Frequently Asked Questions

There is a big choice because there are so many different horses! As a guide to getting started, first of all pick a chop that seems right for your horse. Choose from LucieStalks (for good doers with good teeth,) Green Gold (suits most horses, higher levels of nutrition,) Timothy Chop (Lower calorie grass) or soaked PuraBeet if your horse cannot manage a chop. Then pick a suitable pellet: LucieNuts are pure lucerne and need to be soaked; LuciePellets can be added to the dampened chop but are the same feed, LucieFibre Cubes are low calorie lucerne, Red Bag Grass Pellets are high calorie, spring type grass, Blue Bag Grass Pellets are summer type grass with more fibre and lower protein. Then pick a balancer. Total Eclipse suits most horses, Lunar Eclipse is for those challenged by their hormones, MetaSlim is for those needing support for blood sugar levels, Flexi-Balance is for those who need support for joints as well as balancer in one. This should get you started! Need some more specific help? Contact the Feed Line by phone (01728 604 008, usual office hours) or email us (info@simplesystem.co.uk) or use the on line enquiry form on the Contacts page.

What’s so special about your feeds?

We have studied what the horse evolved to eat so we use that as our guide. We use natural forages, grown by farmers we know and trust, dried to keep them fresh. We use varieties of grass and lucerne that are ideal for horses, rather than types ideal for fattening farm animals. All our feeds are GM free. We reduce our carbon footprint as much as possible and at our warehouse, use entirely green energy. We support British farmers. We avoid use of chemicals and where this is unavoidable, only use that which is really needed. We do not import feeds from the tropics such as rice or copra. Our quality control is far in excess of statutory requirements. We are registered to handle organic produce. We are the only feed company to qualify for the entire range to be registered with the Vegan Society. We never use any cereals or pulses or any of their by-products, including soya and rice bran. We never use sweeteners or oily coatings. We are UFAS approved and BETA NOPS registered. Our feed line and technical staff are all horse owners and between them have literally hundreds of horse years’ experience and offer an exception level of service.

I am very concerned about the hay shortage – do you have any suggestions?

It has certainly been a difficult year for conserving forage. Due to the late, long winter, stocks of hay were used up so there was little if any hay to carry forward to the start of this season. Horses had to be turned on to grass that had not got away sufficiently in the spring, so grazing has been depleted and hay has been needed earlier than usual. Hay crop yields are down due to weather conditions so the total crop this year is less. Straw is also in short supply as, again due to weather conditions, the straw length is less and overall yields are down. Straw is used as forage for some farm animals and is extensively used in chops and compounds, so even though for many of us, straw is not considered suitable for horses, shortages of straw have a knock on effect on the whole availability of forage. It is vital that our horses have enough forage to eat in order to supply them with enough fibre. In an ideal world, the horse will have access to ad lib forage and will consume a total of 2.5% or more of its body weight in dry matter. This may be a luxury we are no longer able to offer our horses if shortages continue and we do not have access to suitable grazing. However, we should ensure that no horse has less than 2% of its body weight in dry matter. For an average 500kg horse (15.2 riding horse type) this means it will need 10kg of food per day, weight dry before any soaking. We should also ensure that it never goes as long as 4 hours without eating, (2 hours if the horse has ulcers) so our feeding schedule may need adjusting to deliver more but smaller feeds. Weighing everything will ensure that we are not wasteful of limited resources and also that we are doing the best possible for our horses in the circumstances. We can also try to make a little go a long away – soaking increases volume, small holed hay nets slow down consumption, smaller more frequent feeds spread the feed further. Dividing one feed into two or more bowls in different places also helps to slow down consumption. Making the most of forage type feeds helps. Increase the Simple System Ltd feeds and the horse will need less hay. Lower feed value feeds are: • LucieFibre Cubes. Our highest fibre, low sugar lucerne in 6mm cubes, perfect for those needing a low calorie feed. • MeadowBrix. These compressed blocks of chopped dried grass are fed whole to enable the horse to gnaw on them and are an ideal substitute for grazing. These will soon be available. • PuraBeet. Although not technically forage, soaked unmolassed beet pulp is a useful bulk feed and can be fed at 0.5% of body weight – 2.5 kg dry weight for an average horse. This soaks up to make an impressive 2 bucketsful of soaked feed and can easily replace 1 and a half slices of hay. • Timothy Chop. This is very similar to hay and can be used as direct substitute. Chopped feeds have been shown to take longer to eat than long fibre hay. Horses that are not such good doers can also have more of the higher nutrient forages. In effect you will be offering manger food and forage in one. • LucieBrix. Compressed blocks of pure chopped lucerne are fed whole for the horse to gnaw on. Particularly enjoyed by young stock and horses that might other wise start consuming the stable or fencing! • LuciePellets and Blue Bag Grass Pellets. These are ideal for feeding balls which can offer trickle feeding as well as amusement to the horse. In dry conditions, they can even be thrown around as “scatter bait” to encourage the horse to look for their food. It is also possible to hand graze horses in areas that are unsuitable for turnout, at times when turn out is not viable due to ground conditions for instance. Time consuming, this may only be an option at weekends for busy people, but an hour spent grazing is an hour not spent eating hay! Corners of the yard, edges of the drive and even the garden could all be utilised. We do not suggest using straw as a hay replacer as it has such a low feed value, is prone to fungal infections and the toxins produced from them, has been subject to a multitude of sprays, including very often a desiccant and weed killer within one of week of harvesting. Straw lacks essential vitamins, trace elements and minerals. Keeping our horses healthy and looking well when conventional forage is in short supply adds to the challenge of horse keeping but there are viable alternatives, especially if we are prepared to think outside the box a little and are prepared to adjust our routines.

Q: Why do I need to feed linseed? Would not ordinary vegetable oil or soya oil be just as good? Surely any oil is as good as any other!

A: You may have heard about different omega oils. The main ones are omega 3, omega 6 and omega 9. The numbers refer to their chemical structure. We are particularly concerned about the first two. Omega 3 is the anti-inflammatory omega, whereas omega 6 is pro-inflammatory. Horses like us, need more omega 3 than 6 and if there is too much omega 6 it will inhibit the effect of the omega 3, so the balance is important. Omega 3 has very many effects: it helps stabilise blood sugar, can help protect against diabetes, heart disease, food cravings and even depression. In horses, it is especially useful in helping recovery from strenuous work and in helping heal all those inevitable tweaks and bangs. All oils are not the same as they all have different levels of omega 3 and 6. Bear in mind, that for horses we need omega 3 to exceed omega 6: Linseed has an omega 3:6 ratio of 4:1 Rapeseed oil is 1:2 Soya oil 1:7 Rice bran 1:29 Corn oil 1:84 Sunflower oil 1:199 For horses, we want the first number (omega 3) to be bigger than the second (omega 6). If it is not, then the horse may not be as healthy and recover as well from injury or just exercise, as it will when omega 3 exceeds omega 6. Not all oils are the same! And some are very much out of balance, but all have the same level of calories. Linseed has been used for horses for generations but it is only now we understand why it is so good. The plants that are naturally grazed by horses have the same balance of omega 3 and 6, so horses have evolved to thrive on that balance. ©Jane van Lennep and Simple System Ltd. August 2010.

Can I still soak my feed in the cold of winter?

We get this question all winter long! The following tips may be helpful: • Put the soaking feed in the tack room, kitchen, or any other place less cold. • Insulate the container with old horse rugs, hay bales, bubble wrap, etc. • Use cold boxes, insulated picnic packs and any other insulated packaging – if it keeps cold in it will also keep it out! • Fridges and freezers are also insulated and make good containers for soaking feeds (not switched on, of course..) • Use a bucket with a lid and put it in the car. • Use boiling water – by the time it is cool enough to feed it is all soaked up. • Do not use more water than you need, let it freeze then add boiling water to thaw it when you want to feed it. • Use a LucieBrix instead – very good for a quick and easy breakfast; • Use Pellets and a chop instead, dampened at feed time; • Use warm water whenever possible for faster soaking and more time before it freezes; • Add salt to lower freezing temperature but do not over do it – 1 tablespoon per day is probably enough for a horse, half that for a pony.

Why does my horse need a low starch diet?

Carbohydrates such as starch have in the past been relied on in order to provide glycogen, or energy, for the muscles. It is this glycogen that the horse will turn to during periods of short, intense work. However, the horse has evolved to find its energy from forages such as grass and lucerne, and these are naturally extremely low in starch. Starch from corn and barley, for instance, is digested in the stomach, where microbes convert the starch to acid. This means that the stomach will soon be left empty but acidic, and this in turn can increase the risk of gastric ulcers. Excess starch will move to the hindgut, where microbial fermentation causes acid. This can cause a higher risk of colic and laminitis. Sugar from molasses, on the other hand, is highly digestible, but this means that the horse’s blood sugar levels will soar, which in turn will lead to a sharp, highly energetic horse immediately after meals. Because sugar and starch provide quick-release energy, the horse cannot save it up until it is next needed, and so a high starch diet will mean a short burst of energy followed by a slump, rather like the Mars bar effect! When blood sugar levels rise, the horse will produce insulin to remove the sugar from the blood, but the horse’s supply of insulin is finite. When this becomes low, the horse may develop Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS), Insulin Resistance (IR), with the associated risk of laminitis, and eventually will become diabetic. This is similar to Type 2 diabetes in humans. A good quality forage diet will ensure your horse has enough energy stored in his muscles to sustain him during his work, but not so much that he becomes overexcited and unmanageable, or at risk of digestive problems. A low sugar and starch diet reduces the risk of laminitis, colic, tying up, ulcers, filled legs and behavioural problems. The horse thrives best on the food he evolved to eat, which is forage. Starchy foods are not found in his natural environment.

I tried switching my horse to Simple System feeds but he wouldn't eat it! What can I do?

It's not unusual for horses to take some time to get used to an unmolassed feed such as Simple System - just imagine a child's reaction if you offered them broccoli instead of chocolate! Thanks to some very useful feedback from our customers, and our staff's own personal experience, we've found the following can all help with the transition onto Simple System: - Introduce feeds gradually over a period of 1-2 weeks, initially mixing a small amount of Simple System with your horse's old feed and gradually increasing the amount of Simple System. Horses may take longer to get used to Traditional Brewer's Yeast, found in Total Eclipse and Lunar Eclipse, as this has a particularly strong taste! - Mixing some of our Justamint, made from pure dried spearmint, into the feed can tempt fussy eaters, and at only £7.20 for a 1kg bag it's economical too. - Supermarkets' own brand unsweetened value apple juice can also be mixed into feeds to make them more palatable. - Some horses don't like their feed too sloppy, in which case you may want to mix some dry LuciePellets, or one of our chops, into a soaked feed. - PuraBeet has a naturally sweet taste without resorting to molasses, and is safe for all horses including laminitics, so can be mixed with other feeds. Horses and ponies are grazers, and it is natural for them to pick at a feed, leave it for a while and come back to it later, so don't be alarmed if your horse takes longer to eat a Simple System feed - this is good, natural behaviour!

