Dengie is the largest producer of alfalfa in the UK and the majority of our feeds have some form of alfalfa inclusion. Alfalfa is a perennial legume belonging to the same family as peas and beans. Legumes are a good source of essential amino acids which have to be included in the diet as they cannot be synthesised by the horse. Alfalfa has deep penetrating roots to take up vitamins and minerals from the soil for use by the plant and in this form they are more 'bioavailable' to the horse.

These are the building blocks of protein and are a fundamental part of all body tissues, particularly muscle. Of the 25 amino acids required by the horse, 10 cannot be made within the horse's body. These amino acids are termed 'essential' and must be supplied in the horse's diet e.g. lysine and methionine. Alfalfa is a good source of methionine, an integral component of hoof horn.

Anti-oxidants are the body's defence mechanism against free radicals. Free radicals are highly reactive molecules produced during normal metabolic processes that can be harmful to cells. Exercise increases the amount of free radicals produced and so anti-oxidants are very important for maintaining the health of working horses and ponies. Alfa-A Oil has elevated levels of the anti-oxidant vitamin E to meet the increased requirements of horses fed an oil supplemented diet and in work.

B vitamins are produced by microbial synthesis in the horse's digestive system and play an important role in energy utilisation and other metabolic functions. Alfalfa is rich in the B vitamins thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, biotin and folic acid. Horses under stress will quite often have impaired hindgut function and as a result B vitamin supplementation will be necessary to maintain health. Natural Vitality Performance Vits & Mins and Healthy Hooves contain a full range of B vitamins which are vital for working horses and ponies.

Balancers normally come in a pelleted or extruded form. Balancers do exactly what it says on the tin; balance the horse's diet. As well as providing a broad spectrum of vitamins and minerals, balancers can also supply important major nutrients such as protein along with a variety of other ingredients so the horse can get as much benefit out of a small quantity of feed as possible. It is extremely important when feeding balancers, broad spectrum vitamin and mineral supplements and complete feeds to make sure you are not under or over supplementing the horses diet as this can lead to deficiencies or excesses of certain nutrients which can result in further health problems.

This term is used to describe how easily the horse can absorb and utilise certain nutrients (particularly minerals) from his feed. Alfalfa is a notably good source of 'bioavailable' calcium compared with limestone which is commonly included in horse feed as a source of this mineral.

Probably one of the most well known B vitamins, the benefits of biotin supplementation in the diet of horses with poor feet has been researched in depth. Its main role involves controlling the rate of production and deposition of scleroproteins such as keratin found in hoof horn and hair. Biotin alone will not cure all problems related to its deficiency, good horn development is dependent on an adequate supply of other nutrients including protein, calcium and sulphur which are all found in alfalfa. Healthy Hooves and Natural Vitality Coat & Hoof therefore also contain alfalfa as well as the recommended level of biotin for improved quality and quantity of horn growth.

There are two methods of body condition scoring horses (estimating fat deposition both visually and by palpation). The method developed by Henneke operates on a scale of 1-9 and the Carroll and Huntingdon method is based on a scale of 1-5. Body condition scoring is vital in assessing your horse's health as condition can affect reproductive capability and performance ability. See how a body condition scoring system works here.

Carbohydrates are the body's main energy source for a variety of functions from breathing to muscle contraction. There are two types of carbohydrates; simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates such as starch are broken down into glucose and absorbed into the bloodstream from the small intestine. Complex carbohydrates such as cellulose and hemi-cellulose are fermented in the horse's large intestine by micro-organisms to produce volatile fatty acids (VFA's).

Cereals such as maize, oats and barley contain high levels of simple carbohydrates such as sugar and starch. These nutrients are broken down quickly in the horse's small intestine and provide instant 'quick release' energy. This is the same sort of effect as us eating chocolate so feeding lots of cereals in the diet can result in 'fizzy' behaviour and can have a detrimental effect on the horse's health. When large amounts of cereals are broken down rapidly this can increase the acidity in the digestive system leading to problems such as gastric ulcers. Independent research has shown that alfalfa acts as a 'buffer' to regulate the acidity of the digestive tract thereby maintaining a healthy gut.

