for horses, comprising of five forages grown together sustainably, and in support of UK farming.

Jane's role at Simple System today...

As head of the Feed Line, and Director of Nutrition, Jane has provided feeding advice to countless owners over the years. In person (at talks, shows and yard visits), via email and over the telephone.

Jane is dedicated, empathetic, and always ready to listen to horse owners.

Her values are established firmly in Simple System, the company she co-founded, and the needs of the horse are always put first in everything she does. Her lifetime’s work has been to make forage feeds available to horses, and the equestrian industry has been shaped by her imperishable passion.

The importance of forage for horses is highly recognised today, with a wide range of forage-based feeds on the market as a result of Jane’s dedicated work.

Although she would be unlikely to admit to it herself, Jane is an inspiration to us all. It is without doubt that Jane’s colleagues, friends, family and customers, are proud of her achievements. As for all of the customer's horses she feeds - we’re sure they would thank her for keeping their diet as close to how nature intended as is possible.