My horse has become much calmer since I switched to Simple System, which is great except he doesn't seem to have enough energy at competitions! How can I increase his energy levels without losing the improvement in his behaviour?

For a horse that needs extra energy on competition days, target feeding can be an ideal solution - this means giving extra feed when your horse or pony is doing extra work. Red Bag Grass Pellets are made from spring grazing, and are 10% higher in energy than oats, but the big difference is they provide a slow release energy. Adding some Red Bag Grass Pellets to your horse's feed an hour before he competes will give him the extra energy he needs to sustain him through harder work, but without the sudden dip that follows an energy boost derived from starchy competition mixes. Because Red Bag Grass Pellets are a forage feed, digested in the same way as grass, it's perfectly safe to let him eat them right until the moment you get on. For ponies, Blue Bag Grass Pellets will have the same effect - these are made from mature summer grazing, so are slightly lower in energy. Blue Bag Grass Pellets can be fed in exactly the same way as Red Bag Grass Pellets. Different horses and ponies will require different amounts of Red or Blue Bag Grass Pellets to achieve the desired effect, so it's worth experimenting on a day when you aren't competing to work out exactly what suits your needs. If your horse or pony is sensitive to grass, or if you have concerns about laminitis, you could instead simply increase their normal feed on competition days or use Top Nosh, a highly concentrated mix of lucerne leaf and linseed, as a target feed immediately before work.

Why aren't there any vitamins and minerals listed on your feed bags?

Vitamins and minerals in feeds:

When you look on feed bag labels, there is often an impressive list of added vitamins and minerals. You will not see this on Simple System Ltd feeds because we do not add any! When natural, high quality forages are used, there is no need to add vitamins because the food itself is naturally supplying the horse’s needs – as natural grazing has done for 30 million years! Grass and lucerne are dried in the UK by members of the British Association of Green Crop Driers, and they have analysed these super-feeds for vitamins and minerals with the following results: I have also added the figures for oats (NRC, 2007) by way of comparing cereal with forage.

	units	Dried grass	Dried lucerne	Oats
Calcium	% Dry Matter	0.72	1.37	0.07
Phosphorous	“	0.3	0.29	0.3
Magnesium	“	0.18	0.21	0.16
Potassium	“	1.58	1.9	0.45
Sodium	“	0.28	0.14	0.06
Sulphur	“	0.39	0.35	0.23
Cobalt	Mg/Kg DM	0.34	0.28	0.06
Iodine	“	0.45	0.49	0.13
Copper	“	7.9	6.9	6.7
Iron	“	584	145	80
Manganese	“	104	25	40
Molybdenum	“	1.05	1.0	?
Zinc	“	38.4	22.4	39
Selenium	“	0.28	0.14	0.24
Vit E	iu/Kg DM	32.3	34	15
B-carotene (VitA)	Mg/Kg DM	57.2	31.2	0.2

So, you can see from the table above thatoats are lower in all macrominerals than forages with the only exception ofPhosphorous and lower than forages in all the microminerals/trace elements except manganese, zinc and selenium and this only slightly and not always for both grass and lucerne. The difference in vitamins is remarkable. You can imagine that processed by products of cereals, such as wheatfeed and oatfeed, will offer an even worse profile.

I need to know how much sugar is in my horse's feed!

Sugar is naturally occurring in all forages but at Simple System Ltd we never add any sugar. We do not use molasses or any sort of syrup or other sugary sweetener. Added sugars such as these form a coating on the feed which dissolves in the horse’s saliva and is rapidly absorbed into the blood stream. This can be a problem with horses that are in any way Insulin Resistant (IR) as their insulin fails to remove the sugar and the horse ends up with both high sugar and high insulin levels in the blood, which may trigger laminitis. Others just adopt the equivalent of Blue Smartie Syndrome! Some forages have more sugar than others, and although this sugar is within the cells of the plant and will be released more slowly, it can still cause a problem. Grass tends to have more sugar than other plants and Ryegrass often has more sugar than other grasses, especially the very productive Tetraploid Reygrasses which are favoured in agriculture. Some of these can yield sugar levels of 25 – 40 % and even more in certain conditions. At Simple System Ltd we avoid Ryegrass for this reason, because we feel horses, even those without any identified problem, are probably healthier if they do not consume too much sugar. We prefer less sugary grasses such as Fescue, Timothy and mixed Native grasses. Our grass based feeds usually have sugar levels in the range of 10 – 15% but each batch is analysed to make sure it is appropriate for the product. For instance, careful management of harvesting date and time has resulted in our Timothy Chop having a sugar level of just 6.1% which is exceptionally low for a grass based feed. We can confidently recommend this feed for horses with any sort of metabolic issue. The same cannot be said of Red Bag Grass Pellets which are intended for harder working and competition horses for instance, and have a sugar level of 12.7%. Lucerne, and in particular that grown in the UK and Europe as opposed to America, tends to have lower sugar levels than grass, typically below 7% sugar. This makes this a suitable feed for horses with metabolic problems but is an ideal feed, as part of a mixed forage diet, to help ensure that problems do not arise later in the horse’s life. Every batch of forage is tested for all nutrients as well as sugar. There is considerable natural variation, but we are able to select from within a narrow range for each feed to ensure it meets our requirements and your horse’s needs. Due to small variations, we do not usually publish set figures for sugar levels, but this information is readily available from our feed line for each batch and each feed will be within strict limits for sugar content as well as other nutrients. We do our utmost to act responsibly towards the horses in our, and your, care and to deliver honest, wholesome feeds that do exactly what you want them to do.

My horse had a choke. How can I prevent this happening again?

A: A choke happens when food becomes stuck in the oesophagus. The horse stops eating, appears distressed and suffers spasms in his neck, usually after he has tried to swallow. He may cough up saliva and food particles. Very often a slight case will clear itself in around half an hour. It can help to walk the horse around and you may be able to massage the obstruction in his throat. If it does not clear you will need to call your vet, who will clear it using a stomach tube and a lot of water. Choke results from food being inadequately chewed. This can happen most usually due to the teeth being sharp, broken, missing, loose or having gaps. Any of these will cause discomfort in chewing or an inability to chew sufficiently and the food will be swallowed without sufficient chewing. As saliva is only produced when horses chew, there will also be insufficient saliva to aid the passage of the food through the oesophagus. Any pelleted food carries a slightly increased risk of choke and pelleted feeds should always be mixed with plenty of chop or soaked beet pulp, for instance. This encourages chewing and also prevents too much pelleted material being consumed at once. Dry food may also carry a slightly higher risk, so all feeds should be well dampened. Greedy, exhausted or very hungry horses may be more prone to choke, due to the feed being insufficiently chewed. Some veterinary conditions may also increase the risk of choke, such as nerve damage and malformation of the oesophagus or throat. Thorns, chunks of wood and foreign objects can also cause a choke. Cross-cut carrots are sometimes cited as a potential cause of choke. When insufficient forage is provided and bedding is consumed this can also cause choke. Preventing choke: keep up to date with dental care; feed from ground level; soak pelleted feeds or at least ensure they are well mixed with other types of feed; dampen all feeds; offer hay or grazing to hungry or exhausted horses before their manger feed; know your horse; if the horse shows any signs of food getting stuck, do not wait for him to get choke but adjust the feeding method appropriately; always ensure free access to hay/lage or grazing; choke when grazing is very rare. Suitable feed for horses prone to choke: chopped feeds, soaked pelleted feeds. If the horse is elderly or dentally challenged then all feed should be soaked pellets such as LucieNuts, PuraBeet, Red or Blue Bag Grass Pellets and LucieFibre Cubes, depending on nutritional requirements.

My horse is recovering very slowly from Grass Sickness but has great trouble eating. Any ideas?

A: You are very lucky as Grass Sickness can so often be fatal. The entire digestive tract becomes in effect paralysed, so eating and the movement of food through the digestive tract is slow or impossible. In the rare cases that can survive, they may be kept going for a while with an intravenous drip providing nutrients and fluids, but this is not a long term solution. The affected horse may be able to swallow fluids, so what can help is to make soup-type feeds that he can drink. Horses are evolved to eat forages, so it makes sense to make his soup from forage pellets. This ensures he is getting the right sort of food and that it will be easy for him digest. Just as importantly, it will support his important gut microbes as well. As the amount they can eat will be limited, what they do eat needs to be as nutritious as possible. Suitable feeds for soaking and making soup are: • LucieNuts; • Red Bag Grass Pellets. Each of these can be fed at up to 1% of body weight. If the horse is very poorly, use hot (not boiling) water for soaking and offer the feeds warm. It can also be helpful to use linseed to increase nutritional value and to support the gut lining: • TopNosh can be fed at up to 0.3% of body weight i.e. 1.5 kg per day for a 500kg horse. • A little salt can be added each day especially if the horse is not using his salt lick. • To support the gut microbes and offer further nutrition, especially good quality protein and B vitamins, add Traditional Brewers’ Yeast at the rate of 10g per 100kg of horse. • Pure Ocean Seaweed may be fed with benefit to supply a wide range of minerals and trace elements: use 10g per 100kg of horse. If you prefer to use an all-in-one feed, SimplyComplete is ideal and will soak to a soupy consistency quite quickly. If the horse is unable to drink but can be tube fed, this feed may be easier to administer as the particles are smaller. Discuss this with your vet or the specialist nurse if your horse is an in-patient at a specialist facility. Feed at up to 2% of body weight. An addition to the feed can be Eclipse Recovery, this can help give the immune system a boost. Fed at 40g per 100kg of body weight so an average 500kg will need 200g per day. Once the horse is recovering and starting to be able to chew food, the meals can gradually be made less runny but still soaked. PuraBeet can be introduced as well to add a change and chopped forage such as Green Gold can be offered. Eventually, the horse may well return to normal, but be prepared for a long road to recovery! Once he is able to eat hay and grass normally, a more normal pattern of feeding can be established. Forages are more appropriate for horses as they have very limited ability to digest starch from cereals and pulses. Sugar or starch entering the hind gut will cause massive disruption to the gut microbes, leading to colic, scours and possibly metabolic issues. The protein in forages is not all digested in the foregut so will act as pre-biotic, supporting the microbes in the hind gut and enabling them to support the horse in turn, through improved immunity, gut function and reduced risk of colic.

Will the high oil content of the feeds with linseed in them (Total Eclipse, Joint Eclipse and so on) make this feed really fattening?