There are a wide range of chaffs now on the market to cater for the varying nutritional requirements of all types of horses and ponies. The high quality products that make up our Hi-Fi and Alfa-A ranges are more than just chaffs and have been formulated to make a significant contribution to the horse's diet.

Chelated minerals are minerals that are attached to other molecules such as simple carbohydrates or proteins to improve their bioavailability (increasing their affinity for uptake across the digestive tract wall). Chelates also help to prevent excessive quantities of one mineral dominating absorption. Chelated trace minerals such as copper, zinc, selenium, manganese and iron and organic selenium sources are essential for red blood cell production, bone and cartilage formulation, reproduction and enzyme function.

This term means that the product is nutritionally balanced so when fed at the recommended quantities, no further vitamin and mineral supplementation is required. E.g. Healthy Hooves and Hi-Fi Good Do-er.

DE or Digestible Energy is the estimated energy content of the feed after digestion and therefore the energy available to the horse. Energy and calories are basically the same thing, the higher the DE (in MJ/kg) the feed, the more calories it contains.

Electrolytes are mineral ions dissolved in bodily fluids such as tissue fluid and blood and can bind to another ion to make a 'salt'. They are important for neuro-muscular function, processing waste and preserving the correct balance of fluids in the body's cells. Deficiencies may result in dehydration, impaired performance, early onset fatigue and exacerbate problems such as ERS. Electrolytes are lost through sweating, urine and faeces and are normally replaced by the diet. However, during periods of exertion, electrolytes losses can be considerable and it is in such a case where additional electrolytes should be supplied to compensate for these losses.

Equine Rhabdomyolysis Syndrome is more commonly known as 'azoturia' or 'tying up'. This condition occurs due to the disintegration of muscle cells and particularly affects the hindquarters. The general principles of managing a horse with ERS are to keep the diet as low in sugars and starch as possible and feed a diet high in fibre and oil as alternative sources of energy. More information on how to deal with ERS and muscle related problems.

This form of cooking involves the feed materials being made into a slurry and injected with hot steam. This is then passed through a die (which vary in size and shape) and as it passes through, the drop in pressure causes the material to expand.

These are the building blocks of fats and oils, as with amino acids, some fatty acids are more important than others. Of all the vegetable oils suitable for feeding to horses, soya oil (included in Healthy Hooves, Alfa-A Oil and all the Fibremixes) has proven the most beneficial, being particularly rich in omega 6 fatty acids. Soya oil also has a high content of linoleic acid which is an essential component of the horse's diet and promotes good skin and coat condition. Oily fish or cod liver oil supplements are commonly recognised as the best source of omega-3 essential fatty acids and are included in Natural Vitality Coat & Hoof supplement. However, if you prefer to use oils from plant origins, the next best source of essential fatty acids is hemp oil which is found in Dengie Natural Vitality Joint & Condition.

The horse is an herbivore and so has evolved to spend up to 18 hours a day eating vegetation of low nutritional value. As such, the vast majority of horses and ponies can get all the energy they need from a fibre-based diet. Feeding fibre is important to help keep the digestive system working and healthy, meeting the horses physical and psychological need to chew and can help to rectify many nutritional and behavioural related problems that are associated with feeding a low fibre, high cereal ration.

Formally known as Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome, diet related EGUS occurs in the upper, squamous region of the stomach which fundamentally relies on fibre in the diet to protect it from the effects of acid secreted in the gastric region. Gastric ulcers are an erosion of an area of the stomach lining, the depth of which determines the severity (graded on a scale of 0 to 4 where 4 is the most severe). When horses chew, saliva is produced which helps to neutralise acid. As fibre requires a lot more chewing than cereal based feeds which are consumed relatively quickly, plenty of fibre is key to maintaining normal levels of acidity in the stomach. It is also thought that fibre trickling through the stomach on an almost continuous basis may also act as a physical barrier to acid. Contrary to popular belief, it isn't just racehorses and high level competition horses that are prone to gastric ulcers, any horse that is under physical or psychological stress, on a low fibre diet and is in work may be at risk of developing gastric ulcers.

