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Using Fibre to Reduce Reactivity

Dengie customer Carol Bardwell contacted our nutrition team because she was having problems with her horse Charlie. Charlie was a little overweight and his behaviour could be unpredictable. He’d be quiet one minute and then lively the next. Carol was feeding Charlie on Dengie Alfa-A Original and a mix.

It was likely that Charlie’s current diet was providing too much energy, which is why he was excitable and overweight. Mixes, which are usually cereal-based, tend to contain high levels of sugar and starch – these are sources of fast-release energy and can be the cause of naughty behaviour similar to what Charlie was exhibiting. It was advised that Carol cut out the mix and swap Charlie on to one of the fibre feeds in our Hi-Fi range, which are lower in calorie than the pure alfalfa feeds in the Alfa-A range. Fibre provides slow-release energy and therefore helps to discourage ‘fizzy’ behaviour. Carol opted for Hi-Fi Original and paired this with a low-calorie feed balancer to ensure that Charlie was receiving a balanced diet.

charlie

“Charlie is doing great,” said Carol when she contacted the Dengie team with an update. “We had our first cross-country schooling session yesterday, where he had plenty of energy for the work required of him. Despite this, we’re having fewer and fewer unpredictable moments, so I’m really happy.”

If you would like some nutrition advice for your horse or want to know more about any of our products, don’t hesitate to contact the Dengie Feedline team on 01621 841188.