Cutting through the Equine Feed Hype: Debunking Marketing Myths and Prioritising True Health for your horse.

What is a straight? We have seen some interesting videos recently whereby Copra and Linseed meal have been called natural clean feeds, when in fact these ingredients are primarily by-products, we would disagree. A natural clean feed for us is a natural product that has had no processing involved save perhaps for pelleting. 

We do not believe that convenience food in a bag gives us the control that we need to cater for our horse’s changing daily needs. A convenience food does not allow you to change the protein levels, the quick release energy levels or the slow-release energy levels. You must serve what is there and you cannot make any changes.

So no, we don’t believe the marketing, we look at what is in the bag, what the composition of the bag is and if those constituent ingredients are correct for the glorious species that we love so much. 

Remember our horses are strict herbivores, they have evolved to eat only one way. They use a unique scissor action to chew, vital to a healthy stomach as this is the only way they can create saliva to protect the upper part of their stomachs as there is no mucus protection there. 

The basis for an equine is fibre. Hay being the primary component – no ration, no restrictions and no soaking! We then supplement that fibre diet with Alfalfa or a high quality grass chop or pellet, cold pressed linseed oil and whole oats – balancing your horse’s needs to the workload/metabolic rate/energy levels your horse requires to carry out his or her job – 5* Eventers to leisure horses. 

We then provide the necessary vitamins, minerals, amino acids and electrolytes your horse needs to have a high available immune system to be fit and healthy every day.

Drop in Weight

• Fat and fatty deposits will minimise
• Some horses may have distended stomachs this will decrease.
• Reduction in high salt/sugars which will ultimately allow you to build healthy muscle
• If your horse is overweight you will see lessening fatigue resulting in better energy , better recovery. 
• Feeding straights requires tweaking until you get the balance right for your horse and workload. 

Urine & Fecal Changes

• So we don’t really like talking about poo but it is critically important. It is a clear sign when things are not quite right. Healthy poo should be kidney shaped that softly breaks apart as it hits the ground. It should not be smelly!! The poo may take a bit of time to come right but ultimately your horse will get there.
• Urine should be clear, an apple juice type colour but no strong ammonia smell.
• If poo or urine is smelly we suggest a course of DETOX  for 2 weeks and the reassess the situation.

Fatigue

• It is possible that you may notice a drop in energy levels, this is nothing to worry about and is temporary. The body is in the process of filtering the toxins out.
• If we or our horses return to a clean diet, we can experience a healing crisis, where the body cleans itself and the toxins are expunged. Energy is being used to clear out the system, 
• We look at health in blocks of 3 months. In the first 3 months after the body is clean the energy levels will start to increase, Months 3 to 6 will see energy levels increase again,

Skin and Coat

• Over a period of days to a few weeks depending on your horse’s condition, your horses coat will improve dramatically with a fabulous shine that comes from within
• Your horse’s coat could become duller for a short period of time as the toxins are excreted, but that Oxyshine will appear. 
• More dapples will start to appear
• A decrease in lumps and bumps on the skin. The skin is the largest elimination organ, toxins get trapped in the liver/kidney/lungs and lymphatic system which emerges through the skin. 
• Fatigue, we often think our horse’s are lazy but this an be because the internal organs are overloaded with toxins derived from an incorrect diet. These symptoms should lessen as the change to a healthy diet takes hold.
• Once your horses diet is balanced positive changes take place 

Change in eye clarity

• They say that the eye is the window to the soul. We do see changes in eye clarity as our horse’s diets are returned to a natural state.

Brain Function

• We have all heard of the gut/brain axis with regards to us, our horse’s are no different by correctly supporting the gut microbiome our horse have better clarity of focus, thinking and concentration.
• No calmer required
• The gut is the second brain and if that’s not functioning correctly then nothing is.
• Body aches subside.