I don’t have to tell you that keeping horses is an expensive hobby; you already know! From farriery and veterinary needs to physio and feed, the bills are frequent and many-figured – and we all want to save money on these costs. On the subject of feed, 2025’s low hay yield squeezed many owners’ fodder budgets, but is it possible to save money on horse feed? “Yes”, is the short answer, but you should ensure you save with care and without compromising on quality.

Keen to discover more? We asked equine nutrition experts and industry specialists for their top tips on how to save money on horse feed. Find out how it’s possible below.

How to spend less on horse feed

As Jade Bensted, customer experience and advocacy manager at NAF, says, smart feeding is about meeting needs, not filling buckets.

“When every ingredient has a purpose, every scoop truly counts,” she says.

With this in mind, here are five ways to help you save money on feed…

1. Feed by weight, not by scoop

Scoops are convenient, but rarely accurate.

“Feeds vary widely in density,” continues Jade. “So, a scoop can weigh far more or less than expected.

“Over time, small overfeeds soon add up in both condition and cost.”

Jade says that weighing feeds not only ensures consistency and avoids wasted nutrition, but it can also highlight when a horse is being fed below recommended levels of a compound feed.

“In these cases, supplements play a valuable role, helping to fill nutritional gaps. As supplements are designed to deliver precise levels of key nutrients, feeding the correct amount ensures your horse gets the intended benefits and keeps the ration balanced.”

She adds that feed should be kept in sealed containers and out of direct sunlight so your horse can keep feeling the full nutritional benefits.

2. Feed your forage effectively

According to Vanessa Allen, nutritional content manager at Spillers, around 30% of forage can end up on the muck heap.

“If your horse is one to trash his bedding, haynets and slow feeders can help stop your forage mixing in,” she says.

She also recommends weighing out forage before feeding – you can do this easily with a luggage weigher (like this one on Amazon).

“It may seem like an extra chore, but it could really help you reduce waste and be more consistent with how much your horse really needs. This is especially true of good-doers.”

3. Keep the feed size manageable

Remember to keep the weight of your horse’s meals under the equivalent of 0.5kg per 100kg of bodyweight, which would equate to 2.5kg for a 500kg horse. You’ll need to weigh your horse first.

“Overfeeding results in your horse not being able to digest everything that is in the bucket, leading to an expensive muck heap, or worse, digestive upset,” says Baileys senior nutritionist, Emma Short.

Additionally, consider the amount of chaff or chop that is added to your horse’s compound feed. “A small amount is ideal for encouraging efficient chewing, but if your horse is a good fibre eater and gets ad lib forage, they may not need the extra fibre provided by additional chaff,” continues Emma.

“Conversely, poor fibre eaters may benefit from additional alternative fibre sources such as a chaff or a partial or full hay replacer fed alongside their forage as ‘haynets in buckets’. This encourages natural foraging behaviour and an overall increase in fibre intake.

“A healthy fibre intake not only supplies calories but also ensures healthy gut function and improved digestive efficiency so that the horse can make the most of the rest of the diet.”

4. Streamline your feed bucket

Vanessa says that now is an ideal time to re-evaluate your horse’s bucket ration and seek advice.

“We often come across owners who add a bit of this and a splash of that to their horse’s bucket,” she comments. “All these added extras can add up to a very expensive meal.

“Nutrition specialists like ours can help you simplify your horse’s ration to ensure you make savings while still achieving a balanced diet. You might achieve this with all-in-one feed balancers, for example, or by feeding a chaff that includes vitamins and minerals alongside a smaller hard feed ration.

“You’ll still meet your horse’s needs, just in a more budget-friendly way.”

5. Don’t compromise on excellence in nutrition

Dr Marga Mas-Fiol MRCVS, D&H’s head of veterinary equine health and performance, advises that working out your feed bag’s cost per day will help you track your bill accurately.

She says it can be tempting to consider feeding cheaper alternatives in order to spend less on horse feed.

“However, it is important to remember that these feeds may not fulfil your horse’s nutritional requirements,” she continues. “This can result in you needing to feed more, or needing to spend more on additional supplements to compensate.

She adds that understanding your horse’s nutritional needs against the ingredients in the feed will help you to make more informed choices.

“Most feed brands have free nutritional helplines with experts at the end of the phone to help you come to the right decision for your horse.

“In addition to ensuring that your horse is being fed on quality ingredients, it is also worth looking deeper than just the price of your bag. Feed tends to come in sizes anywhere between 15–25kg with the smaller sizes appearing to offer better value for money.

“However, this isn’t always the case. With the higher-cost feeds, you often feed less and deliver the same, if not better, nutritional benefits.”

• For unlimited access to advice on how best to care for your horse, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You might also like…

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Horses get through bale upon bale of hay through winter, but can horses eat straw? The short answer is yes. Not only is straw safe for horses to eat, but there are also benefits to including this type of forage in your horse’s ration, too.

“As long as it’s introduced and fed correctly, straw can be really invaluable,” remarks independent equine nutritionist Clare MacLeod MSc RNutr. “Lots of owners feed it nowadays alongside their horse’s hay ration. It’s a great choice if you want to increase the time your horse spends eating without adding excessive calories.”

Rules of feeding straw to horses

There are a few golden rules for feeding straw. Firstly, as with any feed or forage, straw must be introduced into a horse’s diet gradually.

“If you have a grass-kept horse that comes in to a straw bed for the night and munches away for hours, problems may arise,” says Clare. “This is where the old-fashioned idea that eating straw causes impaction colic came from.

“While such a dramatic change from a grass diet to a large quantity of dry straw does represent a colic risk, research from Europe shows straw is perfectly safe to feed when done correctly and introduced slowly.”

Secondly, it’s essential to ensure your horse is drinking plenty of water.

“Ensure your horse has free access to clean fresh palatable water,” says Clare. “In winter, some horses drink too little if the water is very cold, but when you feed straw you need to be sure they are drinking plenty. Don’t make assumptions that just because a trough or tub is full, that it’s enough.”

Thirdly, take care to balance the diet correctly.

“Straw is lower in protein and minerals than hay, as well as providing less energy,” Clare explains. If you’re unsure how to correctly balance your horse’s diet, speak to a nutritionist for advice.

Finally, consider your horse’s teeth.

“Veterans or those with poor dentition might struggle to chew straw, so a softer hay may be more suitable,” she adds.

If you’re looking for other ways to make your horse’s hay ration last longer, small-holed haynets and slow feeders are a good idea.

What straw can horses eat?

For Clare, the type of straw you feed isn’t the most crucial part of the story.

“Oat, wheat or barley straw is all fine to feed,” she comments. “What matters is that we feed hygienic straw.”

What does this mean?

“Hygienic straw is bright yellow,” explains Clare. “It shouldn’t be grey, brownish or dark in hue or clump together, because that could indicate the presence of mould.

“We also want to ensure the straw is low in dust and doesn’t have any musty smell.”

Clare adds that ideally, the straw should not have been sprayed with any chemical.

“Some farmers spray the straw to dry it out, or use pesticides and herbicides on their crops,” remarks Clare. “Ask whoever you plan to source straw from if this is the case.”

With hay prices ballooning this year, many owners are looking for ways to reduce their hay bill. While feeding straw alongside hay can help, Clare urges owners to prioritise sourcing quality forage.

“When the supply is stretched, people can sometimes panic and buy anything they can,” says Clare. “But do go and check out any forage before you buy it.

“Or, if you can’t go in person, consider buying a small amount first to check the quality before placing a bigger order.”

Can you feed soaked straw?

If your dust-sensitive horse has soaked hay, then yes, you can feed soaked straw – but don’t soak it for long.

“About an hour is sufficient,” says Clare. “This is because straw can have a slightly higher bacterial load than hay.”

How much straw can I safely feed my horse?

You can safely replace up to 30% of your horse’s forage ration with straw, provided it is done gradually.

“Some people will say they can feed more, but nutritionists will advise 30% because that’s a safe, general guideline for every healthy horse or pony who is not prone to colic.”

You may also be interested in:

8 ways to reduce your hay bill this winter

New research confirms straw could be valuable weapon in fight against equine obesity 

‘We hope the success of the trial means this research will go on to help even more ponies’

Know your forage: which type is right for your horse?

8 tips to help ease the transition to winter with horses

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Feeding your horse during the winter can be a challenge and many horse owners will be looking at how to save money on hay and reduce bills this year. No-one wants to over pay for their horse’s hay or haylage, and this year, with the reduced hay yield and increased prices, this is more front of mind than ever. We asked the experts how to get the most out of your horse’s forage without compromising their health and performance.

Fibre is essential for healthy hindgut function and the process of digestion helps to keep the horse warm. It also supplies slow-release energy and reduces the risk of colic in horses, so it’s important to ensure we are feeding enough fibre to our horses while searching for ways to reduce unnecessary expensive wastage.

How to save money on hay

1. Avoid waste

It sounds obvious, but don’t waste forage, whether it’s by overfeeding, not supplying in a varied enough form or by not presenting it to your horse properly. Hannah Briars of Winergy suggests: “Bring horses in from the field to eat or provide a field rack to prevent hay being wasted through trampling.”

There are plenty of small-holed haynets and slow feeders and that will help reduce waste simply by keeping it tidy and off the ground. They can also protect the nutrientlevels from decreasing due to exposure to bad weather.

2. Make hay last longer

Horses need to eat around 1.5–2.5% of their bodyweight a day, and the majority of this should come from forage. However, some horses eat far more than they need to – and very quickly. If you’re giving extra hay purely to reduce the time they’re without, make use of small-holed haynets to reduce the speed your horse can eat at and make the same amount of hay last longer.

Here’s how to weigh your horse to ensure you’re feeding the right amount of hay.

3. Use different types of forage

Katie Williams, head of nutrition at Dengie Horse Feeds, says: “Research has shown that offering a variety of fibre types – hay, haylage, chopped fibre – keeps stabled horses happy and stimulated. Offering a bucket of chopped fibre, such as Hi-Fi Original, with carrots and apples is a great way of increasing fibre intake and encouraging them to forage.”

Lizzie Drury, senior nutritionist from Saracen Horse Feeds describes this as “cafeteria-style” feeding and goes further: “Try offering a net of hay, another of haylage, a bucket of chaff and sprinkle high-fibre cubes in a pile of hay on the floor.”

Used with caution, good-quality oat or barley straw accompanied by plenty of water — and a watchful eye to ensure droppings are regular — can be used to make hay or haylage go further, especially for good-doers. But it is not recommended for a horse with a fragile digestive system and can cause impaction colic, so if you’re unsure then discuss this plan with your vet before introducing it.

4. Consider hay replacers

Clare Barfoot of Spillers advises: “If you can’t find a reliable source of hay or haylage, hay replacers may be useful. These are chopped fibre-based products formulated to provide the same level of nutrition as hay or haylage and can be fed at up to 100% of the diet.

“Some contain vitamins and minerals, such as Spillers Happy Hoof, while others don’t, so it is worth checking with the manufacturer whether or not you need to add in a supplement.”

Hay replacers may appear expensive at first, but some are only designed to be a partial replacement. Our guide to the best hay replacers explains the differences and will help you identify a suitable option.

5. Investigate larger bales

Switching from traditional small bales, to larger bales of hay, could save you money in the long run. Unlike haylage, which will go off if not used quickly enough, big-bale hay will last and some merchants will wrap hay for clients if you need to store it outside.

6. Club together

If you do prefer to use haylage, clubbing together with other owners on your yard will help ensure you get through big-bale haylage fast enough to minimise wastage.

7. Buy from the field

If you can buy your hay straight from the field, and collect it yourself, this is likely to be is cheaper. The farmer may well give you a discount if you’re willing to save him the job of transporting it home.

Many farmers are prioritising loyal customers this year, but it’s worth trying if you’re able to transport.

8. Get your hay analysed

Hay and haylage don’t just differ in their moisture content; depending on the type and age of ley (mix of grass varieties) used, when it is cut (anything from May to late August) and the amount of time it “cures” before being baled, the nutritional value of your forage can vary, so it is worth getting it analysed so you know what you are feeding.

Once you have this information, speak to a nutritionist about your horse and you may find you can save money by reducing your horse’s hard feed.

You may also be interested in…

11 small-holed haynets and slow feeders to extend eating time and reduce wastage

21 full and partial hay replacers to help add more fibre to the diet

13 ways to save money on horse costs without compromising on care

9 ways to save money on your horse’s bills

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

You might be considering different types of forage for horses due to the current shortage of hay. Being aware of the benefits and shortfalls of different forages and knowing about the best forage replacers will help you make an informed decision when it comes to selecting the right products for your horse.

Forage is a really important part of the diet as it contains fibre, which is needed for energy. It also plays an important role as a filler, helping to prevent gastric ulcers and aid digestion. We’ve covered all the types of forage – and explained some of the benefits and problems associated with feeding each.

Types of forage for horses

1. Hay

Hay is the most commonly fed type of forage for horses. harvested either from permanent pasture meadow grasses or specially sown seed leys. Once cut, it’s left to air-dry in the field. It tends to be harvested between the end of May and end of July.

Benefits of feeding hay

• Various types of hay available
• Long stems encourage chewing, which stimulates saliva, helping to control stomach acid
• Can buy in various sizes
• Can be soaked

Problems associated with hay

• Can be dusty
• Shortage this year has affected availability and driven up prices
• Can’t know specific nutrient quantities unless professionally analysed

2. Haylage

Haylage is conserved cut grass, baled with a higher water content than hay, and then wrapped. Haylage tends to be cut earlier in the season compared to hay (generally before mid-June).

Benefits of feeding haylage

• Tends to be higher in overall energy if it’s cut earlier
• Less dusty
• Can buy in bulk or smaller bags

Problems associated with haylage

• Due to the higher water content, more haylage needs to be fed than hay (by weight) as the nutrient and fibre levels will effectively have been ‘diluted’
• Not usually so good for good-doers
• Starts to go off once wrapping is opened
• Can’t know specific nutrient quantities unless professionally analysed (or purchased in bags with nutritional info)

3. Straw

More commonly used as a cheap bedding option, straw can also be fed to horses. Oat and barley straw are most common, though oat straw has a slightly softer texture and is less prickly for the horse to eat compared to barley straw.

Benefits of feeding straw

• Cheaper and readily available
• Can be used as a partial replacement (up to a maximum of 30% of the daily fibre intake) for good-doers or overweight horses

Problems associated with straw

• Always make sure that you are providing a clean, fresh supply of drinking water alongside and monitor droppings to reduce the risk of impaction colic

4. Chopped dried grass

Chopped dried grass is harvested earlier than hay and dried artificially.

Benefits of chopped dried grass

• Often higher in protein and energy, making it a good option for poor-doers and veterans

Problems associated with chopped dried grass

• These types of chaffs retain much of the natural sugar content of fresh grass, but without the water content to ‘dilute’ it, so it’s usually best to avoid these for horses prone to laminitis or requiring a low sugar diet
• Not suitable for use as a complete hay replacement

5. Sugar beet

Sugar beet is the fibrous byproduct of the sugar beet root left after the sugar has been extracted for human consumption.

Benefits of sugar beet

• Palatable way to add fibre
• Quick-to-soak options
• Molasses free options

Problems associated with sugar beet

• Can’t be used as a complete replacement
• Dangerous if fed unsoaked

6. Short-chopped fibres

These may contain chopped straw, grass and alfalfa, or a combination of the three. They sometimes come as complete feed including vitamins and minerals to ensure a balanced diet, in which case they may be an economical alternative to a traditional hard feed of mix or nuts. Short chopped fibres can either partially or totally replace forage ration.

7. Soakable products

Soakable high fibre products or mashes are often high-fibre and low in sugar and starch, so can be used as a partial replacement and are ideal for horses with dental problems.

8. High-fibre pellets

Pellets are a versatile and palatable way of adding fibre as a complete compound feed, partial replacer or treats in a stable toy. Some contain added vitamins and minerals so should be fed in accordance with manufacturer recommendations.

You might also be interested in:

21 full and partial hay replacers to help add more fibre to the diet

11 small-holed haynets and slow feeders to extend eating time and reduce wastage

Is it safe to feed straw? Everything you need to know, with expert advice from an equine nutritionist

8 ways to reduce your hay bill this winter

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Are you looking for a hay replacer as an alternative or additional forage option for your horse due to the hay shortage or poor grass quality? While hay and haylage is commonly fed alongside grazing to ensure your horse receives sufficient fibre throughout the year, you may need to feed different types of forage to ensure your horse’s needs are being met. They are ideal for boosting fibre intake and offering variety, especially during the winter months when access to grazing is limited.

The choice and availability of hay replacers for horses has grown significantly over the last few years with advancing technology. Not all feeds can be used as hay replacers for horses – they must be high fibre and low starch, as well as being nutritionally comparable to forage to be suitable. I’ve spoken to feed companies and they have recommended products from their range that would be suitable forage replacers.

Best hay replacers for horses

Here is a selection of the best hay replacers for horses that are currently available, including the manufacturers’ descriptions of their products.

NB: Feeding rates have been recommended based on a 500kg horse – these feeding rates per day are a guide only.

Jump to:

• Full hay replacers
• Partial hay replacers
• Forage blocks

Full hay replacers for horses

Spillers Speedy-Mash Fibre

Size: 20kg

RRP: £15.85

Soaking time in cold water: 1 minute

Feeding rate: 11.5kg (dry weight) divided into a minimum of four feeds as a full forage replacer

• Sugar: 2.5%
• Starch: 7.5%

Simple System HayCare

• Sugar: <7%
• Starch: <3%

Dengie Meadow Lite with Herbs

• Sugar: 3%
• Starch: 0.5%

TopSpec FibrePlus Cubes

• Sugar: 3%
• Starch: 9%

British Horse Feeds Fibre-Beet

• Sugar: 5%
• Starch: 3%

Rowen Barbary ReadyFibre Mash

• Sugar: 2.50%
• Starch: 5%

Baileys Natural Meadow Cobs

• Sugar: 7.8%
• Starch: 2.2%

Thunderbrook Hay Flakes

• Sugar: 9.7%
• Starch: 0.8%

Partial hay replacers for horses

Allen & Page Fast Fibre

Size: 20kg

SRP: From £13.74

Soaking time in cold water: 1 minute

Feeding rate: maximum daily amount 6.5kg. Split into multiple feeds not exceeding 2kg each meal

• Sugar: 2.5%
• Starch: 5.0%

A low calorie/energy feed, ideal for good-doers or those prone to laminitis, Fast Fibre is high in fibre and low in starch and sugar. It is particularly useful for horses with dental problems and can be fed as a partial hay replacer.

It contains unmolassed sugarbeet so it must be soaked before feeding and that only takes one minute, so you can be sure that your horse’s feed is always fresh.

Pure Feed Meadow Mash

Size: 15kg

SRP: £18

Soaking time in cold water: 5 minutes

Feeding rate: Up to 1kg per 100kg bodyweight per day

• Sugar: 2.5%
• Starch: 8.5%

A quick-soak, high-fibre hay replacer that’s ready in just five minutes. Free from molasses and wholegrain cereals, it’s gentle on digestion. Perfect for older horses, fussy feeders or those needing extra hydration, this soft, easy-to-chew mash mimics the goodness of hay while supporting gut function.

Spillers Happy Hoof Molasses Free

Size: 20kg

SRP: £18.15

Feeding rate: 3kg per day divided into at least two feeds for a 500kg horse

• Sugar: 1.25%
• Starch: 1.5%

This product is the same as the original Happy Hoof, providing all the same nutrients, but without the molasses coating, which lowers the sugar content from 4% to just 1.25%. It contains garlic, biotin and a full range of added vitamins and minerals to provide a balanced diet and can be used as a total hay replacer.

Mollichaff DailyFibre

Size: 12.5kg

SRP: £10.50

Feeding rate: Up to 3kg per day

• Sugar: 5.2%
• Starch: 3.7%

A high fibre, low sugar and starch chaff ideal for those in light to medium work. Mollichaff DailyFibre provides controlled slow-release energy and supports healthy digestion, joint and nerve function, and a shiny coat. Free from molasses, alfalfa, cereal grains, and preservatives, this chaff can be used as part of a bucket feed or as a partial forage replacer.

Dengie Meadow Grass with Herbs & Oil

Size: 15kg

SRP: £18.19

Feeding rate: Up to 1kg per 100kg bodyweight

• Sugar: 12%
• Starch: 2%

A natural blend of chopped and pelleted British-grown meadow grasses (fescue, rye and timothy( with a rapeseed oil coating and a blend of tasty herbs (liquorice roots, fennel, mint, chamomile and aniseed).

Rich in highly digestible fibre, naturally sweet, soft and easy to chew the high level of oil promotes condition and coat shine. Free from molasses and preservatives.

TopSpec TopChop Lite

Size: 15kg

RRP: £14.99

Feeding rate: 1kg can replace up to 2kg of hay

• Sugar: 2%
• Starch: 1%

A natural product made from chopped British alfalfa and oat straw; with real mint, and a very light dressing of linseed oil. TopChop Lite contains no added molasses or any other sugar coating. It is of similar nutritional value to average quality hay but contains significantly less sugar.

Suitable for all horses, including those prone to laminitis, and good-doers, it can be used as a partial or complete hay replacer if needed.

Saracen Super Fibre Cubes

Size: 15kg

SRP: £15.49

Feeding rate: 2–3.5kg per day

• Sugar: 4.5%
• Starch: 10.5%

Easily digestible, high fibre cubes, which are suitable to be fed in a variety of situations. They are cereal free and provide a source of readily digestible fibre. They are ideal for supplementing the forage ration of horses when forage is in short supply or of poor quality. They are also suitable to be fed to those that are sensitive to dust and moulds to help maintain optimum respiratory health.

