My horse’s feed looks huge once soaked – is this OK?
Yes - Simple System feeds are all entirely forage based and digested in the hindgut, just like hay or grass - something we would never think twice about feeding generously.
Yes - Simple System feeds are all entirely forage based and digested in the hindgut, just like hay or grass - something we would never think twice about feeding generously.
Soaked feeds are not just for older horses or those with poor dentition, they offer benefits for all horses. Here are some of the reasons...
Carbohydrates such as starch are often used to provide glycogen, or energy, for the muscles. However, the horse evolved to source its energy from forages that are naturally very low in starch. High starch diets can upset the sensitive digestive tract.
When you look on ingredients labels, there is often an impressive list of added vitamins and minerals. You will not see this on Simple System feeds because we do not add any and do not need to! Forages can naturally supply all that our horses need.
For each product the sugar levels are displayed on the Simple System website. These are displayed as a range, or 'less than' percentage. For example our low calorie Lucie Fibre Cubes are <5% sugar.
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.
The liver is the power house of the body carrying out a lot of essential roles in metabolism, detoxification and energy production. Reducing the amount of work a damaged liver has to do gives your horse the best chance of survival and recovery.
The overweight horse needs a low “calorie” or digestible energy intake but does still need plenty of bulk fibre and quality protein.
Early feeding and management can have long lasting impact on the health, soundness and longevity of our horses. Choosing high quality forages ensures they reach their full potential, without risking damage to their immature joints.
Q. Can Simple System feeds be fed to Donkeys? A. Yes - our forage feeds are ideal for donkeys!
We often have horse owners contact us when they are concerned about their horses’ weight – and having too much of it! Many people start by restricting grazing but increasing stabling can have the opposite effect.
Why is MetaSlim high in protein? It’s all a matter of scale. Dark chocolate is good for you: it has all sorts of antioxidants and wonderful condensed tannins. That is, one or two squares are good for you. Not the whole bar in one go!