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Feeding horses in cold weather

The MET office has weather warnings in place for much of the UK. Please ensure your horses have sufficient intake of forage and water to minimise the risk of gastric issues, impaction colic and dehydration.

Here are our Feed Line's top tips for feeding in winter weather.

• Provide additional forage. Keeping warm in cold weather requires calories. Simple System pelleted forages can all be used in greater quantities to give extra nutrition. As they are digested in the same way as hay or grazing, they can be fed as generously as needed. There's no limit to meal size with Simple System forage feeds so the horses can be left with large feeds to see them through.

Joint Care for Horses

Forage for horses...

Simple System Brix - Forage blocks for horses

Grass Pellets for Horses

Can horses cope with sudden cold weather?

In winter, the weather can change dramatically for the worse. Out kept horses may suddenly find their grass is under a thick layer of snow so will need additional feeding. Hay is an obvious answer, but sometimes more nutrition is needed – keeping warm is very calorie demanding. Horses can survive and even thrive in what we consider to be very inhospitable conditions, but they do need plenty of feed to fuel them and keep them warm.

Horses have trillions of microbes which ferment fibre in their hind gut and this releases fuel, vitamins, gas and heat. It is like having a central heating boiler in their gut! However, not all fibre can be fermented – old, tough lignified fibre escapes this process. The fibre needs to be good quality, such as from early made hay and dried forages. Straw, late made and old hay may not be as effective at keeping the microbes fed and generating heat.

Mud, not so glorious, mud...

Horse ownership and mud - they seem to go together in the winter don't they?

We’ve all suffered with mud, wet and floods recently and the pundits tell us this is the ways things will be now. It’s either too wet, or too dry, or too hot, or too windy or the 'Beast From The East' blast chills us to the core. We will need to adapt to cope better next time.

Firming up gateways can go a long way to making life just a little easier, or at least less hazardous! We've all slipped in muddy gateways haven't we? Once it dries out a bit, put down hardcore, over-sized stone, crag or whatever is available locally. Level it off as best you can and make sure here are no dangerous bits sticking up. In time it will level off and may even grow grass.

Winter hydration for horses

When the weather turns cold, horses are less inclined to drink. Coupled with sudden changes in management, such as more time spent stabled or eating more hay, this can increase the risk of impaction colic.

Ensure that excercise is part of your daily routine for stabled horses. Walking out in hand helps to keep the gut moving, reducing the risk of impaction and generating warmth in the process. There's plenty we can do to encourage our horses to drink too...

• Ensure water is readily available. An obvious one perhaps but water freezes quickly in cold weather and needs checking regularly. Have your ice breaking kit to hand: a hammer to break up the ice and a colander to scoop out the pieces out are ideal as leaving the ice in there will only help the water freeze over again faster.
• Offer feeds as a warm mash. We always recommend soaking our pelleted forages to restore hydration, aid digestion and reduce the risk of choke. Using warm water instead of cold will speed up your soaking time as well as provide a warm mash feed for your horse.

Feeding broodmares in-foal

Congratulations if you have an in-foal mare! What can be more rewarding than breeding your own youngster?

The growth of the unborn foal is very slow until the last three months of gestation, so your mare will not need additional feeding until this time. In the meantime she will need a good diet with protein and calcium as well as natural vitamins, but not in any greater amounts than she usually needs. A good chop is Build & Shine and a suitable forage balancer, Simple Balance +. If she needs additional feeding due to losing condition, cold weather and so on, Blue Bag Grass Pellets could be a good choice.

Once into the last three months any work should cease and she will need increasing amounts of good quality feed. Nature provides for this with good spring grass but if your mare is due to foal before the grass is delivering its bounty Red Bag Grass Pellets and / or Lucie Nuts will be an excellent substitute. Condition scoring gets challenging when a mare is obviously pregnant, so keep an eye on her neck as this will give a good guide to her overall condition. At this time you will need to switch your forage balancer to Lunar Eclipse.

New Year, New Horse?

Welcoming a new horse, whether it be your first or your tenth, can be an equally exciting and worrying time. 

Regardless of age and experience, moving to an entirely new home away from all that is familiar - routine, companions and surroundings - can be very stressful for horses. It may take weeks or even months for them to truly settle in. A change in behaviour is quite normal and they may seem very different to the horse you first met or trialled.

To help them adapt and settle in, the routine they have been used to should be maintained as much as possible. i.e. similar turning out and bringing in times, or living our 24/7.

Some yards may have a quarantine procedure that you have to adhere for the safety of the other horses on the yard. If their management changes dramatically, this is almost certain to cause stress. 

Environmental Enrichment for Horses

In winter, more horses are confined to their stables for longer. When horses are confined for long periods they can become bored and restless. A wild or free-roaming horse travels around 25 miles per day and a horse out in a typical paddock can clock up around 8 miles a day. How far can they travel in a stable? Not very far at all!