Can be soaked to produce a mash that can be easily chewed for horses and ponies with compromised dental health or even to tempt the fussy feeder or to help maintain optimum hydration in performance horses.

British Horse Feeds Speedi-Beet

Size: 20kg

SRP: £20

Soaking time: 10 minutes

Feeding rate: 1kg dry weight to replace 1.5kg of hay

• Sugar: 5%
• Starch: trace

Speedi-Beet is unmolassed sugar beet pulp cooked to produce flakes that need a fraction of the soaking time of traditional sugar beet shreds or pellets. It is high in fibre – particularly soluble fibre, which is readily digested and yields slow release energy – as well as being low in sugar and containing no starch.

Baileys Light Chaff

Size: 18kg

SRP: Around £17.50

Feeding rate: Weight for weight for the amount of forage (hay) being replaced

• Sugar: 2.25%
• Starch: 2.5%

Baileys Light Chaff is a blend of high-temperature dried alfalfa and oat straw with a sprinkling of mint and a very light dressing of soya oil, which encourages a shiny coat. It is high fibre and low calorie, as well as having a low starch and sugar content, so is ideal for good-doers, those prone to laminitis and those on a calorie-controlled diet.

Simple System Organic Lucie Stalks

Size: 12.5kg

SRP: £18.85

Feeding rate: Feed according to requirements and condition to a maximum of 1% of ideal bodyweight per day

• Sugar: <5%
• Starch: <3%

An ideal feed for extending eating time, this lucerne chop offers superior high fibre and quality protein, yet is very low in calories. To prolong the hay ration, mix into hay nets or feeders, or dampen in larger buckets in the stable alongside their hay or haylage.

Forage blocks for horses

These are a great way to keep your horse occupied for longer and support their digestive health. They can be used to encourage natural foraging, to slow down food intake or even a smaller alternative to hay when travelling.

Useful as a hay alternative. Made from nothing but timothy grass, they are suitable for all horse types so long as they have good dentition for chewing. Each individual forage block replaces the approximate equivalent of 1kg of hay.

High fibre, low sugar 1kg fibre block, full of tasty herbs and nutritious vitamins and minerals. Can be soaked with warm water to soften to make suitable for horses with poor dentition.

These forage blocks can be fed dry or soaked in water to create a delicious mash. These yummy blocks have been compressed for easy feeding, storage and handling.

Benefits of feeding a hay replacer

• Increase fibre in the diet
• Lots of forms, so something for all horses
• You can ensure that your horse is receiving a set level of nutrients
• Quality doesn’t alter with the seasons
• Soaked options are great for horses with poor dentition
• Soaked options help maintain hydration.

Is it safe to feed a forage replacer in large amounts?

While it’s recommended to keep bucket feeds small, it is safe to feed forage replacers for horses in large amounts as you would hay or haylage in a haynet. As with any change in feeding regime, it is important to gradually introduce a forage replacer and slowly increase the amount used.

Once a hay replacer has been introduced, divide the daily ration up as much as you can to ensure your horse is trickle feeding. These meals can be split between two or three large buckets and left with the horse to graze on either in the field or stable

Can I feed an older horse a hay replacer?

Yes, some hay replacers can totally replace hay in the diet. Soaked hay replacers or mashes come in a pellet form and need to be soaked before feeding. They will be easier to chew than short chop fibres for horses with poor dentation.

When to weigh a hay replacer that needs soaking

You need to measure and weigh out all soakable feeds before you add water to soak them.

You might also be interested in:

Know your forage: which type is right for your horse?

Importance of feeding fibre for healthy horses all-year round

20 feeds suitable for horses prone to gastric ulcers

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Need to slow your horse down and save hay? Here are some great options for a range of needs

The best slow feeders for horses can help with the constant struggle of providing continuous access to forage, while simultaneously slowing eating and prolonging grazing time. I know this struggle first hand as my pony is an incredibly good-doer and has had laminitis in the past, but has no ‘off switch’ when it comes to eating. I’d love to be able to provide him with ad lib hay, but he wouldn’t stop until it was gone. And if I leave him hay in the field, it lasts him no time at all and he ends up waiting for hours without anything to graze on. If you’re feeding a horse on box rest, you may have a similar struggle in your efforts to prevent gastric ulcers.

To manage the situation, I have tried almost all of the options below before finally settling on my current setup, which is a wooden crate-style hay box with a small-holed net tied in – I have the Trickle Net Original, Elico Little Piggy nets, Equilibrium Portion Pacer and KM Elite Elim-A-Net Haynet on rotation. But something different will work for every horse, their personality and your setup – so I’ve included a wide range of options in this guide to ensure there’s a solution for everyone.

Best slow feeders for horses (including small-holed haynets)

What is a slow forage feeder?

Slow feeders are available in a range of designs, from small-holed nets to hay boxes, and they all work in the same way. The smaller the area or holes are to get to the hay, the slower your horse will be able to eat, which lengthens time the hay will be available to him. You might be familiar with slow feeders for dogs and these have a similar concept.

Benefits of using a slow forage feeder

• Replicate natural grazing pattern – feeders that encourage horses to get their heads down will help keep their airways clearer and are closer to their natural feeding habits
• Extend eating time – by doing this, slow feeders help to to mitigate the risks of over-feeding, obesity, cribbing, colic and ulcers
• Help keep horses occupied – this is particularly useful if your horse is on box rest or has restricted grazing
• Minimises wastage – this saves us money and is going to be particularly important this year with the reported poor hay yield
• Reduces mess – this ties into wastage but it should help protect your fields, too
• Protects the nutrient levels of hay from decreasing due to weather conditions

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Everyone knows there is no one way to manage a horse – especially when there are so many factors that go into creating his care programme. What’s more, every horse is an individual with his own specific needs, considerations and health concerns. While it would be helpful if horses produced a list of their wants and needs, it’s up to us owners to work it out and tailor management as best we can. This is why feeding a horse with no energy is a real head-scratcher – the underlying cause could be one of many.

Horse with no energy: why is my horse tired?

A horse lacking in energy typically performs below his best. He might drop behind the leg frequently, lack his usual impulsion or precision or accumulate more jumping faults than normal. A lack of energy may manifest in evasive behaviours such as napping or spooking. Or, you might notice he isn’t as alert on a hack, and doesn’t want to canter as frequently or as far. If you feel like you’re riding a horse with no energy, the following factors could be contributing:

• Soundness
• Workload
• Nutrition

We’ll explore each with an expert below. To jump to a specific topic, click on it above.

Soundness

A horse’s dip in performance and energy might be explained by checking his vital signs, says H&H veterinary consultant Karen Coumbe MRCVS.

“Your horse can’t tell you when he has a headache, but if you make a habit of observing him closely and knowing what’s normal, you’ll be best placed to pick up anything abnormal,” she explains. “Sometimes, lethargic horses have a low-grade virus. If you know his normal temperature range, you’ll know right away if he has a fever, so best to check.”

In cases where a horse has reduced energy, Karen recommends consulting a vet early.

“It helps if you have a regular vet who knows you and your horse and can see if there’s a difference,” Karen adds. “Get an independent assessment and a clinical exam, plus a blood test. A normal blood result can be reassuring.

“Classically, sore feet are the culprit, or low-grade lameness possibly linked as well to a sore back,” adds Karen, who recommends a full lameness work-up to help isolate the region from which the lameness originates if problems persist. Some horses will benefit from a change in shoeing or a simple saddle refit.

Horses that are persistently lethargic may require further investigations, such as checking out the horse’s heart to look for cardiac abnormalities sometimes including an electrocardiogram (ECG) or ruling out gastric ulcers by gastroscopy. The best thing is talk to your vet.

Workload

For British Showjumping accredited coach Christine Shubrook, a regular coach who knows you and your horse well – and is familiar with his routine and workload – could provide a helpful second opinion.

“You see a lot posts on Facebook asking ‘what should I feed my horse?’ But your coach sees you every week and knows you, and can look at the problem holistically.”

If you feel that your horse has no energy, Christine recommends being honest about how fit he really is.

“Because of the weather, the light and work commitments, it can be really hard to keep a horse going through winter.

“But whatever you want to do on the weekend, be it a fun ride or a round of showjumps, the level of work shouldn’t be a surprise to your horse. And really, fun rides can be three or four hours in length. Plus, you’ve got your travel there and back, where the horse has to balance himself for the whole journey. That in itself is tiring – you wouldn’t run a marathon on no training, after all!

“A round of showjumps is about two minutes, so your horse needs to be able to canter comfortably and regularly for two minutes in the school. It’s longer than you think, so use a free app to time yourself. That way, you know you’re putting in the right level of work.”

Christine says increasing your horse’s fitness now will pay dividends through the winter. What’s more, keeping his work varied throughout the darker months targets his whole body.

“Get him fit enough for a fun ride now and you can maintain it,” she says. “Not by riding that long distance, but by timing your canter work with walk intervals for recovery, doing simple lateral work to strengthen the core and walking over poles. Walking over poles in hand, especially raised ones, demands more than people realise. Just 20 minutes is quite an intense muscle-builder.

“It doesn’t need to be a complicated pattern – three poles in a line does a lot. It’s much easier to fit in than a hack and targets muscles more efficiently.”

Rider fitness is another factor that could hamper a horse’s performance.

“The fitter we are, the more we can support ourselves, the quicker we adapt to the horse’s movement and become an easier load for him to carry.”

Nutrition

According to Sarah Nelson BSc, product manager at Spillers, the way your horse looks should give you a good idea of whether his energy requirements are being met.

“Horses maintaining a healthy body weight or condition score are consuming the right amount of energy for their workload – regardless of whether they lack energy under saddle!” she says. “Unless they’re actively losing weight, overweight horses are consuming too much energy. Underweight horses are not consuming enough energy.

“Vitamins and minerals are needed for optimum health,” she adds. “Many are involved in energy metabolism which means a shortfall in the diet could result in lethargy. Make sure you are feeding the recommended amount of an appropriate compound feed or balancer to make up for any shortfall in winter forage.”

Sarah also advises owners to consider the type of energy that is most appropriate for their horses.

“Feeds high in cereal starch promote a more energetic response in some horses, which is why some owners choose traditional competition mixes or oats for those that are ‘lazy’ or in need of extra ‘sparkle’. Many healthy, exercised horses in ideal body condition handle controlled amounts of cereal starch in their diet very well. For those in moderate to hard work, a balance of energy sources, such as those found in Spillers Performance Mix, can help to support performance.

“However, diets high in starch and sugar are not suitable for all horses. Spillers Stamina+ Cubes are rich in highly digestible fibre and oil, providing a source of ‘slow release’ energy for horses in moderate work.”

Fuelling the good-doer

Overweight horses in need of an energy boost often get their spark back once they’ve lost weight, says Dengie senior nutritionist Dr Katie Williams PhD MSc (Dist) RNutr.

“It’s important to balance the diet,” she continues, “because it can often be the shortfall in vitamins and minerals, which are involved in energy metabolism, that can impact the energy levels.

“A classic one for the good doer would be the loss of electrolytes through sweat. Horses who carry a lot of weight are probably going to sweat more, because they work a bit harder, and the loss of electrolytes contributes to fatigue and them feeling like they are running out of active energy. Balancing the diet, and topping up electrolyte levels, is key to maintaining performance.”

Katie also recommends adding a quick-release energy source to a good doer’s bucket if he’s at a healthy weight.

“As long as he isn’t susceptible to laminitis or EMS, adding a traditional quick-release energy source, such as bruised oats, can help give him a bit of sparkle.”

Katie suggests adding a couple of handfuls to begin with, and seeing if that has the desired effect.

“First of all, you don’t want to add too much and end up with exuberance,” she explains, “and secondly, you don’t want to exceed around one-and-a-half kilos total weight per feed. Any more than that, and the risks of feeding higher starch outweigh the benefits of the quick-release energy it provides.

“It’s also key to remove the oats if the horse has time off.

“Feeding a few handfuls of oats alongside a balanced ration shouldn’t disrupt the overall calcium-to-phosphorus ratio. But, if you do end up feeding more, alfalfa is a really nice natural balancer for this. So, if you had a couple of scoops of Dengie Alfa-A Molasses Free and top dress with up to 1.5kg of oats, then this would naturally balance for calcium and phosphorous. However, if you feed even more, you will need a balancer or supplement to ensure all the micro-nutrient needs are met.”

If you’re looking to fuel a higher level of work and want to aid your horse’s stamina, an oil-based chopped fibre is Katie’s go to.

“Oil is a concentrated, dense source of slow-release energy,” explains Katie. “Which is really useful for helping to fuel low-intensity work. This means energy stored as glycogen in the horse’s muscles is spared – a so-called glycogen-sparing effect meaning they’ve got more in the tank when they move into more intense work. This effect also seems to help horses recover from exercise quicker.

“My go-to for this is Dengie Alfa-A Oil. It’s a really simple formulation but seems to do the job!”

Timing is key

For owners looking to feed a horse with no energy a ‘quick release’ energy source, when they feed it could be the answer. According to Topspec nutrition director Nicola Tyler BSc (Hons) RNutr: “Feeding strategically for a horse to be more in front of the leg is best done about an hour-and-a-half before you need them to have more oomph,” she advises. “This is particularly good advice for good doers. If you had a competition in the morning, you might feed 100g of a fast-releasing energy source, such as TopSpec Turbo Flakes, to a good doer. This won’t add significantly to the horse’s calorie intake, but it will give him a short-term energy boost.

“The effect lasts for about two hours before insulin levels rise and take down the level of glucose that you’ve increased in the bloodstream.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout Horse of the Year Show, London International and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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If your horse is on the sharper side, you’ll know that riding, managing and feeding an energetic horse often requires a different approach to the laid-back good doer.

Winter routines usually incur changes to turnout, stabling, management and sometimes ridden work. For some horses, it means as much exercise as limited daylight and ground conditions allow. For others it could mean reduced hacking and more time spent under lights in an arena. If a horse has spent the summer season competing in full work, switching to winter management could mean a reduction in movement and energy expended. Where, then, does this energy go?

If you own a horse prone to spookiness or excitability, you might have noticed a seasonal change in behaviour. Some owners report that their horses become more energetic once clipping starts.

“Often around the time of the first clip, we get more calls to the Dengie Feedline with owners reporting that their horse is suddenly more excitable,” says Tracey Hammond MSc (Dist), Equine Nutritionist at Dengie. “Although there is no evidence to prove it, we suspect they are suddenly noticing the cold a little more!”

If you’re puzzling over managing and feeding an energetic horse, read on for expert tips.

Energetic horses: management considerations

Jane Buchan of Baileys advises a holistic approach to the energetic horse rather than rushing to change the feed immediately.

“Feed is often picked out as the culprit yet, while some feed ingredients can have an effect on temperament, many other factors are likely to be influential,” she says.

Stress

“Horses can be stressed in their environment and work for a plethora of reasons and it is our job to identify if they are stressed and why,” continues Jane, adding that stress and reactive behaviour are both signs of equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS).

“The pain of the ulcers may be exhibited in stressful behaviour. If gastric ulcers are suspected, it is wise to have this investigated by the vet. Altering the horse’s management and feeding regimes can help, but veterinary intervention is recommended to ensure horses get maximum benefit from those changes.”

Turnout

We often think of turnout in terms of quantity, but Jane advises ensuring your horse’s time out is good quality, too.

“If they are not happy on their own or don’t like their companion, some experimentation may be necessary to find a turnout regime with which they are comfortable,” she says.

Stabling arrangements should also be taken into account.

“Some horses like to see what’s going on and be able to interact with other horses, while some may prefer a quieter situation,” says Jane. “In any case, when stabled, horses should always have access to forage or forage alternatives to satisfy their need to chew and produce saliva, which helps neutralise stomach acid.

“As a guide, a horse should consume ideally no less than the equivalent of 1.5% of his bodyweight in fibre per day so, if they don’t have access to grass or are not great eaters of hay or haylage, it may be wise to give them forage alternatives to boost their intake.”

Feeding an energetic horse: does feed affect behaviour?

Understanding how horses are fuelled by feed starts with understanding how that feed is digested and its energy released.

“Carbohydrates are the predominant energy source for herbivores such as the horse,” says Tracey. “The feedstuffs used for horses will vary in the proportions of the different carbohydrates they contain which largely determines their suitability for each horse.

“Carbohydrates include fibre, starch and sugar which vary considerably in how quickly they are broken down in the digestive system and therefore how quickly the energy they contain is released to the horse…”

• fibre is a slow-release energy source digested in the hindgut – the collective term for the caecum and large intestine – by its microbial population. The energy it produces is in the form of volatile fatty acids (VFAs)
• starch is a quick-release energy source primarily digested in the foregut – the collective term for the stomach and small intestine – by enzymes. The energy it produces is in the form of glucose if digested in the foregut. If starch reaches the hindgut it is broken down faster than fibre and produces stronger forms of the VFAs (acid)
• sugar is an even quicker release energy source because it is a simpler structure than starch when digested in the foregut. The energy it produces is in the form of glucose if digested in the foregut and VFAs if it reaches the hindgut

“Feedstuffs that are higher in sugar and starch provide quick-release energy,” continues Tracey. “Studies measuring blood glucose levels after feeding oats found that levels peaked 2 hours after feeding, whereas the levels of VFA in the hindgut peaked at around 5 hours after feeding a high-fibre diet.

“What needs to be considered here is that if horses are fed an ad-lib, forage-based diet, rather than meal feeds, there is less likelihood of a glucose “peak” as the horse is consuming their food more slowly, even though forages contain some sugar.”

Put to the test

In theory, slower-release energy sources – particularly ad-lib forage – should be less likely to contribute to excitable behaviour in energetic horses. But does this work in practice?

“To try and substantiate this with some more scientific evidence, Dengie worked with researcher Louise Bulmer to explore the effects of different energy sources,” explains Tracey.

“The trial compared the effects of feeding Alfa-A Molasses Free (containing 2% starch) with a cereal-based mix (22% starch) with the same energy level (11.5MJ/Kg DE).

“The horses wore heart rate monitors and their behavioural reactions were also recorded when presented with new situations, such as asking the horses to walk through a curtain of plastic strips.

“The study showed that horses fed the cereal mix were more reactive to new experiences than those fed the fibre and oil diet, and were less consistent in their behaviour. Interestingly they also had higher heart rates than those fed the fibre feed, which suggested they were in a more reactive condition and so perhaps more likely to shy or spook at the novel stimuli. The study has since been replicated in unhandled ponies to try to control for any possible human influence and the same results were found.

“This, along with other studies, provides evidence to back up the theory that fibre should be less likely to cause over-excitable and spooky behaviour .”

Feeding an energetic horse: expert recommendations

For Jane, feeding an energetic horse to match his energy output needs is key.

“That way, he won’t have excess calories to burn. Choosing a mix or cube that meets your horse’s condition and energy needs when fed at the recommended rate will help deliver this.

“Good-doers may get all the calories they need from forage alone so a low-starch, high-nutrient balancer is ideal for providing essential nutrients without the calories associated with a traditional mix or cube.

“Many people believe that a higher protein level can exacerbate excitability, but this is not the case. Protein is rarely used by the horse’s body as a source of energy.”

Jane’s recommendation comes in mix or cube form to suit a variety of palates.

“Baileys Ease & Excel Mix and Cubes are both formulated to be sympathetic to horse’s stomach and digestive system by being low in starch and sugar and providing high levels of slow-release calories from superfibres and oil.

“Both contain top-quality protein sources to build and repair muscle tissue, backed up with boosted levels of vitamins, chelated minerals and antioxidants to support performance, immunity and recovery. It’s ideal for any stressy or sharp horses as well as those prone to gastric ulcers.”

Tracey says: “For those that prefer the convenience of an all-in-one option, Dengie Healthy Tummy is a good choice,” she says. “It is a nutritionally complete fibre feed for optimal digestive health and when fed at the recommended feeding rate, does not require an additional balancer or vitamin and mineral supplement alongside”.

“Healthy Tummy combines chopped and pelleted alfalfa with an oil coating, a high specification of vitamins and minerals, and added herbs for great palatability. Healthy Tummy also contains Protexin In-Feed Formula that supplies prebiotics and live yeast for optimal fibre digestion and digestive support. Based on entirely ‘slow-release’ energy sources, Healthy Tummy is also useful for condition without the fizz.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout Horse of the Year Show, London International and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

Helpful tips for feeding a good doer that lives out during the winter

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Just like our own human diets, information on feeding horses for gut health can feel at best overwhelming and at worst contradictory. With so many opinions in the ether, how can we make the best nutrition programme for our horses that will actually maintain a healthy gut?

The first port of call is to take the advice of a registered equine nutritionist, which is exactly what we’ve done. We’ve spoken to the experts to demystify the equine gut and get to the bottom of feeding horses for gut health.

Equine microbiome 101

According to Dr Katie Williams MSc (Dist) RNutr, senior nutritionist at Dengie, no one can overestimate the importance of fibre.

“Over time, the minimum amount of forage recommended for maintaining gut health has increased, largely in recognition of the increased prevalence of gastric ulcers,” she explains. “Fibre provided by forages has other important functions, not least that it is utilised by the immune system-supporting microbiota, or ‘bugs’, that live in the horse’s digestive system.

“Beneficial microbes in the digestive tract help to keep potentially harmful ones at bay by out-competing them for resources. If we keep the good bugs well-fed and in an environment they prefer i.e. not too acidic, they should thrive. If we don’t give them enough to eat, they will start to digest the mucus that lines and protects the gut.