Glucosamine is a natural sugar that plays an important role in the production, maintenance and repair of cartilage and also helps to form tendons and ligaments. Glucosamine stimulates the production of the building blocks of cartilage. If the joints fail to synthesize sufficient levels to keep the cartilage in good repair, it will degenerate and may even completely wear away. There has been a lot of research in this area that has shown supplementing the diet with additional glucosamine speeds up the repair and renewal of damaged or worn articulating cartilage.

Grass is a source of important sugars, fibre and some vitamins and minerals. During the spring and summer, good pasture makes a significant contribution to the horse's nutritional requirements. It's during the spring and autumn flushes that owners of laminitic horse's and ponies need to be vigilant for cold, bright mornings when the plant will be undergoing photosynthesis and storing the products of this process (fructans) rather than using them to grow. It is common practice to graze laminitics on a 'starvation' paddock but the main storage area of fructans in grass is at the base of the stem so grass in starvation paddocks may be higher in sugar compared to good pasture! If possible, laminitics should be grazed on tough, fibrous pasture so their dietary fibre intake is low in sugar. In the wild, horses have a wide range of grasses, shrubs and herbs to graze on which helps to meet their daily vitamin and mineral requirement. UK pastures are relatively restricted in variety and thus feeding a broad spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement from our Natural Vitality range of supplements will ensure your horse is getting a balanced diet.

Hay and haylage are both forms of conserved forage commonly fed to stabled horses or those on poorer pasture. The difference between them is the way in which they are conserved. With hay, water is removed to 15% or below and with haylage, air is removed so that anaerobic bacteria can ferment the sugars and create an acid that preserves the forage. It is crucially important for your horses health to feed good quality forage. If it's dusty, mouldy, smells like tobacco (caused by microbial activity) or you are unsure, do not feed it! Its always worth getting your forage analysed to see whether it is making a worthwhile contribution to your horse's diet and whether you will need to supplement their diet with additional feed, i.e. if your hay has a low protein level, feeding an alfalfa-based diet will complement this.

Also known as flash drying, this process is used to retain the freshness and feed value of alfalfa as well as reducing the moisture content to minimise the risk of moulds developing. It involves heating the newly harvested material at 800°C for 4-5 mins, after which it is either pelleted or left as chop with a light molasses coating to bind the highly nutritious leaf to the stem so that it is not lost as dust.

Iodine is necessary for the synthesis of thyroid hormones that regulate basal metabolism. Seaweed is commonly fed to horses as a good source of iodine, but as with any essential nutrient, a basic diet will normally provide the required quantities.

This mineral plays an important role in oxygen transportation and cellular respiration.

The digestible energy (DE) of horse feed is commonly expressed in MJ (megajoules) which is the same as us having a calorie level on our food. The higher the energy level in MJ the more calories a feed contains. A conditioning feed such as Alfa-A Oil has an energy level of 12.5MJ/kg, whereas a feed for those prone to weight gain such as Hi-Fi Good Do-er has an energy level of 7MJ/kg.

Keratins are the main constituent of structures that grow from the skin such as hair and hooves.

Traditionally, laminitis has been associated with overweight native ponies grazing on lush spring grass, it is now evident that this is not the case as it can occur all year round to any type of horse or pony. The most common culprit is fructans, the storage form of sugar found in grass. The other cause of dietary related laminitis is starch overload from cereal grains. An overload results in starch being broken down very quickly in the hindgut and results in the production of strong acids. This leads to the death of certain bacteria and toxins are released into the bloodstream. These toxins may disrupt the blood flow to the sensitive laminae in the hoof wall, insufficient blood supply may result in areas of the laminae dying and therefore the rotation of the pedal bone that is characteristic of laminitis. The main aims of a laminitic's diet should be to keep it as low in sugar and starch as possible whilst still maintaining an adequate intake of feed. A common misconception is to starve laminitic or overweight animals which then leads to further health implications.