A: The amount you feed of these feeds is a tiny proportion of the horse’s total diet so is adding very little in the way of calories. We worked it out that it adds as many calories as you would by eating a small apple! What is important is that it is improving the quality of the diet by providing essential omega 3, a natural anti-inflammatory. With a better balanced diet, your horse will be healthier and may well be more willing in his work and move around more, so will soon use up those few extra calories. Our high linseed balancers and complementary feeds supply around 2 MJ per serving (at the minimum suggested level) to a horse with a total requirement for maintenance of 52 MJ and in hard work of over 100MJ per day. 2MJ would be used up in about 5 minutes in the arena or 10 minutes walking. Conclusion? It’s got to be worth it!

My horse is basically well, but he is very old now and dropping weight. He quids his hay so I do not think he is getting much nutrition from this. Help!

A: As horses get older, their teeth gradually wear down and as the crowns are worn, the teeth gradually grow through the jaw so the roots get smaller and smaller. In their 20s, they may start getting gaps between the teeth which can trap food. As the roots get smaller, so the teeth are less strongly fixed in the jaw and may start wobbling, which can make long hours of grinding forage a bit tiresome. Most horses by the age of 30 will be losing teeth and in the wild, if they have lasted this long, this will cause their demise as they can no longer eat enough to sustain their lives. The answer is to provide the feed they need, and importantly, the forage, in a form they can eat easily. Chops and chaffs may help for a very short while, but these still need chewing. The answer is to soak pelleted forages. You will need to feed a lot once the teeth have become pretty much useless, so aim to feed anything up to 2% of the horse’s correct body weight, in dry weight of these feeds, before any soaking. Most horses are fine with equal amounts of: • LucieNuts and PuraBeet; • If they are fine with summer type grazing, Blue Bag Grass pellets as well; • If they are poor and not a candidate for laminitis, Red Bag Grass Pellets instead of Blue Bag Grass Pellets; • Poor horses may also benefit from TopNosh, fed at the rate of 100g to 300g per 100kg of horse; • Add a balancer as well – Total Eclipse is ideal. Use 25g per 100kg of the horse’s correct body weight • If after all this good grub, your horse regains weight a bit too much, use LucieFibre Cubes instead of his LucieNuts. With the exception of Red Bag Grass Pellets all these feeds are appropriate for horses with EMS, Cushings, Insulin Resistance and a susceptibility to laminitis. If your horse is unwell, consult your vet. Other balancers from our range may be suitable. These feeds will soak up to make truly enormous feeds which your horse should be able to graze on unimpeded. If he shares grazing you may need to stable him, for instance overnight, in order that he can fill up without his friends helping him out. Small ponies with larger horses can have their feed behind a creep rail to prevent the large horses gaining access. Larger horses needing extra feed if sharing with smaller ponies, can have their feed behind a barrier similar to a hay bar, that the smaller ones cannot get to. As this is forage, just like hay and grass, there is no limit to the amounts fed and if the horse is still able to work, he can be worked straight off feed. If you need any further suggestions for feeding your elderly horse, please contact our Feed Line on 01728 604 008.

My horse is prone to tying up and I have been told to give her a high oil diet but she is not keen on her feed when there is vegetable oil in it. Any ideas?

A: When horses are prone to tying up, it is important to keep their metabolism off the anaerobic, glucose pathway as this results in the formation of lactic acid, too much of which will trigger a tying up episode. If we can keep them on aerobic pathways, using free fatty acids as fuel, lactic acid and heat are not produced in the muscles and the risk of an episode of tying up is greatly reduced. It is thought that increasing oil in the diet will help keep them on the right sort of metabolism, as oils are digested to fatty acids. Soluble fibre and easily fermented hemi-cellulose are also reduced to free fatty acids, by fermentation by microbes. These types of fibre are found in high quality forages, such as lucerne and young grass, and beet pulp. You can get the same effect as feeding oil by using these sources of fermentable fibre, without risking digestive upset or adversely affecting the balance of omega 3 and 6. Increasingly, horses that tie up are being found to have an inherited problem called PSSM1 â€“ PolySaccharide Storage Myopathy. Your vet will be able to diagnose this, or other closely related issues. The breeder, if known should be notified in order that they may take measures to limit the spread of the mutated gene. Feeding should be based on suitable forages, with cereals, molasses, pulses etc. avoided. Suitable oil should be used appropriately and not to excess. Correct feeding and daily exercise can have excellent results. For horses prone to any of the types of tying up, the following guide lines can be applied:

Make good use of sources of fermentable fibre but low in sugar such as lucerne and unmolassed beet pulp;

Avoid forages that are high in mature fibre that cannot be fermented, such as straw;

Increase the nutritional density of the feed where necessary with ready cooked, full fat linseed such as instant Linseed. This is a good source of suitable calories and also an excellent source of the essential, anti-inflammatory, omega 3.

Ensure the horse never goes longer than 2 hours without eating, in order to maintain a constant supply of appropriate energy, consistent blood sugar levels and to maintain good health of gut microbes.

Check every ingredient on your feed bag label and be ruthless in rejecting any containing unsuitable ingredients. Your horseï¿½s health is too precious to risk!

Ensure your horse has free access to plain salt and fresh water at all times.

Take particular care with mares when they are in season.

My horse is working hard getting fit for eventing. Will Simple System feeds be able to deliver enough energy?

A: During the early stages of a fitness programme, you will want your horse to build up good muscle, gradually reduce fat and increase stamina. Work will be working mainly on strength, suppleness, skills and stamina but will not include fast work. Feeding should major in non-heating but very nutritious feeds, naturally low in sugars and starch. Lucerne will help to reduce the risk of ulcers. LucieNuts or LuciePellets will be the main part of the feed. Green Gold will encourage chewing. Total Eclipse balancer will ensure a good supply of omega 3, natural trace elements, support for gut microbes and a top up of vitamins. This will help ensure strong hooves, a good coat and supple skin. If it is early in the year and grazing is restricted, LucieBrix or MeadowBrix to gnaw on in the stable will be appreciated! Once speed is added to the training, feeding will need to increase and more fast burn energy will be required. It is still important to keep the horse’s focus so it is wise to keep increases and changes gradual so that you are not delivering more than the horse needs and spoiling his attitude. Red Bag Grass Pellets are the forage equivalent of a racing nut and an ideal high grade forage to use at this time. Feeding directly before work ensures the energy is used as it is released. Joints and tendons will come under more pressure at this time and will be helped with additional linseed. TopNosh is a convenient and high calorie way to deliver extra linseed. More mature horses as well as younger ones may need more specific support for joints in which case use Joint Eclipse in addition. This feed for joint support contains no animal ingredients at all and has proved to be very effective. Ulcers are a major concern for horses in hard or fast work and very prevalent in race horses and eventers. On forage feeds it is safe and positively beneficial to feed directly before work and in any case, gaps of more than 2 hours without food should be avoided. Recent research in Sweden has shown than on good quality forages, race horses perform just as well as those on conventional diets and have fewer behavioural and veterinary issues. This is a general guide. For more specific suggestions, call our Feed line on 01728 604 008 or email info@simplesystem.co.uk

What should I feed my youngster? She is not a TB so I do not want anything too powerful!

Young horses need plenty of protein for good muscle development and calcium for strong bones, so lucerne feeds are ideal. They are not heating so will not make your youngster silly. Good bone growth is particularly important in any horse but especially in bigger horses destined for performance who will need more feeding just because of their size. Soluble carbohydrates such as sugar and starch have been associated with bone growth development issues, so this feed is also ideal as it is naturally so low in soluble carbs. LuciePellets mixed with Green Gold and fed dampened are ideal and will encourage plenty of chewing, but when your youngster is teething, she may not chew so well, so be watchful and if there seems to be a chewing issue, switch to soaked LucieNuts. For your balancer, use Total Eclipse which will supply vitamins, minerals, trace elements and essential omega 3. Growth spurts can take a lot out of growing youngstock and it seems they cannot grow up wards and outwards at the same time! If she is growing upwards and looking too lean, this could be the time to top up with Red Bag Grass Pellets, the equivalent of spring grass and ideal when, in late winter or early spring, the grass is just refusing to grow but your horse has other ideas! Please see our Advice Sheet on feeding weaned foals. After the first winter, the above applies and you may need to continue feeding for growth until the pony is 3 or 4 years old, and until as much as 7 years for big, late developing Warmbloods. Generally ponies and small breeds mature quickest, but Arabs can also be long, slow developers. Feeding levels will vary according to the quality of grass and hay available but as a guide, yearlings may need 30% of their total intake in their feed bowl and older youngsters around 20%. For example a Warmblood yearling of 400kg might need 3kg per day LucieNuts/Pellets and Green Gold and 100g of Total Eclipse; a 350 kg 2 year old Arab 1.75kg.with 90g Total Eclipse. Contact our Feed Line for more information or if your youngster has any particular problems.

My horse has liver damage how do I feed it?

