| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| kirst |
Posted - 09 Mar 2011 : 11:54:23 AM
Hi folks,
I was wondering if anyone has tried any of the Thunderbrook feeds or balancers?
A friend has recommended the equestrian base mix to me.
Kirsty |
| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| angb |
Posted - 19 Mar 2011 : 10:46:48 AM
I am also thinking of trying this. Spoke to Debbie on Thursday, and going to see her next week. She recommended I did the 'poo test', as we are on sand here too, and yes, found sand in the poo! |
| arabian |
Posted - 14 Mar 2011 : 12:08:30 PM
i picked up the base mix and the milled bran from debbie on saturday as my boy is underweight and has proved very fussy about what he will and wont eat... and he loves it licks the bowl clean i also put d&h just grass in it at this stage im introducing it slowly but cant wait till he can be on full rations.Debbie was amazing and as you say so passionate about her feeds and her horses i stayed an hour but could of stayed all day she showed me her 18yr old crabbet stallion that she rescued some years ago and i was treated to her free schooling him and wow... he was fabulous he moved so freely .... i was so worried about my boy but thanks to debbies advice i now feel like were on the right road also i was worried he would turn his nose up but debbie just got me a trial size made up which was really nice of her so couldnt recommend highly enough.... |
| Cate |
Posted - 12 Mar 2011 : 4:54:30 PM
You're very welcome Ros.
Gabi I've pm'd you back. |
| mogwai |
Posted - 12 Mar 2011 : 10:57:45 AM
Thanks Cate
x |
| Cate |
Posted - 12 Mar 2011 : 08:56:25 AM
Soak for two days then rinse off, but I start using mine after the overnight soak. Always make sure you rinse them before feeding. I read about soaking whole oats many many years ago, but only knew about allowing them to sprout from Thunderbrook Farm. I haven't a bucket big enough to soak enough to allow to sprout. If you look on TBrook's website it will tell you more. |
| mogwai |
Posted - 11 Mar 2011 : 8:13:33 PM
How long do you soak them for? I bought some for my two youngsters but haven't got round to feeding them yet...I keep forgetting to ask debbie about it! |
| Cate |
Posted - 11 Mar 2011 : 3:00:31 PM
Soaking the oats takes the fizz out of them. I wouldn't be able to feed them to my lot if it didn't. Although so far none of my oats have sprouted, so not sure what sprouted oats would do. |
| Offira |
Posted - 11 Mar 2011 : 2:50:41 PM
I am going to try the oats, bit worried about the sprouting-ness of them  esp for an oldie (when he had them in his youth he turned into a psychopath ) but I am going to try a handful at a time and stand well clear  |
| Pasha |
Posted - 11 Mar 2011 : 2:26:40 PM
Does anyone feed the oats?
I'm not going to now, but when Shesky is out competing nearly every weekend, he does drop weight so want to have something in my back pocket... just struggling to get my head around feeding Oats to an IR Lami prone Rodeo Donkey 
Also, was a bit worried about 11% starch.... but the High Fibre Cubes I feed are 10% and Saracen Shape-up (which I believe was developed in conjunction with KER) has 9.5 - 13.5% and I will only be feeding 2 mugfuls a day so i'm ok now 
Hope it's arrived - can't wait to get going with the gut restore and hoping it will turn the Rodeo Donkey into Captain Sensible xxx |
| Offira |
Posted - 11 Mar 2011 : 10:56:48 AM
Prompted by this thread, I have just spoken to them as well and am impressed too!
Am going to try it on my 36 year old who has done very well on high fibre cubes, sugar beet etc but I feel he needs just a little bit more help - so good thread  |
| Pasha |
Posted - 10 Mar 2011 : 9:44:12 PM
Weird as my two have gone off speedi beet!!! Left it out tonight and just gave them 1/2 scoop Hi Fi Molasses Free and a handful of Fibre Cubes and they wolfed it down...strange boys x |
| Jumanji |
Posted - 10 Mar 2011 : 9:38:32 PM
I have an arab here that will not eat the basemix either.He was getting basemix with speedl-beet and some oat pellets ,but tried to pick out the pellets and left the rest.Stopped the basemix and he now eats it all. |
| mogwai |
Posted - 10 Mar 2011 : 4:24:46 PM
I totally agree. It just felt so right when i styarted feeding it. No waste, so rubbish, simple to feed and cheaper than what i was feeding before!
In the winter i was taking a flask of hot water to pour on for a warm mash. I'd have a little crowd of dogs, children, cats and horses standing drooling round the feed shed! It does smell good!
Ros |
| kirst |
Posted - 10 Mar 2011 : 1:27:17 PM
You are welcome, Pasha!
I agree with Cate: "Can't beat feeding naturally"
|
| Pasha |
Posted - 10 Mar 2011 : 12:02:24 PM
Forgot to add that they also recommend cleaning the hay (i.e. dunking it) but not soaking it, which suits me just fine thank you Pasha will still have to have his steamed as he has COPD, but all good... so BIG THANK YOU KIRST for starting this thread |
| Pasha |
Posted - 10 Mar 2011 : 12:00:49 PM
I've just spoken to them and I am highly impressed!!!