“If the mucus layer is eroded, a phenomenon known as leaky-gut syndrome can occur. This means that things that shouldn’t pass through the gut wall can then do so, potentially compromising the horse’s health.”

Feeding a fibre-rich diet is key to keeping the good bugs in the equine gut well fed. Horses who maintain a healthy weight on ad-lib forage are of least concern, but horses prone to weight gain present a challenge.

“If you have a good doer you’re very likely striving to find a balance between feeding enough to maintain gut health but without resulting in excessive weight gain,” remarks Katie.

So, how much fibre is enough? “For long-term health and well-being, a minimum of 1.5% of current body weight on a dry matter basis is recommended to be fed.”

Equine gut bacteria: can I give them a boost?

“Ingredients that support the microbes in the digestive tract are collectively referred to as digestive aids and would include probiotics, prebiotics and more recently postbiotics,” says Katie. “The first point to note is that there are no bacterial probiotics approved for horses, so anything labelled as a probiotic should only contain live yeast.

“Prebiotics, like the ADM Protexin In-Feed Formula in Dengie Healthy Tummy, are not live but are substances that only impact bacteria in the digestive tract – the horse can’t use them as an energy source, for example.

“The relatively new term of postbiotics is a definition introduced to describe inanimate microbes and their components that have been shown to have an effect on the microbial population in the gut.”

Using any of these digestive aids or gut balancers should help to maintain a healthy digestive system and are arguably even more important when horses are challenged by low fibre diets, high levels of stress and medication.

Winter gut health for horses

Equine management is seasonal, so how do we know we are feeding horses for gut health as their routine and menu changes?

“The equine digestive system thrives on consistency,” says Dr. Stephanie Wood PgDip BSc (Hons) RNutr, head of nutrition at Dodson & Horrell. “Yet the changes in management and feeding that often take place in autumn and winter challenge this status, increasing the risk of digestive disturbance.”

As well as feeding a variety of fibre sources to help increase the diversity and stability of gut bacteria, Stephanie also advises owners to be mindful of feeding too much starch.

“Guidelines are to feed a maximum of 1g of starch and sugar combined per kg of body weight per meal,” she explains. “So you simply use the horse’s body weight and convert that to grams to give you the maximum amount of starch and sugar per meal, e.g. 500g for a 500kg horse.”

While staying within these guidelines is easy for horses in light work or prone to weight gain, owners of poor doers and competition horses with a higher workload going into winter have a slightly trickier task.

“Feeding within these guidelines is also possible by splitting the daily amount of feed into multiple meals; most people do this with a morning and evening feed,” says Stephanie.

“The ideal feeds for those needing more energy are those containing a variety of energy sources as they reduce the reliance on starchy cereal grains. For horses that prefer to eat a cube, Dodson & Horrell ERS Cubes are the ideal choice due to their multiple fibre sources, controlled levels of starch and elevated levels of oil and vitamin E.

“For those who prefer a muesli, Dodson & Horrell Elite Sport Muesli is the ideal option as it shares the same nutritional qualities.”

The best of both worlds

While traditionally mixes and cubes have been seen as the energy source in a horse’s bucket feed, given the right circumstances it’s possible to meet a working horse’s energy requirements with fibre alone.

“Some short chopped fibre feeds, such as Spillers Ulca Fibre, contain added vitamins and minerals, which means they can be fed as a full or partial replacement for traditional compound feeds, such as mixes and cubes,” says Sarah Nelson BSc (Hons), product manager at Spillers.

“This combines the benefits of reducing starch intake and extending eating time at meals, which helps horses produce more saliva and provide a natural buffer to stomach acid. “Therefore, where possible, adding a chopped fibre such as Spillers Alfalfa-Pro Fibre to each meal is hugely beneficial for gut health.”

Katie adds: “Scandinavian researchers (Jansson and Lindberg, 2011) did exercise tests with horses just fed on haylage, and they were performing comparably to horses on more traditional rations. Subsequently, Martin et al (2023) have shown that high-quality fibre like alfalfa fed alongside much lower levels of cereals than are traditionally used, can also support elite equine athletes.

“As long as you put the good enough quality fibre in, so they’ve got the energy substrate to use, horses can make use of it – performance isn’t compromised by doing that and there are a number of long-term health benefits to reducing starch intake and feeding more fibre.”

Katie says Dengie’s Alfalfa Original is comparable to a light mix in terms of energy provision. “It does need to be used in line with a balancer or vitamin and mineral supplement.”

“Dengie Cool, Condition and & Shine, when fed at the recommended rate, is a complete feed that’s equivalent to a medium energy mix.”

Equine management is seasonal, so how do we know we are feeding horses for gut health as their routine and menu changes?

Feeding horses for gut health: a vet’s three easy ways

Unrestricted water, fibre mats and adlib forage — Caroline Hughes MRCVS explains the science behind her three golden feeding rules, and why you must follow them in order to keep your horse happy and healthy…

1. Provide unrestricted access to water

• This is perhaps the most important rule of them all, because a horse’s body is approximately 80% water.
• Horses should drink around 50ml per kg in 24 hours — that’s about 25 litres a day for an average 500kg horse.
• Fluid demand rises if a horse has been sweating, is lactating or eats dry hay.
• Fresh grass contains moisture, so horses may appear to drink less after grazing.
• Signs of dehydration include dark urine that has a strong smell and dark pink/red gums that feel sticky and take more than two seconds to return to their normal colour after being pressed.

2. Feed before exercise

• The school of thought used to be that we shouldn’t feed a horse before they are worked but actually, due to the stomach’s sensitive lining, riding on an empty tummy is bad news.
• Stomach acid is produced in the lower (glandular) half of the stomach, which has a thick protective lining. However, the upper (non-glandular) part of the stomach does not.
• Therefore, an empty stomach results in acid splashing around and hitting the top of the stomach, risking ulceration and discomfort.
• Feeding at least a handful of chaff/hay prior to work provides a fibre mat to protect the stomach.
• Do not feed concentrates prior to exercise, however, due to the risk of colic.

3. Feed adlib forage

• Horses are designed to be continuous grazers and, as herbivores, require a high-fibre diet.
• Those that live out 24/7 spend 75% of their time eating, which equates to 18 hours a day.
• When stabled, small-hole haynets can prolong eating time to avoid long periods without food.
• Providing two sources of forage — perhaps hay on the floor and a haynet — solves the problem of not restricting forage intake while ensuring their supply lasts for longer.
• Horses are hindgut fermenters, as their hindgut is key to digestion. That is why their diets should be at least 50% good quality roughage.
• Long fibre also encourages chewing, which in turn creates saliva. Saliva is important for digestion and is also a natural pH buffer to stomach acid.

Additional reporting by Aimi Clarke

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Winter weight is something every horse owner has to consider. While some owners look to shift kilos from an overweight horse in preparation for spring, for others keeping weight on their horse is a concern from winter to winter. But if your equine friend is approaching his twilight years or perhaps has a sudden drop in condition, what should you feed him to help him gain weight?

First of all, an unexpected and drastic change in weight is a possible sign of disease and discomfort. As such, it should prompt a call to your vet. Possible causes for such weight loss include:

• Teeth: sharp edges may be causing pain and discomfort and reducing intake and resulting in weight loss
• Worms: Internal parasites may compete directly for the nutrients inside the digestive tract and taking nutrients from the horse. A heavy worm burden may also result in damage to the intestinal lining, affecting nutrient absorption and leading to weight loss
• Pain: horses in pain, especially with chronic back or muscle problems, do not thrive, and a vet should be consulted
• Disease: discuss the problem with your vet if the weight loss has happened quickly

However, if your horse routinely loses condition in winter and doesn’t need to, adjustments to management and nutrition will help him maintain his weight when the temperatures fall. If the above options can be ruled out, the next step is to look at the horse’s calorie and nutrient intake, as knowing what to feed your horse to help them gain weight is key.

Why do horses lose weight in winter?

“Horses use the energy contained in their feed to fuel all functions within the body, including maintaining their core body temperature,” says Dr Stephanie Wood PhD, PgDip, BSc (Hons) RNutr, head of nutrition at Dodson and Horrell.

“As the weather turns colder and wetter, the amount of energy the horse uses to maintain their core body temperature increases, although how much energy individuals use for keeping warm is influenced by factors such as how thick a coat they grow, how much protection they have against the cold, wet, and wind, and how well acclimatised they are.

“Horses don’t feel the cold the same as humans do,” she adds, “and are comfortable in much lower temperatures. Their ability to cope with cold temperatures is affected by rain and wind, as both of these factors increase heat loss from the body and thereby the horse’s energy demand.

“To fuel heat production, the horse metabolises its internal fat stores, meaning that throughout winter there is a balance of using fat stores to keep warm and replenishing them from the energy consumed in the feed. If this balance is tipped so that the amount of energy consumed is less than the amount of energy used, weight loss occurs.”

What to feed my horse to gain weight? Think fibre first

Maintaining winter condition for horses who are poor doers means feeding to meet their increased energy demands.

“Ensuring the diet has adequate levels of fibre is the first consideration,” says Stephanie. “Feeding forage ad lib is the easiest way of ensuring they eat enough fibre. This not only supports digestive health, but the fermentation of fibre also creates heat, helping to keep horses warm from the inside.”

According to Dr Katie Williams BSc (Dist) RNutr, senior nutritionist at Dengie, the quality of the forage you feed is also key.

“Forage quality is largely determined by how digestible it is – the older and taller a plant gets, the more lignin, an indigestible feedstuff, is present.

“Late-cut forage will be less digestible than that cut earlier and so if you are looking for weight gain, find a soft, leafy early-cut forage which will be easier for your horse to digest. Poorer quality forage will mean you need to feed more in the bucket, so it’s worth investing in the right forage.”

The importance of tooth condition

Horses with poor dentition are likely to struggle with maintaining condition through winter. “In a Dengie-funded study, horses with poor dentition consumed about two thirds less hay in the same time as horses with normal teeth,” says Katie. “It’s no wonder horses with poor teeth often lose weight!

If you have a horse with dental issues, it’s vital to consider what types of feed will help that horse to gain weight.

“Providing fibre in a form they can manage is often the best way to mitigate weight loss,” continues Katie. “Dengie Hi-Fi Senior or Pure Grass Pellets are ideal as quality forage replacers which can be fed ad-lib. If you want to give a soaked feed, Dengie Alfa-Beet is a super-soft, highly digestible fibre than can be used alongside other condition feeds.”

What to feed my horse to gain weight? Hard feed options

Most horse owners balance their horse’s diet with an appropriate hard feed to deliver the full spectrum of nutrients in the right amounts.

“Conditioning feeds are energy-dense, meaning you don’t need to feed high amounts,” says Stephanie. “Dodson and Horrell CushCare Condition is an excellent conditioning feed option that is particularly suitable for horses who need additional energy but low levels of starch and sugar.

“It also benefits from the inclusion of carnitine for energy metabolism, probiotics for optimum digestive, and joint support, making it the ideal winter feed. Its unique crumble form means it can be fed damp or soaked, allowing you to tailor it to your horse’s tastes.

“For those who prefer to feed a more traditional mix, Dodson & Horrell Build Up Conditioning Mix is recommended. This highly palatable mix is ideal for supplying slow-release energy to support weight gain. Probiotics promote efficient digestion, ensuring horses can maximise their whole diet, whilst high levels of vitamins and minerals balance the diet.”

Tempting the fussy feeder

If your horse is the type to turn up his nose at his bucket feed or lose interest in his haynet, providing a variety of forage types can help maintain his interest and adding appealing tastes and textures to his bucket, or adding a horse lick to his stable, can help pique his interest.

“The act of licking a balancer enhances saliva production, which helps buffer stomach acidity and supports the digestive system,” says Rachel Bowles, equine brand manager at Horselyx. “This is particularly beneficial for horses with sensitive stomachs or those prone to digestive issues.”

She adds: “Horslyx Mint Balancer contains peppermint oil, which is an ideal appetite stimulant for fussy feeders. The appealing aroma and taste of peppermint can encourage horses’ natural foraging behaviour, which can help manage weight by promoting more extended periods of eating and reducing boredom. Plus, it provides a comprehensive blend of vitamins, minerals, and trace elements that might be lacking in forage and grazing. This ensures that your horse receives all the essential nutrients they need for overall health and well-being.”

Winter condition for horses: other considerations

• Ensure you are rugging effectively – Don’t scrimp on rugging a poor doer, as the less energy he has to use keeping warm, the better
• Access to water – Ensure troughs remain clean and thawed to encourage your horse to stay hydrated
• Use an exercise sheet – or invest in a walker rug for if you use a horse walker
• Consider your clip – Would your horse avoid getting excessively hot or sweaty with a blanket or trace clip instead of a full clip? Keeping his winter coat partially intact will reduce his energy demand for warmth

You might also be interested in:

Which type of clip is right for your horse? Check out H&H’s helpful guide

Helpful tips for feeding a good doer that lives out during the winter

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout Horse of the Year Show, London International and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Owners of horses who seem to gain weight on fresh air may find knowing how to feed a fat horse who lives out year-round a real challenge as they try to balance providing sufficient nutrition to cover their essential requirements for good health, without seeing their waistline expand.

Obesity in horses is a real risk to health, with weight-related problems including increased stress placed on limbs and joints, a higher risk of heart disease, circulation problems, digestive disorders and decreased resistance to disease, as well as increasing the likelihood of laminitis occuring.

So if you own a horse or pony who is a good doer, what steps can you take to ensure they achieve a healthy weight and then maintain it? The good news is that going into winter is a great opportunity for these horses to lose weight as nature intended.

Assuming there are no underlying health conditions leading the horse to become overweight, such as equine metabolic syndrome, the most common cause is that the horse is taking on more energy in the form of calories than they are using in exercise, which results in the excess energy being stored as fat.

One of the first things to look at when considering how to feed a fat horse is the quality of your horse’s grazing. This is going to be the primary food source for any horse living out 24/7. If you have a horse that tends to carry too much weight, then this is likely to be the root of the problem, particularly if the horse is in a large field of good quality grass.

While the nutritional value of grass will reduce during the winter months, a field of well-fertilised grazing, such as that produced by farmers for cattle, will still contain a high level of calories for horses to consume.

So how can you reduce the calories from the grass your horse has access to feeding a fat horse ? Equine nutritionist Christine Smy suggests:

• Consider the size of your horse’s field – is there a smaller field available?
• Could you use electric fencing to strip graze or set up a track system?
• Is it possible to use sheep to eat down the grass, so there is less of it for your good doer to munch on?
• If none of the above are possible, you may need to use a grazing muzzle to restrict the amount of grass your horse can eat

If you run short of grass in the winter – or there is snow on the ground – then additional forage will need to be supplied to maintain the horse’s gut health, but try to feed hay that has been a late cut if possible, as this typically has a lower nutritional value, or even better, have your hay tested so you know its nutritional value.

Another option is to mix hay with quality oat straw up to a 50:50 ratio to reduce the calories while maintaining plenty of roughage passing through the horse’s gut. Research undertaken by Redwings and the University of Edinburgh in 2020 has found this can be an effective way to help fat horses lose weight. Ruth Morgan, co-author of the study and researcher at the University of Edinburgh, does recommend that anyone feeding a mix of hay and oat straw ensures that their horse’s teeth are in good condition before introducing straw as it does take more chewing — this will also reduce any risk of impaction colic (none of the horses in the 2020 study displayed any signs of colic). Owners should also keep an eye on the horse’s droppings to ensure their digestive system is managing to move the less digestible forage through efficiently.

It’s important that horses living out full-time are getting all the key nutrients needed to maintain good health. Having your hay analysed to check its feed value will help you to ensure your horse is receiving a well-balanced diet. In terms of bucket feed, a feed balancer designed for good-doers combined with a low-calorie chaff will provide all your horse needs with minimal calories.

What feeding experts recommend

For Dr Katie Williams Ph.D. MSc (Dist) RNutr, senior nutritionist at Dengie, encouraging trickle feeding as much as possible is key for overweight horses with conditions such as equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) and Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID). A consequence of these issues is insulin dysregulation, which means the horse’s hormonal response to eating is disrupted.

“A key function of chopped fibre in the bucket feed is to slow the rate of intake,” she explains. “A study by Ellis et al. (2005) found the addition of chopped straw, at an inclusion rate of 20%, to a ration containing pellets and other chopped fibres resulted in significantly longer eating periods as well as an increased number of chews.

“Other studies have shown that feeding straw as part of the forage ration can slow the rate of intake to such an extent that no discernible insulinemic response results (Jansson et al. 2021), which makes sense when we think about the basic principle of the horse being a trickle feeder.”

While chopped straw is a useful addition to the good doer’s bucket, Katie recommends it is fed as part of a balanced diet as straw contains much lower levels of natural vitamins and minerals than grass-based forages.

“Meadow Lite with Herbs is Dengie’s ultra-low calorie feed, providing just 5MJ/kg of digestible energy,” she says. “It’s also naturally low in sugar (3%) and starch (0.5%) – levels way lower than you would find even in timothy hay. It’s ideal for mixing with a supplement or balancer to ensure the diet is balanced”

She adds: “For those worried about ulcers then Dengie Ulser Lite is a low calorie (8MJ/kg), sugar (6.5%) and starch (2%) fibre feed with added herbs, yeast and prebiotics to promote digestive health. It contains a blend of soft chopped grasses with high-quality oat straw for maximum fibre content while still keeping the calories low. Alfalfa pellets are included for natural buffering due to their high levels of bioavailable calcium.”

To reduce a good doer’s overall calorie intake, Top Spec nutrition director Nicola Tyler BSc (Hons) RNutr recommends looking at the whole diet.

“If you consider that an average 500kg horse would eat between 10 and 15 kilos of forage a day, then what type of chaff you feed at a rate of 125–600 grams per day makes very minimal difference,” she explains.

“You make a far bigger impact with the main forage, and controlling that as much as you can.”

For the good doer, Nicola recommends late-cut meadow hay. “It tends to be lower in sugar and protein, and higher in fibre,” she says.

“For horses who are competing but have got excellent forage and carry their weight well, we would recommend TopSpec Performance Lite feed balancer. For horses who are obese or whose forage intake is restricted due to a condition such as EMS, TopSpec AntiLam forage balancer is ideal. It’s very slightly lower calorie, but has a much higher level of micronutrient support, because it’s those micronutrients that are going to be massively missing in his diet due to such significant dietary restriction.”

Echoing the importance of key micronutrients in an overweight horse’s diet, Sarah Nelson BSc (Hons), product manager at Spillers, says: “Forage only diets often exceed the calorie requirements of good doers, but are likely to fall short of key nutrients including copper, zinc, selenium, vitamin E and lysine.

“Protein is made up of ‘building blocks’ called amino acids, some of which are described as ‘essential’ because they can’t be synthesised by the horse and must be provided in the diet. Lysine is considered the most important essential amino acid and may be deficient in weight loss diets,” she continues. “If a horse’s lysine requirement isn’t met, the body will begin to break down muscle tissue to try and meet demand.

“Spillers Lite & Lean balancer is specifically formulated to balance a calorie-restricted diet and is high in vitamin E and lysine.

“Feeding a balancer alongside a low-calorie short chopped fibre, such as Spillers Fibre Lite Molasses-Free, helps to bulk out the bucket and extend eating time without compromising the good doer’s waistline.”

Other considerations: how to feed a fat horse

If your horse is living out wearing a rug during the winter, it is important to regularly remove the rug to check their physical condition, as well as to allow their skin the chance to breathe and to check for any rubs or injuries that may have occurred. This is particularly important if you’re not riding regularly.

However, ask yourself if your horse really needs a rug? Many native types living out unclipped are able to cope with the worst of the British weather and are likely to be more comfortable without rugs if there is sufficient shelter — either natural or man-made — to allow them to escape from the wind. If you need your horse to lose weight then no rug will allow the horse to use its natural internal warming system to maintain its body temperature, which in turn will help burn the calories it would otherwise lay down as fat.

If your horse has a thick winter coat, it may be difficult to assess their condition by eye, so it’s recommended to get hands-on to assess their body condition score, combined with weekly use of a weight tape, to monitor weight loss or gain. Use the tape weekly at the same time of day and keep a note of the measurements. A gradual weight loss is, as it is in humans, more desirable than losing a lot of weight quickly.

Exercise is a key element of ensuring your horse loses weight. If you are unable to exercise your horse during the winter months, due to limited daylight or other restrictions, then consider the layout of your turnout to encourage the horse to move more. Track systems are becoming increasingly popular as they encouraging the horse to move naturally between areas where they can eat, drink and relax, which can aid weight loss.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from Horse of the Year Show, London International and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

How to calculate your horse’s body condition score – is he the right weight?

Track living: the alternative horsey set-up

Best grazing muzzle options to help reduce your horse’s daily intake

Best feed balancers for all horses: what’s on the market?

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Feeding bran mash to horses is long associated with traditional horsemanship practices. A straight feed composed of the outer coating of kernels of grain, bran is a by-product of milling grain for flour. Historically, it was mixed with warm water to make a tempting mash for working horses. It was believed to assist with recovery after hard work, replenishing lost fluids and promoting gut mobility. Some Horse & Hound readers still report feeding it today.

Moving with the times

There’s something very nostalgic – romantic, even – about watching your horse eagerly tuck in to a warming bowl of “equine porridge” after a hard day’s work. But as horsemanship practices have moved on, with many owners opting for nutritionally balanced compound feeds or feed balancers rather than straights, is the occasional mash still an appropriate feed for the working horse of 2024?

For Karen Coumbe MRCVS, H&H’s veterinary consultant, bran is not a frequent find in modern feed rooms. “Anecdotally it is said to help by providing fibre and, with the added fluid, reduces the risk of colic,” she tells H&H. “However, it is counterproductive to suddenly change feed by giving a bran mash to your horse.”