Fibre is fermented in the horse's hindgut which is comprised of the caecum and large intestine. Like other mammals, the horse isn't able to produce the enzymes required to break down fibre so it relies on a population of micro-organisms to carry out the fermentation process. As the micro-organisms break the fibre down they produce volatile fatty acids (VFA's) which the horse utilises as an energy source. This fermentation process results in heat being produced as a by-product so during the colder months fibre is essential for keeping your horse warm from the inside out!

Cooking cereals before feeding vastly improves the digestion of starch by making it more available to be absorbed in the small intestine. Micronisation has been shown to be the most efficient way of cooking cereals and thus helps to reduce the amount of starch entering the hindgut (therefore minimising the risk of disrupting the sensitive microbial population). Firstly, the grain is soaked to increase its moisture content and causes the starch granules to swell. The grain is then passed under an infra-red heat source and as the water vapour pressure in the starch granules rises, they swell and fracture; this is gelatinisation. The grain is then rolled to prevent the starch from binding to the protein in the grain which would render it indigestible.

Molasses is a dark brown syrup and is produced as a by-product of the sugar extraction process from sugar cane or sugarbeet. It is often added to feeds to reduce the dust content and improve palatability and the horse is very well adapted to digest this as long as it is trickle fed. (It is always important to remember that grass contributes the most sugar to the horse's diet). During the high temperature drying process, the leaves of the alfalfa plant (the most nutritious part) become brittle and tend to shatter so to produce a nutritionally consistent product, a light molasses or molasses extract coating is added to our products.

Feeds that contain sources of slow release energy are often termed 'non-heating' as they are less likely to have an effect on the behaviour of the horse with regards to the nutrients they provide. The main sources of slow release energy in the horse's diet are fibre and oil.

Oil provides more than twice the energy of carbohydrates and makes an ideal addition to the ration of horses and ponies who need to put on weight or struggle to maintain weight. The main advantage of feeding oil is that you can increase the energy density of the ration without vastly increasing the meal size.

(Also see Body Condition Scoring) It is much more common to see an overweight horse today than it used to be and it should come as no surprise that just like us, carrying too much weight can be detrimental to their health. This is to the extent that equine welfare charities are now taking overweight horses as seriously as malnourished horses. It takes almost twice as long to get an overweight horse down to a good weight compared to promoting weight gain in an underweight horse. Carrying too much weight can lead to damage to internal organs, increases the likelihood of limb problems and significantly increases the risk of laminitis (think of all that weight on his hooves!). To promote weight loss you should feed your horse 1.5% of his bodyweight per day, a common misconception is to starve overweight horses but this in itself could lead to further complications such as gastric ulcers and stereotypies if the horse is stabled for long periods of time. A good diet for an overweight horse is high in fibre, low in calories and low in sugar (Hi-Fi Good Do-er is ideal as it can also be used to completely replace hay/haylage) along with a broad spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement from the Dengie Natural Vitality range to ensure he is getting a balanced diet.

Prebiotics help to promote healthy gut function so that the horse can utilise his feed as efficiently as possible. The two main types of prebiotics used in horse feed are short chain fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and mannan-oligosaccharides (MOS). Only certain types of beneficial bacteria in the hindgut can break FOS down and utilise the energy it provides. Recent research has suggested that supplementing a horse's diet with FOS may help to reduce the extent of digestive disturbances. MOS mop up harmful pathogenic bacteria such as E. Coli and Salmonella and carry them out of the gut as if harmful bacteria become established in the gut this could have serious health implications for the horse.

Probiotics contain live bacteria populations to help top-up the numbers of beneficial bacteria in the horses hindgut. Due to the limited research in this area of equine nutrition, current legislation issues restrict the types of bacteria that can be included in products specifically for horses which is why Dengie only includes Enterococcus faecium in its Natural Vitality Digestive Health Plus supplement.