The liver is the power house of the body. Its roles include metabolic functions such as producing energy, and supplying protein to other organs so they can function, repair and regenerate cells. In digestion, the liver releases important salts and bile in to the duodenum. The horse has no gall bladder so bile secretion is continuous. If the liver is weakened or damaged, bile salts or liver enzymes will be detected in the blood, indicating liver disease. Detoxification is carried out by the liver. It acts to filtrate and detoxify blood, protecting other organs from the effects of toxicity. If the gut has absorbed poisons the liver removes them from the blood, protecting the rest of the body. Liver infections range from brief to fatal. The most common cause of liver damage in horses in the UK is ragwort poisoning. Ragwort can be consumed by horses if on very sparse pasture but is much more palatable in hay. The pyrrolizidine alkaloids of ragwort destroy the liver, stopping it regenerating. Parasitism including Liver Fluke may also be considered, as well as toxins from long term medication and metabolic disease. The liver still functions even when large amounts are damaged. Once 75% is affected signs are apparent. Signs of liver damage (may not be seen until months or years after ragwort consumption):- • Jaundice: yellow or brownish discolouration of mucus membranes • Loss of condition, poor coat • Abdominal pain, diarrhoea or constipation. • Blood clotting may be reduced, leading to excessive bleeding; oedema. • Yawning, head pressing. • Depression or mania. • Decrease in appetite or anorexia and subsequent debility • Photosensitivity (sensitivity to UV light), increased sunburn on pink skin. Diagnosis is often made from the horse presenting the above clinical signs and a history of the horse having access to Ragwort, even if this may be some time ago. Veterinary intervention is essential to initiate laboratory analysis of a blood sample to show liver damage and possibly increased ammonia. Liver biopsy (a small tissue sample taken directly from the liver) can be used to confirm diagnosis. Unfortunately there is no specific treatment or antidote that will cure the disease or reverse the damage to the liver. Treatment is aimed at minimising the work the liver has to do alongside supportive therapy. Feeding a liver damaged horse may be challenging. There is a lot of contradictory advice. The main aim when feeding such a horse is to deliver easily digested feed, not over taxing the liver and ensuring requirements are met. Some researchers suggest a diet with over 20% starch to avoid the liver having to break down continually its glycogen and fat stores. This logical statement, however, does not allow for the horse’s limited production of amylase to digest starch and may cause further issues. Another suggestion is to limit protein to 8-10% but amino acids are essential. Branch-chain amino acids are ideal and can be found in beet pulp, dried Brewers’ Yeast, lucerne and grass. These are all a good source of one or more branch-chain amino acids. Conventional feeds source protein from pulses and cereals which is 80-90% digestible, which increases liver loading. A cereal free diet is appropriate for these horses. Lucerne (Alfalfa) is forage, similar to grass and hay and is fermented in the hind gut by microbes. However, in forage only 50% of the protein is digestible, thus reducing liver loading. A horse with liver damage is rarely denied grazing, even though summer grazing is frequently around 20% protein! For liver damaged horses a forage diet is appropriate as it is natural. Avoiding processed feeds the digestive system will be under less stress. When formulating diets for these horses, oil content should be kept low (less than 5%) but not eliminated. Linseed provides essential omega-3 (anti-inflammatory). Its cell regenerating properties are a key component. We would suggest splitting the linseed ration between the feeds. Total Eclipse will give the support a horse needs, 25g per 100kg of body weight. Reducing blood ammonia is also ideal for horses with liver damage and research has shown that Cider Vinegar can help with this. When feeding a horse with liver damage it is important that you feed to the horse’s condition. To maintain and build muscle and topline use LucieNuts or LuciePellets. For a good doer these can be switched to LucieFibreCubes or Blue Bag Grass Pellets. PuraBeet is a great source of fibre and easily digested. Even in work ensure that the horse never goes longer than two hours without eating, preventing highs and lows within the digestion which could adversely affect the liver. If more energy is required, Red Bag Grass Pellets can be used. Eight tips for dealing with Ragwort:- 1. If possible, wait to pull the plants after it has rained, as it will soften the ground and make it easier to dig them out. 2. Ensure you remove as much of the root as possible, as the plant can regenerate from small fragments of root left in the ground. 3. To tackle a widespread infestation, spray the paddocks - but you must rest the field for the recommended time after treatment. 4. Even when the plant is dead, it is still poisonous, so make sure you remove all traces before putting your horse back out. 5. The plant is harmful to humans too, so wear protective gloves and cover your arms and legs when handling it. 6. Ideally, ragwort should be removed before it flowers, but if this is not possible, use a facemask to avoid inhaling the pollen. 7. If your skin does come into contact with the plant, wash the area of skin with warm, soapy water. 8. Should gaps appear in grazing, reseed the gaps so ragwort cannot get in.

How can I feed race horses with Simple System?

Horses have evolved into largest fastest land creature for its size and this is due to their amazing biomechanics. The horses’ digestive system has adapted and this plays a vital role in the success and speed of the equine athlete. The horse is a trickle feeder and is designed to eat forage for around 16-18 hours a day to enable the digestive system to work efficiently. Since the domestication of horses and the introduction of compound feeds there have been increasing problems with colic, laminitis, tying-up, lack of stamina, skin issues etc. Much of the reason for this is because we have changed the diet to which they are so well adapted. Many of these issues are directly associated with starchy, sweetened diets. In the initial stages of training during slow work we would suggest a diet of GreenGold, LuciePellets, TopNosh (if the horse needs a bit more building up) and Total Eclipse. Lucerne feeds such as the GreenGold and LuciePellets provide slow release energy which therefore helps improve the horse’s stamina. Lucerne also provides good quality protein to aids the horse’s development whilst growing and maturing as well as benefiting muscle and topline development. Lucerne also has acid buffering properties which have been shown to heal gastric ulcers naturally which is beneficial for the race horse as it has been shown that 95% of race horses suffer from gastric ulcers, which can significantly reduce performance capability. TopNosh provides concentrated calories and enhances stamina without the fizz. High protein levels are great for those that need a little more help with their condition. Total Eclipse is our complete balancer, which will top them up on all the vitamins and minerals they need which can optimise performance. A natural diet is more likely to be a balanced diet which reduces unwanted stress on the body. However, if one thing is lacking the horse’s body is stressing to correct that balance which can therefore hinder performance. When the fast work kicks in and racing has begun Red Bag Grass Pellets are vital. Known as the ‘rocket fuel’ of the forage world and give 10% more energy than oats, with these pellets being nothing other than spring-type grazing! The Instant Linseed in the diet is high in omega-3 so a natural anti-inflammatory, which also helps decrease fatigue and improves recovery time. Another way in which our feeds differ to the conventional feeding is that you can Target Feed. Target Feeding is feeding directly before work to help with an injection of energy and stamina, which could give you that winning edge in racing. Horses are also more like to perform better when not been allowed to go hungry and this in turn makes the horse more comfortable in the stomach during work as it prevents acid splash. This also acts as a bellow effect which can improve the horse’s breathing and oxygen intake. When Target Feeding we suggest using 1kg of Red Bag Grass Pellets for every hour of hard work. So you can mix with a little GreenGold to ensure chewing or soak for extra hydration. So when your horse is in the paddock he can have his head in a bucket fuelling himself for the work he’s about to do. The dietary and energy requirements for a racehorse can be met by using these high quality forages and studies have shown that some racehorses have competed successfully on just forage diets (Essen- Gustavsson et al, 2010). Therefore, you can still you can still produce a successful racehorse without the derogatory effects of conventional feeding. © Simple System Ltd Feedline:- 01728 604008 / info@simplesystem.co.uk. www.simplesystem.co.uk https://www.facebook.com/pages/Simple-System-Horse-Feeds/22606573758

My horse is really chubby but he gets so hungry. What can I do?

Feeding the good doer can be a lot harder and more challenging than feeding a skinny horse! Two things are really vital for a horse: plenty of bulk, provided by fibre from forage; and protein which is the building block of all the organs, muscles blood and even bone. The chubby horse does not need too many calories but does need plenty of bulk to keep the guts functioning correctly, to avoid stress associated with hunger and to satisfy the need to eat. If a ridden horse has been longer than 2 hours without eating, the risk of ulcers increases. More than 4 hours, and gut health and that of the important gut microbes, is compromised. We suggest that the total intake of forage be not less than 2% of target weight. Soaking hay for an hour or two can remove some nutrients but if you can find hay that was first cut from mid-July onwards, it will naturally be higher in fibre and will take longer to eat as well. Double net it and if possible, tie the nets behind boards across the corner of the stable so he can be fed at a low level. Tie the nets inside a hay bar as an alternative. Dividing the hay into 2 lots on opposite sides of the stable will make it last longer than if it is all in one place. Use a high fibre, additive free chop/chaff such as LucieStalks or Timothy Chop to replace some of the hay and add variety. Although it has low feed value, we do not recommend feeding straw as it is prone to fungal infections, may have agrochemical residues and many horses show sensitivity to cereal straws. A small feed directly before work will encourage the horse to work better as he will not be so hungry and lining the stomach with forage will make it more comfortable and protect against ulcers. While he is very fat, make this as low calorie as possible – LucieFibre Cubes are good. Dampen well or ideally soak in water. These low calorie pellets can also be offered in a feeding ball which will encourage the horse to exercise as he eats. A balancer is important to provide essential omega 3 and top up on minerals, trace elements and vitamins. The inclusion of yeast helps ensure healthy microbes. As it is fed in small amounts, Total Eclipse is ideal. If things have gone wrong and laminitis is a worry or the risks of it have increased – perhaps there is a hard crest or fat pads – then use MetaSlim. Avoid any foods with significant levels of sugar or starch – read ingredient lists very carefully and avoid molasses, wheatfeed, soya, peas and so on, even if the bag wording suggests that the contents may be suitable. Apples, carrots, parsnips, polos and sugar lumps as well as most treats are also on the forbidden list! Make the most of turn out but this may have to be restricted to a track around the edge of the field or a long, narrow area – small squares limit movement. Company is important as that will enable play behaviour and avoid stress. Never rug a chubby horse or pony – rugs keep calories in! When stabled, use the biggest stable possible to encourage as much movement as possible. Make sure all horses have free access to a plain salt lick such as our Salt Lick Tub. While the horse is very heavy, avoid fast work as this can cause strain but lengthy spells of steady work are good. If your chubby horse seems unwell or unsound, consult your vet. For more information call the feed line on 01728 604 008.

Once soaked up the feed looks enormous so my friend told me not to feed it as it would be too much for the horse’s stomach. Was she right?

Your friend is correct inasmuch as she is thinking that the horse has a small stomach – which it has! But as the forage feed is not digested there, it soon passes through on its way to the caecum which is the first part of the large intestine. The caecum is huge which why horses at pasture can eat all day long. This is where microbes ferment the fibre in the forage. When you feed forages (this includes Simple System feeds, hay and grass) there is no limit to meal size. Meal size does need to be restricted when you feed starchy meals which need to stay in the stomach longer to be digested there. Starchy feeds do not exists in the horse’s natural environment so the horse is ill-prepared to cope with them, so most of our Rules of Feeding are to do with not compromising the horse any further when we use feeds that they are not evolved to eat, such as cereals, processed foods and by products of milling, for instance. Forage feeds are eaten more slowly – many processed feeds have molasses added which makes the horse eat faster and also to eat it all in one go. Research has shown that the same dry weight and calorific value of feed fed as forage is eaten in an average of 9 bouts, whereas on a conventional feed, the horse will surface for air only once. Horses are grazers, not gobblers, and should be fed to allow them to take time over their feed – which can be as big as you like or they need. Soaking does indeed increase the volume, but not by any more than if the horse ate a small, dry feed then had a big drink of water.

My mare is in foal. What should I feed her?

Until her last 3 months of gestation, your mare should be fed as normal for her size, condition and so on. She needs good quality feed, but not too much just yet. It has been shown that mares fed cereal free diets are less likely to have foals with joint issues, so Simple System feeds are ideal. In the last three months, switch from Total Eclipse to Lunar Eclipse and gradually increase the level of feeding just as you would in a three month fittening programme. By the time she is ready to foal, she will be eating a total of one third to one half of her intake in her feed bowl. Lucerne feeds are good as they have plenty of protein and calcium as well as natural vitamins and minerals. If you do not have much grass, then some Red Bag Grass Pellets will make up for the lack of spring grass. Once she foals, she will need very heavy feeding for the first month, especially if grass is limited. She can have plenty of lucerne such as soaked LucieNuts and Green Gold. If she is not a good doer or the grass is limited, be generous with Red Bag Grass Pellets. Feed her from ground level and allow the foal to taste and share her food. Once the foal is a month old, switch back to Total Eclipse and if the grass is good, reduce the manger feed. And of course, ad lib best hay or haylage and as much good grass as possible! Call our feed line for more detailed advice.

Protein – good guy or bad guy?

