Smart Transitioning

At Smart Horse Nutrition we believe in superior nutrition through healthy, wholesome ingredients. Our feeds are, therefore, kept low in starch and sugar and contain no molasses.

Whilst this is a healthier and more nutritious option, some horses may initially be a little reluctant to accept it, a bit like asking someone who has lived on a diet of burgers and chips to suddenly eat a load of healthy veggies!!

To ensure a smooth transition to Smart Feeds, it’s a good idea to plan ahead and to allow for a transitioning process to allow your horse time to adjust, both in terms of his taste buds and also to follow that golden rule of feeding – make any changes to your horse’s diet gradually.

Smart Feeds can be introduced gradually into your horse’s diet, ideally over a period of 10 days. Any feeds from the Smart Horse range can be mixed in with your current feed in small steps, starting with just a handful and building this up to ¼ of the meal over a few days and so on, so that eventually the horse is eating his 100% Smart Feed diet.

The table below demonstrates how to achieve the ideal transition to Smart Feed over a 10 day period.

Transitioning in this way should ensure your horse adapts well to his new feed, but also helps prevent colic from digestive upset.

If your horse’s old feed is no longer available,  you will need to reduce the amount fed to just a very small feed and then build it up again, starting with 25% of your intended full ration of Smart Feed and gradually increasing over 10 days until the horse is receiving his full ration (100%).  Although initially offering your horse a small feed means receiving a smaller meal, this is much safer than suddenly feeding the full ration of a completely new feed, before your horse’s digestive system has had time to adjust.

By following the correct steps when transitioning to Smart Feeds, your horse should adapt well to the new taste and will soon be enjoying a healthy, wholesome and nutritious diet.

If you have any questions at all regarding your Smart diet, please do not hesitate to contact us.