They have recommended Base Mix, Bran and the Gut Restore for both boys. I can also add a handful of Readi Grass which I might do as I need to mask medication.
It will all arrive tomorrow - so excited! Can't wait to chuck out the 3/4 different supplements i'm currently feeding and get back to basics... also sick of soaking speedi beet |
| Cate |
Posted - 10 Mar 2011 : 11:20:26 AM
Hi Pasha, I don't feed the bran, but learned of soaking oats many many moons ago. I use Timothy hay chop.
As I said before I feed unmollassed beet (simple systems if not speedibeet), soaked grass nuts, soaked oats, and Timothy chaff along with the base mix, or have used one of the other chopped grasses mentioned on the Thunderbrook site before ever using the base mix. I also feed adlib hay. I already had my winter feed before going onto the base mix so don't feed the proportions recommended, but still find it makes a huge difference to my horses and as said before they love it. They all make a noise waiting for the feed now and get really impatient when I'm slow! I don't give huge portions of the oats or grass nuts. I use Simple Systems small red scoop to measure out once soaked. Used to weigh everything in the beginning, but can't remember now what it all weighs, I know, shame on me.
Hope this helps. Can't beat feeding naturally. I know it looks as though I feed lots, but actually I find it much cheaper this year now that I've gone back to feeding so simply. I think all being well next year I will still use the same feeds with the base mix as my lot like it. |
| Pasha |
Posted - 10 Mar 2011 : 10:55:57 AM
Thank you so much for this - just looked on their website and going to give them a call! Seems to make sense to me
Soo... what pure grass or hay chaff do you feed with the base mix? and does everyone feed the bran? |
| mogwai |
Posted - 10 Mar 2011 : 10:25:10 AM
Kofihorse, that's really unusual i think. Every other horse i've heard of has found it pretty palatable. Strange
Ros |
| kofihorse |
Posted - 10 Mar 2011 : 09:19:08 AM
I was disappointed not to be able to try it out as neither my Arab nor my Shetland would eat the base mix! I tried introducing it in very small amounts over a few days to their usual speedibeet but they wouldn't be persuaded. Neither could I persuade the Fat Shetland to eat bran. He got very cross trying,and failing, to pick out the speedibeet and just walked away in disgust!
They are on LoCal at the moment,which does them fine and they also like Top Spec.They are both shiny and have good quality hooves. |
| kirst |
Posted - 10 Mar 2011 : 08:04:23 AM
Thats great to know, thanks. I had already been on their website but now I think I will call and place that order! |
| mogwai |
Posted - 10 Mar 2011 : 07:08:29 AM
Yes, i totally agree about manes. 3 of Mine have really thick glossy manes, the third rubbed half of hers out in the spring last year (pre thunderbrook) but it growing back so thick and lovely.
Give Debbie a call. She's so passionate about what she does, and everything she says just makes perfect sense to me. There are some people who say the basemix is too high in starch to be any good for lamanitics, but you only feed it in such small amounts. My lamanitic has done superbly on it.
The herbs that horses seek is a blend of herbs for horses that don't have access to natural varied browse. There is a winter and a summer blend. It smells heavenly and it's really reasonable cost wise.
They really do seem to blossom on this.
Ros |
| Cate |
Posted - 10 Mar 2011 : 02:03:37 AM
Kirsty, I completely second what Ros (Mogwai) has said. Horses have fabulous soft coats, lick their bowls clean, good hooves seem to be really happy in themselves and just look so healthy. I've also tried the wormer with great success, but for 7 years have used Silver Lining Herbs wormer. Although I have noticed a difference in all my horses Ahanu has especially blossomed on this mix; his mane and tail are looking the best they've ever looked since I bought him three years ago.
Ros, Must try the "herbs that horses seek"
I have used everything from the Simple Systems mix, to different balancers, Equi Jewel which is fabulous, but I must say out of them all I find Thunderbrook's base mix produces better with very little. |
| mogwai |
Posted - 09 Mar 2011 : 9:30:08 PM
Hi Kirst,
All my 4 (3 arabs and a pony) are on Thunderbrook feeds. I think it's absolutely fabulous. Debbie is really knowledgable and helpful.
Mine have basemix, bran (for the fatties) and dried grass for the other 2, then the "herbs that horses seek" blend. They've also been on her herbal dewormer (though i do an equest pramox every autumn just to make sure they're done for bots and tapes) clear worm counts so far.
All of min e have really glossy coats and good feet. They love their feed, lick the bowls clean.
I'm really happy with it. They used to all be on top spec, but their coats weren't as glossy and their hooves looked dry and brittle.
Ros |
| kirst |
Posted - 09 Mar 2011 : 6:08:54 PM
I have used TopSpec in the past too and thought it was great. It seemed to also promote excellent condition in my horses hooves.
CATE, thanks for that. What do you like so much about the base mix and why would you recommend it? |