Summer brings its fair share of challenges. Laminitis, lumps and bumps on the skin, sunburn, fly worry and in some horses, even tying up will be worse. A cause is wanted for any problem, for when we have found the cause, we can set about fixing the problem. Mismanagement, excess feed, too much sugar and genetic predisposition are all to blame. What is often, erroneously, blamed, is protein. Your local expert is called in, looks at the bag of feed you are using in minute amounts because the grass is doing a good job of keeping weight on your horse, sees it is 18% protein, sucks his teeth and declares, “that’s your problem, too much protein!” Protein is essential for every organ of the horse and not least for supporting, repairing and building muscles. It is also needed for hooves, bones and even coat. By law, the total protein, also called Crude Protein (C.P.) has to be declared on feed bags, but this figure is only part of the equation. Protein can be good or bad quality, and can be digestible or indigestible. Good quality protein is protein in which the amino acids of which it is composed, are in the right balance for the horse’s body. Good quality protein is found in forages, such as grass and lucerne/alfalfa. The protein in grains (such as oats, barley and wheat) and pulses (peas and beans) is generally poorer quality, lacking sufficient amounts of one or more amino acids. The digestibility of the protein reflects how much of the protein needs to be broken down by enzymes in the fore gut (stomach and small intestine). “Indigestible” protein passes through to the hindgut (large intestine) where it can be used by the gut flora. These micro-organisms are essential to the horse. They break down fibre and turn it into nutrients for the horse, but just like any living thing, they need nourishing and in particular, they need protein. So the indigestible protein in the horse’s diet is vital for them, keeping them healthy so they in turn can nourish the horse and also provide the horse with Vitamins B and K. The protein in cereals and pulses is on the whole highly digestible, with up to 90% of it being digested in the fore gut and so with little left over for the gut flora. The protein of forages on the other hand, is only about 50% digestible. It does not impact adversely on the horse, but does feed the gut flora. Before making a judgement on whether the horse has enough, or even too much, protein in the diet, it is essential to take account of everything that the horse eats and the type of food it all is. We rarely worry about grazing being too high in protein, and rightly so, but most pastures will go through the summer and even into the winter with levels of around 20% protein. Long grass that has gone to seed may drop and will be down to single figures, but grazing prevents this happening. Well-managed grass can be up to 26% protein. It is far more pertinent to worry about sugar levels in grass. High sugar levels cause obesity, laminitis, ulcers, colic, behavioural problems, Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS), tying up and more. None of these conditions is triggered by high protein from forages. The highly digestible, but poorer quality, protein of cereals and pulses is accompanied by high levels of starch, making these feeds even less appropriate for very many horses. Look at all the elements that your horse eats and only make a judgement when you have the total facts and not just a small bit. Horses have spent 50 million years perfecting the art of survival on forage and have done pretty well so far!

Is Simple System GM free?

Environmental concerns affect more and more people. Some GM will help to feed an expanding world population but too often, it is commercial driven, not need-driven and many people are concerned about the effects of alien genes reaching native flora. We share those concerns and do not use GM in any of our feeds. By avoiding GM, our feeds are compatible with organic systems and owners can be confident in what they are offering their horses and that they are helping protect the environment.

My livery yard is strict on the horse's hay rations and I am worried that my horse is going for long periods of time without eating. Is this a problem?

Horses evolved on the grassy, treeless plains so the food they are adapted to eat is forage – the leaves, stalks, flowers and seed heads that grow on those plains. They are nomadic trickle feeders. This means they eat for most of the time, wandering around as they do so. Whilst we cannot provide a grassy, treeless plain it is perfectly possible to recreate some of the factors that constitute species-appropriate feeding for housed horses. Hay is an ideal food for housed horses. The best hay is that which is first cut relatively late in the season, such as after mid-July. Mixed grass species are best and ryegrass, especially tetraploid ryegrass, should be avoided. Analysing the hay will reveal its nutritional content and value. Sugar levels are crucial as it is sugar that causes blood sugar and insulin to rise, which are trigger factors for laminitis. Sugar should be below 10% and in an ideal world, below 7.5%. A short soak (1 hour) in plenty of water will reduce sugar levels. Offer the hay straight from the soak tub, wet, for freshness. Protein is the most important nutrient for horses alongside fibre. Protein supports all the internal organs, blood, muscle and hooves as well as skin and hair. The minimum requirement for protein is 10% of the diet. Higher levels are better, especially forage protein. This is very different from protein in cereals and pulses. Forage protein has a low digestibility, which means only around half is actually digested in the foregut. The rest goes into the hind gut where is supports the gut microbes. Hay is best with a protein content of 13 – 15%. This essential nutrient should not be rationed! But ensure it is from forage and not grains or pulses. In order to help mimic the wandering and choosing that horse do when grazing, put the hay in several different locations within the stable, ideally at floor level. Double netting and even double netting small holed nets will make hay last longer. Hang these as low as is safe or tie them behind boards across the corner of the stable. They could also be anchored to a ring fitted in the bottom of a hay bar. Horses secrete stomach acid and bile continuously regardless of eating pattern. If a horse is worked having not eaten for 2 hours, the risk of ulcers in the stomach is increased. If he has 4 hours without eating, the gut microbes will become disrupted due to lack of forage. A continuous supply of forage is essential. Sadly, straw is not a suitable forage. Straw is an irritant to the gut lining, will increase the risk of ulcers, is never devoid of starchy grains and will inevitably have some agrochemical residues due to around 12 applications of various chemicals being used during the cultivation of the crop. Straw is devoid of vitamins, its fibre is lignified and not fermentable, it has few minerals and very low protein. When horses have free access to forage they will “pace” themselves. When forage is restricted, they will become greedy when it is available and will consequently eat too much. The answer is not to deny them vital forage, but you may need to make it harder to obtain then merely standing in one place and eating until it is all gone. Insufficient forage increases the risk of ulcers and colic. It leads to so-called stable vices and bad behaviour such as door banging and kicking. Bed eating, wood chewing and eating their droppings are all undesirable side effects of insufficient forage.

How can I best manage my young horse to ensure he has the healthiest joints?

The developmental orthopaedic disease that is correctly termed Osteochondrosis dissecans starts before a foal is a year old and can lead to several different bone and joint problems in later life. Problems begin within the first 12 months of development, as the foal’s growing skeleton matures. Essentially soft cartilage cells are converted to more solid bone by a process known as endochondral ossification. In OCD-affected animals, this natural process fails to function fully. Areas of damaged cartilage develop within the joint, leaving the underlying bone weak and prone to further injury. Continuing cartilage and bone growth means that some defects may heal before the foal is a year old. Once a foal has matured to a yearling and beyond, however, the transformation from cartilage to bone stops and there is minimal scope for natural healing to occur. Any loose flaps or fragments of cartilage that are not properly attached will cause irritation, inflammation and consequent swelling of the affected joint. The whole syndrome is called Osteochondrosis, with dissecans referring to these fragments. The predisposing causes of Osteochondrosis dissecans OCD are considered to be complex and numerous. They include both genetic and management elements including overfeeding grain, rapid growth, excessive confinement and injury. Processed feeds are now more prevalent than 20-30 years ago. These feeds contain easily digestible carbohydrates which can encourage rapid growth. It is also important to make sure that in foal mares are fed a low sugar and starch diet. Elderly mares seem to be more likely to produce a foal which goes on to develop OCD. This could be due to increased rations of grain based feed during pregnancy or the impact of endocrine changes due to old age. Feeding a balanced, forage based diet will provide an excellent start for your youngster and it will reduce the risk of them developing OCD. 24 hour turnout will also help to reduce the risk. Young horses need plenty of protein to build up good muscles and plenty of calcium to make strong bones. Lucerne is an ideal feed as it is a good source of both protein and calcium, but is naturally very low in sugar. Omega 3 is an essential part of a youngster’s diet. It is an excellent natural anti-inflammatory and will help to support and lubricate the joints. Forages generally have the right balance of omega 3 but may not have enough for growing young horses. Total Eclipse, Instant Linseed and Top Nosh provide plenty of Omega 3 in a Vegan form. There is also evidence to show that mares who are fed Linseed whilst in foal will have foals with a higher immune system. Red Bag Grass Pellets may also prove useful if your youngster is going through a growth spurt and drops weights. They can provide natural spring grazing all year round. These pellets are a safer alternative to grain based mixes and cubes and can provide spring grazing during the winter months. Pure Ocean Seaweed is also considered a good feed for increasing bone strength and it will also encourage hoof growth. Suggested Feeds for WB and TB type youngsters GreenGold; Red Bag Grass Pellets; Top Nosh; Total Eclipse Suggested feeds for Native type youngsters Lucie Fibre Cubes or Lucie Nuts; Green Gold; Total Eclipse

I have a donkey. Can she be fed Simple System feeds?

Yes, they are ideal for donkeys as well! Donkeys have an even greater requirement for fibre from forage than horses and are usually better “doers”, having evolved in much harsher conditions. Select forages from our range which are lower in calories and higher in fibre. LucieFibre Cubes, LucieStalks, Timothy Chop are all ideal. Blue Bag Grass Pellets or soaked LucieNuts are good if she needs a bit more nutrition. A balancer is helpful – donkeys often have a dry coat so our Total Eclipse, which is based on full fat cooked linseed, is perfect – and has the advantage of being effective in small amounts.

How can Simple System help my Endurance horse?

Endurance horses need plenty of slow release, long term energy, food that can be offered close to work in vet gates and crew points and feed that does not elevate heart rates. Forages are the answer rather than anything based on cereals or their derivatives. Soaked feeds also aid hydration. An ideal ration for Endurance horses is a 2:1 combination of LucieNuts and PuraBeet. Measure dry, before soaking. As a very general guide, vary the daily feed according to work and use at the rate of 1 kg per hour of work, plus 1. Use Total Eclipse for your balancer, 100g per day for an average Arab, and double this on the days before, of and after competing. Want an all in one feed? Use soaked SimplyComplete! Sorted! Horse likes a chop? (And most do…) then add plenty of Green Gold. Going for longer distances, over 64km? Add Red Bag Grass Pellets, which are our highest feed value straight forage, with 10% more energy than oats, but no starch. Offer these as a choice in the vet holds as well. Electrolytes are important for Endurance horses as their work induces profuse sweating. On a forage diet as above, the diet supplies plenty of calcium, potassium and magnesium so the only additional ones needed are sodium and chloride. At home, make sure there is free access to a plain salt lick such as our Salt Lick Tub but this is not convenient when competing, so use Summer Salt, which is pure, granular rock salt in a sturdy 2 kg pack with a handy measure. Add to the feed or water (offer plain water as well, but you may find in the later stages of the ride, your horse will seek out the salted water). Our Feed Line team includes successful Endurance competitors, so if you want to discuss your Endurance horse’s requirements, do get in touch by phone (01728 604 008, usual office hours) or email (info@simplesystem.co.uk) or via the website enquiry form on the Contacts page.

How do I feed a Poor Doer?

