Choosing The Right Conditioning Feed
When choosing a conditioning feed you need to consider how much time the horse will be spending in the stable, temperament and how much work you intend to do throughout the winter months.
Some conditioning feeds contain large amounts of micronised cereals and lower fibre and oil levels. These are usually extremely effective at putting on weight but the fast-release energy provided by the cereals may not be suitable for horses that are naturally excitable, are in light work or are stabled for most of the time.
If you have a horse that has a tendency to become ‘”hot” when fed a diet based on a high inclusion of cereals, look for a conditioning feed that is still high in digestible energy, but lower in starch such as Saracen CONDITION IMPROVER CUBES or Saracen RE-LEVE®-MIX.
CONDITION IMPROVER CUBES are whole oat and barley free which makes them ideal for horses with good natural energy or those with excitable and fizzy temperaments. The high fibre levels will support slow release energy to help maintain a calm and trainable whilst supporting all over body condition, muscle tone & stamina.
Although our CONDITION-IMPROVER MIX is lower in starch compared to some other conditioning feeds on the market it does contain barley. Barley will provide a higher level of instant energy which makes it well suited to those that require extra condition and energy for work.
Saracen CONDITION-IMPROVER MIX & CUBES also include EQUI-JEWEL®, a high fat stabilised rice bran which is highly effective at supporting muscle and topline development when fed in conjunction with a suitable exercise regime. The way in which these feeds are digested means that the release of energy is slow and this helps to manage more excitable temperaments.
TOP TIP: If you don’t know the starch level of a feed look at the ingredients list which will be printed on the bag or on a stitched in label. The ingredients will be listed in order of inclusion so if you see cereals in the first 3 or 4 ingredients that feed is likely to have a higher starch level than a feed with cereals no included or lower down the ingredients list
If you have a horse that requires weight gain get in contact with our nutritional team who will be more than happy to help by calling 01622 718487.
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For a personalised feeding plan for your horse or pony please fill out our FEED ADVICE FORM or call our nutritional team on 01622 718487
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