Protein is vital for growth and repair of bosy tissues such as muscle, hair, blood, skin and hoof. Enzymes, hormones and anti-bodies are also made of protein. Protein is made up of amino acids, those that have to be supplied in the diet are termed essential amino acids and the ‘quality’ of a protein is often measured by the levels of essential amino acids it contains. Alfalfa is a good source of 'quality protein' so its ideal for meeting the requirements of horses and ponies in work and breeding stock.

Also known as Equine Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy, this condition also affects the horse's muscles, but in a different way. PSSM is a genetic disease where the storage form of sugar (glycogen) accumulates in the muscle due to an unregulated uptake of sugar and is thought to be the result of increased insulin sensitivity. Whereas ERS has a higher occurrence in thoroughbreds or thoroughbred crosses, Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy is most likely to affect heavier breeds such as draught horses or warmbloods. With regards to feeding you should make sure your horse's diet is balanced by feeding a broad spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement and keep it as low in sugar and starch as possible. Suitable feeds from the Dengie range include Alfa-A Oil, Alfa-Beet, Alfalfa Pellets and Fibremix Complement.

This is commonly seen in older horses and ponies with poor dentition, where food falls from the mouth whilst they are chewing. When eating normally, the horse's tongue forms a bolus (saliva covered lump of food) so that it can be swallowed. If this bolus is dropped out of the horse's mouth, or if a horse persistently drops partially chewed food while eating, this is referred to as quidding and indicates a problem in the horse's mouth.

This poisonous plant has always been a cause for concern for horse owners. The plant is about 2m tall with broad curly leaves and yellow flower heads. Horses do not normally eat fresh ragwort as it has a bitter taste but when dried (such as in hay) it can become a danger. Signs that a horse has been poisoned include yellow mucus membranes, depression, and lack of coordination. If a sufficient quantity is consumed (claimed to be 3-7% of bodyweight but scientific literature has documented survival at 20%) this can result in cirrhosis of the liver.

Recurrent Airway Obstruction (formerly known as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder) is a relatively common allergic respiratory disease in horses. Symptoms include a chronic cough, nasal discharge and impaired breathing. One of the most important factors of managing this disease is minimising the horses exposure to the allergen. In such a case feeding a hay replacer such as Hi-Fi Senior is strongly recommended as both the grasses and alfalfa included in this product have been high-temperature dried to provide a consistently clean forage source.

(Also see Electrolytes) In horses, salt is mainly lost through sweating and it contains two essential electrolytes (sodium and chloride). As the majority of plants do not provide sufficient sodium and may also lack adequate chloride, salt supplementation is essential. Providing him with a salt lick is the easiest way to meet his requirements and is a good way of supplying other less palatable nutrients.

Seaweed is normally fed to horses who are or have been on poor grazing as it is rich in minerals such as calcium, iodine and potassium. It is also thought to improve arthritic and rheumatic conditions and is a good coat and hoof conditioner (it can help to promote the loss of a winter coat).

Simple carbohydrates such as sugar and starch are derived from cereals, molasses, spring and autumn pasture. Starch and sugars are typically digested by specific enzymes in the small intestine but in cases of high cereal diets and flushes of pasture, the small intestine is overloaded and simple carbohydrates will pass undigested into the hindgut. The microbial fermentation of sugars and starch in the hindgut lowers the pH, this change in environment results in the death of beneficial bacteria and the release of endotoxins which can lead to many health problems from ERS to laminitis. When the horse's energy requirements cannot be met by a fibre-based diet it is necessary to feed cereals. If this is the case we want to make simple carbohydrates as easy to digest as possible through micronisation, all the cereals included in our Fibremix range are micronised.

The horse has twelve incisors, twelve premolars and twelve molars and may also have extra canine teeth (tushes) and wolf teeth. As the horse has evolved to spend a long time eating fibrous material, their teeth have developed to compensate for constant wear by continually growing. If the diet doesn't contain enough fibre, the teeth are going to grow faster than they are being worn down and hooks are more likely to form either on the outside of the upper molars or inside of the lower molars as they are unopposed by an opposite grinding surface. It is recommended that you get your horses teeth checked by an equine dentist or vet at least once a year. If your horse starts quidding, has choke (bolts his feed or doesn't chew it properly and gets stuck in the throat) or you have biting problems make sure you get your horse's teeth checked.

