The best grazing is actually tall, coarse grass that has been allowed to go to seed. It will be low in nutrition, high in fibre and be a very good chew which will make it satisfying to eat. Fence off the perimeter of the field so the horses can roam all round and when the bit in the middle is like standing hay, allow increasing access. In the meantime you may need to top up with low calorie hay, soaked hay (not more than 2 hours in summer or it may ferment) or LucieStalks for instance. When horses have free access to forage they will “pace” themselves. When forage is restricted, they will become greedy when it is available and will consequently eat too much. The answer is not to deny them vital forage, but you may need to make it harder to obtain then merely standing in one place and eating until it is all gone.

Anxious horses are more settled in company and efforts should be made to avoid stressful situations. A stable mirror can be helpful. If after all this good grub, your horse regains weight a bit too much, use LucieFibre Cubes instead of his LucieNuts. Some forages have more sugar than others, and although this sugar is within the cells of the plant and will be released more slowly, it can still cause a problem. Grass tends to have more sugar than other plants and Ryegrass often has more sugar than other grasses, especially the very productive Tetraploid Reygrasses which are favoured in agriculture. Some of these can yield sugar levels of 25 – 40 % and even more in certain conditions. At Simple System Ltd we avoid Ryegrass for this reason, because we feel horses, even those without any identified problem, are probably healthier if they do not consume too much sugar. We prefer less sugary grasses such as Fescue, Timothy and mixed Native grasses. Our grass based feeds usually have sugar levels in the range of 10 – 15% but each batch is analysed to make sure it is appropriate for the product. For instance, careful management of harvesting date and time has resulted in our Timothy Chop having a sugar level of just 6.1% which is exceptionally low for a grass based feed. We can confidently recommend this feed for horses with any sort of metabolic issue. The same cannot be said of Red Bag Grass Pellets which are intended for harder working and competition horses for instance, and have a sugar level of 12.7%. Going for longer distances, over 64km? Add Red Bag Grass Pellets, which are our highest feed value straight forage, with 10% more energy than oats, but no starch. Offer these as a choice in the vet holds as well.Greedy, exhausted or very hungry horses may be more prone to choke, due to the feed being insufficiently chewed. Some veterinary conditions may also increase the risk of choke, such as nerve damage and malformation of the oesophagus or throat. Thorns, chunks of wood and foreign objects can also cause a choke. Cross-cut carrots are sometimes cited as a potential cause of choke. When insufficient forage is provided and bedding is consumed this can also cause choke.

Protein is essential for every organ of the horse and not least for supporting, repairing and building muscles. It is also needed for hooves, bones and even coat. By law, the total protein, also called Crude Protein (C.P.) has to be declared on feed bags, but this figure is only part of the equation. Protein can be good or bad quality, and can be digestible or indigestible. I haven't used them, but wouldn't as my horses don't like Alfalfa. If you want to look at other alternatives for a sugar and cereal free diet, you could feed a good vitamin and mineral supplement (I used Equimins Advance Complete Concentrate which doesn't have any fillers in it and has a high specification) plus micronized linseed and/or Coolstance Copra. I use grass chaff and speedibeet/fibrebeet (only half a scoop each) to mix in, you could use Hi Fi Molasses free instead of the grass chaff to avoid the sugar in that.

Horses have evolved into largest fastest land creature for its size and this is due to their amazing biomechanics. The horses’ digestive system has adapted and this plays a vital role in the success and speed of the equine athlete. Will the high oil content of the feeds with linseed in them (Total Eclipse, Joint Eclipse and so on) make this feed really fattening? Because Red Bag Grass Pellets are a forage feed, digested in the same way as grass, it's perfectly safe to let him eat them right until the moment you get on.

For horses, we want the first number (omega 3) to be bigger than the second (omega 6). If it is not, then the horse may not be as healthy and recover as well from injury or just exercise, as it will when omega 3 exceeds omega 6. Not all oils are the same! And some are very much out of balance, but all have the same level of calories. Linseed has been used for horses for generations but it is only now we understand why it is so good. The plants that are naturally grazed by horses have the same balance of omega 3 and 6, so horses have evolved to thrive on that balance. The inactive (other) ingredients in Meta Slim Complete include maltodextrin, natural flavors, citric acid, malic acid, stevia extract, silicone antifoam CD-2020K, fruit and vegetable (color), and white vinegar powder. The plant is harmful to humans too, so wear protective gloves and cover your arms and legs when handling it. Any pelleted food carries a slightly increased risk of choke and pelleted feeds should always be mixed with plenty of chop or soaked beet pulp, for instance. This encourages chewing and also prevents too much pelleted material being consumed at once. Dry food may also carry a slightly higher risk, so all feeds should be well dampened. Protein is the most important nutrient for horses alongside fibre. Protein supports all the internal organs, blood, muscle and hooves as well as skin and hair. The minimum requirement for protein is 10% of the diet. Higher levels are better, especially forage protein. This is very different from protein in cereals and pulses. Forage protein has a low digestibility, which means only around half is actually digested in the foregut. The rest goes into the hind gut where is supports the gut microbes. Hay is best with a protein content of 13 – 15%. This essential nutrient should not be rationed! But ensure it is from forage and not grains or pulses.We suggest that this feed is appropriate for horses and ponies which are prone to laminitis, overweight, have fat pads or crests and appear depressed. MetaSlim will support hormonal balance and maintain the healthy functioning of the pituitary gland. Nevertheless, the makers of Meta Slim Complete claim the supplement “works like magic” to help you lose weight. GM free? Most certainly! Organic? Where we can and getting there! Feeding horses the food they evolved to eat? Of course! Free from animal products? What else! And uniquely, fully registered with The Vegan Society. These things are every bit as important to us as they are to you. It's not unusual for horses to take some time to get used to an unmolassed feed such as Simple System - just imagine a child's reaction if you offered them broccoli instead of chocolate! It is thought that increasing oil in the diet will help keep them on the right sort of metabolism, as oils are digested to fatty acids. Soluble fibre and easily fermented hemi-cellulose are also reduced to free fatty acids, by fermentation by microbes. These types of fibre are found in high quality forages, such as lucerne and young grass, and beet pulp. You can get the same effect as feeding oil by using these sources of fermentable fibre, without risking digestive upset or adversely affecting the balance of omega 3 and 6.