What Are The Best Horse Feed Brands In The UK?

Obviously, I’m biased so I’m going to say SPILLERS Horse Feeds is the best brand! But in the UK we’re very lucky to have several great brands who are science led and adhere to numerous quality standards including the BETA (NOPS) scheme – British Equestrian Trade Association (Natural and Other Prohibited Substances). 

Adhering to BETA (NOPS) guidelines means manufacturers evaluate quality and contamination risk at every stage of production from sourcing ingredients, storage, transport and manufacture. Choosing a feed, or supplement, that carries this logo on the bag offers horse owners peace of mind that the best processes are being followed.

Here at SPILLERS, we undergo and comply with no less than six rigorous auditing standards throughout our production facilities on site at our HQ in Milton Keynes, with quality as our leading principle. 

SPILLERS expertise and scientific credibility have evolved from over 65 years of developing and manufacturing horse feed. From the very first equine specific compound feed – SPILLERS Horse & Pony Cubes - to our most recent SPILLERS supplements range, everything we do is underpinned by learnings from horses themselves. 

Not only do we want your horses to love eating our feeds, but we want you to trust that they’re getting all the key nutrients they need to thrive at any stage of life. We’ve collaborated with equine scientists and vets from around the world for decades to become leading experts in formulating horse feeds and giving the best advice possible to horse owners in the UK.

Look for companies with similar credentials who have a range of feeds and offer practical information to support horse owners.

Many top brands have a wide range of products which cater for everything from Shetland ponies to Shires and elite racehorses. With formulations developed to suit their varying needs, whether they need very low-calorie options or super high energy feeds there’s a great selection for owners, riders, trainers and carers to choose from. 

Feed balancers 

offer a concentrated source of nutrition with a smaller feeding rate compared to traditional compound feeds. Usually they’re small pellets, designed to be fed to good doers and those horses and ponies who maintain their weight well on grazing and forage alone. Balancers provide the essential vitamins and minerals horses need to ensure a nutritionally complete diet without unwanted additional calories, starch and sugar. 

Fibre feeds

also known as chaffs or chops, are hugely popular. With a range of ‘plain’ chopped grasses, alfalfa, and straw products to modern soft fibre blends, there may be something to cater for every type of horse, age, breed, workload, health issue, body condition and temperament. Soft fibre blends maybe more consistent and palatable, and many on the market can now be fed as the sole bucket feed or used as a hay replacer. 

Soakable fibre feeds 

have come a long way from the old days of straight sugar beet, but along a similar theme they’re great for assisting hydration, providing more fibre, bulking out feeds and often making meals more palatable and tempting for fussy horses. Mashes are especially useful for older horses and ponies or those with declining dental health who start to struggle to chew fibres.

Leisure or low-calorie compound feeds

include the traditional High Fibre Cubes and Horse & Pony Mixes which for decades were a feed room staple. These feeds offer quality low calorie options and are usually balanced with vitamins and minerals. The feeding rate tends to be around 3kgs per day for a horse, the old fashioned ‘scoop in the morning and scoop in the evening’ way of feeding which still works well for those who need more than forage and a balancer alone will provide. Low calorie feeds may also include fibres and mashes as modern alternatives.

Senior feeds

cater for our much-loved veterans or ‘golden oldies’ and may well have added functional ingredients to support joint and digestive health. Look for elevated nutrients to help maintain muscle mass and immunity in those who perhaps need it the most.

Performance feeds 

are specifically designed to provide the higher levels of certain nutrients as work levels increase demands on the horse. Compared to ‘leisure’ feeds they will generally be higher in energy to fuel workload and maintain condition, as well as quality protein to support the extra stresses on muscle function, development and recovery. Sport horse feeds may offer functional ingredients to support gastric or digestive health as well as extra immune support for those regularly travelling and mixing with other horses at competition venues. 

Racing feeds

are also high in quality protein to support horses frequently working at maximum intensity. The feeds ideally include added antioxidants to support respiratory, immune as well as higher nutrient levels to support the musculoskeletal system of developing young athletes. 

Stud feeds 

are designed for breeding mares, stallions, foals and youngstock up to the age of 2, with carefully adjusted nutrient levels to support the growth of the fetus and foal as well as milk production. 

Straight feeds

refer to single ingredients which are fed alone or in combination with other feeds, most of which are included in compound feeds. Popular straights include grass nuts, sugar beet, oats, linseed, alfalfa, barley and chopped grass. Although largely replaced by nutritionally balanced compound feeds they do still offer more choice for owners and be of benefit to horses and ponies today.