Competition Horse Feed: Best Brands

There is a huge range of specialist horse feed available now for the horse or pony who is competing. Before, however, you rush off to buy one you should ask yourself honestly if your horse is really a competition horse, or does he just compete occasionally as part of his normal work. Far more horses suffer from bad behaviour as the result of inappropriately high levels of feed, than perform badly because they are underfed.

If we look at showing first, attention needs to be paid to the on going debate about whether show condition equals fat , a matter for you and the judges possibly!. However, undoubtedly you need to produce top line and condition without excess energy and Baileys Conditioning cubes and mixes have long been a favourite with all types of riders. They are excellent at keeping condition on a hard working event or dressage horse as well.

Baileys and also other companies such as Top Spec produce feed balancers which can be added to feed or fed with straights and often reduce the amount of hard food needed, ideal for good doers as well. Look for ranges which do a Performance version. If extra energy is needed because the horse is a little too laid back and lacking sparkle, Baileys all round Competition Mix may suit.

Because all horses are different the ranges which offer both a slow and fast energy release version are ideal. Dodson and Horrell produce excellent ones to help you control the amount of energy your horse is producing. They also produce a specialist product called ERS Pellets, designed for the performance horse prone to ERS, or Tying Up as it is commonly known. The same manufacturers produce a high energy forage blend called Fibre Performance, which is ideal to ensure the fussy eater gets sufficient forage.

Spillers do a good all round Competition Mix which is suitable in correct quantities for everything from pony club ponies to eventers. Their popular Response range comes in Slow Release for the excitable horse that still needs to be able to work hard without excitability and Instant Response for those who need more ¨oomph¨.

Riders concerned about environmental issues could look at specialists Allen and Page whose products are endorsed by the Vegetarian Society. Amongst their extensive range they have a new Power and Performance formula with high energy but low starch and no barley or molasses, to help focus and control.

It is essential that competition horses receive enough fibre for a healthy digestion and this can be difficult if, for example, trying to keep the weight off an eventer or with a fussy eater. As well as the Dodson and Horrell product mentioned above, owners should look at using Dengie Alfa A instead of straight chaff. It provides the same energy as a cereal based food but in slow release from, so the horse is gaining energy whilst accessing essential fibre. There are plenty of horses competing happily on this, the most natural of feeds.