# Which feed companies do you swear by?



## vinnie (29 August 2012)

What is everybody's favourite feed brand (Spillers, Dodson and Horrell, Saracen etc) and why?

In a couple of weeks I will be moving my 3 horses to a new livery yard where I am able to choose my own feed, instead of using the same brand and type as all the other horses.

The horses are coming from Germany (where I have been training recently) so have not been on any English brand of feed, only a German brand which is unavailable here.

They are all dressage horses that require a slow-release energy feed and to help maintain condition.

So to get an idea of which company to start with, which one are you loyal to?


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## Herts05 (29 August 2012)

I had some good no nonsense advice from Tracey Hammond from Dengie. So I would call them again.
One tip, get them to email you with details of the sugar and starch content of any feed that you discuss. This is often missing from the feed bags and makes it difficult to accurately compare one supplier from another


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## jenz87 (29 August 2012)

Allen and Page,
They do a feed called, Calm and condition which sounds perfect for what you are looking for. 
http://www.allenandpage.com/Products/Older-Horses-and-Conditioning/Calm-and-Condition.aspx

cant stand feeds by dengie or spillers etc, feel their feeds contain things they shouldnt even though their name implies they are great!!


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## TGM (29 August 2012)

I don't swear by any brands or stay loyal to any.  I select the product which I feel is most appropriate to my horse's needs, regardless of the manufacturer.

In the past few years I have used Dodson & Horrell, Spillers, Baileys, Dengie and Allen & Page, plus a couple of 'budget brand' feeds as well.

The poster above makes a good point about finding out about the sugar/starch level of feeds if the manufacturer doesn't publish them.  Also read the ingredients list.

Terms that manufacturers use such as 'high fibre', 'non-heating' etc., can be rather misleading and it is better to look at the hard facts and figures!


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## Supertrooper (29 August 2012)

100% Allen and Page. Like their feeds and their customer service. They do free yard visits (even to one horse) with nutritionist and you get a free bag of feed. 

The two good doers have fast fibre and the old girl has calm and condition xx


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## Arkmiido (30 August 2012)

top spec


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## sarahann1 (30 August 2012)

Dengie, they gave me great advice and were able to point me in the direction of original research which backed up what they'd said.


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## Shay (31 August 2012)

Whilst TGM is quite right about selecting feed to the horse and not to the make - most makes do most types unless you want to feed straights.

Personally - I'd reccommend Allen & Page all the way.  (Although we have used Bailey's and Dengie in the past too).  We're settled atm on Power & performance for competition neds and Cool &Collected for non competition.  if I needed to change again I'd certainly look at A&P first.


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## lyndsayberesford (31 August 2012)

i have tried all sorts of feed brands and have found the absolute best for both of my horses is Pure Feeds

They have a range of feeds which are all a complete feed, no added supplements needed for any of them! 

Brilliant company, brilliant products and super fast delivery (free delivery too)


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## paulineh (31 August 2012)

I use Baileys feed , Dengi Alfa oil and NAF for supplements.

I will use other brands if I feel that they will help my horses.


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## Capriole (31 August 2012)

TGM said:



			I don't swear by any brands or stay loyal to any.  I select the product which I feel is most appropriate to my horse's needs, regardless of the manufacturer.
		
Click to expand...


This. I dont buy one brand over another, havent got a favourite.  I dont use Dengie at all now though.

Oh, Charnwood Millings Linseed, I get through a lot of that and only buy theirs, so I suppose if Im loyal to any company about any product its that


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## Minstrel_Ted (31 August 2012)

All the feed I use is Spillers or Topspec.  Just the stuff that suited my boys.


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## Aztecflyer (31 August 2012)

Simple systems! 

I have just put my horse on it from a recommendation of a friend and can see the difference in just 3 weeks! All natural feeds so no process rubbish and safe to feed any type of horse. Their helpline is amazingly helpful and friendly.

really worth a look at!


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## rowy (31 August 2012)

I just started on Baileys feed and I do not have a bad word to say against them!
I wrote to them asking for help as I have a fatty who needs more energy. They wrote an indepth answer (not just copy and paste!) and the lady kept answering my numerous questions including sending some free samples and a measuring cup! 
Then decided to put my tb on the bailey's performance balancer as well (after more questions and chatting to the food adviser) and she looks fab on it! Have never seen her so shiny!!! She looks like velvet!


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## vinnie (1 September 2012)

Thank you everyone for your replies!