Horses can become poor doers due to disease, worm infestation, poisoning such as ragwort, dodgy teeth, harassment from other horses, such as denying access to shared sources of hay, cold wet weather, or work out of synch with feeding. Some are anxious and fretful. Brood mares often need far more feeding than anticipated. Many horses are not able to benefit from starchy feeds and will actually lose weight when fed more of these feeds. Others may scour and drop weight on sugary or starchy feeds. It is important to establish why your horse is not keeping or gaining condition and this may involve seeking advice from your vet and/or qualified Equine Dental Technician. On many conventional feeds, increased levels of feeding can be counter-productive if the result is more energy being generated than is required. This can make the horse dangerous to handle or ride, more prone to injury and prevent weight gain by burning off more than the added nutrition. The solution is to increase the calories by using good quality forages that supply nutrition through fermentable fibre. Oils such as that from full fat cooked linseed can also be beneficial. • If dental issues are the cause of the problem, offering soaked forage pellets instead of hay or haylage will make a big difference, using the same dry weight of feed. A tub of soaked feed is offered instead of the usual ration of hay. Suitable feeds are: LucieNuts, Blue Bag Grass Pellets, PuraBeet, Lucie Fibre Cubes. • When digestive issues are the problem, switching from cereal- derived feeds to forages can make a big difference. Suitable feeds include LuciePellets, Blue Bag Grass Pellets, LucieNuts. The chop element of the ration needs also to be addressed as those containing straw can be irritant and many are molassed. Use Green Gold, JustGrass. A course of Eclipse Recovery can aid the change-over to forages. • When increased calories are needed due to hard work or increased requirements due to poor weather, the demands of lactation, etc. use Red Bag Grass Pellets, TopNosh, LuciePellets, Instant Linseed. • Always use a suitable balancer specifically designed to balance an all-forage diet, such as Total Eclipse, Flexi-Balance, Lunar Eclipse. • Anxious horses are more settled in company and efforts should be made to avoid stressful situations. A stable mirror can be helpful. • Work takes horses away from eating so the most should be made of opportunities to eat. On forage diets, there is no requirement to withhold feed before or after work, giving up to 3 hours extra eating time for each workout. Small feeds should be offered frequently throughout long working days such as when competing, trekking, long hacks or at the riding school. On these forages, there is no restriction on meal size.

My horse has runny poos and sometimes water after the droppings. Help!

There are lots of reasons for this. It can be that there is too much sugar in the diet and a common source of this is the sweet, spring grass. This can result in cow pats! Early made hay can sometimes be rich enough to trigger this, so if possible, go for first cut hay made in July and avoid ryegrass . A short soak, say half an hour, can help reduce the sugars just a little bit, without stripping the hay of too much of its goodness and can make a big difference. Some types of haylage may be too rich or too acidic, and this, too, can be soaked for half an hour to good effect. Too much sugar or starch in the bucket feeds can also trigger it. Some horses are sensitive to different feed stuffs and while some may have a skin reaction, or behavioural issues, others may get upset guts. Feeds such as soya, peas, wheatfeed and molasses can all be associated with various reactions. Really low sugar feeds can often make a big difference. Generally, lucerne is lower in natural sugars than grass so may be more appropriate for these very sensitive horses. Straw is an irritant to the gut so is also best avoided. It is surprising how many feeds contain straw, so scrutinise labels carefully. Look for cereal by products and NIS (Nutritionally Improved Straw, which is straw treated with caustic soda) as well as straw on the label. As well as eliminating likely irritants it can help to include soaked unmolassed beet pulp such as PuraBeet and include Instant Linseed in the ration as this can help soothe and heal an irritated gut. Avoid long periods without food of some sort. The guts work best with a constant input – they are trickle feeders. When the droppings are wet or there is faecal water, the horse may be losing the salts dissolved in this liquid, which would normally be absorbed. Provide free access to a plain salt lick such as our Salt Lick Tub or add Summer Salt to the feed or water (offer plain water as well). If your horse’s scouring does not clear up quickly, consult your vet, as it can be a sign of a more serious condition.

How come you say you can feed directly before work? Surely there is a Rule of Feeding saying not to?

The Rules of Feeding generally apply to so-called “hard” feeds that are based on starchy grains and their derivatives. These are digested in the first part of the gut - the stomach and the small intestine. If there is not enough time to complete the digestive process here, problems can arise in the hind gut. The natural diet of the horse is forage which is high in fibre but low in starch and sugar. These forages are fermented in the hind gut – the caecum and large and small colons. The horse is a prey animal and has to be able to flee from predators at a moment’s notice – no time for waiting an hour for the last lot of grass to go down! When we use forages to feed our horses, this rule of feeding no longer applies. Your horse can be fed right up to the minute you get on and can eat as soon as he returns from work. Nature does not give the horse long gaps without eating, so they are not adapted to periods of fasting. Forages will line and protect the stomach, provide a steady release of energy and help stave off hunger pangs. Your horse will be more comfortable, less prone to gastric issues, will concentrate better without the distraction of wanting to eat and will have more stamina. Grain based feeds cannot safely be fed in this way.

My horse has an injury and needs box rest but he is underweight and needs feeding up. How can I get his weight up when he is on box rest, as I was told you cannot give nutritious feed if the horse is not working?

Many more concentrated feeds are based on starchy ingredients such as cereals, their by-products, pulses such as peas and beans and so on. These starchy feeds, and also sugary feeds, produce fast burn energy which would make a horse on restricted exercise too full of himself, liable to further injury or developing stereotypies, as well as increasing the risk of tying up when the horse comes out. If the feeds given to help build up condition are high quality forages with very low levels of sugar and starch, the risks are far less. Suitable feeds from our range include LucieNuts, LuciePellets, PuraBeet, Blue Bag Grass Pellets, TopNosh and any of our balancers. Suitable hay or haylage should be offered ad lib.

Podgy horse is getting podgier – help!

We’ve had a lot of owners contact us who are concerned about their horses’ weight – too much of it! Keeping your horse in the stable for a few hours with not much to eat may sound like a good idea but he will make up for it as soon as he goes out by eating more than ever. Plus the stress may increase the risk of laminitis in an already vulnerable horse. We need to restrict the calories going in but not reduce actual eating time. Horses need to eat and if there is not an almost continuous flow of food, their gut will not function as it should. A muzzle is a pretty extreme measure and certainly drastically slows down the rate of intake but will need to be worn continuously. Research has shown that a pony can eat an entire day's worth of grazing in just a 2 or 3 hour window that the muzzle is removed for. Short grass has the most sugar and least fibre and may also be sodium deficient so when on closely grazed pasture, make sure the horses have free access to plain salt such as our Salt Lick Tub. The best grazing is actually tall, coarse grass that has been allowed to go to seed. It will be low in nutrition, high in fibre and be a very good chew which will make it satisfying to eat. Fence off the perimeter of the field so the horses can roam all round and when the bit in the middle is like standing hay, allow increasing access. In the meantime you may need to top up with low calorie hay, soaked hay (not more than 2 hours in summer or it may ferment) or LucieStalks for instance. Company is really important. It reduces stress, increases activity and gives the horse far more options than merely eating or not eating. Other calorie busters include: Give the horse a good soaking in cold water a couple of times a day; Plenty of exercise of course! NO food with any starchy or sugary ingredients – look out for wheatfeed, oatfeed, molasses, soya, for instance, on the composition list; LucieStalks is an ultra-low sugar feed, ultra-high fibre and no nasties; Consider MetaSlim; Call our feed line on 01728 604 008 or info@simplesystem.co.uk – you are not alone and we CAN help.

Are Simple System feeds organic?

In an ideal world all our feeds would be certified organic and GM free and this is certainly our ultimate goal. However, we are getting there and we have never used any GM ingredients in any of our feeds. Cereal crops form the basis of many horse feeds (not ours!) and these are grown using a full range of agrochemicals – the average wheat crop will have 12 applications of chemicals. Cereals are not part of the horse’s natural diet – they evolved eating forages, so that is what we supply! Fortunately, grass, lucerne and linseed require far fewer chemicals to support their growth and we work with our farmers to minimise their use further. Lucerne stays in the ground for around 4 years and for most of that time, will have no chemicals added at all. The chemical we are most concerned about as horse owners in glyphosate (RoundUp) as there is a suggestion of a link between this and laminitis. This is not used at all for any of our forages. Most cereal crops are sprayed with this a week prior to harvest, so not only could this affect the cereals grains and their by-products, but will be even more likely to be present on the straw, which is used as a source of fibre in so many feeds. GM free? Most certainly! Organic? Where we can and getting there! Feeding horses the food they evolved to eat? Of course! Free from animal products? What else! And uniquely, fully registered with The Vegan Society. These things are every bit as important to us as they are to you. Certified Organic products: Organic LuciePellets, Organic Cider Vinegar, Pure Organic Seaweed. Soil Association approved: Salt Lick Tub. Grown mainly to organic standards but not certified as such: LucieNuts, Green Gold, LucieFibre Cubes, LucieStalks.

My horse gets so itchy in the summer – any suggestions?

This type of itchiness can be due to all manner of reasons; not least of all is sensitivity to insect bites. Your vet is well placed to offer an opinion as to the cause. In many cases, there is no actual cure, but there are some strategies that reduce the impact. Your vet may be able to prescribe a long-acting fly repellent that usually lasts up to six weeks, but under their guidance, of course, this can be applied more frequently. Fly rugs may help and there is some research on-going that suggests patterned rugs may confuse the flies – think zebra stripes! Diet may have an effect as well. Cut out heavily processed and foods containing added sugars and starchy ingredients. The theory here is that these feeds raise blood sugar levels, making the horse tastier to the blood feeders. Plain, straight forages such as soaked LucieNuts or soaked LucieFibre Cubes are ideal, or chops such as Organic Lucie Stalks, which are very low in naturally occurring sugars. Adding cooked linseed such as Instant Linseed or balancer based on linseed, such as Total Eclipse may also help – research carried out in Canada on Icelandic horses showed that linseed, high in omega 3, reduced the impact of summer itchiness. Horses fed MetaSlim for metabolic reasons also had reduced levels of itchiness. Keep your horse as far as possible in open countryside with as much breeze as possible – damp, sheltered and low lying land are all favoured by biting bugs. You may need to stable the horse when the bugs are at their worst. A well-ventilated box is good and a fan makes it even better. Best of all is to include fly screens over the open top door and windows as well. Some feeds are believed actively to help repel bugs. These include Garlic Granules and Traditional Brewers’ Yeast. You will need to start feeding these before the itchiness starts, say in February. Garlic can cause a problem called Heinz Body Anaemia, which can result in damage to the red blood corpuscles and lead to the horse becoming anaemic. Ensure you give your horse a break from garlic for 2-3 weeks every 2-3 months. Any allergy has the potential to be inherited, so a mare who regularly gets itchy may well produce a foal who is similarly affected, although it may not show up for a few years. If you want more detailed suggestions for helping your itchy horse, in particular through diet, please contact the Feed Line on 01728 604 008 or use the web enquiry form on the Contacts page.

