Why feed a mash to your horse this winter and which ones are best?
Traditionally, in the winter, horses were fed bran as a tasty and warming hot mash. While wheat bran mash is a good source of fibre it can work against the balance of the diet due to its poor calcium to phosphorus ratio and lack of key vitamins and minerals.
So, if you would like to feed a mash to your horse, we recommend choosing one of our nutritionally balanced formulations from Connolly’s RED MILLS — either Comfort Mash or Horse Care Mash.
Comfort Mash is a high-fibre, quick-soaking bran mash that’s oat free, high in oil and designed to support appetite, hydration, gut motility and condition.
Horse Care Mash is a cereal-grain free, very low-starch, high-calorie mash with the RED MILLS Nutrition Care package built-in. It’s ideal for horses needing low starch, extra condition, improved gut and hindgut support.
Comfort Mash
A quick soaking, nutritionally balanced, high-fibre, conditioning bran mash
Formulation Features:
- Quick-soaking, ready-to-use mash
- High in oil, including linseed oil
- High in digestible fibres, including alfalfa chaff
- Palatable blend of wholegrain cereals
- Steam cooked cereals
- Source of quality protein & amino acids
- RED MILLS Pro Balance vitamin and minerals package
Ideal for:
- Stimulating appetite
- Mares post-foaling
- Horse travelling & competing regularly
- Supporting hydration & gut mobility
Horse Care Mash
A quick-soaking, low starch, cereal-grain free, high calorie mash with added RED MILLS Nutrition Care package.
Formulation Features:
- Non-heating, low in starch and cereal-grain free
- Quick-soaking, ready in just 15 minutes
- Contains linseed, a natural source of omega-3 rich oil
- High in easily digestible fibres, including alfalfa chaff
- Balanced levels of essential vitamins and minerals
Ideal for:
- Horses needing a low starch diet
- Horses requiring additional body condition
- Supporting hydration in horses that travel or compete regularly
- Horses that are easily stressed or temperamental
- Supporting gastrointestinal function
- Supporting muscle function
- Older horses or those with poor dentition
Connolly's RED MILLS Horse Care Range
RED MILLS Nutrition Care package, including:
- Added pre- and probiotics to support gut health
- Chelated minerals for increased bioavailability
- Elevated levels of biotin for hoof health
- Long-lasting natural gastric buffer
- Added antioxidants, including vitamin C, to support immune function
Learn More HERE!
- Appetite stimulation: During the winter, some horses can back off their feed but a tasty, warm mash will tempt even the fussiest horse. Comfort Mash contains a blend of wholegrain cereals, super fibres and peas, plus added B-vitamins, to help stimulate and maintain your horse’s appetite. It can also be an ideal way to disguise any supplements or medicines your horse needs.
- Encourages water intake. During the winter the diet tends to become drier as grass is often replaced with hay or haylage. In addition, horses tend to find cold water less appealing and may consume less in the wintertime, resulting in reduced water intake which increases the risk of impaction colic. By feeding Comfort Mash you will help to improve your horse’s fluid intake.
- Easy to chew: Horses that have previously suffered an episode of choke may need a soft, easy to swallow feed. Comfort Mash is ideal in these situations as, when soaked, it provides a soft textured, easy to chew ‘porridge’.
- Supports the immune system: Comfort Mash is fully balanced with our Pro Vitamin and Mineral package, including the added antioxidants vitamin E and selenium, to help support immune function, which can be particularly challenged during winter months
- Supports digestive function: Comfort Mash includes cereals that have been steamed cooked to help maximise digestive efficiency. It also contains a number of ‘super fibres’ including soya hulls and chopped alfalfa. These highly digestible fibre sources help to support digestive health and they also go a long way to supporting body temperature during the colder winter months as heat is generated when they are fermented in the hindgut.
- Aids condition: Comfort Mash is high in oil, including linseed oil, for extra condition and shine. It also contains quality protein to support muscle development, as well as key vitamins and minerals to help promote a healthy, glossy coat.
Both Horse Care Mash & Comfort Mash is easy to prepare; simply mix one-part water (cold or hot), with one-part Mash, leave to soak for 15 minutes, then stir and feed.