This term is commonly used to describe the way horses eat little and often. In their natural environment, horses will eat for up to 18 hours a day. Their stomach is relatively small in comparison to their size (stomach of a 500kg horse is about the size of a rugby ball) and the walls do not expand to accommodate a large meal. For these reasons you should not feed more than 2kg of bucket feed at any one time so that you can ensure you are not overloading the digestive system and your horse can maximise what he gets 'out of' his feed.

Horses can be underweight for a variety of reasons including illness, speed of their metabolism (poor doers), lack of food, heavy worm burden etc. There are serious health implications to the horse if they are underweight, make sure you get his teeth checked and all his vaccinations and worming is up to date before you address his feed. Feeding a diet which is high in digestible fibre and oil will help to promote weight gain without overloading on sugar and starch. For more advice ring the Dengie Feedline on 0845 345 5115

On a high fibre diet the VFAs produced are weaker acids and so the gut is kept within an acceptable range of acidity. When starch from cereals reaches the hind gut it produces very strong acids which can make the gut too acidic for many micro organisms to tolerate and that is when problems such as colic and laminitis can occur.

It's most well known function is its role in night vision, it is also crucial for reproduction, embryogenesis and plays a part in immune response to infection.

This vitamin interacts with calcium, it facilitates calcium absorption from the intestine and re absorption from the kidney.

This vitamin is a well-known antioxidant and is required when feeding high levels of oil in the diet to protect against oxidative damage.

Almost every body process depends on an adequate supply of a broad spectrum of vitamins and minerals. As vitamins and minerals rarely act in isolation and interact extensively with each other and with other nutrients, a deficiency or excess of one or more vitamin or mineral can affect many body processes. In the wild the horse can fulfil his mineral and vitamin requirements through selectively grazing on a variety of grasses and soils. The modern horse, even when grass kept, does not have access to such a range of vegetation as in the wild, and thus must rely upon us to make sure they are getting all the essential nutrients that they require. Supplementing your horse's diet with a broad spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement from our Natural Vitality range or feeding a complete feed such as Hi-Fi Good Do-er or Healthy Hooves will ensure your horse is receiving a nutritionally balanced ration.

Water is the most important nutrient required by the horse, 60-70% of a horse's bodyweight is water and it is vital for homeostasis, to lubricate joints, transport nutrients around the body and is the main constituent of saliva and digestive juices. Horses can drink between 27 and 52 litres of water a day and may need more in hot weather. Drinking before feeding will wash undigested food through the system which could lead to colic and poor digestion. In winter, horses tend to drink less and are fed dry forages such as hay; adding soaked Alfa-Beet to the feed will increase the horse's water intake.

Parasitic worms live inside the body of a 'host' equine and survive by taking nutrients directly from the animal's tissues. As the worms reproduce and their population grows the animal will start to lose weight, lack energy and look generally unhealthy. Worms also cause damage through their physical presence within the body, a large number of colic cases are known to be related to worms in the digestive system. If a horse has had a heavy worm infestation there may be permanent damage to the lining of the digestive tract so absorption and utilisation of feed may be reduced. In cases like these, looking after the bacterial population in the hindgut using Natural Vitality Digestive Health Plus will improve efficiency and help maintain condition.

Yeasts are microscopic living organisms that are responsible for the fermentation process in the horse's hindgut. Live yeasts intended to be fed to horses should be approved under EU legislation and currently the only approved live yeast is Yea-Sacc1026 which is used in Natural Vitality Digestive Health, Digestive Health Plus, Leisure Vits & Mins, Performance Vits & Mins and the Fibremixes. The benefit of feeding live yeast to horses is that it aids fibre digestion so they can get more energy from the fibre they consume. This in return means less concentrates can be fed which will further benefit the horse's health and behaviour.

This mineral is present in every tissue of the horse's body but is mainly concentrated in the bones. It is involved in skin and hair formation and activating enzymes.