The most important aspect of reducing the chances of your horse having bad teeth is to feed a high fibre diet. Studies have shown that feeding fibre based feeds encourages your horse to use the full range of jaw movement which reduces the likelihood of sharp edges forming. High fibre diets have also been shown to generate more saliva which has natural anti-bacterial functions and so helps to promote oral hygiene.
Horses are living longer and in many cases are outliving their own teeth. This can make feeding an old horse with poor dentition challenging. When a horse’s teeth become loose, worn or missing, it can make simple things like chewing very difficult and will reduce the horse’s ability to obtain the essential nutrients they need from their diet.
The number of enquiries regarding poor dentition and how to use hay replacers to the Dengie Feedline has increased significantly in recent years. In 2020 there were 5 times more enquiries regarding hay replacers than in 2015 and the winter months are when enquiries peak each year. Interestingly it’s not just older horses that present a challenge, horses of all ages can suffer from conditions such as diastemas, where abnormal gaps can develop between a horse’s teeth. This often means that the horse cannot manage long-length forage, which should make up at least half of every horse’s diet, which can result in significant weight loss. There is also an increased risk of colic as the horse may consume larger pieces of forage which can be more prone to causing impactions in the digestive tract.
Alicia Wilkinson’s event horse Perfect Timing II (Pooh) lost a lot of weight and was ultimately diagnosed with diastemas that had reduced her ability to chew long length forage. Along with dental work, a change of forage was required to ensure she received sufficient fibre in her ration. On recommendation of Claire Akers Dengie’s Performance Horse Nutritionist, Pooh was fed Dengie Grass Pellets and Alfa-Beet soaked to a mash to partially replace her forage. Pooh went on to complete at various International Horse Trials including Tattersalls, Blenheim, and Burgham on this ration, so clearly using a forage replacer is no bar to health and performance.
A study funded by Dengie showed that when high-fibre materials were provided in a form the horse could manage, they were able to consume just as much as a horse with normal dentition. If you have a horse with bad teeth it can be as simple as finding the right form of forage and feeding enough of it to enable them to gain weight and look and perform as well as ever.
There are a wide range of products in the Dengie range which can be used as forage replacers. Hi-Fi Lite, Meadow Lite with Herbs and Ulser Lite are all low calorie chopped fibre feeds, ideal for good doers, whereas the Hi-Fi Senior or Pure Grass are higher calorie alternatives all of which can be fed up to ad lib quantities as a full or partial forage replacer. There are also pelleted options available, Pure Grass Pellets and Alfa-Beet which can be soaked to a soft mash making them very easy to chew even for horses with no teeth at all!
BHS Dental Awareness Week runs from 10th – 16th November. Join Dengie and Ben Portus from Paton and Lee Equine Veterinary Surgery for a free webinar and Q&A session: Addressing Dental Issues in Horses at 7pm on 14th November. Common dental problems and how to manage them will be discussed as well as feeding tips and advice.
For more information about feeding for dental health, Dengie’s hay replacer options or for help and advice on all aspects of feeding call the Dengie Feedline: 01621 841188 or fill in our Feed Advice Form.
**COMPETITION CLOSED**
Win a Trickle Net Shake & Graze Chaff Net plus a bale of Dengie’s NEW Meadow Lite with Herbs!
Taking ‘trickle’ feeding to a new level – the ‘Shake & Graze’ Chaff Net uses an innovative filter system which slowly dispenses chaff when the net is nuzzled, agitated or gently shaken. The horse or pony then ‘grazes’ the chaff from the floor. A clean rubber mat or concrete floor is required or hang it over a manger!
When used with a low calorie fibre feed, such as Dengie’s NEW Meadow Lite with Herbs it is ideal for metabolically challenged horses, restricted turnout, weight management, box rest, rehabilitation… the list is endless.
**COMPETITION CLOSED**
If you would like further information on any of the Dengie products or a personalized diet plan for your horse please call our feedline on 01621 841188 or click here to fill in our feed advice form.