Karen adds that bran mash is of somewhat questionable nutritional value.

“Bran has a poor calcium to phosphorus ratio and it’s deficient in key nutrients such a lysine. Furthermore, if you feed huge amounts of bran long-term, horses can develop a condition known as ‘big head’, which is actually secondary hyperparathyroidism. This condition is extremely rare with modern, balanced diets.

“Feeding bran has become increasingly unpopular as although it is perceived as a laxative, it may also irritate the intestinal tract. Ultimately, bran mashes are traditional feeds that are now considered old-fashioned. Most yards no longer seem to feed them and, in fact, rarely have bran in their feed room. When it comes to appropriate nutrition, there are other modern, more sophisticated diets to be tried.”

What is “big head” disease?

“Big head” disease or “bran disease”, is properly known as secondary hyperparathyroidism. It occurs in horses who become calcium deficient alongside consumption of excess phosphorus. This causes the horse to leach calcium from the bones to balance supplies elsewhere in the body. The bones form fibrous growths in place of the lost minerals, causing the head to take on an enlarged, deformed appearance. If caught early and the diet is changed, the damage can be reversed. If not, horses can be left with permanent skeletal damage.

Finding a balance

Independent equine nutritionist Clare MacLeod MSc RNutr tells us that while bran mashes should be fed with caution, wheat products similar to bran are still widely-used ingredients in compound feeds.

“The biggest problem with feeding bran mash to horses is that they are traditionally fed once a week,” she tells H&H. “In doing this, you disturb the horse’s healthy gut microbes. Traditionally, we change feeds gradually – it’s something we all know to do. As long as you feed it every day, and phase it in and out of the diet over the season, you avoid upsetting the microbiome. It’s lovely to treat our horses, but we need to respect their physiology, too.”

Clare, who pioneered her own Confident Horse Feeding Programme, also warned of the dangers of low-calcium-high-phosphorus intake. She adds: “Because bran is so high in phosphorus, you would need to add calcium to balance it out. You can used limestone flour to do this, I recommend a ratio of 42g per kilo of bran.

“Bran can be a useful feed. It’s moderately high in fibre and protein and low in sugar. It’s got a moderately high starch content, so it’s not suitable for low-starch diets, but it’s not a bad feed when fed appropriately and balanced correctly.”

You might also like…

5 expert tips for feeding horses this winter

The golden rules of feeding horses that all owners should know

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Adding one of the best oils for horses to your horse’s diet has a wide range of benefits, from providing slow-release non-heating energy to improving coat condition, while they can also be added to the best feeds to aid weight gain. There are a great range of oils that you can feed your horse – while they will all deliver the same amount of energy, each will contain differing amounts of omega fatty acids.

Omega-3 is naturally anti-inflammatory, while omega-6 is pro-inflammatory. A pro-inflammatory isn’t always a bad thing as it can trigger immune responses to help speed up wound healing, for example. However, you definitely want an oil with more omega-3 than -6.

Here’s a round up of the best oils for horses, which includes the cost of each product per day as recommended for a 500kg horse in light work. Cost has been calculated using the RRP of the smallest volume – if you opt for a larger volume, the daily cost will likely decrease.

Best oils for horses

NAF Linseed Oil

Sizes: 1l, 2.5l, 5l, 25l

Feeding rate: 15–45ml

RRP: £12.50 for 1l

Cost per day: From 19p (when buying 1l)

This pure, cold-pressed linseed oil supports general health and helps to maintain a rich, natural shine to the coat. It’s also an ideal form of slow-release energy.

In the UK? View now at amazon.co.uk, viovet.co.uk, gsequestrian.co.uk or naylors.com

In the US? View now at amazon.com

Horse First Omega D Oil

Sizes: 2l, 4l

Feeding rate: 30ml

RRP: £23.75 for 2l

Cost per day: 36p

Described as “liquid sunshine for horses”, this oil contains cold-pressed flaxseed with the correct balance of omegas 3, 6 and 9, which cannot be naturally produced by your horse. It also contains added vitamin D, and supports your horse’s immune system, bone development and strength.

In the UK? View now at amazon.co.uk or viovet.co.uk

Keyflow Key-3 Oil

Sizes: 1l, 5l, 20l

Feeding rate: 30ml

RRP: £16.50 for 1l

Cost per day: 50p

This oil is a blend of cold-pressed British linseed, rapeseed and Scottish salmon oil with garlic. It is scientifically balanced for horses, providing a rich natural source of the long chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA in addition to a balanced ratio of omegas 6, 7 and 9.

In the UK? View now at amazon.co.uk or viovet.co.uk

Science Supplements Pure Linseed Oil

Sizes: 5l

Feeding rate: 180ml

RRP: £34.99

Cost per day: £1.25

This oil is high in omega 3 and has added vitamin E. It can help your horse gain weight, while improving coat and skin condition.

In the UK? View now at amazon.co.uk or viovet.co.uk 

Global Herbs Flax Oil

Sizes: 1l, 5l

Feeding rate: 30–50ml

RRP: £15 for 1l

Cost per day: From 45p

Flax oil helps horses maintain strong hooves, glossy coats and good condition. This cold-pressed oil is also a slow-release non-heating energy source, easy to digest and a rich source of omega-3 and -6. It can also help to aid absorption of other supplements.

In the UK? View now at amazon.co.uk, globalherbs.co.uk, viovet.co.uk, gsequestrian.co.uk or naylors.com 

Dodson & Horrell Soya Oil

Sizes: 5l

Feeding rate: 75ml

RRP: £28.52 for 5l

Cost per day: 43p

This calorie-dense conditioning oil will promote coat shine and weight gain. It can be added to existing feed without adding extra carbohydrate or protein. Feeding 75ml per day will improve coat condition, while you can feed 300ml per day for weight gain.

In the UK? View now at amazon.co.uk, viovet.co.uk or gsequestrian.co.uk

Lincoln Omega Gold Rapeseed Oil

Sizes: 1l, 4l

Feeding rate: 50ml

RRP: £10.50 for 1l

Cost per day: 53p

This 100% pure cold-pressed rapeseed oil, provides a balanced source of omega 3 and 6 polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E. It maintains and improves body condition and is a good source of non-heating energy.

In the UK? View now at amazon.co.uk, viovet.co.uk or gsequestrian.co.uk

Synovium Pure Linseed Oil

Sizes: 5l

Feeding rate: 60ml

RRP: £51

Cost per day: 61p

This cold-pressed linseed oil is 100% pure and taken from the first pressing. It contains omega 3 and 6 fatty acids to support healthy skin, coat and digestive, respiratory and joint health.

In the UK? View now at amazon.co.uk

You might also like:

What’s the best type of oil to feed to horses?

15 feeds to help your horse gain weight and condition

If your horse is underweight this expert advice for feeding poor-doers will set you safely on the right path

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Our native breeds have evolved over thousands of years to graze poor quality pasture on hillsides, plains, and moorland, but by being clever with feeding native ponies during the winter, you can ensure you have a happy and healthy pony when the spring grass arrives.

As we started domesticating and riding our natives for pleasure and sport, we totally changed the environment in which they live, including turning them out on pasture far richer than they have evolved to eat.

This dietary challenge is compounded by the fact that natives are not using as much energy as nature intended to keep warm, thanks to the advent of modern rugs. By rugging our natives their natural winter weight loss can be greatly reduced — meaning they enter the spring carrying too much condition. And, in some cases natives don’t receive as enough exercise as they need.

The result of all these factors mean weight gain is common across all native breeds. But using the winter wisely can play an important role in weight management.

Top tips for feeding native ponies during the winter

1. Native breeds have evolved to put on weight in the summer and live off their fat reserves in the winter. So let them do this; it is fine to have your horse or pony lean at the end of the winter ready for the spring grass.

2. In the coldest of weather a horse’s energy utilisation can rise by 25-30%, so if your horse or pony is a little overweight allow him pull on his stored reserves rather than increasing his feed. Let the weather do some of the hard work for you.

3. Be careful about the rugs he wears. Unless clipped, most horses and ponies do not need thick rugs. Native ponies, especially overweight ones, may not need to be rugged at all.

4. If your pony is turned out all the time over the winter months, he may not need additional forage unless grass availability and quality rapidly decline, or the field becomes covered in snow.

5. If your horse or pony is kept stabled for some of the time, consider how much hay or haylage you are feeding. Most horses or ponies will do well and maintain their weight on a diet that supplies 1.5-2% (dry weight) of their bodyweight in total feed per day, eg. 7.5-10kg for a 500kg horse. If your horse or pony is overweight and you are supplying more than this try adjusting this down. Remember too that although the grass has less nutritional value in the winter, it will be supplying some energy and protein and therefore you will not need to provide the full ration of forage to meet this 2% requirement in the stable overnight. For example, 4-6kg of hay overnight may be sufficient for a 500kg horse.

6. If you are trying to get your pony to lose weight it’s worth having your forage analysed — so you can choose the one with the lowest energy. It is impossible to tell the nutritional quality of forage by looking at it and sometimes hay is richer than haylage.

7. If you do choose haylage, opt for a high-fibre source as it is likely to be lower in energy than a less mature ryegrass source.

8. If you choose hay, go for a mature fibrous one, such as Timothy hay, as this is likely to be lower in calories.

9. Soaking your hay will reduce the water soluble carbohydrate and calorie content. In order to maximise this effect it will need to be soaked overnight (up to 16 hours) ideally in water at or more than 16°C. In winter this can be a challenge, but try raising the temperature at least initially with a few boiled kettles.

10. Regardless of the forage source you choose, it won’t supply a balanced diet. In order to achieve this choose a low-calorie feed balancer. This will provide good quality protein alongside vitamins and minerals making up for any shortfall in the diet without adding unnecessary calories.

11. You may need to restrict grazing by using a grazing muzzle — these have been shown to be highly effective, restricting intake by over 80%. Do make sure it is properly fitted, that your horse or pony can drink and their teeth are checked regularly. Muzzles shouldn’t be used all the time and you should keep an eye on herd behaviour to prevent bullying.

12. If your pony spends a lot of time in the stable, make sure you are not using bedding he can eat.

13. In order to extend eating time, use double haylage nets. As long as your pony has time each day eating from the ground (such as time spent grazing), there is no evidence this will damage teeth.

What the experts say

Katie Grimwood from Bailey’s Horse Feeds shares her expertise on feeding your native this winter:

“Having adapted to thrive on the poorest of grazing, Britain’s native ponies are programmed to put on weight, when food is readily available, in the spring and summer, storing these excesses as fat throughout the body, especially the abdomen (tummy), where it is known as omental fat. These fat cells, originally thought to be benign energy stores, do actually produce hormones which regulate a number of body processes and play a key role in helping ponies survive harsher conditions.

“One such hormone is cortisol, which inhibits the action of insulin, the hormone responsible for controlling blood glucose levels. The result is a degree of insulin resistance, which is normally of benefit as it ensures glucose is available for essential areas, like the brain, at the expense of less essential tissues, like muscles. This condition pervades through the winter but gradually lessens as the pony loses weight, and omental fat, with the naturally reduced availability of food and colder weather conditions.

“By spring time, the pony is lean but healthy and ready to indulge in the pleasures of spring grazing and gaining weight for the following winter. The trouble is, these fluctuations in a pony’s condition are no longer acceptable, nor suitable, for the modern owner, whose requirements for performance or breeding are less satisfactorily met by a pony who spends six months of the year in “poor” condition.”

Emma Nissler, nutritional manager at Dodson & Horrell recommends feeding the following to your native this winter:

“Go Lite Balancer is fully balanced in all essential vitamins and minerals, providing everything the horse or pony needs alongside their forage and grazing each day. It contains added digestive support (probiotic), hoof support (biotin, zinc and methionine) and immune support that consists of our blend of antioxidants (blackcurrant, kale, spinach, beetroot, rosemary, rosehip and pomegranate). It is low in starch and sugar, making it ideal in support of those with laminitis. As it is a balancer, it is low intake and so low in calories, making it ideal for native horses and ponies that naturally hold their weight well.

“The feeding rate of the Go Lite Balancer is 100g/100kg of bodyweight per day. For example, a 500kg horse will need 500g of Go Lite per day.

“Safe & Sound is a fibre-based product. It is fully balanced in all essential vitamins and minerals, providing everything the horse or pony needs alongside their forage and grazing each day. It contains added digestive support (probiotic), hoof support (biotin, zinc and methionine), immune support (QLC antioxidants) and joint support (MSM). All of these are ideal in support of native horses and ponies in light to moderate workloads. It is low in starch and sugar, ensuring its suitability for horses with laminitis, as well as being low in calories and so suitable for native breeds that hold their weight well.

“The feeding rate of the Safe & Sound is 400g-600g/100kg of bodyweight per day. For example, a 500kg horse will need a minimum of 2kg per day (four Stubbs scoops) and up to a maximum of 3kg per day (six Stubbs scoops).”

Insulin Dysregulation

“The problem with not allowing a fat pony to lose weight through the winter is that the insulin resistance, resulting from cortisol production, is not reversed. When allowed to continue long-term, this can result in Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) or Insulin Dysregulation, giving rise to elevated levels of glucose and insulin in the blood and, ultimately, a greatly increased risk of laminitis. Overweight or obese ponies are also likely to suffer with joint problems, struggle to regulate their body temperature (especially in the summer) and be at greater risk of certain forms of colic.”

Healthy condition

“There’s nothing wrong with wanting to avoid the natural season fluctuations in a pony’s condition but our aim should be to maintain healthy condition rather than one that is overweight. Ponies in ‘show condition’ are arguably overweight, and much still has to be done to address the accepted norm, but that is a topic in itself! So how do we achieve healthy condition and feed to maintain it?

“Starving is not a healthy option for any equine so even the overweight must still be fed but their diets must be devised to maximise chew time and minimise calorie intake. Fibre intake must be maintained at 1.5% of bodyweight (around 5kg for a 350kg pony) per day, to ensure gut health and efficiency, and high calorie, low fibre (relatively) grass is only allowed in moderation unless, of course, the demands of work mean that your pony burns off all the calories he consumes so does not store any as fat.

“Stalkier, later-cut forage is generally less nutritious, while soaking hay for up to 12 hours will help “wash” out water-soluble carbohydrates (calories), leaving all-important fibre to keep the pony chewing. Small-holed nets will extend chew time, while other low-calorie fibre sources, like “light” chaffs and soaked unmolassed beet pulp, can be fed to add variety as long as they are accounted for in the overall fibre ration ie. are part of that 1.5% of bodyweight.

“Essential nutrients, like protein, vitamins and minerals, are naturally lacking in modern forage and pasture anyway but are also lost along with the calories, when hay is soaked, and are likely to especially deficient in stressed rough or ‘starvation’ pasture. Feeding a balancer such as Baileys No. 14 Lo-Cal Balancer will provide all these essential nutrients without the unwanted calories of a mix or cube and will support muscle tone, hoof growth, metabolism and general well-being.

“Constant monitoring of a pony’s body weight and condition, through weighing or weightaping and use of an objective Body Condition Scoring (BCS) system are essential for the long-term maintenance of healthy body weight, along with corresponding alterations to diet, exercise and management to achieve healthy body condition.”

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The golden rules of feeding horses that all owners should know

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Cold weather, rain and grazing low in nutrients — the winter months can prove a feeding challenge for most owners. But these tips on feeding horses in winter can help keep your horse in peak condition

1. Older horses, particularly those with poor teeth, can struggle in the winter and lose condition dramatically. Soaked fibre-replacement feeds are a good addition or alternative to forage when chewing becomes difficult. Teeth should be checked regularly and intake should be monitored. Signs that may indicate poorer dental health can include loose droppings, reduced appetite, long strands of fibre in the droppings or partially chewed and balled up fibres (quidding).

2. From an evolutionary perspective, winter is the season when horses in the wild would slim down by drawing on their fat reserves as the cold weather bites. So, don’t be too quick to supplement the diet of your horses and ponies if they go into winter a bit on the plump side.

3. Maintaining weight is a challenge that worries many owners during the winter months. A feed supplement high in oil can help to boost the calorie intake. Some horses and ponies do increased amounts of work in the winter, particularly those who hunt or continue to compete indoors. As such, feed intake needs to increase to compensate for a higher workload. For those with a tendency to hot up, the best approach is to look for higher energy feeds that are low in starch, but high in digestible fibre and oil. A fibre-based feed that combines chopped high temperature dried grasses and alfalfa with a light molasses and oil coating can be used as a total forage replacer for veteran horses than struggle to chew their normal forage ration.

4. Horses have a strong inbuilt desire to chew and it is difficult to satisfy this in horses stabled 24/7 during the winter months. If ignored, behavioural issues such as wood chewing, windsucking and weaving may ensue. Serious health issues such as colic or gastric ulcers can pose a risk, too. Therefore, access to forage must be plentiful, ideally a constant supply, along with fresh water. Supplementary hay or haylage should also be provided in the field when grazing quality is reduced over the winter months.

5. For horses that have a history of tying-up, the winter’s disjointed and irregular work patterns can be a big problem, especially when associated with an increase in quantity of feed to maintain condition. Regularity of work is important as well as allowing plenty of time to warm up and cool down. A well-balanced diet is essential, but a concentrate that is low in both starch and sugar can be beneficial. An electrolyte supplement should also be provided for feeding horses in winter whenever the horse is working hard enough to sweat, and water intake should be monitored.

You might also be interested in:

8 ways to reduce your hay bill this winter

Know your forage: which type is right for your horse?

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The cost of living crisis is hitting everyone across the UK and we’d all like to know how to reduce vet bills for our horses – without compromising their welfare.

Veterinary care is expensive and new horse owners don’t always fully factor in these costs. It is better to work with your vet to plan your horse’s healthcare than to call the vet only when something goes wrong, which can mean expensive treatment that could have been avoided.

Cancelling or cutting back on horse insurance – or dipping into your emergency fund for routine bills – could prove a very expensive mistake, so make sure you do keep your rainy day provisions in place.

Routine vet care essential to reducing vet bills for horses

All owners should ensure horses receive routine veterinary care; cutting corners here is a false economy which compromises welfare and can lead to larger vet bills for horses in the long run. Horses are stoic creatures and often hide pain until it is serious, but detecting issues early can mean less expensive treatments are sufficient, and horses often have a greater chance of recovery.

Preventative medicine includes equine vaccinations, dentistry and testing for worms and your vet practice may be able to offer a check-up or MOT alongside this care, to spot other issues before they become serious. Preventative care also helps minimise drug resistance to wormers and antibiotics, so treatment can be targeted better and we avoid unnecessary use of drugs, which is a serious ongoing problem in the horse world and beyond.

Veterinary practices may also provide discounted healthcare packages, combining vaccinations and dentistry and offering add-ones such as worm egg counts and blood tests.

By putting in place good preventative measures, your horse will hopefully enjoy good health and you will enjoy low vet bills. Don’t let that make you complacent and relax your routine healthcare, though, as inevitably that will be when disaster will strike.

Zone visits and yard discounts

Many vet practices offer zone visits, where vets concentrate non-emergency calls in a set area on a particular day of the week. Some practices also offer yard discounts, where multiple horses are seen in one visit. Do ask your practice whether these are available.

Old friends – and the final decision

When owners need to cut costs, they sometimes curtail veterinary care for older, retired horses and ponies, but these equines need as much healthcare as any horse, sometimes more. If you cannot afford suitable care for a retired horse, the responsible thing to do is to give him a humane end and have him put down.

Equine euthanasia is a difficult subject, but all owners should have enough money saved for this eventuality. Costs vary according to the method, plus there will be a fee for disposal of the body.

Have a chat with your vet about options at a time when there is no pressing need for that conversation – it is better to have decided what you want to do in advance than to have to make difficult choices (and worry about costs) in an upsetting emergency situation.

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No horse, short of cash, desperate to ride? Check out these ideas for ways to ride on a budget

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The rules of good feeding state “feed according to work done”, so if you are planning to give your horse a break this winter, you will need to adjust his feed accordingly, but those same rules state that “changes in feeding must be made gradually”, so what is the best way to go about this?

The main reason for cutting feed is to reduce the calorific and, more specifically, the starch and sugar component of the diet, to avoid weight gain, excitability or muscle problems, particularly for horses susceptible to the condition widely known as tying-up, azoturia or ERS. But if your horse needs to put weight on during his break, then this requires a different plan of action.

Nicola Tyler, nutrition director at TopSpec shares her top tips for feeding a horse that is about to be turned away or is already on a winter holiday.

“The general principle is that you can reduce the amount of hard feed fed to a horse a lot quicker than you can introduce it, providing there is ample forage available — it won’t upset a horse’s digestive system to cut hard feed out straight away.

“If your horse is having a short holiday (three weeks or less) and is in good condition, you are usually fine to feed a vitamin, mineral and salt-based feed, such as a balancer, or an all-round vitamin and mineral supplement mixed with chaff.

“If your horse needs to gain weight while he is on his holiday, then continue to feed hard feed designed with weight gain in mind, but if your horse needs to lose weight, then this is a great opportunity to achieve that by reducing calories to a minimum.

“A fit competition horse can have a holiday for three weeks and hardly lose any of its fitness — if your horse is only off for this period of time, then feed a balancer to help keep microflora healthy in the gut.

“If your horse is off for a longer period of time, maybe up to six months or a year, feed only forage and an appropriate balancer — for example a light balancer in the summer and one high in protein in the winter as grass has significantly less protein content during the cooler months.

“Always make sure clean, fresh water and a salt lick are available as there is hardly any sodium in grass and a lack of it can lead to health issues, such as tying up.”

