When should I wean my foal?
At this time of year, you may be looking to buy a foal and experience the joy of bringing on a youngster. Although it is traditional to wean at 6 months, this is actually too early.
Building up to Bonfire Night
Most equestrians dread Bonfire Night as it can be a particularly stressful time for both horses and horse owners alike. With just over 2 weeks to go, now is the time to prepare.
Helping horses through seasonal coat changes
Horses are now well into their ‘Blackberry coats’. There is an old saying that “no horse looks well at blackberry time” as the blackberries often appear when our horses are setting their winter coats, losing their summer dapples and the cooler weather means there is less goodness in the grass.
Now is the time to address your horse's weight
We've had numerous calls to the Feed Line about underweight horses this month. It will always be easier to put weight on before a cold spell hits, so now is the time to make any dietary adjustments.
Feel good factor or food intolerance?
As it is with humans, horses are all individuals. Certain horses can react to certain feeds and as owners may perceive that these feeds cause their horse to “hot up” or are even allergic/sensitive to the feed. This feeling can be amplified further when we see 'trends' come and go on social media - we've probably all been there at some point over something, even if we don't care to admit it.
Ragwort - or not?
The majority of horse owners are aware of what ragwort looks like, along with the dangers it presents for our horses. So much so we spend a good amount of time and effort digging it up from our paddocks before it sets to seed. But what about plants that look a bit like ragwort?
The Dinky Ponies feature on the BBC
Watch the Dinky Ponies on BBC Newsround. We are proud to support the Dinky Ponies who are exclusively fed Simple System feeds.
Why soak feeds?
The natural diet of horses is grazing. Fresh forage is 70 – 80% water, so horses actually eat a lot of water. Even on very wet grazing, they still need to drink as well, as the food needs to be mixed with plenty of fluid to get through the small intestine’s 20 metres or so and numerous curves.
Protein in the equine diet
The most important nutrient of all is protein. Every cell in the body is made from protein. Horses’ requirement for protein varies depending on their age, reproductive status, age, work and condition.
Ragwort in horse pasture
Ragwort - a menacing paddock plant!
The dreaded ragwort is flowering now and is easy to spot. It is also starting to go to seed, so any not removed posthaste will spread through its wind-borne seeds.