If there’s one thing we all know, it’s that horses thrive on grass! The primary cause of round tummies and happy horses, grass is packed with sugar, micronutrients and fibre. With this in mind, during the summer months we often cast-aside hay nets and hard feed, opting for a diet just as nature intended, simple and natural. The problem is, with lush green grass a thing of the past, what now? Here to help your horses stay in tip top condition this winter, take a look at our guide to winter feed supplements.
Winter Feed Supplements For Horses
Much like us, when our horses diets aren’t quite right, their bodies can begin to suffer. Over time, deficiencies can have a massive impact, from feeling sluggish and run-down to crumbling hooves and poor coat condition. Sadly, unlike ourselves, our horses aren’t able to do a lot about it on their own, nor are they able to tell us what the problem is! So, as owners it’s our job to take a close look at what’s going in their bodies and more importantly, what isn’t! As the winter time approaches and we start to swap out green grass for hay or haylage, take a look at our top winter feed supplements to support their health and wellbeing.
Shop AllBalancers & General Supplements
You’ll often find those of us who own ‘good doers’ stating that they could live on thin air! Sadly though, just because our horses are getting enough calories to maintain or even gain weight it doesn’t mean they’re nutritional requirements are being met! And that's where winter feed supplements come in to play!
NAF General Purpose Supplement
Designed to complement high fibre diets, NAF General Purpose Supplement offers a broad spectrum of vitamins and minerals. Perfect for those who don’t need the extra energy, it can be added to chaff and other low calorie feeds to ensure a balanced diet.
Provides: Iodine, Copper, Manganese, Selenium, Zinc, Biotin, Calcium-D-pantothenate, Choline chloride, Folic Acid, Pantothenic Acid, Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B6, Vitamin D3, Vitamin E and Vitamin K.
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NAF Haylage Balancer
Designed to help your horse or pony absorb and utilise the nutrients provided by haylage, NAF Haylage Balancer is one of the best winter feed supplements. Completely natural, this specialist formula slows down the rate at which partially digested forage passes through the hind gut. By doing this, it allows more of the nutrients present in the haylage to be extracted and used by the body. Increasing the efficiency of your horses digestive system and providing added vitamins and minerals, using this may mean you’re able to cut back on the amount of hard feed needed.
Provides: Iodine, Copper, Manganese, Selenium, Zinc, Biotin, Calcium-D-pantothenate, Choline chloride, Folic Acid, Niacinamide, Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B6, Vitamin D3, Vitamin E and Vitamin K3.
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Thunderbrook Daily Essentials
The ultimate negligible calorie balancer, Thunderbrook Daily Essentials does exactly what it says on the tin! Specially formulated to balance UK forage, when fed at the recommended feeding rate it meets the full daily requirements of the main vitamins, minerals, prebiotics and essential nutrients. Suitable for most horses and ponies, it's low in calories and sugar with Vitamin B for a healthy metabolism, live yeast to aid digestion and biotin for healthy hooves.
Provides: Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Folic Acid, Nicotinic Acid, Pantothenic Acid, Riboflavin, Vitamin B12, Thiamine, Pyridoxine, Vitamin K3, Selenium, Iodine, Zinc, Copper, Lysine, Methionine, Biotin, Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium and Yeasacc.
Shop NowTargeted Support
Respiratory Support
For those of us with horses prone to respiratory distress, the winter months can be a total nightmare. From shavings and straw to hay and haylage, dust and mold spores are rife. Renowned for irritating the lining of the lungs and respiratory tract, they can leave our horses with a cough they just can’t shift. There are lots of things we can do to help make them more comfortable, including dust extracted bedding, good ventilation, soaked hay and herbal supplements.
NAF Easy Breathing
Designed to help ease coughing and aid respiratory health, NAF Easy Breathing contains herbs, trees and shrubs, which once upon a time our horses would have foraged. Formulated to support lungs, it helps to keep them strong, healthy and mucus free.
Contains: Marshmallow Leaves, Anise Seed, Garlic, Nettle, Barberry Bark, Gingko leaves, Rapeseed Oil and Ginger.
Shop NowJoint Care
During the winter months, cold conditions and reduced mobility can affect our horses joints. This is especially common if they suffer from a degenerative joint disease, are of advanced years or have previously sustained an injury.
Cartilage relies on the bone underneath it and joint fluid to stay healthy and maintain its shock-absorbing properties. In older horses, the cartilage that covers the articular surfaces of the joints becomes damaged and begins to deteriorate. When this happens, they can become stiff and sore. One of the things we can do to prevent this is ensuring their diet contains the key nutrients to support healthy joints.
Equine America Glucosamine HCI 12,000
Specifically formulated to aid joint health, Glucosamine HCI 12,000 contains three key ingredients, MSM, Hyaluronic Acid and Glucosamine. Combined, these work together to:
- Stimulate the production of the proteoglycans, which help create the strong, elastic, shock-absorbing properties of cartilage.
- Maintain the viscosity, elastic, shock-absorbing properties of the joint fluid.
- Help minimise the deterioration of cartilage.
- Aid the anti-inflammatory processes to prevent swelling.
Contains: 1650mg MSM, 12000mg Glucosamine and 9mg Hyaluronic Acid.
Shop NowHoof Support
From bruises and abscesses to thrush and cracks, winter is tough on our horses hooves. As the seasons change, it's normal to see a deterioration in hoof quality. When this happens, our first response is often to reach for hoof oil. While this can be of benefit, there's an important tool at our disposal which we often overlook. Strong and healthy hoof growth all starts with good nutrition!
Carr and Day and Martin® Cornucrescine Daily Hoof Supplement
Designed to help your horses hooves stay in great condition, Carr & Day & Martin® Cornucrescine Daily Hoof Supplement offers a broad spectrum of quality ingredients selected to promote quality growth. Suitable for all horses and ponies, it can be especially beneficial for those suffering from dry, brittle, crumbly or soft hooves.
Provides: Biotin, Zinc, Methionine, Alvais Methyl Sulphonyl Methane (MSM), Calcium, Soya Oil, Soya Protein Concentrate, Magnesium. Copper, Iodine, Vitamin C, Manganese, Selenium, Yeasacc and Colbalt.
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If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can do this via the comments or give our customer service team a call on 01706 507555. You can also contact each of the manufacturers directly for tailored expert advice. You can shop all of the brands in this blog and many more at www.naylors.com or in-store. Don’t forget, if you make a purchase share your pictures with us in the comments or include #NaylorsSnapAndShare on your social posts for the chance to win a Naylors gift card!