Lucy Smith, a professional groom agrees, saying that each individual horse is different and so they must be treated on a case-by-case basis when roughing off for the winter.

“Each horse must be treated as an individual, but as a rough guide we tend to reduce a horse’s workload steadily — it would be unfair to expect a horse to settle if you throw them straight out in the field when they have been in full work,” she explains.

“We do this by putting horses on the walker for less and less time, or perhaps taking them for a gentle hack to help their brains wind down. Same goes for rugging — by making changes gradually it give the horse time to adjust and they are more likely to go out on holiday in the right frame of mind.

“As hard feed is reduced and cut out, we feed ad lib forage in the form of hay or haylage in the field to keep the gut healthy — a horse will never be without hay or haylage while on holiday. We tend to keep a rug on horses throughout their winter holidays — but these will be taken off so the horses’ can be checked regularly during their time off.”

Tracey Hammond from Dengie adds: “Alfa-A Molasses Free combines chopped and pelleted alfalfa with a rapeseed oil coating and the added herbs mint and fenugreek. Based on entirely slow-release energy sources Alfa-A Molasses Free is ideal for condition without the fizz and the added pellets and herbs are great for fussy feeders. For those that need a lower calorie option Hi-Fi Molasses Free combined chopped and pelleted alfalfa and straw with a light oil coating and the added herbs mint and fenugreek. These feeds should be combined with a broad-spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement or balancer to provide a balanced ration.”

You might also be interested in:

Top tips help tackle horse weight loss worries ahead of winter

Expert advice for feeding a horse to avoid gastric ulcers

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The best feeds for older horses are designed specifically to meet the nutritional needs of an ageing horse and deliver it in an easily digestible form. A good veteran feed will ensure your horse is receiving enough fibre, provide increased levels of protein to help maintain muscle mass, and deliver the nutrition required to support their vital organs and promote mobility.

Feeds designed for older horses are available in a variety of forms, and many are softer or soakable, which makes them easier to chew. This is important as chewing is the first stage of digestion, but a horse’s teeth wear down throughout his life and poor dentition is common in older horses. This is why many of the best hay replacers, which are often beneficial to veterans, are shorter stem or soakable.

No matter a horse’s age, he should be fed as an individual according to his condition. While weight loss is common in older horses, many horses that have been good-doers throughout their lives will remain so and, therefore, should receive an age appropriate low-calorie feed to prevent unwanted weight gain.

At what age does a horse need a veteran feed?

A horse is generally consider a veteran at the age of 15 – this is not to say they’re old, as many are still living active lives at this age, and with good management and veterinary care many go one to live into their thirties.

Like people, horses age at different rates – some require a veteran feed sooner than others, while many continue to thrive on their usual feed much longer. For example, if your horse is under the age of 15 but requires a joint supplement, it would be worth discussing with a nutritionist as to whether a veteran feed designed for older horses would cover the requirements.

What veteran feed is best for my horse?

Feeds come in different types, each with its own set of benefits. We’ve included all types within this guide and you can use the links to jump to the section you think most suits your horse below.

• Mixes are fairly traditional compound feeds and you can see the elements within them
• Cubes or pellets typically give the same nutrition as their equivalent mix, but can be soaked, which makes them easier to chew
• Mashes and soaked feeds are really easy to chew – some are optionally soakable, while others must be soaked to be safe to eat
• Chopped fibres are frequently used to bulk out feeds and deliver additional fibre, but they are also useful for carrying supplements for older horses and powder-form balancers
• Balancers provide everything your horse needs in a low-volume, low-energy way, which makes them particularly suited to good-doers

Best mixes for older horses

Spillers Senior Complete Care Mix

Bag weight: 20kg | RRP: £18.25 | Daily feeding rate: 3kg | Cost per day: £2.74 |

This mix is designed to provide complete nutritional care. It includes glucosamine and MSM to support joint health, as well as pre- and probiotics to help support gut health, together with an appetising herbal blend to encourage fussy eaters to tuck in.

View now at amazon.co.uk

Baileys No15 Senior Mix

Bag weight: 20kg | RRP: £17 | Daily feeding rate: 2½kg | Cost per day: £2.13 |

This mix is formulated to provide easy-to-digest, non-heating calories that will provide a little more condition than a high-fibre, low-energy feed, while also delivering the extra nutrients he needs to stay looking and feeling good.

With protein from alfalfa and soya, Baileys Senior Mix helps promote good muscle tone, while yeast culture and Digest Plus prebiotic support gut efficiency. It contains a full profile of vitamins and minerals that are important for maintaining health and wellbeing in the older horse.

View now at amazon.co.uk

Equerry Veteran Mix

Bag weight: 20kg | RRP: £18.25 | Daily feeding rate: 2½–3kg | Cost per day: £2.28 |

This mix is designed for elderly horses that need to gain weight and condition. It is formulated with high levels of protein to promote muscle tone and topline, oil and linseed to improve condition and ensure a shiny coat, and yeast for a healthy digestive system. The cereals are highly digestible so your horse gets maximum benefit and it includes raised levels of vitamin E, which is an important antioxidant.

View now at amazon.co.uk

Rowen Barbary Senior Support

Bag weight: 20kg | RRP: £18.60 | Daily Daily feeding rate: 2kg | Cost per day: £1.86 |

Senior Support is ideal for the older horse who would benefit from the added glucosamine, MSM and turmeric, which are added to help maintain healthy joints. It has high levels of oils, as well as digestive enhancers, vitamins and minerals, which all help to ensure excellent condition is maintained all year round.

View now at amazon.co.uk

Spillers Senior Conditioning Mix

Bag weight: 20kg | RRP: £19.25 | Daily feeding rate: 3kg | Cost per day: £2.89 |

This mix is designed for active older horses who have trouble keeping weight on. It contains a blend of steam flaked cereals and oil for condition, while the small-sized particles make for easier chewing. It includes glucosamine to help support joint health, live yeast to support digestive health, minerals to aid absorption and antioxidants to support the immune system.

View now at amazon.co.uk

Pure Veteran Mix

Bag weight: 15kg | RRP: £19.25 | Daily feeding rate: 2kg | Cost per day: £2.57 |

Pure Veteran Mix contains elevated levels of vitamins and minerals, with a soft chop for easy chewing. It also includes quality protein and extra slow-release calories to help senior horses who are still in regular work or require extra assistance maintaining condition.

View now at amazon.co.uk

Saracen Veteran Mix

Bag weight: 20kg | RRP: £20 | Daily feeding rate: 2kg | Cost per day: £2 |

This highly digestible mix is designed specifically to meet the nutritional needs of the older horse. Formulated with “super-fibre” sources and oil, the daily ration provides slow-release energy, which helps to avoid the fizz that can be associated with cereal-based diets. Veteran Mix is fully balanced with essential vitamins and minerals, as well as quality protein sources to support and maintain muscle tone and development, plus has the added benefit of live yeast to support gut health and fibre utilisation.

View now at amazon.co.uk

Baileys No8 Meadow Sweet with Turmeric

Bag weight: 15kg | RRP: £16 | Daily feeding rate: 2½kg | Cost per day: £2.67 |

This low-starch, high-fibre mix is formulated to help maintain condition, while encouraging a calm temperament. It’s the first fully balanced feed to include TurmerAid complete turmeric supplement, which contains ingredients to support healthy joints and the immune system, making it particularly suited to the older horse. The mix is molasses-free and contains no whole cereals, so with a starch level of just 7.5% it is ideal for older horses who have moderate energy requirements but need to control their starch intake.

View now at amazon.co.uk

Best soakable pellets and mashes for older horses

Keyflow Golden Oldies

Bag weight: 15kg | RRP: £47.50 | Daily feeding rate: 500g | Cost per day: £1.58 |

Golden Oldies is a balancer that is formulated to be soaked into a soft palatable mash for older horses, offering an all-in-one solution. It’s designed with the specific needs of older horses in mind, and is molasses and cereal free. It has exceptionally low levels of sugar and starch and is considered suitable for horses with concerns of PPID (Cushing’s) or laminitis, as well as those with gastric ulcers. Prebiotics and probiotics are included to support gut health and efficiency, as well as omega-3, which supports joint health, skin, coat and hooves, and turmeric.

View now at amazon.co.uk

Spillers Senior Super-Mash

Bag weight: 20kg | RRP: £16.90 | Daily feeding rate: 3kg | Cost per day: £2.56 |

Targetting condition and gut health, this mash is ideal for older horses with dental issues – it soaks in less than two minutes. It’s high in fibre and molasses free, plus also contains live yeast alongside prebiotics to support digestive health. It can be added to existing feed or fed at 3kg/day if used as a replacement for compound feed.

View now at amazon.co.uk

Pure Veteran Pellets

Bag weight: 15kg | RRP: £19.25 | Daily feeding rate: 2kg | Cost per day: £2.57 |

Pure Veteran Pellets is a complete feed that is designed for older horses who require a mash due to poor dentition. It contains elevated levels of vitamins and minerals, slow-release calories and good quality proteins, which all help older horses who require extra assistance maintaining condition or are still in regular work.

View now at amazon.co.uk

Saracen Horse Feeds Veteran Cubes

Bag weight: 20kg | RRP: £20 | Daily feeding rate: 2kg | Cost per day: £2 |

These highly digestible mint-flavoured cubes are made to be softer than other traditional cubes, which ensures they can be easily soaked into a soft palatable mash for horses with poor dentition. The cubes are rich in essential antioxidants, such as vitamin E, to support and maintain muscle function, while the live yeast supports optimum digestion and fibre utilisation. They offer a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which promote good coat condition, joint health, and mobility.

View now at amazon.co.uk

Dengie Alfa-Beet

Bag weight: 20kg | RRP: £15.95 | Daily feeding rate: 1½–2½kg | Cost per day: From £1.27 |

This soaked, high-fibre, low-sugar and -starch feed is ideal for older horses who struggle to chew. The combination of nutrient-rich alfalfa and unmolassed sugar beet pulp help to promote weight gain and condition in the form of highly digestible fibre. It is free from molasses and contains just 2% starch and 5% naturally occurring sugar, and soaks in 15 mins (hot water or two hours cold water) to help aid hydration.

View now at amazon.co.uk

Pure Meadow Mash

Bag weight: 15kg | RRP: £15.25 | Daily feeding rate: Up to 5kg | Cost per day: Up to £5.08 |

Pure Meadow Mash is a high-fibre, low-sugar and low-starch hay replacer. The quick-soaking pellets form an easy to chew mash, which is perfect for older horses and those with poor dentition. It contains seven different herbs for improved palatability to help tempt even the fussiest of eaters.

Best chopped fibres for older horses

Dengie Hi-Fi Senior

Bag weight: 20kg | RRP: £16.89 | Daily feeding rate: 1½–2½kg | Cost per day: From £1.27 |

This highly digestible fibre feed blends soft grass and nutrient-rich alfalfa with a light molasses and rapeseed oil coating. It is ideal for veterans and those with poor dentition because the soft, short chop makes it easier to chew, while the alfalfa supplies good quality protein to help maintain condition and topline. Hi-Fi Senior can be used as part of the bucket feed or as a total or partial hay replacer.

View now at amazon.co.uk

Dengie Meadow Grass With Herbs And Oil

Bag weight: 15kg | RRP: £15.95 | Daily feeding rate: 1½–2½kg | Cost per day: From £1.59 |

This 100% natural, British-grown blend of chopped and pelleted grasses is rich in highly digestible fibre, naturally sweet, soft and easy to chew making it ideal for veterans or those with poor teeth. It has a rapeseed oil coating that promotes condition and coat shine, while the blend of herbs – liquorice root, fennel, mint, chamomile and aniseed – help tempt fussy feeders. It is free from molasses, artificial flavours, preservatives and straw.

View now at amazon.co.uk

Dengie Pure Grass

Bag weight: 15kg | RRP: £17.95 |

This is a natural blend of British-grown grasses that are soft and easy to chew, making it ideal for veterans. Naturally sweet and rich in highly digestible fibre, Pure Grass can supply additional calories for poor doers; it can be included in the bucket feed, used as a forage replacer or supplementing limited grazing. It is free from molasses, artificial flavours, preservatives and straw. We’ve not calculated a cost per day for this feed as it can be fed in any quantity from a handful to hold a supplement to ad-lib as a complete hay replacement.

View now at amazon.co.uk

Best balancers for older horses

TopSpec Senior Feed Balancer

Bag weight: 15kg | RRP: £44.95 | Daily feeding rate: 500g | Cost per day: £1.50 |

TopSpec Senior Feed Balancer is designed to help maintain muscle development, topline and condition, which often starts to decline with age. It combines the benefits of a feed balancer and a joint supplement, in a highly cost-effective way. It is made without cereal grains and is low in sugar and starch.

When this balancer is mixed with TopSpec FibrePlus Cubes it makes a complete feed, which can be used to replace all forage if necessary due to poor dentition. It includes the scientifically recommended rate of glucosamine to help maintain mobility (when fed at the recommended rate). It is a palatable “non-heating” feed that contains several supplements that provide the necessary levels of micronutrients and digestive aids, so there is no need to add further supplements.

View now at amazon.co.uk or viovet.co.uk

Blue Chip Senior Super Concentrated Feed Balancer

Sizes: 3kg | RRP: £26.45 | Daily feeding rate: 100g | Cost per day: 88p |

Formulated for horses over the age of 14, this balancer contains the correct levels of vitamins, minerals and nutrients in the diet, along with additional supplements to ease the ageing process. It includes a combination of chaste tree berry, antioxidants and omega oils, a complete joint supplement and is completely molasses free. Available in a rodent-proof and waterproof recyclable tub.

View now at amazon.co.uk, viovet.co.uk or gsequestrian.co.uk

Keyflow Golden Oldies

Bag weight: 15kg | RRP: £47.50 | Daily feeding rate: 500g | Cost per day: £1.58 |

Also featuring in the mash section of this guide, Golden Oldies is a balancer that is formulated to be soaked into a soft palatable mash for older horses, offering an all-in-one solution. It’s designed with the specific needs of older horses in mind, and is molasses and cereal free. It has exceptionally low levels of sugar and starch and is considered suitable for horses with concerns of PPID (Cushing’s) or laminitis, as well as those with gastric ulcers. Prebiotics and probiotics are included to support gut health and efficiency, as well as omega-3, which supports joint health, skin, coat and hooves, and turmeric.

View now at amazon.co.uk

Dodson & Horrell Senior Support balancer

Sizes: 15kg | RRP: £33.43 | Daily feeding rate: 500g | Cost per day: £1.11 |

Designed for older horses who are actively competing or in light work, this balancer provides quality protein and all the vitamins and minerals a veteran requires in a low-volume, low-calorie way, which is ideal for horses that hold their weight well and don’t need a lot of compound feed.

View now at amazon.co.uk

NAF In The Pink Senior

Sizes: 900g, 1.8kg, 3.6kg | RRP: £26.25 for 900g | Daily feeding rate: 30g | Cost per day: £0.87 |

Formulated to meet all the nutritional requirements of the older horse and give him all the support he needs to stay active and feeling young, this balancer supports the digestive system, which helps your horse maximise the value of his feed intake.

View now at viovet.co.uk, amazon.co.uk or gsequestrian.co.uk

Science Supplements WellHorse Veteran

Bag weight 1.6kg | RRP: £39.99 | Daily feeding rate: 54g | Cost per day: £1.35 |

Formulated to meet the demands of the older horse, this balancer contains every important nutrient your veteran requires and meets the NRC (National Research Council) and BASF (Animal Nutrition) recommendations for vitamins, microminerals and macrominerals. It also supports joint, hoof and gut health as well as the immune system.

View now at amazon.co.uk, viovet.co.uk or gsequestrian.co.uk

Spillers Supple & Senior Balancer

Bag weight: 15kg | RRP: £37.29 | Daily feeding rate: 500g | Cost per day: £1.24 |

This balancer is designed for older horses that maintain condition well on forage alone. It contains glucosamine, MSM and omega-3 for joint support, quality protein to support muscle and topline, and pre- and probiotics to support digestive health. It provides a broad spectrum of vitamins and minerals and is high in antioxidants to support immune health. With a low starch and sugar content, it is suitable for those prone to laminitis.

View now at amazon.co.uk

TopSpec Senior Lite feed balancer

Bag weight: 15kg | RRP: £44.95 | Daily feeding rate: 500g | Cost per day: £1.50 |

Designed for elderly horses that are prone to weight gain, this balancer combines the benefits of a low-calorie feed balancer and a joint supplement in a cost-effective way. It’s formulated without cereal grains and provides only low levels of sugar and starch, which helps to maintain healthy hindgut function and avoid loose droppings.

View at amazon.co.uk or viovet.co.uk

You might also be interested in:

21 full and partial hay replacers to help add more fibre to the diet

Veteran supplements: what’s on the market?

Best feed balancers for all horses: what’s on the market?

Supplements to help joints keep working at their best: what’s on the market?

15 feeds to help your horse gain weight and condition

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

’Tis the season to be jolly — but follow these eight tips to ensure your horse stays happy and healthy over the festive season too

1. Don’t let him share your turkey dinner — horses are vegetarians.

2. Don’t lie-in too late — horses are creatures of habit, so your equine friend won’t appreciate it if you’re lounging in your bed while his stomach is rumbling.

3. Similarly, make sure you’re not sitting at the lunch table so long that neddy is frantic for his tea by the time you stagger outside.

4. Make sure he gets out of his stable — everyone wants to enjoy Christmas TV, play games and open presents, but don’t let your horse be cooped up 24/7 or you risk health problems. Make time to ride, put your horse in the field or, at the very least, put him on the horsewalker.

5. If you want to give your horse a treat, avoid chocolate and other foods he’s not accustomed to — some nice fresh carrots and apples are the best way to let him know it’s Christmas and you love him.

6. If your horse is having a break from his usual work over Christmas, make sure you cut his feed accordingly and build up both feed and exercise slowly when you want to get back on with things.

7. Similarly, if you have a lot more time to ride because you’re off work, bear in mind that it’s not fair for a horse usually ridden once a fortnight to be asked to hunt all day long three times in one week and then to do three classes at that New Year’s Eve jumping show too.

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Horses and ponies have evolved to lose weight in winter – when historically, food was scarce – and put it on in spring and summer, ready for the next cold season.

But today’s management means most horses now do not lose that weight, as they are kept well fed and rugged in the winter, but still put it on in summer, which can lead to a vast range of health issues.

Owners have been urged to take advantage of the current poorer grazing, and the fact horses need to burn more calories to keep warm, to kick-start weight loss now, and be ready for spring.

Aimi Duff, of Rainbow Equine Hospital, recommends the following:

1. Avoid excessive rugging

Considerable heat is generated by the fermentation of food in the hindgut, which keeps the horse warm. Couple this with the fact horses grow their own rugs, in the form of a winter coat, and many do not need a rug especially if stabled. In severe weather of if they must be kept clean and dry for exercise, a turnout sheet could be enough.

2. Clipping

If a horse needs to lose a lot of weight, or the pounds aren’t shifting with rug removal, consider clipping. Fat is a great insulator, so a fat unclipped horse may be wearing the equivalent of a heavyweight rug. Clipping removes some of that insulation and allows them to increase energy losses.

3. Exercise

It can be hard to exercise horses in winter but where possible, exercise should be encouraged to increase energy expenditure. Whether a brisk walk, a lunge, horse-walker exercise or work over poles, ALL exercise is important to help horses go into spring in better body condition. Exercise can also be achieved by creating a track system in the field where the perimeter of the field is fenced off to create a track. The horse is thus encouraged to move around more than they would in a conventional paddock.

4. Feed little and often

Many horses are fed unlimited forage in winter. This may result in a horse eating in excess of its daily energy requirements. It is important to consider not only the quality of the forage, but also the quantity being fed. It is better to avoid long periods of fasting by using double or tripled fine-mesh haynets to slow feeding, and splitting the daily ration into evenly-spread several portions. If you are concerned about leaving your horse without forage for short periods due to gastric ulcers, please consult your vet.

5. Beware of winter grass growth

Be aware that grass will grow when the temperature exceeds 4C. So on a mild winter day, horse may ingest a surprising amount of sugar when turned out. A horse on a grassy pasture will require much less hay, and sunny days and cold nights will cause levels of sugar in grass to rise.

On feeding, the University of Liverpool’s Harry Carslake explained that like people, horses vary greatly in their energy requirements, and that the aim of compiling feeding plans for horses is to determine each individual’s daily nutritional needs, then provide a diet that meets these needs.

As this involves questions such as what a horse’s activity level is, and how much grass it eats while turned out, Mr Carslake recommends speaking to a vet or nutritionist to devise a tailored plan.

“Before you do this, start by recording everything your horse eats over 24 hours (measure feeds in Kgs, not armfuls/scoops etc), the hours per day at pasture, the amount of exercise they do per week and any medical conditions that need to be considered,” he told H&H, adding that when devising a plan for overweight horses, there are general rules to consider.

Low sugar

Make low sugar forage the bulk of the diet. Unless in a high level of work, most horses require minimal or no additional concentrate or pelleted feeds, other than a balancer (see below). Soaking hay in cold water for 12 hours is recommended. Consider submitting hay for forage analysis, which is available from several feed companies for about £30. To reduce calorie intake, up to 30% of the hay ration can be replaced by clean straw, but this should be introduced gradually.

Trickle feeding

After speaking to your vet or nutritionist, for an overweight horse with no access to pasture and at a low level of exercise, a reasonable starting point is to feed 1.5-2% body weight of hay per day, divided into several smaller meals to encourage continuous trickle feeding.

Balancer

Feeding a low-calorie protein, vitamin and mineral balancer is recommended for any horse on a hay/haylage-only diet.