Terms & Conditions: This competition will close at 11.59pm on 6th November 2023. One entry per person. Two lucky winners will be selected from the correct entries and be notified via email within 7 days of the competition closing. Prize consists of one Trickle Net Shake & Graze Chaff Net plus a bale of Dengie Meadow Lite with Herbs. No cash alternative available. Entrants must be aged 18 or over. Open to UK mainland residents only. Click here for full Terms & conditions
**COMPETITION CLOSED**
Win a HelmetConnect, worth £160 plus £50 of Dengie Feed Vouchers!
The world’s first removable Bluetooth for your riding helmet. Make and receive calls while in the saddle to your trainer, your family or other riders in your group. Listen to music and train Dressage to Music without your earphones falling out again. Perfect for cross country training and large arenas, HelmetConnect has no restriction on range. Easily removed before competition and compatible with Android, iPhone and Apple Watch.
- Inbuilt speaker and microphone
- Compatible with Siri
- Attaches to 3 point harness
- Designed to be worn on one ear only (left ear, but can be worn on right) to aid situational awareness
- Magnetic poppers for easy removal
- Weather resistant
- 8hr battery life
The lucky winner will also receive £50 of Dengie Feed vouchers to go towards their horse or pony’s feed bill this winter!
**COMPETITION CLOSED**
If you would like further information on any of the Dengie products or a personalized diet plan for your horse please call our feedline on 01621 841188 or click here to fill in our feed advice form.
Terms & Conditions: This competition will close at 11.59pm on 30th November 2023. One entry per person. One lucky winner will be selected from the correct entries and be notified via email within 7 days of the competition closing. Prize consists of one HelmetConnect worth £160 plus £50 of Dengie Feed vouchers. No cash alternative available. Entrants must be aged 18 or over. Open to UK mainland residents only. Click here for full Terms & conditions
Levels of vitamins and minerals consumed naturally by dieting horses on restricted rations will be lower than those out on lush green pastures, meaning good doers on restricted rations can be lacking essential minerals. As an increasing number of horses and ponies in the UK are fed restricted rations, deficiencies are more probable. We have therefore increased levels of the trace minerals selenium, copper and zinc and introduced chelated forms for increased bioavailability, in our popular low calorie fibre feed Healthy Hooves Molasses Free.
We have four nutritionally fortified feeds in our range, Healthy Tummy, Healthy Hooves, Healthy Hooves Molasses Free and Cool, Condition & Shine and all will feature the new levels of minerals. When fed at the recommended rate of 500g per 100kg bodyweight, these feeds will provide the horse with all the vitamins and minerals they need for a balanced diet, including the recommended amount of biotin for hoof growth and health. Dengie Healthy Hooves Molasses Free also contains Methyl Sulfonyl Methane (MSM) for additional hoof and joint support, whereas Dengie Healthy Tummy contains ADM Protexin In-Feed formula supplying digestive aids to promote optimum gut health.
For more information about Dengie’s complete feeds or for help and advice on all aspects of feeding call the Dengie Feedline: 01621 841188 or complete our Feed Advice Form.
We are excited to announce the NEW addition to our grass range of fibre feeds – Meadow Lite with Herbs! The ULTRA low-calorie straw and grass blend suitable for good doers and those prone to laminitis.
Meadow Lite with Herbs is now the lowest calorie fibre feed in the Dengie range, providing just 5MJ/kg of digestible energy! It is also naturally low in starch (0.5%) and sugar (3%).
Soft, tasty meadow grasses have been blended with high-quality oat straw to offer a low-calorie feed, which does not compromise on chew time. “Feeding straw can be very beneficial particularly for good doers” says Dr. Katie Williams, Dengie’s Technical & Product Development Manager. “Recent studies have shown using straw as part of the ration not only provides a valuable source of low-calorie fibres, but increases sorting or searching behaviour which in turn increases the amount of time horses spend eating.”
Low in calories should not mean that horse owners have to compromise on taste and interest for their horse. We have therefore enriched Meadow Lite with cinnamon and thyme, a combination of flavours that have worked really well in trials! Horses and ponies will not be able to resist!
“Although straw has very little buffering capability feeding it is still beneficial for gastric health” adds Katie. “Straw increases chew time and therefore greater saliva production.” This is important as saliva contains bicarbonate which naturally helps buffer acidity in the horse’s digestive tract. More chews = more saliva = better digestive health! Our research has shown that owners of good doers are increasingly worried about feeding sufficient fibre to promote gut health without resulting in weight gain and Meadow Lite with Herbs is perfect for this scenario.
