Dengie is one of the UK's leading suppliers of horse feed. They are approved under the BETA NOPS scheme which means we are recognised as having taken action to reduce the risk of contamination in horse feed with substances that contravene the rules of horse racing and FEI disciplines.
Shetlands as we all know are small and hardy animals, who are particularly popular as children’s ponies, companions or even pets due to their lovable characteristics. Despite their small stature, these cheeky animals are very well adapted to their origins in North Scotland. Grazing in the Shetland Isles is sparse due to the cold environment, so the ponies have had to adapt to the lack of pasture available throughout the year. However, due to this, when they are granted access to lavish grassland, it is common for Shetlands to become quickly overweight.
Horses at grass are generally reflected as more cost effective and less labour intensive than those that are kept in. The horse can move more freely within the paddock and may have the opportunity to interact with other horse’s, the most natural way to be kept.
Alfalfa has been used for thousands of years around the world and can also go by the name Lucerne. It is a safe a nutrious fibre for the consumption of our equine friends, which is why Dengie use the crop in many of their products.
The shift in egg production systems from caged to free-range, barn egg, and organic is bringing into focus the natural behaviour of laying hens. It is thought that certain conditions can breed nervousness and stress, pushing hens to express the need to peck other members of the flock.
When it comes to selecting the appropriate feed for your horse or pony, every owner should begin with the saying “feed according to your horse’s workload and bodyweight”. Although this may seem straightforward, how do you assess the level of work your horse is achieving?
Many horses enjoy nibbling on the hedgerow that surrounds their paddock, and when out for a more leisurely hack, they may try to sneakily grab some cow parsley from the verge. Hedgerow haynets, which combine or supplement the standard forage feed with hedgerow plants for horses, are a common trend in which this diversity is replicated for the stabled horse. The benefits of bringing the outdoors inside include promoting foraging behaviour, environmental enrichment, and dietary variety.
