13/10/2026
๐ด๐ A really useful and informative post from Spillers!
We stock their feeds and balancers, so if you need any advice on finding the right feed for your horse, just pop in and have a chat with us. Weโre always happy to help! ๐
๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ต, ๐ก๐ผ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐ด๐ฎ๐ฟ
Itโs a common myth that a touch of molasses in feed causes excitability. The truth? Grass can actually contain up to 15% simple sugars and so can hay! Instead of worrying about individual ingredients, check the starch level of your current feed - aim for under 15% starch, or under 10% for very sharp and spooky types.
๐๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฎ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ
If your horse is a good doer and maintains weight easily on forage alone, a balancer is the perfect way to provide daily vitamins and minerals with negligible levels of starch and sugar.
๐ค ๐ช๐ฒ'๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ฝ
Every horse is an individual, and finding the right feeding balance is a journey we're happy to walk with you.
If you need a friendly, expert chat to help get your horse's diet back on track, drop us a DM or call our Care-Line on 01908 226626 (Monday โ Friday, 9am to 5pm). Let's get back to enjoying those beautiful autumn rides together! ๐๐ด
๐น With the autumn chill in the air and Halloween looming is your horse suddenly finding "monsters" in every hedge? As we start clipping, the windy weather picks up and the leaves start whipping around under our horses feet we can find that nice relaxed hack turns into something, well, less relaxing! We've all been there, laughing (or sighing!) at the yard about our horses' sudden autumn "spookiness."
While the cooler weather and windy days certainly play a part, your horse's diet could also be contributing to those extra sharp moments. Letโs look at how we can help support our horses and keep that beautiful partnership feeling safe and steady.
๐ค๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ธ-๐ฅ๐ฒ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ด๐ (๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ต & ๐ฆ๐๐ด๐ฎ๐ฟ)
High levels of cereal starch and sugar can be digested rapidly which can make sensitive horses feel extra spooky. It's why we always recommend avoiding mixes as they often contain higher levels of cereals, so are almost always higher in starch than the equivalent cubes.
๐ฆ๐น๐ผ๐-๐ฅ๐ฒ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ด๐ (๐๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ฒ & ๐ข๐ถ๐น)
Fibre is digested slowly in the hindgut, keeping energy levels calm and consistent. Oil is another fantastic option, offering 2.5 times the energy of cereals without any of the starch, making it a brilliant, sympathetic way to maintain condition without compromising behaviour.
๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ-๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ง๐ถ๐ฝ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐๐๐๐บ๐ป
Our SPILLERS research team has spent decades studying equine nutrition and behaviour. Here are three practical ways to keep things steady this month:
1๏ธโฃ Watch the Starch Levels: Start by choosing feeds with less than 15% starch. For very sensitive horses, look for feeds with less than 10% starch. Always remember that the total amount of starch and sugar consumed depends on how much of the feed is eaten!
2๏ธโฃ The Truth About Autumn Grass: Itโs a common myth that a touch of molasses in feed causes excitability. In reality, grass may contain up to 15% simple sugars, meaning lush pasture is often the real culprit behind that extra spring in their step.
3๏ธโฃ Consider a Balancer: If your horse is a good doer and maintains weight easily on forage alone, a balancer is the perfect way to provide daily vitamins and minerals with negligible levels of energy, starch, and sugar.
๐ค ๐ช๐ฒ'๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ฝ
Every horse is an individual, and finding the right feeding balance is a journey. If you need a friendly, expert chat about your horse's diet this autumn, our SPILLERS nutrition team is always here to support you.
๐ Call our Care-Line: 01908 226626 (Monday โ Friday, 9am to 5pm)
๐ฌ Or drop us a message right here. Let's work together to keep you and your horse enjoying those beautiful autumn rides!