Restrict grazing

Limit access to pasture. This is much easier in winter! Horses (and people) love turnout, especially in summer but grass can contain as much sugar as pony nuts, and horses are very adept at consuming large quantities over a short time. Time at pasture and availability of grass need to be reduced (see above) and if a horse is very overweight and/or prone to laminitis pasture might need to be cut out completely.

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Keep feeding

Don’t starve your horse. After the first week, the aim is to lose between 0.5 and 1% of bodyweight per week. Rates higher than this can become dangerous. Feed companies and vet practices often have portable weighbridges and will visit yards.

Treats

Avoid treats such as carrots and apples. There are low-sugar fibre based treats available.

Keep notes

Monitor and record the results. Take weekly girth and belly circumference measurements, body condition scores, and if available weigh on a weighbridge. Consult your vet/nutritionist after four to six weeks and review the feeding plan.

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The next months are the perfect time to help each horse find its “summer body”, owners have been reminded.

Leading vets agree that obesity is the top welfare issue affecting UK horses. And with this in mind, feed manufacturer Spillers is urging owners to use the season to their advantage, by allowing horses to shed excess weight.

Horses are designed to gain weight in spring and summer and lose it in winter, but modern management often means they achieve the former — but not the latter.

“Unrelenting rain, brown porridge gateways and mucking out akin to painting the Forth Bridge are some definite downsides to winter,” said Clare Barfoot, marketing and research and development director at Spillers. “But being able to use the season to help your horse’s condition is a positive that owners of good doers can embrace.”

Clare’s top winter weight loss tips include: cutting calories rather than nutrients, with balancers ideal to provide everything horses need without excess calories.

She urges owners not to be deceived by winter grass; grass grows for most of the year and still contains calories in winter. Grazing muzzles or strip-grazing can help restrict intake.

Soaking hay helps reduce sugar content, and clean, good-quality straw can be used to replace up to 30% of the hay ration, although it should be introduced slowly.

Adding low-calorie chaff, short fibre or soakable fibre can help bulk out feeds and extend eating time without hindering weight loss, and using multiple small-holed haynets can also help make rations last longer.

Article continued below…

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Rugging less, or not at all if appropriate, will help horses burn off more weight in keeping warm, and exercise is also beneficial.

“Yes, it’s a challenge to find the time and the inclination to ride when the weather is rubbish, but you need to find your mojo for the good of your horse’s waistline,” a Spillers spokesman said. “Exercise will help burn excess calories and a recent study found that even small amounts of exercise can help to support a healthy metabolism.”

Owners can monitor progress by checking horses’ body condition score and measuring their belly girth.

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Horse & Hound offers expert advice on how to keep an active veteran Irish Sport Horse in perfect condition this winter

Katie Grimwood, a nutritionist from Baileys Horse Feeds, assesses the following case study:

Horse: Benjamin, 24-year-old, 15.2hh Irish Sport Horse, weighing approximately 500kg

Feeding issue: veteran, starting to lose a little weight and can be lethargic

Owner’s thoughts: “Ben is still perfectly sound and enjoys outings, but just doesn’t have the joie de vivre he used to, and I don’t want him to lose any more weight this winter.”

Work schedule: has evented at grassroots level in the past, occasional hunting during the winter, along with light hacking and flatwork schooling.

Current diet: 2.5kg low-energy mix, 1½ mugs of a feed balancer, 1kg dried grass chaff, sugar beet, mineral and vitamin supplement, divided between three meals a day.

Suggested feed programme by Katie:

“If your older horse is losing weight and lacking energy, then you could look at replacing the low-energy mix with a higher calorie conditioning feed. For example, from the Baileys range, the No. 4 Top Line Conditioning Cubes would be appropriate. These will offer more calories/energy per scoop, helping to build and maintain weight and condition. The digestibility of Top Line Conditioning Cubes also makes them an excellent choice for the older equine, especially those with poor dentition since they can be easily softened with warm water or soaked beet pulp.

“I would suggest building up to 2.5-3kg per day (split between three meals), and this will increase calorie/energy intake.

“Please note, that for those horses requiring a low starch diet (for example for reasons including PPID (Cushing’s disease), Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS), laminitis, gastric ulcers or tying up), a lower starch feed such as No. 21 Ease & Excel may be preferable.

“A small amount of beet and chaff can be continued if the owner prefers, though these are not necessarily essential, as long as plenty of fibre is consumed (an ad lib provision of hay/haylage is ideal). Providing a sufficient fibre intake is also important to support digestive health, as well as to help maintain weight and condition.

“You would not need to continue with the vitamin and mineral supplement or the balancer, as the Top Line Conditioning Cubes (or Ease & Excel) will supply a fully balanced diet when fed to recommended levels.

“As horses get older, they may become less efficient at absorbing nutrients from their feed. They may also find it harder to digest fibre, as the fibre- digesting micro-organisms in the hindgut can become less efficient. I would also like to recommend the use of our Digest Plus prebiotic supplement. To provide further support, a prebiotic supplement (such as Digest Plus) will help to encourage a healthy gut function by effectively providing a food source for the beneficial bacteria in the hindgut. This supplement can be used long term and so would be suitable to support Benjamin’s overall digestive health and helping him to get the most out of his feed and support his weight and condition.”

When is a horse ‘old’?

We all age at different rates according to our lifestyle, diet, exercise and of course genetics and it’s the same for horses and ponies. Just like humans, horses are living longer as research improves our understanding, with careful management enabling horses to lead active lives late into their twenties. The most common problem that we as owners often face is deciding when our horses are “old” and when, or if, they require a diet designed specifically for the older horse. Like people, horses age at different rates and feeding a horse a “veteran” feed just because he is about to have his 18th birthday may not be the most suitable option. The main thing to remember is to treat your horse as an individual, just as you would a younger horse.

If your older horse or pony has a history of problems such as laminitis, Cushing’s or tying-up, this can limit your feeding options. Ideally, the starch levels in the feeds should be as low as possible. This generally means the avoidance of products such as mixes and cubes. However, the severity of these conditions can vary hugely so each horse should be considered individually.

The effects of old age

The loss of teeth or poor tooth condition is a common problem in older horses. This can affect their ability to chew, which could result in partially digested food causing blockages in the gut. As with any horse, be sure to have your horse’s teeth checked regularly to identify any problems.

Common signs of dental problems include quidding, where food is dropped out of the mouth, and balled up bits of hay or haylage that have been spat out. If he has difficulty chewing forage, you may wish to consider using higher quantities of shorter fibres in the diet, such as Light Chaff. For those horses with very few teeth left, a product such as Fibre-Beet is ideal as it is fed soaked so requires minimal chewing. Fibre is particularly crucial during the winter months, as it can add calories and aid in heat production for warmth.

As a general rule, most cubes will soak down to a softer concentrate feed. If more calories are required, then cubes fed in this way may be preferable to a mix.

Management tips for a veteran horse

All horses are individuals so require diets tailored to meet their particular requirements. There are some general management tips that can help to keep your older horse well and healthy.

• Older horses will become less dominant and may be bullied away from

food and shelter by younger horses. Ensure older horses have the opportunity to get to their feed and forage, and can escape the elements.

• The older horse may become quite fussy. Try adding small amounts of herbs, fruit juices or cordials for improved palatability, particularly if the horse has any medication. If softening the feed, use warm water to aid palatability.

• Implement the rules of feeding as extensively as possible by feeding small meals at frequent intervals to keep the horse interested and to support digestive efficiency.

• Implement an effective de-worming programme and have teeth checked regularly by a professional.

• Monitor any changes in your horse’s droppings. For example, large fibre strands in the droppings could indicate a reduced chewing ability.

Tracey Hammond, M.sC., an equine nutritionist from Dengie Feeds, says:

“Firstly, with a veteran horse that is not holding weight and lethargic there would be a couple of age associated issues that could be contributing such as poor dentition and PPID and so we would advise seeking veterinary advice to make sure the veteran horse is in good health.

“We would suggest any dietary change gradually over two weeks.”

If a veteran product that is fortified with vitamins and minerals is being fed at the full recommended quantity (typically 3kg for this size horse) then neither the balancer or the vitamin and mineral supplement will be required. If half the recommended amount is supplied then top up with ½ the suggested quantity of a balancer or vitamin and mineral supplement.

Getting older

The transition to old age will vary from horse to horse. Once a horse starts to show his years, owners should modify all aspects of management and feeding. Changing to a specialised veteran feed will be worth the extra cost. Like humans, older horses require certain additions to their diet.

Article continues below…

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Check the bag of whatever you are feeding your veteran for some or all of these ingredients:

• Quality protein, providing essential amino acids in particular lysine, methionine and threonine. Ingredients that supply good quality protein and may be found in veteran feeds include soya, alfalfa and linseed.
• Essential fatty acids such as linolenic and linoleic, omega 3 and 6 respectively. Omega-3 is thought to be a natural anti-inflammatory and whilst the horses requirements aren’t known their usual grass based diet would be the horse’s natural source. Omega-3 can be supplemented in the horses ration by using linseed or linseed oil for example.
• As with every horse, a balanced ration is important for good health. Many vitamins and minerals are important antioxidants, vitamin C for example is known to be important for respiratory health. If feeding a fibre only ration, or less than recommended of a fortified feed top up with a broad-spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement or balancer to balance the ration.

“Dengie’s Pure Grass is 100% high temperature dried grasses and can be used to supplement or replace the forage ration in those that are struggling to chew, or for those that need a forage of superior nutritional quality in order to maintain their weight,” explains Tracey. “Dengie Alfa-Beet combines alfalfa and unmolassed sugar beet with a 15 minute hot soak or two-hour cold soak time. Alfa-Beet provides a source of highly digestible fibre for those that need help to maintain their weight and as it is fed soaked to a mash it is great for veterans with poor dentition as well.

“Alfa-Beet is naturally low in sugar and starch making it suitable for those that are laminitis prone such as veterans with PPID. Dengie Performance+ Balancer is particularly beneficial for the older horse and includes alfalfa and linseed as part of the formulation. As well as supplying a broad-spectrum of vitamins and minerals, Performance+ Balancer also supplies glucosamine for joint support and prebiotic for digestive support.”

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Keeping competition horses in peak condition through the winter can be a challenge. We delve into the diet plan of Team GB dressage horse Supernova II, to find out the details of his winter feeding regime

Horse: Supernova II (Neville)

The rider: Spencer Wilton

Key stats: 14-year-old, 17.1hh bay Hanoverian gelding (Donnerhall x Weltmeyer) owned by Jen Goodman.

Career résumé: this year alone he won the grand prix special and was third in the grand prix at Darmstadt-Kranichstein CDI4*, 13th in the grand prix freestyle, sixth in the grand prix special and team fourth at the European Championships in Gothenburg, won the grand prix and grand prix special at Hartpury CDI3*, won the grand prix, grand prix special and Nations Cup at Compiègne CDIO5*.

Winter routine: “Neville is the master of quirkiness,” says his groom Claire Hinton.

“He doesn’t have any complete blocks of time off because he gets bored and he doesn’t get turned out because of his previous injuries.

“His routine consists of being fed at 7am, having his hay and then being hand-walked for 20 minutes. Spencer will ride him mid-morning and then he’ll have a lunch feed before being groomed and hand-walked again for 40 minutes at 4pm. He’ll have his dinner about 5pm and then a late-night feed and more hay at 9.30pm.”

Feeding plan: “He has the four feeds because he can be quite fussy and, if I give him two big feeds, he’ll only eat half of it. When he is in lighter work, I do cut the amount of feed down, but he still has four feeds.

“He’s fed Saracen Super Fibre Mix all the time, and Saracen Re-leve Mix and Saracen Competition-Fit Balancer when he’s in work. It is a high-energy diet without cereals, so he has his energy from the fibre and oil, which is great for him because he can be quite hot-headed and excitable. He also has sugar beet, NAF Superflex Senior and the NAF Soya Oil. When he’s competing, he also has NAF Liquid Electro Lytes.

“He has ad-lib haylage, which is a second-cut ryegrass haylage that isn’t too potent, fed from a net during the day to stop him walking it around his stable, and from the floor at night.”

Continued below…

Find out what a Burghley winner gets fed during the winter

We delve into the diet plan of 2017

The quirks: “The first day at a competition, he’ll pick through his morning and lunch feeds and not eat all of it, so I make sure he has the balancer and all his supplements in his night feed, which he always finishes — that way I know he is getting everything he needs.

“He is fed in a manger in his stable because he likes to pick up the bucket, tip the food on the floor and then doesn’t want to eat it.

“He can also be naughty about banging on his door if I’m a bit late feeding him.”

The full version of this article was first published in the 12 October issue of Horse & Hound magazine

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.

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Keeping competition horses in peak condition through the winter can be a challenge. We delve into the diet plan of 2017 Hickstead Derby winner Golvers Hill, to find out the details of his winter feeding regime

Horse: Golvers Hill (Ricky)

Rider: Nigel Coupe

Key stats: 14-year-old, 16.2hh bay Irish sport horse gelding (Ricardo Z x Clover Hill) owned by Susan Simmons.

Career résumé: Hickstead CSI4* Derby second in 2015, fifth in 2016 and won in 2017. Hamburg Derby Trial win 2017. Placings on various Nations Cup teams, including Abu Dhabi, Aachen and Calgary. Won the £20,000 grand prix at Arena UK in 2016, and leading showjumper at Horse of the Year Show 2017.

Winter routine: “Being my main horse, Ricky doesn’t have big blocks of time off — he has little breaks between work through the year,” says Nigel Coupe. “He is ridden once a day for 45 minutes to an hour and walked out in-hand in the afternoon for half an hour to graze and stretch his legs. His ridden work consists of either schooling or being hacked.

“I try and get him out in the paddock at least once a day for an hour, but our paddocks get very wet here in the winter, so turnout is restricted unfortunately. We do have a turnout pen that he can go in to stretch his legs. He’ll do one or two shows in succession and then have a week or so off. During a holiday, he’ll still be in light work, going on the odd hack and out in the pen.”

Feeding plan: “Ricky is fed at 7am, then again at lunchtime, around 12.30pm, and at 5.30pm. He has MolliChaff, Dodson & Horrell Competition Cubes and, when he’s in hard work, he has Dodson & Horrell Competition Mix as well to ensure he has the right energy. He also has sugar beet to moisten the feed. We then add supplements, which include Farnam Red Cell, electrolytes, Cortaflex and oil. If he is travelling, we add an ulcer supplement, such as Gastroguard, to protect his digestive system. He’s fed from the floor with a bucket.

“We grow our own haylage, of which he has three lots a day — he has a haynet in the morning, another at lunch and then a bigger net for the night, which is topped up if necessary at 10pm. We ensure the haylage is good quality and on the drier side.”

Continued below…

Find out what a Burghley winner gets fed during the winter

We delve into the diet plan of 2017

The quirks: “Ricky is a good doer so keeping weight on him isn’t an issue. The trick with him is ensuring he has the energy without making him too fat. He absolutely loves his food and we don’t have any trouble with him eating or being fussy. Overall, he’s a reasonably easy horse to manage as regards food.”

The full version of this article was first published in the 12 October issue of Horse & Hound magazine

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Spillers' equine nutritionist Clare Barfoot provides one H&H forum user with some helpful advice on how to feed a cob through the winter

Q: How to feed a cob: “I’ve just purchased a 15hh cob that has been solely out at grass 24/7. She will now be kept in at night. As well as being fed ad-lib hay, I’d like to give her an evening and morning feed. While she has done well being out 24/7, she does have quite a dull coat and patchy mane. She’s in light work, ridden for an hour daily. I wondered what feeding advice you could give me for a cob that isn’t a bad doer, but needs a better coat and hair please?”

A: This is a common conundrum when it comes to feeding cobs and native types who seem to live off fresh air! Your mare will probably maintain her weight well over the winter on grass and ad lib hay alone.

It is, however, advisable to condition score her regularly so you can pick up any minor fluctuations in her condition and adjust her diet accordingly. Obviously if she puts on too much weight you will need to restrict her forage overnight, but be careful not to leave her for long periods of time without forage to munch on. Chewing creates saliva that helps to neutralise stomach acid that can build up and damage the delicate stomach lining contributing to ulcer development, which is why it is important to maximise chewing time.

Continued below…

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The other consideration when feeding your mare is ensuring she has a balanced diet. A balanced diet is one that contains a balance of nutrients to meet an individual’s daily nutritional requirements, which is really important in supporting optimum health and well-being.

A diet deficient in key nutrients can result in subtle clues such as a dull coat, poor hoof quality or lack of topline which are sometimes seen in overweight horses and ponies that aren’t fed any additional feed.

A balanced diet is just as important for an overweight horse as one that is underweight; remember it’s calories that should be restricted, not nutrients.

Continued below…

The ideal way to provide a balanced diet without unwanted calories is by feeding a balancer such as SPILLERS Lite and Lean Balancer that includes high levels of lysine, an important amino acid to help support muscle tone and topline alongside a comprehensive range of daily nutrients.

If you want to feed your mare twice a day, you can split the recommended amount over two feeds mixed into a little low calorie chopped fibre such as SPILLERS Daily Fibre or if you prefer, a soakable fibre such as SPILLERS SPEEDY-MASH Fibre. These feeds will ‘bulk’ out your mare’s bucket without providing too many calories. I’m sure by the end of the winter she will be lean, gleaming and ready for the show ring!

For more advice on electrolyte supplementation call the SPILLERS Care-Line on 01908 22 66 26.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Keeping competition horses in peak condition through the winter can be a challenge. We delve into the diet plan of 2017 Burghley winner Ballaghmor Class, to find out the details of his winter feeding regime

Horse: Ballaghmor Class (Thomas)

Rider: Oliver Townend

Key stats: 10-year-old 16.2hh grey Irish sport horse gelding (by Courage II) owned by Angela Hislop, Karyn Shuter, Val Ryan and Peter Ryan.

Career résumé: winner of Burghley Horse Trials 2017, member of the British Nations Cup gold-medal winning team in Aachen 2017, fourth at Tattersalls CCI3* 2017 and 11th at Burnham Market CIC3* 2017.

Winter routine: “Thomas is currently enjoying a well-deserved holiday, which consists of daily turnout in his own grass paddock for approximately six to eight weeks,” says Oliver Townend’s head girl Rebecca Evans. “He goes out after his first feed at 6.30am and comes back in at 4pm. When his holiday finishes, he is then steadily brought back into work, with the introduction of light roadwork, followed by schooling in the arena as well as jump days, fitness work on the lunge and gallop work. He is turned out every day, weather permitting.”

Feeding plan: “Thomas’ feeding regime consists of a tailored diet formulated by Gain Equine Nutrition. His feeds are split up into three feeds a day — 6.30am, 1pm and 5pm — fed in a rubber feed bucket on the floor.

“Each feed is made up of Opti-Care Balancer, Freedom Cubes, Infinity Stabilised Rice Bran, chaff (to increase chew time and the production of saliva to help maintain a healthy gut environment) and soaked sugar beet.

“Thomas’ weight and condition are closely monitored by both Oliver and the staff, particularly during the event season and the build-up to a big event. When he is in full competition work, he receives a fourth feed in the evening, which is made up of the same ingredients as his regular feeds.

“In addition, all the supplements he receives, such as Stride, GNF (Gut Nutrition Formula), Isopro and linseed oil are all provided by TRM to ensure gastrointestinal health and healthy joints.

“Thomas also receives ad-lib haylage in a haynet both day and night.”

Continued below…

How should I feed my good doer through the winter? Spillers explains… *Promotion*

Spillers' equine nutritionist Clare Barfoot provides one H&H

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The quirks: “Due to Thomas’ hot character, his feeds are low in starch to reduce the chance of any heated behaviour, and all dietary changes are overseen by Oliver to ensure he is getting the right nutrients for his workload.

“He is a good eater and knows exactly when it is feeding time as he is usually always first to be fed and he doesn’t let any food go to waste.”

To find out the winter feeding regimes of other top competition horses, don’t miss this week’s Horse & Hound magazine for the full feature, out now (12 October 2017)

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Worried about your horse losing weight this winter? Most owners are, but many shouldn’t be. It is natural for a horse’s weight to fluctuate according to the time of year, and preventing this from happening can be bad for their long-term health.

Why letting your horse lose weight could be a good thing

1. The horse’s metabolism is designed around a natural annual weight fluctuation. So in the summer, when forage is plentiful, this is converted to fat and leads to weight gain. In the wild these fat reserves are used in the winter to ensure survival when the temperature drops and there is no grass, resulting in weight loss.

2. Your horse’s metabolic system works in the same way, even though he is unlikely to need these fat reserves. The modern equine lifestyle means domestic horses tend to burn fewer calories keeping warm than those living in the wild.

Continued below…

6 things to remember when feeding your competition horse

We talk you through the dos and don'ts of feeding the performance horse for optimum condition with the help of

3. “Our winters are no longer always that cold. More critically, however, many horses are not exposed to the extremes of wintry weather. They are stabled with plentiful rugs and do not need extra fat reserves to keep warm,” says H&H vet Karen Coumbe MRCVS.

4. Horses stand still for longer periods during winter, too, due to being stabled. “We want them to be eating for as many hours as possible for their digestive health and to prevent boredom, but leisure animals don’t work as hard as they did in days past,” adds Kath Urwin, manager at the Blue Cross’s equine centre in Rolleston.

5. If a horse does not lose any weight through the winter, there is no room for the natural weight gain in spring and summer. “With rugs and up to three feeds a day, it’s easy for weight to stay on,” adds Kath. “We would expect horses to be in ideal condition or a little over during summer. It’s OK for them to be leaner coming out of winter, especially if field-kept all year round.”