Postbiotics are included in Meadow Lite with Herbs to support the gut microbiota for general health and wellbeing. While many horse owners will be familiar with using prebiotics and probiotics to promote digestive health, postbiotics are much less widely known. To put it simply, when microbes feed on prebiotics they produce postbiotics through the fermentation of food. Postbiotics have multiple important health promoting functions in our horse’s guts including maintaining the guts defences against pathogenic bacteria and other harmful substances.
A very light dressing of rapeseed and linseed oils is added to promote healthy skin and coat shine. Linseed is widely recognized as a great source of omega 3 essential fatty acids.
All Dengie feeds are free from GM ingredients, and additionally Meadow Lite with Herbs is free from molasses, cereals, alfalfa, preservatives, and binders.
Look out for the new Dengie Meadow Lite with Herbs which will start appearing in stores from the end of October!
**COMPETITION CLOSED**
Win an Ariat Valor Waterproof Jacket, worth £290 plus £50 of Dengie Feed Vouchers!
For the dedicated athletes who ride rain or shine, Ariat have designed the ultra-waterproof Valor Jacket. Crafted with high-performance, three-layer stretch fabric for superior mobility and all the rider-specific details our equestrian demand.
Water dares try to penetrate this waterproof jacket from Ariat. It’s expertly engineered with an earth-friendly waterproof finish plus sealed seams and zippers for the ultimate protection.
- AriatTEK® is designed for optimal comfort in any weather
- Premium DRYMax™ waterproof breathable construction to keep you dry in a heavy downpour
- PFC-free EcoDry™ finish repels water
- Waterproof zippers
- Articulated sleeves
- Removable hood
- Zippered saddle vents
- Two-way zipper
- Zippered hand, chest and interior pockets
The lucky winner will also receive £50 of Dengie Feed vouchers to go towards their horse or pony’s feed bill this winter!
**COMPETITION CLOSED**
If you would like further information on any of the Dengie products or a personalized diet plan for your horse please call our feedline on 01621 841188 or fill in our feed advice form.
Terms & Conditions: This competition will close at 11.59pm on 31st October 2023. One entry per person. One lucky winner will be selected from the correct entries and be notified via email within 7 days of the competition closing. Prize consists of an Ariat Valor Waterproof Jacket in the colour Navy worth £290 plus £50 of Dengie Feed vouchers. No cash alternative available. Entrants must be aged 18 or over. Open to UK mainland residents only. Click here for full Terms & conditions
Sarah-Jane Brown and Fliss have just returned from an exciting trip to France where they represented Great Britain at the European Championships for Veteran Riders.
Fliss and I were very excited to be selected to represent Great Britain at the European Championships for Veteran riders (over 45 years of age). The championship took place in Hardelot in France and attracted eleven teams from around Europe. There was a championship format of a speed class on the first day, two further rounds on day two to decide the team medals and finally the fourth day a further two rounds to determine individual medals.
Fliss has had a great year with some good results, but this was to be our first competition and trip abroad and I was nervous about how she would cope, plus getting the paperwork right for the rigorous checks! They always say “plan for the unexpected” but I never imagined that we would be travelling and competing in a heatwave in September! Temperatures were generally over 30 degrees and the black temporary stables produced temperatures nearer to 40 degrees. Much of our spare time was spent hosing and sponging the horses down. Despite the heat the horses coped well; a testament to the preparation, care and nutrition.
Vet checks and rigorous drug testing took place, so it was reassuring that all of Dengie’s feeds are BETA NOPS, UFAS & FEMAS certified, giving me peace of mind.
On day 1 the speed class we were the ‘Best of Brits’ with a quick clear round leaving us just over 3 penalties off the leader. As a team we sat in silver but it was all very close behind us. The team rounds took place on day 2. As a team of 4 we only had one rail down all day and Fliss jumped two super clear rounds to help secure the team a silver medal with the French taking gold. In the individual placings, a couple of French horses were drawing going into the final day, Fliss and I were in bronze medal position individually.
