Forage, whether in the form of grass, haylage or hay should usually be offered ad-lib to horses and ponies. Doing this ensures that the all-important microflora (mainly bacteria) in the hindgut have a constant supply of fibre to digest, resulting in a consistent fermentation pattern. This consistency means that your horse is much less likely to suffer from the many problems that can result from an upset in the microbial balance.

Naturally the type of grass/haylage/hay that you offer your horse needs to be chosen with your horse’s requirements in mind. For example, a hard working event horse is often suited by ryegrass haylage, whereas a really good-doer in light work may need late-cut, high-fibre meadow hay.

Time spent chewing long-fibre or chops has both physical and mental benefits.

Feed Balancers can be fed on their own or as a base to which other feed is added. Feed size should not exceed 2kg (dry weight) for a 500kg horse.

This is because over a period of time feeding a conditioning TopSpec feed balancer will significantly reduce the requirement for hard feed. If adding a TopSpec feed balancer to one Stubbs scoop of cubes, you will probably need to cut down to half a scoop of cubes within 4-6 weeks, and may need to cut down further in the future.

In most circumstances, the provision of several specialised supplements within TopSpec Feed Balancers eliminates the need for any further supplementation. Additives e.g. TopSpec Calmer, can be added if required.