To help make being stabled less tiresome, environmental enrichment for horses involves small changes we can make to take the horse a little nearer to its origins as a free-roaming, herd-living, obligate herbivore.

Finding a little extra oomph during winter

What do happy hackers, endurance horses and showjumpers all have in common? Well, other than them all being equines, the vast majority of them have a change of pace during the winter months. 

This can mean that the horse's Feed Plan needs a tweak at this time of year to allow them to cope with the change in workload, whilst maintaining shape, condition and performance. Although many of us will be replacing lost grazing during winter with Blue Bag Grass Pellets, this doesn't necessarily mean spending more by adding in an extra balancer, or by changing up your chop. Something as simple as feeding before work can make all the difference to how your horse feels and their way of going. 

Balancers | Costly or cost-effective?

The festive season, being perhaps the most expensive time of the year, may have you asking yourself if everything you're adding into your feed bowl is really necessary? It's a sensible question to ask at the best of times and the answer can vary.

At Simple System Horse Feeds we typically advise feeding a pellet, a chop and a balancer. The soaked forage pellet providing the bulk of the nutrition, the chop adds the right amount of 'chew' and the balancer tops up the essential vitamins and minerals that your horse needs to thrive.

So what about the balancer, is it essential? For us the answer is YES. But, given we are a horse feed company that's no surprise, so allow us to explain...

Mud Fever in Horses

Should horses eat straw?

Simple System was founded on the principle of supplying you with the food nature intended your horse to eat. Horses evolved on the grassy, mainly treeless plains of Central Eurasia, and their digestive system is adapted to suit what grows in their natural environment: grass, herbs and shrubs.

Straw is the dried stalks of cereal grains - such as wheat, barley and oats. Although by definition members of the grass (Gramineae) family, cereals are the product of human engineering over thousands of years. They have been selectively bred for traits that improve cereals as a food source for humans. One of the traits is stiff straw that will not tend to break or bend, thus protecting the valuable grain that is used to make foods such as bread and pasta. Modern cereals are so far from their origin that they have lost many of their natural mechanisms (such as seed dispersal) making them unlikely to survive 'in the wild'.

Straw is very high in lignified fibre, meaning it cannot be fermented by the horse's gut microbes. To increase the feed value of the fibre in straw, it can be treated with sodium hydroxide to make Nutritionally Improved Straw (NIS). Sodium hydroxide, also known as caustic soda, is frequently used as an industrial cleaning agent. It is used in the manufacture of wood pulp and paper, as well as soap, detergent and drain cleaner. NIS was originally developed for cattle, not horses, as a cheap source of fibre.

Mallenders & Sallenders

Mallenders and Sallenders is an unfortunate and incurable skin condition causing scaling, crusting and scabbing on the legs. Specifically, sallenders occurs at the back of the knee on the front leg whilst mallenders affects the front of the hock on the hind leg. A more technical term for the basis of the condition is hyperkeratosis which is the over-production of keratin: a vital component of skin, hair and hooves.

Finding a Hay Replacer for Older Horses

The UK has an aging poplation of horses, wIth over one third of the UK horse population considered veteran. The average age of a horse in the UK is 14 years. For comparison, the average age was 10 years old in 2006 and veterans accounted for less than a quarter (only 23%) of the UK horse population.

Older horses can be a concern, particularly over the winter months when they no longer seem to do as well. The efficiency of the digestive tract often reduces with a major issue being worn, loose or missing teeth.

Even if your older horse still has all of their teeth, after years of chewing and grinding, the roots become progressively more shallow until they are insufficient to keep the tooth stable inside the jaw. A wobbly tooth may be less efficient to chew on, and may become uncomfortable. Horses with poor dentition or that find chewing uncomfortable, can often lose condition as they find eating hay or haylage difficult. They may also be more prone to episodes of colic if there is insufficient fibre intake. 

What do horses eat?

So just how much do horses eat?... Well, we know they eat a lot! Ideally, they will eat for up to 16 hours a day, grazing on high fibre forage, walking slowly as they do so. This is fine if they have free range on the right sort of pasture but when it comes to us having to work out just how much is 'lots' it can be confusing.

Horses need plenty of fibre to keep their incredible guts working well. Fibre gives plants strength – it’s their skeleton. Not all fibre is the same. What our horses need is fibre from forage – edible green plants. Horses are not adapted to the fibre in cereal grains or straw for instance.

As horses evolved and became larger, a whole host of microorganisms evolved with them. They convert the right sort of fibre into fuel the horse can utilise. The wrong food can kill off good microbes and allow harmful ones to proliferate. So, basically, we are feeding a gut full of microbes and they in turn look after the horse.