The final day dawned and was as hot as the previous day, a couple of unlucky poles sadly meant it wasn’t a medal for us and left us 13th individually. However, Team GBR showed its class with our riders finishing in silver, bronze and 4th position. Although, I was slightly disappointed to drop at the end I was over the moon with how well Fliss went and our part in securing the team silver. It is an honour to represent your country and exciting to wear the Union Flag, but then to also come away with a medal was a dream come true! I never expected the conditions to make it so testing and I think the importance of the care and feed really came into its own.
Fliss travelled the 14 hours to the event really well; she maintained her energy levels throughout the event and arrived back home looking as good as she left! The health and condition of my horses is paramount. Dengie Alfa-A Original ensures she has the energy and nutrients to train and compete; the superior quality fibre alongside her forage and turnout allows me to keep her diet and management as natural as possible whilst also keeping her mentally relaxed, fit, healthy and ready to perform.
Sue Burton, founder of Remus Horse Sanctuary, has launched her #BornToDie campaign whilst commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the charity earlier this summer. Ms Burton is calling for greater enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act in relation to equine welfare – saving horses, ponies, donkeys and mules.
Across the UK horses are being let down by those who fail to give the care that horses, ponies and other equines should be able to rely on as a very basic right. Mares are still being forced to breed every year, many on a tethering chain with their foals being born to a life they wouldn’t choose, and as Remus sees so often literally being Born to Die.
Ms Burton said, “We do have a whole raft of laws, but the problem lies with the enforcement. If the laws were enforced, then we would not have the ongoing welfare issues that we see so regularly.”
In December 2020, the Charity Times reported: “There are more than 7,000 horses currently known to animal welfare charities at risk of neglect or being abandoned. Currently charities take on more than 2,000 horse welfare cases a year.”
The police – who must be relied upon to enter property or confiscate animals, will often not investigate, telling Ms Burton that they “signpost the public to the RSPCA” – who have no statutory powers, and are already overstretched.
At the start of this year, Ms Burton asked two police forces either side of the Dartford Tunnel for data on equine neglect crimes; one said they didn’t collect that information and advised the public are asked to contact the RSPCA if they are aware of crimes against animals, and the other did not respond.
Improving the Effectiveness of Animal Welfare Enforcement1 by APGAW (All Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare) confirmed that there is a huge level of inconsistency with some forces seeing the value of having officers dealing with animal welfare and recognising it can be connected to other types of crime and others not seeing any value. Furthermore, equines fall in between both companion and livestock legislation.
Local authorities can choose to appoint inspectors, but don’t have to – again many signposting to charities, including every local authority website that Ms Burton and her team researched in Essex. Different levels of authority have different responsibilities. For example, where a borough council is accountable for fly-grazing, a county council is responsible for the welfare of horses being transported.
At the 40th Anniversary luncheon held at Ingatestone Hall in Essex, attended by the charity’s Patrons, dignitaries and trustees, Ms Burton admitted, “I have witnessed so many awful sights that I can never unsee. I have cried a lake of tears. I never fail to be stunned at how much suffering these stoic animals take, at how awful mankind can be to such noble innocent animals and how so many in authority ignore their plight due to deficiencies in our legal system.
“I am so proud of what Remus has achieved over the past 40 years and the animals who have come through our gates that we have been able to turn round – from emaciated, terrified, beaten, and in two cases deliberately blinded wrecks, to animals now able to live and enjoy a normal happy life free from suffering, hunger and fear.
“But what good is a law that isn’t enforced? Deficiencies in our legal system should not be the reason thousands of these noble innocent animals suffer each and every year.”
Ms Burton is calling for the following:
- a named post within every County Council and unitary Authority, responsible for enforcement action across the full range of equine cruelty, working with lower tier authorities, the police and charities.
- a national education programme, promoted across communities who are traditionally less likely to understand the importance of equine care, cascaded to support workers facilitating conversations with such communities.
- publication by each local authority of information relating to equine welfare cases, including the number of reports, attendances, investigations and prosecutions, and details of whether referrals have come through charities or members of the public.