How to get the balance right:

• Assess your horse and plan ahead. Weight loss is far easier in the colder months when your horse’s metabolism is already working to that effect.
• Use a weight tape regularly. Winter coats and rugs can make it harder to gauge condition.
• Treat every horse as an individual, and feed and rug them according to their type and workload.
• Feed plenty of roughage (hay and haylage). This provides warmth and so it should be the crux of every horse’s diet, even those in hard work. Many will need little else apart from vitamins and a supplement containing trace elements and minerals as necessary.

Get more useful feeding advice throughout Horse & Hound Feed Week, which is running from Monday 25 September until Sunday 1 October

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Spillers' equine nutritionist Clare Barfoot provides one H&H forum user with some helpful advice on how to feed when hay quality is changeable

Q: “I was hoping for some advice about supplementary feeding. The hay that we get in this part of Scotland is, erm, variable as it’s not generally known to be good haymaking weather up here. It’s good enough to keep my cob ticking over, but he’s always rather lacklustre come spring. This year I wish to do more with him, but feel he needs a bit more from his food as more effort will be asked of him. Oats agree with him, but mixes don’t due to the molasses. So I suppose my question is, can I feed a few handfuls of concentrates to counteract the lower nutritional value of the hay (that they have plenty of)? If so, to work this out, do I need to get my forage analysed or can one ‘guesstimate’ it? I’m fairly new to the area and I don’t know any local horse owners that I could ask about this. I really want to do the best for him to feel and be healthier. Any help would be appreciated.”

A: Thank you for your question and you are to right to be thinking about balancing the deficiencies in your hay as even the best made, nutritious hay and haylage can’t be guaranteed to provide a fully balanced diet. If you want to check on what your hay is actually providing, you can have it analysed but it’s not entirely necessary as long as you chose an appropriate product to balance it. If your hay source isn’t consistent, analysing it might not be the most practical solution either.

As your hay isn’t the best nutritional quality it is important that it is at least hygienically clean or it may contribute to colic or respiratory issues. If you are worried about dust, it is advisable to submerge your hay for 20-30 minutes to swell any mould spores so they stick to the hay shaft and are not inhaled. Or if you are lucky enough to have access to a hay steamer, this will significantly improve the hygienic quality.

Continued below…

Related articles:

• H&H forum: find out what H&H readers suggested
• Find out more about feeding your horse
• Read the 10 golden rules of feeding

When it comes to choosing a feed to complement your cob’s hay, the most important consideration, as you have suggested, is making sure your gelding has a balanced diet as this could be one of the reasons he appeared to be a little lack lustre at the end of the winter last year. Which feed you chose should depend on his current condition and how well he holds his weight. If he holds his weight well and is in ideal condition, a balancer designed to complement a forage based diet is ideal. SPILLERS Lite and Lean Balancer is perfect in these situations as it contains all the vitamins and minerals your boy needs plus very high levels of the important amino acid lysine which is often lacking in hay especially hay of poorer quality that can be very low in protein. This can be mixed in a smaller amount of low calorie chopped fibre.

If he requires some condition opt for feeding a high fibre cube or a chopped fibre feed that is low in sugar and starch, it’s always best to try this approach before opting for conditioning products especially with natives.

Continued below…

For more information on feeding your horse this winter call the SPILLERS Care-Line on 01908 226626.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The mundane task of filling your horse's haynet becomes significantly less mundane when you have a flattened frog or stray address book to contend with...

Don’t mind if I have a snooze here do you?

“I found six month old Border Terrier Cleo (pictured, above) from Collective Equestrian in Chew Magna, Somerset in the hay. Even a few months later she still loves sleeping amongst the hay bales. Along with her brother Bertie as well as their Whippet x Cocker Spaniel friend Tilly, they are often found riding along in the wheelbarrows at hay time!” Elizabeth Allen

A frog (not of the prince variety…)

“I was going to a BHS Access Ride at a lovely estate in Ayrshire. When I was about to unload my horse Darcey I saw a dead frog on the ramp of the trailer, which she had shoogled out of her haynet. It was flat and almost mummified looking. I hadn’t noticed it when filling the net the day before — oops! The funny thing was it was my birthday, so I think Darcey was giving it to me as a present. Not the best present I’ve ever received…” Lorna Wright

…and another one

“Some years ago, a young friend found a flattened, desiccated frog in a hay bale. He incurred some displeasure at school when he was found to be using it as a bookmark.” June Craig

The family address book

“Last summer my dad was in a hurry to get the last bit of grass cut and baled before the weather turned. He was quite happy with the way things were going until he discovered his bag had fallen open while hung on the tractor. Needless to say much amusement was had when finally in the winter there appeared in the haynets a chequebook, the family address book and the lid of his lunch box — resulting in some confused horses!” Jenny Phillips

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A preserved hedgehog

“I once opened a square bale of haylage to find a complete if somewhat flat perfectly preserved hedgehog, poor little mite. Not funny really but when it plopped out smelling far from fragrant — it did raise a few titters on the yard. Talk about wrong place, wrong time?” Jacqui Clayton

Oh deer…

“I once found an entire deer buck carcass in a bale of hay. The sink was horrendous and we had to throw out all the bales underneath it because the deer “leaked” on them.” Andrea Feldaverd

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Spillers' equine nutritionist Clare Barfoot provides one H&H forum user with some helpful advice on how to feed her good doer through the winter months

Q: “I’m looking for recommendations on what to feed my Welsh sections D and B through the winter. They are both good-doers. Where they are currently kept they get a morning feed along with other horses (to save them from feeling left out!). The D puts weight on very easily so I’m unsure as to what best to feed. I will be keeping them in a separate paddock so will give haynets on daily basis through winter.”

A: Winter is a good opportunity to slim down good doers and in actual fact it may be metabolically healthier to do so especially for natives. Native ponies have evolved to put weight on in the summer and ‘live’ off their fat reserves throughout the harsher winter months when grass is less available and nutritious. Depending on the type of winter we have and the pasture you have available you may not have to supply additional forage unless the ground becomes snow covered. Although winter grass is less nutritious it is still likely to meet energy and protein needs of most natives in light work, however it can’t be relied upon to provide a balanced diet.

Continued below…

Related articles:

• H&H forum: find out what H&H readers suggested
• Video: How to fat score your horse
• Read more advice on winter feeding

I suggest for both your Welshies that you feed them a balancer such as SPILLERS® Daily Balancer, this has been designed to complement pasture and forage. It contains a full range of vitamins and minerals with no added iron which is often oversupplied in forage based diets. The quality of protein will also be less in winter grass compared to spring and summer the additional lysine from the balancer will address this shortfall. The balancer can be mixed with some low calorie chopped fibre to bulk out the bucket, extend eating time and support gastric health.

Continued below…

Other tips include to not to pile on the rugs as keeping warm will burn up a few calories, even if you clip your ponies they may not need heavyweight rugs! Opt for low calorie mature hay and if you can help up the exercise.”

 For more information on feeding to support weight gain call the SPILLERS Care-Line on 01908 226626.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

A horse treat company is hoping to raise £2,500 to help feed horses in need this winter.

Dr D’s Tasty Treats is giving out rewards in return for donations of £1 or more to its campaign to support Redwings Horse Sanctuary.

These rewards include discounts on Dr D’s products and goody bags from Redwings.

Gemma Walpole, from Redwings, told H&H that they are “delighted” to have been chosen as the company’s charity this winter.

“We are a 100% publicly funded charity and have 1,500 residents living at Redwings, many of whom require special care and special diets, so Dr D’s support means so much and will make such a difference,” she said.

“I’d also like to extend my thanks to everyone who has donated to Dr D’s fundraising campaign so far too, we’re always blown away by people’s generosity and support.”

For £1, you will be added to Dr D’s online hall of fame and receive updates about the horses you have supported as well as a 10% discount.

Pictures of Redwings horses, treat samples, badges, rosettes, crackers and stockings are also among the gifts that donors can receive.

For donations over £25, the company will send a packet of treats to the charity’s horses as well as a packet to your horse.

Redwings has more than 40 high-dependency horses and has centres across Norfolk, Scotland, Warwickshire and Essex.

Established in 1984, it merged with Mountains Animal Sanctuary in Scotland in January 2015 and also has a further 500 rescued equines living out in guardian homes.

The charity is also promoting its rehoming campaign.

“Without our fantastic guardians, Redwings would be so full we would have to turn away horses who desperately need our help,” said Redwings’ Rachel Angell.

“Most horse charities have been working at the limits of their capacity and resources for years now.

“Rehoming is what enables us all to keep making a difference while ensuring the horses we are already responsible for have the secure, happy life we want for them.”

Visit drdstastytreats.com/redwings-winter-feed-appeal/ for further details on the winter feeding campaign.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Want to boost your horse's digestive system, add condition without fizz or keep topline on a stabled horse? Take a look at our round up of some of the feed products on the market this winter

1. GAIN FREEDOM MIX

What is it? This high-oil, high-fibre and low-starch — 8% — palatable mix is designed to be kind to the digestive tract while providing condition without fizz. Freedom aids gastric health and muscle tone, and vitamin E supports the immune system. Mycotoxin binders help protect against mould toxins from forage and bedding.

How much does it cost? £14.40 for 20kg

Find out more: www.gainhorsefeeds.com

2. FEEDMARK NO FILL

What is it? A blend of herbs that act synergistically to promote a healthy lymphatic and circulatory system for horses prone to filled legs after a night standing in the stable.

How much does it cost? £32.99 for 30 days supply

Find out more: www.feedmark.com

3. BLUE CHIP ORIGINAL

What is it? A nutrient-dense feed balancer, whole cereal and molasses-free. Its probiotic yeast increases fibre digestion, plus a complete hoof and respiratory formula, nucleotides and vitamin E.

How much does it cost? £39.95 for 20kg

Find out more: www.bluechipfeed.com

Continued below…

H&H Feed Week: how to design the perfect diet for your horse

Knowing what and how much to feed your horse or pony can be a daunting task, but these six points

4. BAILEYS TOP LINE CONDITIONING CUBES

What is it? A barley-free feed high in oil content and with quality protein, formulated to be non-heating, thus suiting both resting and working horses alike.

How much does it cost? around £12 for 20kg

Find out more: www.baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk

5. FINE FETTLE HAPPY TUMMY

What is it? Gut problems respond well to Happy Tummy® Charcoal because it rapidly removes the cause of the problem and aids a stronger immune response.

How much does it cost? from £20.50 for 500g

Find out more: www.finefettlefeed.com

6. HORSEHAGE

What is it? A dust-free forage available in four varieties, including two that are suitable for laminitics. HorseHage contains no chemical additives, mould inhibitors, flavourings, molasses or inoculants.

How much does it cost? around £7.75

Find out more: www.horsehage.co.uk

7. TOPSPEC ULSAKIND CUBES

What is it? Formulated to be highly sympathetic to the horse’s digestive system, even when it is compromised by extreme acidity.

How much does it cost? £12.50 for 20kg

Find out more: www.topspec.com

8. ALLEN & PAGE FAST FIBRE

What is it? This barley and molasses-free quick-soak feed is perfectly suited for the good doer. Fast Fibre is the ideal choice for horses and ponies at rest or in light work.

How much does it cost? from £7.90

Find out more: www.allenandpage.com

9. DENGIE HEALTHY TUMMY

What is it? A high-calorie pure alfalfa fibre feed with an energy level equivalent to a competition mix or cube, but with 10 times less starch and no added sugar.

How much does it cost? from £11.59 for 15kg

Find out more: www.dengie.com

10. FARRIER’S FORMULA

What is it? Supplies the nutrients required for building strong hoof capsule connective tissue. As a result, it promotes strong and fast growth of the hoof wall, sole, frog and heel.

How much does it cost? £39.00 for 5kg

Find out more: www.lifedatalabs.co.uk

11. SPEEDI-BEET

What is it? A highly nutritious cooked sugar beet pulp feed that provides an excellent source of digestible fibre and is suitable for laminitics. Can be soaked and ready to use, warm or cold, in 10 minutes.

How much does it cost? around £10.95

Find out more: www.britishhorsefeeds.com

Don’t miss the latest issue of Horse & Hound Ask The Vet, on sale now

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Feeding a good doer can be a real challenge. One day he's looking great, then seemingly overnight, he turns into a chubby Thelwell pony. How did that happen? It could be due to one of the following reasons...

1. You’re feeding too much for his workload

Calorie-counting is the same with horses as it is with humans — if they take in more calories than they burn off, they’ll put on weight. A 500 kilo horse in hard work will burn nearly twice as many calories a day as his mate who weighs the same, but is ridden lightly twice a week — 34,500 calories as opposed to 20,000, according to Dengie equine nutritionist Tracey Hammond. You need to make sure your horse is receiving the right amount of feed for his weight and workload and no more, or he’ll gain weight. Most of the feed companies contain detailed information about this on their websites.

2. You’re feeding incorrectly for his breed

Native breeds have evolved to be good doers, making the most of poor quality grazing. “Natives generally require feeds of a lower calorie level as they maintain their weight easily, but they still need lots of fibre to maintain digestive and behavioural health,” says Dengie’s Tracey Hammond.

“Starving them is definitely not what needs to happen — we just need to feed lower calorie fibre sources. While native types don’t tend to require additional concentrate feeds to provide calories, what they do need is a balanced diet,” she adds.

“UK pasture can easily exceed energy requirements of most horses at rest or in light work, but it doesn’t supply everything that they need in that it tends to lack trace minerals, for example copper, zinc and selenium. If they are on a hay only diet, this can also extend to a lack of vitamins and good quality protein as well. So for native types that hold their weight well, a feed balancer or vitamin and mineral supplement with a small amount of low calorie fibre feed is really all they need in addition to grazing and hay.”

Continued below…

6 things to remember when feeding your competition horse

We talk you through the dos and don'ts of feeding the performance horse for optimum condition with the help of

3. You’re feeding incorrectly for his age

Feeding young horses correctly is important to ensure they grow at an appropriate rate. “The most important thing when feeding youngstock additional calories is that we ensure that the diet is completely balanced at all times,” says Briony Mitchell, equine nutritionist with Bailey. “The majority of growth and development problems occur when there is too much energy/calories going into the diet and not sufficient levels of vitamins, minerals and quality protein. Ideally you would want to keep youngsters in relatively light condition (4-4.5 out of 9) as this reduces the amount of pressure and strain on growing joints and limbs.”

Equally, once your horse starts to age, you may find he needs more calories to maintain his condition as his ability to chew hard feed may be impared by dental issues. Also the digestive system of the older horse tends to be less efficient at processing feed. However, not all horses need a ‘veteran’ mix, so monitor their condition and speak to a nutritionist if you need advice on what best to feed your older horse.

4. You’re feeding too much for the time of year

In spring and summer, grass is richer; in winter, it’s poorer and sparser. According to Allen & Page, in winter, your horse will use up to 80% of his feed energy to keep warm, and his weight may drop accordingly. However, most horse owners prefer their horses to maintain a steady weight throughout the year. Condition score your horse regularly so you know whether he needs more or less feed, as the level required will fluctuate with the seasons.

5. You don’t know what he weighs

Horses in light/medium work need to consume 2% of their body weight in mainly forage (70-100% of their food intake) a day, says Tracey Hammond — and if you don’t know how much he weighs, how do you know if he’s getting that, too much, or too little? Invest in a good weigh tape or take advantage of the weigh bridge services that some feed companies offer.

6. You’re not weighing his feed

If you have a horse that’s prone to piling on the pounds, it’s not good enough just to fling some feed into a bucket and hope for the best. You need to be strict with him — and yourself — and weigh his feed. As a rule (as stated above) a 500 kilo horse needs 20,000 calories a day in order to maintain his weight. There are approximately 7-8 MJ (or 2,000 calories) in a kilo of good quality hay according to Tracey Hammond, so if you’re stuffing his haynet with 10 kilos of hay each night, he’s already receiving all the calories he needs just for maintenance — and that’s before you include any grass or hard feed. If you’re worried about him scoffing his hay ration in under an hour and standing with an empty net for the rest of the night, then invest in a trickle net tto encourage him to eat more slowly.

7. You’re feeding too much hard feed

According to Dengie, research conducted in recent years suggests that many diseases including laminitis, colic, gastric ulcers, Developmental Orthopaedic Disease (DOD), Equine Rhabdomyolysis Sydrome (ERS) and Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy (PSSM) are linked to high starch diets, which is why a “fibre revolution” has begun. Many feed companies now offer fibre-based feeds among their products.

8. All hard feeds are not created equal

Once you’ve worked out how many calories your horse needs for his weight, breed, age and level of work, then check the calorie intake he’ll receive from his hard feed as the different types and brands vary enormously.

9. Your grass is too good

Grass can contain a lot of sugar and calories, particularly in summer. You may need to reduce or cut out hard feed altogether to take this into account. If you do decide to cut back on your horse’s hard feed ration, consider feeding a balancer or all-round vitamin and mineral supplement instead to ensure your horse still gets all he needs to remain healthy.

10. You’re buying the wrong hay

“If you have a good doer, you need to choose the most suitable forage possible — a late cut, coarser hay/haylage will typically be less nutritious than an early cut forage,” says Briony Mitchell. “In addition to this, or if you can’t find a more suitable forage, you can soak the hay for 14-16 hours to leach some of the goodness.”

11. You’re trying to starve him into being skinny

Horses can’t do ‘crash diets’ any more than humans can. In fact, they’re designed to trickle feed, which means they need an almost constant supply of forage for their digestive system to work correctly, says Briony Mitchell. If you withhold food from them, they may develop ulcers, and may also gorge quickly on food when presented with it. Any dietary changes need to be introduced gradually and over a significant period of time to be effective.

12. He’s a good doer

Some horses just seem to get fat on thin air. If your horse seems to be putting on weight despite taking all the precautions above, then speak to your vet, as he may need to have a special feeding programme devised for him. Being a good doer can also present a problem in competition horses, as feeding them for their level of activity can provide too many calories and cause them to gain weight. One solution is to feed less hard feed and a good balancer instead, suggests Briony Mitchell.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

A new mix has been formualted for older horses and ponies that need to gain weight and condition during the winter months.

The Equerry veteran mix has high levels of protein to promote muscle tone and contains oil and linseed to improve condition and ensure a shiny coat.

The new mix is made from digestible cereals including yeast and has raised levels of vitamin E, an important antioxidant.

“Added vitamins and minerals including magnesium make Equerry Veteran mix the ideal feed for your faithful equine friend this winter,” said a company spokesman.

The Equerry range is manufactured by HJ Lea Oakes, one of the longest established independent animal feed manufacturers in Britain. The company dates back to 1675 when the Lea family began milling feeds to supply to the Cheshire farming community.

Equerry horse feeds are formulated by nutritionists using quality ingredients and are produced under the BETA NOPS scheme.

The range includes seven cubes, six coarse mixes, one mash and one treat in the form of Equerry minty horse treats.

In addition to the new veteran mix there are high fibre cubes for horses and ponies at rest or in very light work, performance cubes and sports mix for competition horses in hard work, and conditioning cubes and mixes, stud & youngstock cubes and mix and racehorse cubes.

The Equerry veteran mix comes costs £12.35 for a 20kg size bag.

More information here or telephone 01845 565640.

Here are some rules of feeding from Equerry:

•  Feed plenty of forage.
• Feed little and often: Divide the daily hard feed into several small meals of no more than 400g dry-weight/100kg bodyweight. Meals should be spaced at least four hours apart.
• Provide a constant supply of fresh water: On average a horse will drink around 20 litres per day.
• Make all changes gradually.
• Keep to the same feeding routine.
• Feed by weight not volume.
• Feed according to condition: Ideally, you should be able to able to feel but not see your horse’s ribs, the hind-quarters should be rounded and the neck firm, but without a crest.
• Feed according to temperament.
• Replace salt losses.

Most hunting people have a rough idea of how much they spend each year on their horses, but how many have actually costed it out? Tessa Waugh looks at how it all adds up — from shoeing and forage, to bedding and rug cleaning.

Shoeing — New set every four weeks while in work (July-March) at £80 plus trimming during the summer months, and callouts for lost shoes in between — approx £1000 per year.

Forage — Hay at £5 per small bale generally lasts two days per horse or large, round bales of haylage at £35 each, which has higher protein levels than hay.

Bedding — Large, round bales of straw at £20 per bale delivered or shavings at approximately £8 per bale.

Hard feed — Two £7.50 bags of pre-mixed feed per week plus additional chaff, barley and any supplements.

Teeth — Anthony Tory, an equine dentist in the south of England, says: “An average hunter would be done once a year at a cost of £45, slightly less if there was more than one horse.”

Rug cleaning — The Smelly Rug Company in the Scottish Borders charges £11 to clean a stable rug and £19 to wash and re-proof an outdoor rug so you are looking at roughly £50 per horse per year.

Clipping — £40 every four weeks unless you do it yourself, at least three times per season amounts to £120.

Worming — Twice per year comes to around £50.

Insurance — Covering both horse and vehicle will set you back roughly £1,000.

N.B Costs will vary between regions and feed prices depend whether you buy per bale, per tonne or per lorry load.

Read the full article about the cost of a hunter — and ways to save without compromising care — in this week’s special hunting issue of Horse & Hound magazine (23 October 2014), which includes our full hunting directory

Autumn hunting 2014: in pictures

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

With the glut of the best summer grass behind us and the cold weather yet to kick in, it’s perhaps to be expected that so many horses and ponies look a little on the plump side at the moment. Yet the prevalence of overweight equines appears to be a year-round problem — and one of growing proportions.