My horse had to lose weight as being too fat made him unwell. He is now sound and I can ride him again but he looks underweight and his ribs and hips are showing. How can I feed him up without making him unwell again?

Carrying too much fat is bad for horses, as it is with people, too. Sometimes it is necessary to cut back their feed a lot to get the weight off, but there always needs to be sufficient protein in the diet to maintain muscles, organs and to support the blood. There needs to be plenty of fibre, too, as without enough fibre, the guts won’t function properly. The fibre should be from forage rather than cereals or pulses. It sounds as if you have done a good job in reducing his weight to improve his health, but perhaps he has not had enough protein and that is why his muscles are a bit lacking. He will need feed that has plenty of fibre, good levels of protein and yet be very low in sugar and starch, as these two will put blood sugar levels up and may be more inclined to cause fat to be deposited. Either of these situations can trigger a metabolic issue. Aim to feed at least 2% of his correct body weight in dry matter of feed a day. Suitable feeds are lucerne and unmolassed beet pulp, for instance. Make sure he has a balancer based on full fat cooked linseed rather than wheat or soya, for example. Hay and any other grass fed should be below 10% sugar and ideally, below 7.5% On suitable feeds, you can feed the levels needed to get him in good condition and well-muscled up, without triggering any of the issues that previously made him unwell. For specific feeding suggestions please contact our Feed Line on 01728 604 008 or info@simplesystem.co.uk or use the online enquiry form at www.simplesystem.co.uk

I’ve heard a lot about Environmental Enrichment. What’s it all about?

Horses are herd animals, living in family groups on grassland plains. Well, they did once! When we domesticated them, their environment became very different. We isolate them from their friends, confine them to stables or small paddocks and offer them food they never evolved to eat. Environmental Enrichment involves small changes we can make to take the horse a little nearer to its origins as a plains dwelling, herd living, obligate herbivore. Turn out in groups, full time where possible, with as much space as possible is ideal but not always achievable. In the stable, there are various things that will make life better for our horses. • Instead of hanging the hay in a net at eye level, we can feed hay from ground level and divide into several portions in different parts of the stable so the horse can move from one to another, mimicking how horses graze. Stable mats or boards across the corners can make safe places to offer hay and prevent it getting contaminated. • Instead of using starchy grain feeds, pulses, processed feeds and by products from the human food industry, we can use forages, which is what the horse evolved to eat. These will take longer to eat and be more satisfying; • Stabled horses are not employing their incisors to bite off their food, so compressed forage blocks are good. They will also enjoy chewing or gnawing on logs from fruit trees and willow for instance. • Natural grazing is actually more wild flowers than grass and is very varied, so meadow hay will be more acceptable than single-species hay; • Mix different feeds together, such as vegetables mixed with chopped lucerne; • A stable mirror can, for some horses, make up for not having a close friend; • Window or top door-type spaces on all the walls of the stable enable the horse to enjoy different views and avoids focus being centred on the stable door; • We should endeavour to provide sufficient forage to last the horse anything up to 18 hours and avoid gaps without eating of more than 2 hours; • Some horses enjoy using a feeding ball filled with pelleted feed. Check aperture size to ensure only one pellet at a time is dispensed; • Soak feeds where possible – the natural diet is hydrated; • Paddocks should have features such as fallen trees, slopes, hedges. • Allow grass to grow tall and go to seed before it is grazed; • Avoid poisonous plants and always be vigilant about ragwort, but view “weeds” as wild flowers! Only cut them down if they become dominant. This is only a short guide. With imagination, you will be able to think of lots of ways you can make your horse’s environment just a little bit less alien and more rewarding. For specific feeding suggestions please contact our Feed Line on 01728 604 008 or info@simplesystem.co.uk or use the online enquiry form at www.simplesystem.co.uk

You suggest feeds are soaked but my horse does not like sloppy feeds. Any ideas?

The horse’s natural diet is grazing and that has a high water content so it makes sense to offer hydrated feeds. However, some horses have been given dry feeds for most of their lives and do not expect to have soaked feeds. They will get used to them if you persist! Feeding dry pellets of any type carries a risk of choke so we advise that the best way to feed pelleted feeds is soaked. If, for whatever reason, you feel unable to soak pelleted feeds, we suggest that you thoroughly mix them with twice their volume of soaked PuraBeet, or twice their volume of a suitable chop/chaff and dampen well with water. When soaking feeds, do not use too much water. 2.5 times the volume of forage pellets makes a fairly soft but not too wet mash. For a drier crumble, use twice their volume of water. PuraBeet soaks up 5 or more times its volume of water. Always used damp feeds within 24 hours of adding the water in winter and in warmer weather, use feeds within half a day of adding water and ideally, as soon as the feed has absorbed the water and there are no dry bits left. Soak feeds in a shady, cool place. Horses with any history of choke or dental issues should not be fed dry pelleted feeds of any type or brand at all. There are tips on switching to our feeds under Feeding Advice/Advice Sheets at www.simplesystem.co.uk

How should I be feeding going in to winter?

As the weather gets cooler and horses are growing a thick winter coat, their requirement for food increases. They can drop weight going in to winter, which may not be so much to do with the grass going off (which it probably is) but more to do with the demands of maintaining a relatively high body temperature and producing a new coat. We know about blackberries in the autumn, and say that no horse looks well at blackberry time, but it is also a time when the flowers of the natural grasslands have made seeds, and these seeds are very often high in oil. It makes sense to mimic nature and give the horse a little bit extra in the form of linseed. This will help the new coat to come through and ensure it is glossy and waterproof. Even if you clip it off, you will find clipping much easier if the horse has been eating 100 – 200g per day of Instant Linseed for the previous week or two. The best food to keep a horse warm is easily fermented fibre, which has the added benefit of not causing any alteration to behaviour. Tough fibre as is found in straw, for instance, is not easily fermented, but that in PuraBeet, Blue Bag Grass Pellets, LucieFibre Cubes, LucieNuts/Pellets and Green Gold, for instance, is readily fermented by the gut microbes. As they do this, they generate heat which is important to keep the horse’s temperature at around 38 deg. C. At the same time, these amazing microbes are making food for the horse, as free fatty acids, which can be stored for later or utilised immediately. The energy from starch or sugars can only release heat when it is burned in the muscles so is much less efficient as a winter feed. If your horse finds the cold weather too much of a trial and drops more weight than you would like, consider topping him up with TopNosh, which is high calorie but not heating. And if he is yearning for the good spring grass, it comes in a bag and is called Red Bag Grass Pellets! But not for fatties or those at risk of laminitis or tying up. Some of these guys can probably afford to drop a little weight over the cooler months.

Sugar – bad or essential?

There has been a lot of publicity about the impact of sugar on human health and the same applies to horses, too. Sugar is naturally occurring and is in practically everything. We have two concerns about sugar: first, just how much there is and secondly, the form of that sugar. What is termed free sugar has a greater impact than when it is in its natural form. Sugar in your tea soon hits your blood stream whereas that in an apple takes a lot longer. Sugar in the blood is taken away by the action of insulin. When insulin is unable to do this, insulin and blood sugar levels are high and this can be associated with laminitis. This is why we are so obsessed about sugar, and rightly so! Grass can be a very high in sugar and how we manage grass has a big impact. Some types, such as ryegrass, can fix more sugar than other types. Former dairy or sheep pasture for instance, which is based on ryegrass, can be very risky for horses and could be why some yards seem to have a much higher incidence of laminitis than others. Although some grass can have high sugar levels, plenty of other grass can have very low levels of sugar. Mature grass, including much of that made into hay, that is also high in fibre seems to be a lot less risky for horses. The sugar has to be digested out of the grass and will enter the blood stream very gradually and the insulin will be able easily to maintain constant levels. Sugar such as molasses, that is added to feeds for palatability or to supress dust for instance, is more like the sugar in your tea – it is a coating that quickly dissolves in saliva and other digestive juices and soon hits the blood stream. This is possibly why molasses has such a poor reputation – its effect is much more rapid than that of naturally occurring sugars so for horses that react to sugar, it is far more likely to elicit a reaction than the naturally occurring sugars within a food. Yes, we certainly do need to monitor the amount of sugar our horses eat – and especially where that sugar is coming from. Sugar is essential for brain function, but we do not need to add sugar to the diet. It is there already and in any case, the horse can make sugar from other components of the diet. The adding of sugar to horse diets, often already with significant starch levels, not only increases blood sugar levels, but is thought to be responsible for the increasing incidence of dental caries – tooth decay – in horses.

Lucerne and alfalfa – the same or different?

In Europe and the UK we use the term lucerne for the plant that is known as alfalfa in America. As some horse owners do not like to feed their horses on what may be perceived as cattle feed, some feed companies in the UK have used the term alfalfa, especially if they used to sell this to cattle farmers. At Simple System we are proud to British and European so we have stuck with the traditional term. Although the same plant, lucerne which is available in the UK is very different from alfalfa produced in the US. Particularly in the Southern states, grass does not grow well as it is too dry, but alfalfa can be grown easily, especially with irrigation. It is still very popular to fatten cattle so the types of alfalfa used in America are generally higher in sugars and nutrition than those used on the UK, where it is grown extensively for horses. Simple System lucerne is grown specifically for horses. We harvest only three times a year and wait for the plant to reach maturity, with 20 – 30 % of the flowers in bloom. This ensures good levels of high quality fibre, lower sugar levels yet still maintaining good levels of protein to support muscles, internal organs and the blood as well as hooves and skin. Lucerne is on the Laminitis Trust list of approved straight feeds. For horses with issues that require a low sugar diet yet with plenty of nutrition to support hooves and organs, lucerne is an ideal choice. Lucerne has been shown to improve the quality of hoof horn and alongside our balancer Total Eclipse, we have many customers whose horses have never had better feet. For older horses it offers excellent support as it has the protein and calcium needed by older horses yet with very low natural sugar levels to avoid triggering any metabolic issues. Information on alfalfa originating from the US is not always applicable to our position in the UK as it is grown differently, harvested differently and we do not feed it at such high levels – generally we suggest it is not fed at more than 1% of body weight or 40% of total intake. Do contact our Feed Line for more information on this excellent, but not always understood, forage. info@simplesystem.co.uk or 01728 604 008.

What is a by-product? Why should we be wary of feeding by-products?