Back to how much... A horse needs to eat 2.5% of its ideal body weight in dry matter of forage per day. This will keep the gut functioning well and the microbes happy. We go by ideal weight as this is a constant, as is the gut’s capacity that counts.

Winter weight loss, good, bad or something in between?

When the temperature decreases horses need more calories to keep warm so it is important to ensure our horses have enough food to sustain them. For good doers this may be as simple as placing hay out in the field, but poorer doer’s may need extra support. 

Forage feeding is ideal for all horses all year round, but it really comes into it’s own in colder weather. The fibre in quality forage is broken down by microbes in the hindgut. This fermentation process generates heat, providing our horses with their own in-built central heating! Cereals and low-quality fibre, such as that obtained from straw, cannot be utilised in the same way. So when it comes to keeping warm, ensuring you provide plenty of quality forage, such as hay or buckets of soaked HayCare, is essential for horses when it is cold and grazing is in short supply.

Reducing the risk of impaction colic in cold weather

Frost and the increased risk of laminitis

Feeding the itchy horse

Itchiness can be caused by a variety of factors; some within our control such as those affected by diet or management and some beyond our control i.e. environmental factors such as the weather or pollens. Soaps, sprays and detergents can also irritate sensitive skin and some horses do appear a lot more sensitive than others!

Itchy cobs may have underlying conditions such as Mallenders or Chronic Progressive Lymphoedema (CPL) whilst native breeds can often be prone to conditions such as sweet-itch.

There is little scientific evidence for 'best practise' but it is usually important to keep sugar and starch levels low and remove common irritants such as cereals and their by-products, also soya, molasses and artificial additives or bulkers.

We're exhibiting at the Horsemanship Showcase | 25th & 26th November

Managing changes in routine during winter

In winter it can be hard to strike a balance between horse ownership and day-to-day life; less daylight means many horses spend an increasing amount of time indoors and may also have less interaction with their owners who are dashing back home to thaw out!

Some horse’s enjoy their “home comforts” - a deep bed, a pile of hay and a warm mash of soaked Lucie Nuts, but for others, spending more time stabled can be stressful and take some getting used to.  Similar to changing their feed, management changes should also be introduced gradually, so if you know your yard restricts turn out from 1st December for example, start stabling them for short periods now.

If your horse doesn’t cope well with being stabled for longer, there are lots of things you can do to help:

Feeding the poor doer in winter

How much linseed is safe to feed my horse?

"How much linseed can I feed?" is a question we are often asked. Start with 25g per 100kg of the horse's ideal weight, for example 125g for a 500kg horse. If needed you can increase up to three times this amount. Build up gradually, taking up to 4 weeks to increase to this level. 

Instant Linseed is nature's finest source of plant derived, essential omega 3. It is high quality with 42% oil compared with 38% in other sources of linseed. It is always a great addition to the feed, but especially with hay or haylage, as omega 3 is lost in these. During the autumn moult, additional Instant Linseed aids and hastens moulting, ensuring a healthy, shiny coat. As a natural anti-inflammatory, it is helpful in any inflammatory condition.

Back in stock | Red Bag Grass Pellets

HayCare Ingredient Spotlight: Timothy Grass

HayCare, is our best selling hay replacer for horses - made from premium high fibre Timothy grass. HayCare is 100% Timothy grass, with nothing else added. This means, like all Simple System's Feeds, it is free from molasses, straw, cereals and their by-products, soya, additives and preservatives.

Native to Europe, Timothy grass (Phleum pratensis) can grow over 1m tall and is distinctly characterised by its long flowerhead. It flowers from June until September, turning a purple colour as it matures.

Timothy grass has excellent nutritional value for horses and is commonly used to make hay. The Timothy used to make our HayCare is grown specifically for us. It is tested to ensure that sugar levels are suitably low and the feed value correct. Through careful management of harvesting date and time, our grower is able to achieve naturally low sugar and starch levels, making HayCare suitable for all horses, including those with metabolic issues.

High praise for HayCare at BEVA Congress 2023

At Simple System we are always keen to expand our knowledge and professional network. Recently we attended the three day British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) Congress in Birmingham.

We manned a trade stand and had some wonderful discussions about using Simple System Horse Feeds in a clinical setting as well as all of your typical day-to-day feeding conundrums: old horses, metabolic horses and those prone to ulcers. Our HayCare Care Packs were well received.

There was a wealth of information to be gained from attending the lectures which covered a broad range of topics again, ulcers featured quite heavily with a particular focus on Equine Glandular Gastric Disease (EGGD) and there was an interesting discussion on the effects anthelmintics are having on the environment, encouraging "dung beetle friendly" paddock management.

Autumn Laminitis - is your horse at risk?