Attendees at the luncheon included HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh GCVO, Royal Patron to the charity since 2013, two more of the charity’s patrons: Lord Petre and his son The Hon. Dominic Petre, and Andrew Rosindell MP for Romford; Mr Vincent Thompson, His Majesty’s Deputy Lieutenant; Mr Charles Bishop, High Sheriff of Essex; Councillor Jill Reeves, Chair of Essex County Council; Councillor Linda Mascot, Mayor of Chelmsford City Council; Mr Nick Eveleigh, the Chief Executive of Chelmsford City Council, and Mr Andy Mariner, Assistant Chief Constable of Essex Police. Along with the charity’s trustees, supporters, suppliers and vets.
Of the new #BornToDie campaign Mr Rosindell commented: “The government needs to step up. I’m very committed as a former shadow minister for animal welfare to continue to raise these issues in parliament and to lobby the government to change the culture of animal welfare in this country and I’m committed to working with Remus to ensure that happens.”
Ms Burton concluded, “The Animal Welfare Act should ensure that all equines, and other kept animals, are protected.
“But the protection of these beautiful animals, who have stood with humans for centuries – from farming to war, from friendship to servitude – falls to charities often stretched for resources. Too often, members of the public have no information on how to act.
“Please, support our #BornToDie campaign for greater enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act in relation to equine welfare.”
For further information, visit www.remussanctuary.org/borntodie or contact Sue Burton on tel: 01277 356191 if you can help promote or add value to the campaign.
We are delighted to announce that Technical & Product Development Manager Katie Williams M.Sc (Dist) R. Nutr, passed her viva voce exam following on from submitting her doctoral thesis meaning she has completed her PhD.
Katie’s study reviewed the status of nutrition in the veterinary industry and explored the relationship between the professions. She has been presenting her work at conferences in Europe and the USA and her paper titled ‘A detailed analysis of consultations between equine nutritionists and a client’, was included in the Journal of Veterinary Science proceedings of the Equine Science Society 2023 Symposium.
Katie has been working full-time for Dengie whilst completing her PhD which is no mean feat! Dengie’s Managing Director Ian Hassard was in no doubt Katie would complete her study “Katie’s determination and dedication are second to none so we were in no doubt she would complete her study. Everyone here is very proud of her achievement”.
One of the aims of Katie’s work was to explore the effectiveness of equine nutritionists and make the case for the work those in the profession do being more widely recognised and valued.
“It was really encouraging to find that the client assessing the nutritionists rated them all very highly for parameters linked to empathy” shared Katie, “and they all highlighted the potential for the ponies featured in the consultation to become obese suggesting that nutritionists don’t appear to have the same issues with talking about obesity as other professionals might”.
Katie is already working on other projects including a review of nutrition training in the veterinary curriculum and developing a scheme for those giving nutritional advice under the auspices of BETA.
**COMPETITION CLOSED**
Win 30 bags of Sun-e-bed plus £50 of Dengie Feed Vouchers!
Sun-e-bed makes mucking-out, easy! This highly absorbent pelleted horse bedding speeds up mucking-out without compromising on bed quality or comfort.
Made from 100% British straw, Sun-e-bed is a soft pellet that easily breaks down in the stable to form a fluffy, comfortable bed. You don’t even need to water it!
The bedding is highly absorbent, and easy to manage. Wet patches clump together for easy removal and lock away the ammonia smell. You won’t need to remove much bedding each day, which will keep your muck-heap small.
Just six to eight bags of Sun-e-bed are required to start a stable from scratch, followed by one or two bags a week to top the bed up. So, 30 bags could last you six months, enough to get you through the worst of this winter.
The lucky winner will also receive £50 of Dengie Feed vouchers to go towards their horse or pony’s feed bill this winter!
**COMPETITION CLOSED**
If you would like further information on any of the Dengie products or a personalized diet plan for your horse please call our feedline on 01621 841188 or fill in our feed advice form.
Terms & Conditions: This competition will close at 11.59pm on 30th September 2023. One entry per person. One lucky winner will be selected from the correct entries and be notified via email within 7 days of the competition closing. Prize consists of 30 bags of Sun-e-bed plus £50 of Dengie Feed vouchers. The 30 bags of Sun-e-bed will be delivered on a pallet to a UK mainland address. No cash alternative available. Entrants must be aged 18 or over. Open to UK mainland residents only. Click here for full Terms & conditions