In a recent National Equine Health Survey, conducted by the Blue Cross, 17% of horses and ponies were reported to be overweight. That’s more than double last year’s figure. Furthermore, as many as one in three horses were assessed by their owners as “obese” in an Animal Health Trust (AHT) survey published in the Equine Veterinary Journal in February.

These figures suggest that excess weight gain is more than just a seasonal blip that will right itself when winter takes hold. The reality is that many horses and ponies are not only carrying more condition than they need to into the colder months, but are emerging in the spring with their surplus fat stores still intact.

Piling on the pounds

According to the Blue Cross, the horse’s metabolism is designed around an annual weight fluctuation — plentiful forage in the summer is converted to fat, to ensure survival in the colder months when there is no grass. While few horses nowadays need or use these winter fat stores, this metabolic mechanism still operates.

“Today we have fat horses entering the winter whose bodies are preparing for starvation, yet the ‘lean’ period never arrives,” states the charity’s website. “In many cases, horses continue to put on weight at a time when their bodies are designed to be losing it.

“The confusion that results contributes to an unfortunate trilogy of undesirable events, often called equine metabolic syndrome: obesity, insulin resistance and increased circulating cortisol. This can, in many cases, spark a serious bout of laminitis.”

The modern equine lifestyle means that horses typically burn fewer calories keeping warm than their wild counterparts.

H&H vet Karen Coumbe explains: “Although animals in the wild may eat more in summer to build up reserves, this is no longer relevant for most horses.

“For a start, our winters are no longer always that cold. More crucially, however, many horses are not exposed to the extremes of wintry weather. They are stabled with a plentiful supply

of warm rugs, so they do not necessarily need extra fat reserves.”

Kath Urwin, manager at the Blue Cross’s Rolleston centre, adds that horses tend to stand around for longer periods in winter.

“It’s much harder with stabled horses,” she says. “We want them to be eating for as many hours as possible for their digestive health and to prevent boredom. Yet leisure animals don’t work as hard these days as they did in the past.

“Many people enjoy feeding their horses in winter, as horses look forward to their meals,” adds Kath. “With rugs and two, perhaps three, feeds a day, it’s easy for weight to stay on.”

A knock-on effect

This persistent plumpness, explains Kath, can have a knock-on effect in the new year.

“We would expect horses to be in an ideal condition or a little over at this time of year” she says.

“But if a horse remains overweight through winter, there’s no room for the natural weight gain in spring and summer.”

Many owners are becoming less comfortable with the normal process of weight gain and loss, says Kath.

“We generally want our horses to look the same in February as in September,” she explains.

“If a horse is stabled and you’re controlling absolutely everything — monitoring his turnout, weighing hay and measuring feed — it’s fine to keep him at the ideal weight all year. But it’s OK for a horse to be leaner coming out of winter, especially if he is field-kept all-year-round. It only takes a matter of weeks out at grass before the condition returns.

“People are reluctant to let their horses drop weight in winter, but it’s very natural,” she adds.

The right balance

While the effects of excess weight on the bones and joints are less well-documented, it is common knowledge that prolonged periods of obesity are associated with a large number of associated health risks — whatever the season. So how can we get the balance right in winter?

“Now is a good time to assess and plan ahead,” says Kath, adding that achieving weight loss is far easier in the colder months when the horse’s internal mechanisms are already working to that effect.

“Recognise if your horse is overweight and try to ensure he loses condition gradually over the next six months.

“If he’s in ideal condition at the moment or a little underweight, aim to maintain that.”

Woolly winter coats and thick rugs can make it harder to gauge condition, but Karen suggests regular use of a weigh tape for more accurate monitoring.

“Every horse and pony should be fed as an individual, according to their type and workload,” she says. “Rely on suitable roughage to provide warmth in colder weather, which means plenty of hay or haylage. Roughage should be the foundation of any horse’s diet, even those in hard work.

Many will need little else apart from vitamins and a supplement containing trace elements and minerals, as necessary.

“The key message is that it is best not to overfeed on a just-in-case basis.”

This article was first published in Horse & Hound magazine (9 October 2014)

Are you ready for winter? Feeding your horse

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A new quick-soaking mash for horses that need to gain weight and condition has been released by Equerry.

Equerry Condition Cooler Mash is a non-heating formula with low levels of starch.

“It has a good level of protein for muscle development and topline,” said a spokesman for the company. “highly-digestible fibre sources include sugar beet; while oil and linseed promote condition and a shiny coat.

“A high level of yeast promotes a healthy digestive system, with added vitamins and minerals including magnesium.”

The Equerry range is manufactured by HJ Lea Oakes, one of the longest established independent animal feed manufacturers in Britain, dating back to 1675. The range includes seven cubes, six coarse mixes, one mash and one treat in the form of Equerry Minty Horse Treats.

Equerry Condition Cooler Mash costs £11.95 for 20kg.

More information on Equerry Horse Feeds

In partnership with NAF

Changeable weather during the autumn and winter months combined with limited hours of daylight in which to exercise your horse can make feeding a real challenge. Many horse owners struggle to maintain their horse’s condition while keeping energy levels consistent.

Kate Jones, senior nutritionist at NAF, believes a carefully planned, yet simple diet is vital in order for your horse to thrive throughout the winter months.

“It is easy for horses to look good and maintain condition when there’s plenty of grass on offer,” says Kate. “But problems are often seen when the grass stops growing in late autumn/early winter. Very often, the first sign not all is well is a loss of condition.”

But before you go diving into the feed bin for an extra scoop of nuts or mix, your horse’s forage should be the first thing to consider. As well as keeping the gut working as nature intended, the digestion of forage plays a major role in maintaining your horse’s body temperature, working like internal central heating for the horse.

Kate explains: “When the temperature drops, horses use more calories keeping warm. Digesting fibre creates heat within the horse’s body so the slow digestion of fibre is ideal for maintaining temperature and condition. It’s vital owners ensure their horse is receiving an adequate amount of forage. As a rule, two per cent of bodyweight is ideal.”

If your horse needs their forage rations backed up with concentrates, these should be chosen according to the horse’s type, age and work load. Forage should remain the largest part of the diet, even with horses that are busy hunting or competing during the winter. Feeding oil is another way to help maintaining condition, but should be introduced to the diet gradually over a period of some weeks.

Good-quality hay or haylage is essential to offset the declining quality of the grass, although it can be hard to pinpoint what nutrients it provides, unless you get it analysed. The energy content of forage can be estimated based on the type of grass, its age when cut and the method of preservation. However, micronutrients (vitamins, minerals and amino acids) are a different story, and forage may be deficient without you knowing.

“Don’t ignore micronutrients when planning your winter diet, as they can make the difference between coping and thriving until spring arrives,” says Kate. “While compound feeds in the form of mix or nuts are formulated to contain vitamins and minerals, if you are not feeding the manufacturer’s recommended amounts, your horse may not be getting all they need.

“Also, if proprietary brands are mixed with straights, such as oats or sugar beet, the micronutrients can become unbalanced. For this reason, it may be necessary to supplement the diet. The addition of a feed balancer, such as NAF Five Star Optimum Feed Balancer, should ensure that sufficient micronutrients are being supplied to support health and vitality.

“Feed balancers typically contain yeast, live probiotics, digestive enhancers and/or antacids to help support the gut. Consistent digestive health is important to all horses and particular those who struggle to maintain condition. If you improve the efficiency of the gut, they are able to digest their feed and forage better, getting the most out of what you put in.”

The winter months are looming and as a horse owner, that means it’s time to get prepared. If you haven’t started your preparations for the colder season then, don’t worry — follow our top tips and you’ll be ready in no time. Plus, the more prepared you are, the quicker spring will seem to come around.

Your horse’s winter diet

• Think carefully about your horse’s diet in the autumn. Stand back and take a good look so you can decide whether the winter will be an opportunity for him to lose a few pounds, or whether he needs to put weight on before the cold weather sets in. Remember that during really cold spells, up to 80% of what he eats will be used for warmth.
• Forage is particularly important during the winter as the horse’s digestive system creates heat as it processes the fiberous material. Even if grass is still available in the field, the nutrition level of it will be minimal, so additional fibre will be required in the form of hay, haylage or a short-chop substitute.
• To ensure your horse is receiving all the vitamins and minerals he needs you might consider adding an all-round supplement or a feed balancer to his diet to help keep him healthy.
• If you think your horse is going to need a change of feed in the winter, ensure you make any changes gradually. Any drastic alterations to his diet can lead to veterinary problems, such as colic, which will prove costly.
• Slow-release energy feeds, which are high in fibre and oil will help your horse get through the winter without losing condition. There are numerous feeds on the market to help maintain weight without sending your horse ‘over the top’, but do consider his workload and temperament before making any changes. Most feed companies have qualified equine nutritionists available to help advise you on what feed would best suit your horse.
• Encouraging your horse to drink can also be a challenge when the cold weather sets in. Consider how you might insulate water buckets in the stable if they tend to freeze. Putting them inside an old tyre packed with straw may help. You could add warm water to both water buckets and feeds to increase fluid intake, or consider feeding wet feeds like sugarbeet. There are also some products available which flavour the water to encourage fussy drinkers, or some people try a splash of apple juice. Try these now to find out what your horse likes before you need to use them.

More winter preparation tips:

Get ready for winter: getting organised

Get ready for winter: preparing the yard

A Scottish animal charity which cares for 50 horses needs help to pay its winter feed bill.

Willows Animal Sanctuary, a registered charity in Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, specialises in taking in animals unsuitable for rehoming due to age or previous mistreatment.

The sanctuary needs £60,000 a year to keep afloat, £10,000 of which pays for winter feed.

But due to a low number of visitors last summer (because of wet weather) and two vital funding deals falling through, Willows is now experiencing a serious cash crisis.

Donations, can be made online at www.willowsanimals.com or by post to Willows Animal Sanctuary, Lambhill Farm, Strichen, Fraserburgh, Scotland, AB43 6NY .

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Going into this winter, there are plenty of horses in good condition, helped by a summer and autumn of wet and warm weather, which were ideal conditions for grass growth. Grass is the richest feed of all. Even autumn grass, if offered ad lib, would contribute more than racehorse feed to any equine diet.

However, the first frosts and snow falls mean an abrupt end to abundant grass, as growth slows down once the soil temperature drops to 5°C. While we can have an idea of the nutrient content or richness of the concentrate feed we use, it’s impossible to quantify what grazing supplies. Horses will notice the change when a sudden cold snap stops grass growth.

Their main energy supply will drop, because autumn grass is medium-energy compared with conserved forages, which are usually low-energy. A swap between the two will lead to either a drop in condition or the need to give more hard feed. A sudden slowing in grass growth will mean a drop in fibre supply, which, if coupled to an increase in the hard feed, brings a higher risk of colic.

The first frost is also a high-risk time for laminitis-prone animals. During a frost, grass stores sugar as fructan, a carbohydrate that cannot be digested in the small intestine. This means the grass has the same effect as an overdose of cereals, with resulting negative effects on digestive function when it flows into the hindgut, with laminitis a likely outcome.

Top winter tips

• Start offering hay or haylage to horses at grass to minimise the change to the diet once grass growth slows. This is important in all horses but particularly in pregnant mares and young stock
• For horses in work, the heavy conditions underfoot mean they have to work harder. Combined with a drop in grazing quality, this means that they require more feed and forage to keep weight on
• The mild, warm autumn has also led to an increase in the activity of stored pests, such as mite, which thrive in these environments. Good feed hygiene and clearing up all spillages will help guard against unwanted creepy crawlies
• For horses out wintering at grass and in good condition, use a vitamin and mineral supplement to maintain essential micronutrient supplies

This feed forum feature was first published in Horse & Hound (25 November, ’04)

If your horse appears to be losing weight during the winter months, you need to devise a plan for weight gain based on his workload, breed and individual circumstances, says independent nutritionist Pamela Kinslow.

Pamela advises that owners estimate their horse’s ideal weight and gradually increase the dietary energy intake by 10-20% up to his goal weight. For most horses, this would equate to an additional 1-2 scoops of hard feed (spread over several meals), or 2-3 sections of hay a day.

It is important to bear in mind that the horse is a natural trickle-feeder, rather than a meal-feeder, and mimicking this pattern will protect his digestive integrity.

“For any horse, the amount of feed, including concentrates and fibre, should not exceed about 2-3kg (4.5-6.5lb, or about 2-3 feed scoops) per meal,” Pamela explains.

“The volume of the meal can be increased through the addition of a chop or chaff, which will slow consumption and avoid the small stomach being overloaded with concentrate feeds. Most horses will eat to appetite, but it is still preferable to split feeds and forage into as many meals as is practical, so that a fairly constant supply of food is available.”

Choosing the right feed

Forages

The process of digesting fibre creates heat – therefore, high-fibre forages such as hay, haylage and fibre chops are excellent winter choices. These feeds are digested by the microflora in the hindgut through a process of fermentation, and the heat that is released as a result actually warms the horse from the inside.

High-fibre calories

High-fibre sources of calories include sugar beet pulp, alfalfa chop or pellets, and dehydrated grass chop or pellets. Although high in energy, these feeds are generally less heating than the majority of cereals and compound feeds.

Oil

Oil is the most fattening feed available, giving three times the energy of cereals, but with the advantage of being non-heating. If split between feeds, up to a pint of soya or corn oil can be fed per day, but this should be introduced gradually. Bear in mind that feeding oil will increase the need for the antioxidant vitamin E to replace muscle cells, which can be damaged by high-fat diets.

Haylage

Haylage is generally more fattening than dried hay, as in spite of its higher water content (30-40 per cent), it is conserved grass, which is usually cut when it is more energy-dense. To provide adequate fibre, therefore, haylage needs to be fed in greater quantities than dried hay, particularly if it makes up a small proportion of the diet, in conjunction with concentrates.

Cereals and compound feeds

Naked oats provide high energy in a concentrated form and are also highly digestible. Cereals that have been cooked or micronised, such as flaked maize or extruded barley, are also more digestible than unprocessed cereals, and therefore more conditioning. Coarse mixes are usually higher in sugar and energy than cubes.

Boiled barley and boiled linseed

These cooked seeds are a useful addition to the winter diet. According to Pamela, feeding boiled grains is somewhat “out of fashion”, but she says barley and linseed are excellent conditioning feeds.

Once the horse has reached its desired weight, gradually return to a maintenance programme and continue to monitor its weight throughout the year.

Weight gain plan

• Condition-score and physically check the horse’s coverage with your hands
• Maintain worming and dentistry programmes to ensure a good quality of life
• Rug your horse adequately to maintain warmth
• Choose fattening feed types
• Work out a weight gain diet
• Encourage correct utilisation of feed
• Ensure long-term dietary health, with the use of a maintenance diet

As the chilly north wind starts to bite around the country, owners are likely to be reviewing their horses’ diet to ensure they maintain condition during the next few months.

Signs of poor condition

Owners should be on the look out for the following signs throughout the winter:

• Ribby appearance
• Loss of condition around the hips and withers
• Dull rough coat
• Failure to gain weight
• Loss of weight and/or stamina
• Poor growth rate in young horses

Horses exhibiting these signs should be checked for non-nutritionary factors, which might be contributing to their weight loss, and their management adjusted accordingly before any change to their feeding regime is made.

Problems that can affect a horse’s condition include:

• Worms
• Poor teeth
• Low-grade pain such as arthritis (especially older horses)
• Windsuckers and crib biters
• Prolonged levels of hard work
• Nervous or young horses distracted by noisy or unusual surroundings
• Colts and fillies kept adjacent to each other
• Horses kept on their own, who may fret and become picky eaters
• An illness such as colic, surgical operations or virus

Feeding for condition

Hay should provide at least 50% of a competition horse’s diet throughout the year and up to 90% of a leisure horse’s diet. When a feedstuff is providing this level of nutrients, it is important that you have an idea of its energy and protein content, so that you can adjust hard feed intake accordingly. This can be achieved by having your hay analysed.

Many hays provide enough energy for maintenance and light work, however, data obtained from the Dodson & Horrell analytical laboratory shows that hays can vary considerably in energy content and most hays are deficient in quality protein, vitamins and minerals.

On average hay contains between 33 and 50% of the horse’s required levels of vitamin A, 25% of the vitamin D needed and as little as 5% of the recommended levels of vitamin E.

Vitamins A and E are essential antioxidants, which are important for the body to support the immune system and to mop up free radicals. Free radicals are produced as a result of normal metabolism but are thought to increase in times of stress.

Grass and other plants would normally provide a natural source of these antioxidants. Recent research supported by Dodson & Horrell has shown that many horses have low levels of antioxidants in their blood, and that feeding a supplement containing both plant-based antioxidants and vitamins and minerals can increase antioxidants levels. As a result the company now includes this supplement (QLC) in all its feeds.

Safe weight gain

The quality and quantity of forage and hard feed being fed needs to be checked and the diet adjusted to ensure a slow steady weight gain. Initial weight gain should be based on small frequent meals, rather than a couple of large feeds per day. Grazing should be built up slowly and forage should form the greatest part of the diet.

Feeds which are highly digestible, contain adequate vitamins and minerals and antioxidants, with good quality protein and slow releasing energy sources (predominantly oil and fibre) are most successful in improving condition, without causing horses to become unmanageable.

Condition should be monitored weekly preferably by using a weightape, or by condition scoring. Once the horse has reached its desired weight, feed levels will need to be adjusted to maintain condition levels.

Dodson & Horrell recommends . . .

Alfalfa Chaff, Fiber Blend and Fibergy are sources of quality protein, calcium, natural minerals and slow-releasing energy from fibre. High quality fibre should always provide the basis for any sound feeding programme.

Build-Up and Build-Up Cubes are high in slow-releasing energy sources, fibre and oil to promote condition while minimising the risk of excitability. Both feeds contain quality protein to encourage muscle and top-line development in response to exercise, plus Yea-Sacc to promote healthy hind-gut digestion and QLC to support the horse’s natural systems.

During October 2003, 10,000 bags of Dodson & Horrell Build-Up Cubes will contain an extra 10% free. Special promotional bags will contain 22kgs for the price of 20kgs so look out for them at your feed merchants.

Other feeds to consider if your horse is losing weight include:

• Sixteen Plus: for the old horse
• Yearling Cubes: for the growing youngster
• Soya Oil: a concentrated energy source

Dodson & Horrell has produced a fact sheet “Feeding with Condition in Mind’” which provides helpful tips on keeping condition on your horse this winter. For your copy of the leaflet and a sample of Build-Up or Build-Up Cubes e-mail: enquiries@dodsonandhorrell.com or call the Dodson & Horrell helpline (tel: 0870 442 3322).

Q. I keep my horse in a 20-acre field with two other horses. It is high up onchalk downs and therefore very dry. The grass is abundant throughout the winter but should I be feeding extra forage?

Independent nutritionist Christine Smy answers: Once the temperature drops below 5?C for a prolonged period, the nutritional value of the grass will decline rapidly and you should not rely on it as a feed source.

I suggest you provide good-quality forage, either hay or haylage, particularly when the grass is frosty, or covered in snow.

If your horseis in work, you can also provide suitable concentrates at the recommended levels. If you are only feeding a token concentrate, it may be advisable to add a broad-spectrum supplement to top up any vitamins and minerals that your horse might be lacking.

It is fine for your horse to continue to eat the grass, because it will add fibre to the diet. However, if he is eating it in preference to the hay or haylage, you may find that he develops a grass belly.

When designing a winter diet for your horse, consider his age, breed, temperament, weight, workload, the quality of your forage and your management routine.

Fibre is the most important consideration when designing the diet. Don’t skimp on quality, as this is only false economy. If you can’t source good quality hay or haylage, try a hay replacer.

If you are stabling your horse for longer periods of time, stop him from becoming bored by adding a meal extender. Spillers Happy Days takes 30% longer to eat than hay, which reduces non-feeding time and helps establisha more natural feeding pattern in the stable, reducing the risk of equine stereotypies.

If in light work, supplement your horse’s forage ration with a low-energy feed at approximately 30% of his diet. If your horse needs a little help with hiscondition, add some conditioning cubes for weight gain without fizz.

If you are feeding native ponies or good doers that only require forage, balance their diet by providing vitamins and minerals.

Preparing your winter feeding regime while the weather remains unseasonable warm may seem unnecessary, but a little thought now will ensure your horse remains fit and well this winter.

You want your horse to be in good condition as winter arrives – it is much easier to keep weight on a horse during cold weather than trying to achieve weight gain.

The majority of horse owners work to a strict budget, but don’t be tempted to purchase inferior food – buy the best you can afford. Cheap hard feed is likely to be low in nutrients so you’ll have to feed more, costing you more money in the long run.

Many feed companies manufacture ‘budget’ feeds, rather like the ‘own brand’ products found in supermarkets. These products are not inferior, but are produced at a reduced cost by saving money on packaging, literature and advertising. If the manufacturer is reputable, then the feed will be of good quality.

What to feed this winter

Fibre: Both field-kept and stabled horses should be fed plenty of quality fibre. Digestion produces internal warmth, and fibre takes up to 40 hours to digest, working like internal ‘central heating’.

Concentrates: These should be fed according to the type of work the horse is undertaking. Most feed companies produce range of feeds so choose the one which is most appropriate for your horse.

Oil: This is great for adding weight and condition. Add a tablespoon to the feed twice a day to begin, and gradually work up to a tea cup twice a day.

Minerals and vitamins: Grazing is of poor quality during the winter months and hay alone will not make up for the loss in nutritional value. The horse’s diet may need supplementing with minerals and vitamins.

Vegetables can be fed daily to provide vitamins and minerals. Broad-spectrum supplements, containing a wide range of minerals and vitamins, can be added to concentrates, as either a powder or pellet.

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