Autumn can be a tricky time for horses and ponies prone to laminitis. Horses and ponies that are overweight, older or have existing metabolic issues will be more at risk. It is important that your horse not be allowed to gain too much weight - cresty necks and fat pads on other parts of the body are an indicator that the balance of hormones is getting out of kilter and the risk of laminitis is greater.

Grazing needs to be timed carefully and the weather forecast monitored.  As it is sunlight that triggers sugar production, dull days will be "safer". Grazing may need to be restricted, either by strip grazing, using track system and/or grazing muzzles.

Understanding the risks of Ergot

Ergot is a fungus that contains poisonous alkaloids. It mostly grows on rye and is usually associated with rye in Eastern Europe where it can contaminate bread. It is being seen increasingly here, and it is not confined to cereal grains - it can also infect grass, especially ryegrass.

The ergot fungus appears as a little outgrowth, looking a bit like a mouse dropping, on the ear or seed head of the infected plant. Some years it is more of a problem than others and is most likely after a cold winter followed by wet weather then hotter conditions

Organic September

We are delighted to be celebrating #OrganicSeptember. With more of us seeking to make choices that minimise our impact on the planet, organic offers a simple, trusted way to be more sustainable in our daily lives. All Simple System feeds are GM free and minimal inputs. Our range of organic feeds are certified organic by the Soil Association.

Sainfoin on Countryfile

Did you watch Countryfile this week? It was great to see sainfoin feature, alongside the benefits of feeding a forage diet to horses (and polo ponies!). You can watch the "Hay Time" episode of Countryfile on BBC iPlayer. Look out for sainfoin - it is easily identified by its distinctive pink flowers. We have worked hard with our growers to make this beneficial forage available for horses.

NEW Timothy Chop bag size

We are pleased to announce that Timothy Chop is now in a 15kg bag, which means less plastic and more product for your horse. The new bags are more efficiently packed and we can fit more bags on a pallet, allowing us to reduce our plastic and distribution costs. We are passing these cost savings on to you, our customers. We feel it is important to make our natural forage feeds as affordable as possible so that we can help as many horses as we can.

When Can You Feed New Hay to Horses?

While it is tempting to switch to new bales as soon as old supplies run low, feeding hay too early can lead to serious digestive issues. The general rule of thumb is to wait at least 6 weeks after baling before feeding new hay to horses.

Preparing for Pony Club camp?

Ponies often work harder than usual at camp and so their feeding requirements will increase. Target Feeding is ideal. A Target Feed is given directly before work to provide energy and stamina for the work. This can be made up of your pony's normal feed, or if your pony needs additional energy Blue Bag Grass Pellets are ideal. Horses and ponies are also likely to perform (and behave!) better when not allowed to go hungry. Target Feeding will make the pony more comfortable in the stomach during work as it prevents acid splash.

Congratulations Kilimazing Kwanza Eastern Connemara Supreme Champion

Simple System was delighted to sponsor the Eastern Counties Area Connemara Show 2023 at The Suffolk Equestrian Centre, Bury St Edmunds.

The sun shone and a good day was had by all. We were even more delighted to discover that the Supreme Champion of the show was a Simple System customer! Our congratulations go to Kilimazing Kwanza (Daisy) who is owned by Sarah Baker, ridden by Emma Last and presented in hand by Justin Hollis. 11 year old Daisy is fed Organic Lucie Stalks, Lucie Fibre Cubes, Total Eclipse, MetaSlim and Lucie Brix. Bred by Mrs Tango Fawcett, Daisy is by Eastlands Banker out of Kilimazing Dubh.

Understanding: Ragwort

The dreaded ragwort is flowering now and is easy to spot. It is also starting to go to seed, so any not promptly removed will spread through its wind-borne seeds. The safest way to remove ragwort from horse pastures is to pull or dig it up, hopefully getting all the roots at the same time. Wear gloves and a face mask to protect yourself from the sap and pollen. Gather it into re-used feed bags and put the plants flowers down, roots up, to avoid inadvertently spreading seeds. Put pulled plants straight into the bags - don't carry them around as this risks spreading seeds.

Understanding: Sand Colic

There are many causes of colic of which sand is just one. It occurs when ingested sand accumulates in the large intestine. It can caaltered ain a proportion of sand and these coarser, heavier grains sink to the lower parts of the large colon. Your vet can help with diagnosis as there is a distinct line across the top of the sand which can show up on an ultrasound, for instance, or they may be able to hear the grains of sand with a stethoscope.

Understanding: Laminitis

Despite being well into the summer months, laminitis cases are still high and we have been speaking to a number of concerned owners who are experiencing laminitis for the first time. The warm and wet weather we have forecast is likely to trigger further flushes in grass growth and so monitoring overweight or metabolic equines is essential. a weigh tape daily and record readings to quickly spot changes.