Practical Feeding Information

With so many feeds to choose from and often lots of different factors to take into account, choosing the right feed for your horse can seem a little daunting at times. The following articles provide a useful background into some of the fundamentals of equine nutrition as well as the practical elements to consider when putting together a feeding plan.

• Our Feed Ingredients article includes information on a range of different ingredients that are commonly included in horse feeds and what they contribute to the horse’s ration.
• The Balanced Diet article provides an explanation on what a balanced diet is for the horse and what needs to be included to ensure their nutritional requirements are met, whilst the Nutritional Analysis article delves a little deeper into some of the analytical constituents of the ration that can be assessed to determine whether a product is suitable for your horse.
• Trying to put together a suitable but appetising feeding plan for the fussy horse or pony can be challenging at times, so we’ve put together some top tips and points to consider when it comes to feeding these individuals.
• There are a number of plants that can be toxic to horses, and these are outlined in our Poisonous Plants article, alongside guidance on what to do if you suspect your horse has eaten something poisonous.
• For horses competing under rules, it’s really important to take steps to reduce the risk of contamination with NOPS (natural and other prohibited substances). This includes choosing feeds and supplements from manufacturers who are members of the BETA NOPS scheme, as this demonstrates they doing everything they can to reduce the risk within their products. More information and guidance can be found in our NOPS article.

The equine nutrition team at Dengie are highly qualified and experienced and would be more than happy to help with more specific feeding queries. They can be contacted on 01621 841 188 or via our online feed advice form.