A by-product is something that is produced in a process in which the main aim is to produce something else! For instance, in the milling industry, a lot of white flour is required, so the bran and other bits from the grain are removed as they are useless when you want white flour. These are sold on as bran, middlings, wheat feed and wheat offal, for instance. Similarly, rice bran is discarded when rice is polished and oatfeed is all the bits not required when milling oats for human consumption. These by products have a certain monetary value if they have some level of calories, fibre or oil for example. There is pressure in any industry to get as much value as possible from their processes so they will far rather sell something that waste it. However, these products have been through considerable processing which may involve heat, chemicals or other agents to enable the maximum yield of the primary product. This will de-nature the by-product and is likely to oxidise oils and destroy vitamins. Other by products are the result of extracting oil from sources such as soya beans and sunflower seeds. These are sometimes referred to as expeller. Historically, by-products were fed to horses when they were available locally and very cheaply. Some were pretty harmless even if not actually beneficial; others were found to do positive harm. For instance, all the by-products of wheat are seriously deficient in calcium but also contain substances called phytins which exacerbate the problem by inhibiting calcium uptake further. Some by products have a significant oil content which provides slow release energy and lots of calories – coconut meal (copra) and rice bran are examples. But the problem with these is that the oil is seriously deficient in essential omega 3 and horses have evolved on a diet that has 4 times as much omega 3 as 6. The side effects of this will not be immediately apparent, but long term, there could be a decline in health and healing ability. We have already seen that by products can be deficient in vitamins. As a general guide, green food has vitamins and brown food doesn’t! Sources of fibre that are not green are generally not good sources of vitamins. Sometimes, we might use some of these in relatively small amounts for economy or because they have other benefits. Beet pulp, which is a by-product of British sugar production, is a case in point. Some could say this is a co-product, as the pulp was of as much value as the sugar extracted from it. Farmers who grew the beets took back the pulp for their livestock to eat. It is low in vitamins but is a good source of easily fermented fibre and although fairly low in protein, that it does have, is good quality and it is an excellent source of calcium and other minerals. At Simple System we by and large avoid by products due to the lack of vitamins, imbalanced minerals, possibility of agrochemicals and solvents being present and use of preservatives. Those we do use are subject to intense scrutiny, testing and their provenance closely examined to ensure that they will truly benefit our precious horses.

FAQ: - My horse is a poor doer but lives out with good doers how can I ensure he is getting enough to eat?

In this situation concentrated calories are ideal. Soaked feeds are also useful as they are easy to chew and digest which in turn makes the absorption of much needed calories more efficient. Chops are great but they slow down valuable eating time and only give you 250g of feed per Stubb scoop against 1.kg of nuts or pellets. Lucerne is naturally high in protein but has low levels of sugar and starch so not going to hot them up at all. In addition, Red Bag Grass Pellets are extremely high calorie but may not be suitable for horses that are highly strung or not in need of extra energy! Concentrated calories such as TopNosh are ideal as they reduce the bulk of the bucket feed and therefore reduce eating time. It is always important to recognise that it may take more than two feeds per day or more time standing with them waiting for them to finish to ensure they are getting all that they need but we all know that time can be of the essence. Another good way of getting extra calories is Target Feeding, so feeding directly before work. This will line the stomach and protect it from acid splash in work, but will also offer fuel for work, so the horse does not take from its body’s reserves. Using every opportunity to feed the horse is vital so why not feed again after work? Refuelling what has just been used is beneficial as well as rehydrating with a soaked feed. Horses tend to eat in bouts of 20 minutes so if it is a case of you having to wait whilst your horse eats take them for a walk for 2-3 minutes and come back to it. This may all sound like a pain but all horses are individuals and as horse owners we have to cater for their different needs.

My horse is really not at all food orientated and although well, he is never as well-covered as I would like. I feel he just will not eat enough!

Tempting a picky eater can be a real challenge. There are four main lines of approach: 1. Offer more feed at the times he wants to eat and in the form he likes best; 2. Use feed with more calories so he does not need to eat so much; 3. Vary the flavours to keep up his interest in the feed; 4. Ensure there is nothing wrong with the horse or the feed. That first option is all about pandering to him! Some horses eat more at night, so give him a big feed to last him all night long. This is fine with Simple System as the feeds are digested like hay or grass and there is no limit to meal size. Some horses like sloppy wet feeds, others prefer a drier, crumble texture. Some like their feeds mixed, some prefer the individual ingredients in separate feed bowls. Some horses eat better if you are with them, so offer feeds when you are doing stable chores, grooming, tacking up and so on. On Simple System feeds there is no restriction on feeding around work. Adding hot water releases aromas and can make feed more appetising. If the feed has more calories, not so much is needed. LucieNuts, Organic LuciePellets, SimplyComplete and Blue Bag Grass Pellets have more calories than LucieFibre Cubes. Red Bag Grass Pellets have even more but can be heating. There are even more calories in TopNosh which is also not heating. Most calories of all are in Instant Linseed. PuraBeet can be helpful at putting on condition, but by the time it is soaked, there is a large volume of feed which may be daunting for horses with small appetites. Green Gold has more nutrition than LucieStalks or Timothy Chop. Different flavours can be achieved by adding a measure of Summer Salt, a teaspoon or two of Garlic Granules, a fistful of Justamint, a few LucieMints, a slosh of Organic Cider Vinegar or even a few glugs of unsweetened apple juice. But not all at once! You may need to vary the flavour frequently. It is always worth discussing poor appetite with your vet. Some medications can have a depressing effect on appetite, others may irritate the stomach lining which can in turn reduce appetite. If there are any dental issues, this can reduce appetite. Being unwell generally can reduce appetite as can colic, fever or stress such as separation anxiety. A change in the weather can bring on a flush of grass and the horse may just be full up on that! Keep your feeds out of reach of rodents and dogs – it’s bad enough that they might eat the food, but worse if they wee on it – it will not be appetising. It is always worth putting medicines and worm doses in a separate feed or treat away from usual feed time, so as not to make the horse suspicious. Keep all feeds in dry place, discard any bags that go mouldy or smell musty and observe best before dates. Wash feed bowls daily.

My horse’s teeth are letting him down and he is finding it hard to eat hay.

Horse’s teeth do not last for ever and by the time they are in their late teens to 20s, the roots are shallow and the teeth will start to become less stable. By the time they are 30 or more, most horses will be losing teeth. Horses with parrot mouth, are undershot or who have been injured may also have problems and some very small horses may have misaligned teeth. Regular dental care is important but even the best vet or dental technician cannot turn back the hands of time! Signs that your horse has a dental issue include quidding (dropping partly chewed sausage shapes of hay or grass), failure to maintain weight, small, hard droppings, long pieces of unchewed fibre in the droppings, pulling strange faces, pausing when eating, and so on. Your vet or EDT will be able to make the teeth more comfortable but you will probably need also to change the diet to one that is easier to eat and needs less or even no chewing. Chopped feeds are not the answer as even a chop/chaff needs further chewing to render it digestible. The answer is soaked, pelleted forages. Older horses are also more prone to metabolic disorders and are best fed a diet free from sugary or starchy ingredients. To replace the hay that the horse can no longer eat, use HayCare. Some older horses are able to manage very well on grass, especially if it is short, as this will need very little chewing, but will struggle with long or coarse grass. Use the same weight of HayCare as you did of hay and add 2.5 times its volume of water. It will be ready to feed in 10 – 15 minutes. You may need a large tub! In the feed bowl, soaked LucieNuts are ideal, being naturally low in sugar. Add Total Eclipse balancer, or Flexi-Balance if you feel joints need additional support. Metabolically challenged horses or ponies may be better with MetaSlim. Soaked PuraBeet will give additional bulk and hydration. LucieFibre Cubes can be used instead of LucieNuts if the horse (or pony) is getting too heavy. If an elderly equine is otherwise well but is being let down by its teeth, it can still live a happy, healthy life on suitable soft food. For more information call our Feed Line 01728 604 008 or email info@simplesystem.co.uk or use the online enquiry form.

Why are Simple System feeds free from straw? Surely it is a good forage?

Wheat, barley and oats are members of the grass (Gramineae) family but are very much the product of human ingenuity over a few thousand years. No wild grass produces such starchy seeds nor such tough fibre. Plant breeders have selected for stiff straw that will not bend or break, thus protecting the valuable grain and keeping it above ground for harvesting. The straw has not been developed as feed and has been mainly utilised as a cheap, available by-product to bed down the livestock. Trouble is, we have far fewer farm animals now and legislation against straw/stubble burning, so straw is very cheap and a waste product to many farmers. That makes for a cheap source of bulk/fibre for feed compounders. They want fibre above concerns for its source, hence using straw or other sources of fibre not actually a part of the natural horse’s diet. Over 50% of the UK cereal harvest has glyphosate applied in the week before harvest, perhaps the 12th application of agrochemical. So, straw was never intended as a feed! It increases the risk of equine ulcers. It is very prone to developing fungal spores and whilst dust extraction may reduce them, it will not remove their toxins. The farmer’s priority at harvest time is the grain and not the straw. We have known all this for along time which is why we have spent so much effort trying to stop horses eating their straw bedding. At the BETA feed conference in March 2016, Dr. Pat Harris informed the delegates, during her presentation on Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome, that it was now considered that straw is not a suitable feed for horses, although donkeys were not included in this. It is confusing to all concerned that so many feed companies are still adding straw (as well as many other ingredients that are not part of the horse’s natural diet) in one form or another to their feeds. Simple System remains committed to using the highest quality, most appropriate feeds without compromise. Click here to view "Risk factors associated with equine gastric ulceration syndrome"

What are Sainfoin Pellets?

Our Sainfoin Pellets contain 100% pure sainfoin. Sainfoin is a forage legume (a plant) that contains many unique properties. Sainfoin Pellets are rich in natural vitamins and mineral trace elements. They contain a high amount of naturally occurring copper, which can aid the health of bones, tendons and joints. Sainfoin is also a source of condensed tannins, which aids the digestion of protein. Sainfoin Pellets are suitable for all horses, and can be very beneficial when fed with hay and grass as a nutritious alternative and to add a variety of flavour. Sainfoin is particularly suitable for horses requiring a nutritious diet, including: - Pregnant mares - Foals and young growing horses - Older horses - Competition horses - Horses in recovery For more information on Sainfoin Pellets, call our Feed Line on 01728 604 008 or email info@simplesystem.co.uk

Why is MetaSlim high in protein?

It’s all a matter of scale… Dark chocolate is good for you! It has all sorts of anti-oxidants and wonderful condensed tannins. That is, one or two squares are good for you. Not the whole bar in one go! The trouble is, chocolate is so nice we over-indulge, ending up consuming too much sugar and coming out in spots. It works just the same for horses – but we control what they have – and it’s not chocolate by the way. A food can be high in protein but if it is fed in small amounts, it’s a good thing. Protein is the most important nutrient of all as it is what bodies are made of. A low protein hay may be only 8% protein but if your horse eats 5kg of this he will consume 400g of protein. MetaSlim, for instance, is around 20% protein so if your horse eats 500g of this he will get 100g of protein. A valuable top up of a vital nutrient, essential for repair and maintenance of all the organs of the body. But not to excess.