Struggle to maintain a healthy weight without excitability!

When Julie Wickenden first rescued Dario, he was a filthy skeleton who had been locked in a box 24/7. He’d been bred to show jump but his temperament and unusual conformation, with hooves that present an ongoing challenge, would have made him unsuitable for the job. Dario had 8 or 9 owners before Julie in his 7 years of life, having been passed from pillar to post after his breeder sold him as a 3-year-old.

“Dario took a while to adjust to his new home and gain weight. He also started to exhibit behavioural problems and then went lame prior to a navicular syndrome diagnosis. He can still be a very challenging and unpredictable horse, even though he’s been with me for over 8 years now, but we have made significant progress on all fronts. Changing diet has been a key factor to his improvement.”

“Dario is no longer underweight, trying to keep his calorie intake to a minimum whilst still giving him a sufficient quantity to eat is critical, especially as I don’t want his navicular issues to return or to have unnecessary weight putting pressure on his hooves. We decided to try the Dengie Hi-Fi Molasses Free, on recommendation of Andrea Jones from The Laminitis Site, and haven’t looked back since.”

“I love that the Hi-Fi Molasses Free is low in calories but high in fibre. I can rely on it providing Dario with a satisfying bucket feed without adding any unnecessary calories, sugar or starch. I also love the fact it contains pellets which can be used as a little treat too. I often use the Hi-Fi Molasses Free as a snack spread across the field, so he has to search for it, as well as a small feed before he is worked to ensure he has dry matter in his stomach.”