FAQs
Q1. How much can I feed at any one time?
Answer:
The horse / pony’s stomach is very small and is designed for small regular meals. As a guide a horse should have no more than 2kg of grain based feed eg cubes / mixes at any one time and a pony 1kg at any one time. Fibrous feeds such as beet pulp, alfalfa and chaff can be added on top
Q2. How much hay / haylage should I feed?
Answer:
The amount of hay or haylage fed will depend on the work the horse is doing. As a guide a horse in light work will eat 2% of its BW a day in forages, 2.5% at medium work and 3% in hard work. For example a horse weighing 500kg in light work will eat 10kg a day ( 500 /100 x 2 ).
Q3. Is hay or haylage better?
Answer:
The quality is the most important factor. The forage must be clean, not dusty or mouldy. Both dust and moulds can effect a horses health, the most common problem being respiratory disorders. Haylage is less dusty and so is better suited for horses with COPD.
The weather when the forage is baled and the stage of growth it was cut at will effect the nutritional value of the forage. If the forage has a high NDF level the horse will eat less. NDF levels reflect the cell wall content of the forage which give the plant its rigidity or steminess. Similarly if the forage has a high ADF level the digestibility will be less meaning the horse gets less nutrition from the forage. ADF is a measure of cellulose and lining which are naturally poorly digested by the horse.
The weather when the forage is baled and the stage of growth it was cut at will effect the nutritional value of the forage. If the forage has a high NDF level the horse will eat less. NDF levels reflect the cell wall content of the forage which give the plant its rigidity or steminess. Similarly if the forage has a high ADF level the digestibility will be less meaning the horse gets less nutrition from the forage. ADF is a measure of cellulose and lignin which are naturally poorly digested by the horse.
Q4. What are balancers?
Answer:
Balancers are concentrated forms of vitamins and minerals needed for the horses health. They are fed in smaller amounts a cup full at a time. They are ideal for boosting a diet without adding many extra calories, for feeding good doers that need no grain and for mares / youngstock where nutrient requirements are high.
Q5. What is the difference between mix and cubes?
Answer:
With redmills feeds the only difference is the texture. The same ingredients are used in both our cubes and mixes and both are carefully cooked to improve digestibility. For horses that are fussy eaters mixes work best as they have an interesting texture and are very sweet. Cubes can be soaked and are dust free so are ideal for horses with allergies and for old horses that need a soft diet for easy chewing. Both are nutritious and delicious!