A good tip about emailing to specifically ask about the starch content, will definitely do that.

Allen and Page are looking good to me at the moment... My other horse that is still in England and looked after by other people while I was away is on Calm and Condition now. He is out of work though so I don't know how he feels to ride him on it.

But the Power and Performance, is that slow-release energy?

I have also sent off my horse's details to a few companies such as Dodson and Horrell to see which feed they recommend and how helpful they are. No replies yet though.


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## hoggedmane (1 September 2012)

I swear by Simple Systems. Almost all the horses at my yard are fed it and they look great. Most live out 24/7. There are oldies (in their 30s), eventers, dressage horses, TBs ponies etc. It is completely forage based. 'You will find all of the products are FREE from: cereals and their by-products, pulses, molasses, preservatives and additives' (from the website). They do a range of products and supplements.

I emailed them when I moved to the yard and they were very helpful about what to feed my old mare. She is a 21 YO shire x TB who lives out clipped all winter and looks great.


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## zandp (1 September 2012)

Allen and Paige or Thunderbrook.  I did use to use Simple Systems and then one horse developed a problem with alfalfa.  Baileys have been helpful in the past too.


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## ILuvCowparsely (1 September 2012)

always use D&H generally 
 but have some allen an page fast fibre only and dengi HIFI 



but D&H mainly


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## Erin (1 September 2012)

None of them.


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## Tiffany (2 September 2012)

Slippers have a good range, their nutritionalKate are always very helpful & willing to send samples


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## Tiffany (2 September 2012)

Oops should say nutritionalists are always helpful


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## Ella19 (3 September 2012)

Mine is on pure feed feeds and I love them! They have levels of feed and are worth a call. My mare went on it as she can't have mollasses or alfalfa and refused to eat Allen and page feeds after a month. She's been on pure feed for 6 months now and still licks the bowl clean and looks great.


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## jvm100 (4 September 2012)

Balanced horse feeds. They really care about quality, provide excellent advice and a really extensive range of competition foods.


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## Toast (5 September 2012)

I like Dodson & Horrel, Allen & Page and have used Dengie products in the past too.
I dont rate Baileys at all.. their products are overpriced and their nutritionalist is a waste of space. She worried me into thinking my Appy was on the verge of OCD, then advised me to feed him 2 round pan scoops of alfa a per day. I had the vet out to look at him and he said there was nothing wrong with how he was growing. And i certainly wasnt going to feed him that amount of alfa a at a year old. Stupid woman. I took my 4 month old colt to the BEF futurity and she told me he was croup high and under muscled....course he is he's 4 months old! I really dont have anything good to say about them.


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## vinnie (5 September 2012)

Thank you every one for your feedback. I have decided to start off with Allen and Page Calm and Condition for the young ones, and Power and Performance for the older PSG horse. I think this is the safest option to start with as their feeds are all low starch, high fibre and have an added probiotic. This seems good for while they are settling in to a new yard.

Toast, your post made me absolutely die with laughter hahaha what a funny woman. Croup high and under-muscled at 4 months old..... lol!!!!


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## wench (6 September 2012)

Which ever feed suits the needs of your horse. Although I believe a&p have quite a bit of starch in them and c&c has barley in it.


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## SS.89 (6 September 2012)

Another one for dengie. They're customer service is brilliant and my lad keeps his head level on their alfa a oil & balancer.

SS x


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## MerrySherryRider (6 September 2012)

Spillers, Dengie and Baileys seem to suit my lot. Have tried other feeds over the years, but Bailey's especially, always seems to keep them looking their best.


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## Wagtail (7 September 2012)

I'm another Pure Feeds convert. The quality is out of this world. I have put all the horses on the yard on it. My previous favourite was Allen and Page.


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## stoneybroke (8 September 2012)

vinnie said:



			Thank you every one for your feedback. I have decided to start off with Allen and Page Calm and Condition for the young ones, and Power and Performance for the older PSG horse. I think this is the safest option to start with as their feeds are all low starch, high fibre and have an added probiotic. This seems good for while they are settling in to a new yard.

Toast, your post made me absolutely die with laughter hahaha what a funny woman. Croup high and under-muscled at 4 months old..... lol!!!!
		
Click to expand...

If u do not want the highest levels of starch do not feed A&P or Saracen! Good luck anyway .....hope the horses like rain


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## Liostro (12 September 2012)

Topsspec


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