My horse is run down - can I increase the amount of No.1 fed?

If your horse is run down, recently had surgery, returning to grass (has been stabled for a long period of time) the feeding rate can be increased up to double the amount for up to two months. After this time the horse should be fed the normal rate.

If you would like any further advise please contact our technical adviser by telephone 0845 095 6800 or email info@equimore.co.uk

Yes, No.1 is perfectly safe to be fed over a long period of time.

The amount of calories in No.1 is not enough to make your horse gain weight.

As modern-day pasture grass can be lacking in some vitamins and minerals, you cannot tell what exactly is missing, unless you can get the grass analysed. Feeding No.1 straight out of the feed bowl will help balance out the horse's diet and make his coat shine.

Yes, No.1 is perfectly safe to feed alongside a regular coarse mix providing you feed no more than the manufacturer's recommended amount of the coarse mix.

Yes, however if you are feeding a fortified (with added vitamins and minerals) compound feed as well, you will need to reduce the amount of balancer, or stop feeding the compound feed and replace it with quick dried grass/alfalfa or sugar beet. Or, you could try No.1 instead of the Balancer.

As No.1 is low in starch and contains no ingredients that could cause your horse to be fizzy or more excitable. In fact some of the ingredients in No.1 can have a calming effect on the more excitable horse.

See answer for No.1

An all-natural diet means no artificial additives and is based on what the horse is best suited to eat. Therefore the sorts of feed that make up such a diet will generally be fibre-rich and not contain preservatives or flavours and suchlike. Oil-rich supplementary feeds such as linseed can be used to take the place of traditional concentrates, or you may wish to feed straight cereals. Cereals must be fed with care, however, due to their unbalanced nutrient supply and high starch content. For horses that require more than just forage, use unmolassed sugar beet, quick dried unmolassed alfalfa and vegetable oil or linseed instead of compound concentrates such as coarse mix or nuts. Most coarse mixes and nuts contain artificial additives, but do check with the manufacturer because some do not (usually high fibre nut-types feeds). Avoid compound chaffs such as molassed straw chaffs or forage-replacements because these usually contain additives. The best choice of cereal is oats, which are the highest fibre and lowest starch, therefore the safest for horses, of the commonly fed cereals.

Yes, Equimore supplements can be fed with other brands, but do make sure you do not overfeed certain nutrients or ingredients. Note that Equimore No.1 balances the diet, so do not feed in addition to another multi-spectrum supplement or a full ration of compound concentrate feed.

Change gradually and yes doing so will help her because you will cut calories (helping her to lose weight) but increase micronutrient intake (to give her a healthier, balanced diet).

Yes you can because the relatively small amount fed daily will not supply a substantial amount of extra calories. Take advice about how to cause your horse to lose weight, because being overweight is very unhealthy and increases the risk of laminitis. If you restrict your horse’s intake to cause weight loss and feed only forage – and especially if you feed straw or soaked hay – then you do need to balance the diet for micronutrients and Equimore No.1 will do that.

All Equimore supplements are safe to feed to laminitics, but the appropriate products should be selected along with a suitable diet. Equimore No.1 is ideal because it will balance a restricted, forage-only diet, providing the nutrients required for healing and good hoof growth. The linseed it contains will help soothe the gut and the appetising seeds will encourage intake. For acute cases where gut disturbance is present e.g. over-intake of feed or grass, feed a course of Psyllium Husks for a health-boosting effect on the gut. Devils Claw can be fed for relief and Rosehips for their health-promoting effects on the hooves.

When horses start to show their age (whatever actual age that is) they will benefit from extra support. First ensure the diet is balanced and feed Equimore No.1 if less than the full recommended amount of compound is fed. Your horse will benefit from joint support with Vegetarian Glucosamine and Vegetarian MSM, and liver support from Milk Thistle Seeds. As the years go by and he becomes stiffer, then you could also add Devils Claw for extra relief.

Researchers have shown that some horses will not take enough salt from a lick, so to ensure your working horses stays fully hydrated and healthy, ideally add a tablespoon of salt per day to the feed for a typical 15.2hh 500kg horse in light to moderate work. For harder working horses, this can be increased up to four times the amount, depending on the amount and rate of sweating during work. Salt is lost in sweat so the harder or longer the horse works and sweats, the more salt he or she needs. Note: salt is added to the feed to replace that lost in sweat. Add salt to water to rehydrate a tired, dehydrated horse and make an isotonic solution e.g. 50g salt in 10 litres of water.

Can No.1 be fed long-term?

My horse is on grass and nothing else - I do not want him getting fatter, so can I feed No.1?

Can I add No.1 to my regular coarse mix and chaff without unbalancing the diet?

My horse has a tendency to be fizzy - I do not want to feed anything that will make him even fizzier, so can I feed No.1?

Why go all natural?

What sorts of feed can I use with an all-natural diet?

Can I feed Equimore supplements with other brands of feed and/or supplements?

My horse has always been fed with a scoopful of low energy coarse mix and a net of hay overnight when stabled, plus turnout to good pasture during the day. She is a little overweight and a bit lethargic, and lacks shine and vitality. How do I change to a more natural diet and will this help her?

My horse is overweight – can I still feed Equimore No.1?

Which Equimore supplements are safe to feed to a laminitic?

I have a 26 year old gelding who does well but is starting to show his age. Which supplements would you recommend?

Why do I need to add extra salt – won’t a salt lick suffice for my working horse?