Thompson and Redwood

17/04/2024

The next generation...the gorgeous "Asti Kalliope" or Perfect Storm as she is known, with her mum Asti Zodiac. Bred and grown on Horse Grower Weaner Pellets and both mare and foal are a picture of health.

Horse Grower Weaner Pellets are formulated to support the nutritional requirements of pregnant and lactating mares and healthy growth and development in young horses.

16/04/2024

- Why do we need to take extra care when feeding senior horses?
Dental health plays a big part in feeding a senior horse, as their teeth change and decline as they age. Here are a few key reasons why this impacts our feed choices:

💡Did you know that your horse's teeth continue to erupt throughout their lifetime at a rate of 2-3mm a year? As the horse chews, it continuously wears its teeth down, so they have 'reserve' crown below the gum line that erupts. Their teeth are considered fully grown at around 8-10 years of age.

💡The reserve tooth narrows as it goes down below the gum line, so as it erupts, gaps form between the teeth making it easy for feed, especially grass and hay to get stuck.

💡The remaining teeth have less of an anchor under the gum and can become wobbly and sore and leave the horse susceptible to periodontal disease.

💡Chewing can become increasingly difficult and painful for them, which can lead to loss of appetite, inefficient eating, weight loss and choke.

𝗦𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱?
✔️EASY TO CHEW - it should be easy to chew and ideally soak into a soft mash so horses with poor dentition can still eat it comfortably and efficiently and it can reduce the risk of choke.

✔️FOCUS ON FIBRE - because their forage and hay intake can be impacted, look for built in fibre and consider adding a fibre supplement mash.

✔️EXTRA PALATABILITY - older horses can be fussy when it comes to eating, so the feed should be highly palatable (extra yummy).

✔️HIGHLY DIGESTIBLE - the digestive system can also become less efficient in senior horses, so the feed should be concentrated and nutritious, so they can digest it easily.

𝗪𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱:
𝗛𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗖𝘂𝗯𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿𝘀 are formulated with the senior horse in mind. They are concentrated, high-calorie fibre-based cubes that soak easily into a palatable mash. They also support gut health with the addition of pre & probiotics.
Pair these with 𝗟𝘂𝗽𝗶𝗻 𝗙𝗶𝗯𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝘂𝗯𝗲𝘀, our super fibre mash, to provide easily digestible fibre that is high in prebiotics to support their gut function and health.

12/04/2024

- ok how many of you are guilty of this??? 🙋‍♀️🙋‍♂️
Have a great weekend everyone!

09/04/2024

⚠️ HEALTH ALERT - AUTUMN LAMINITIS RISK
It was a hot dry summer and the start of autumn hasn't been much different. Hopefully early winter rains might bring some relief soon, but we're now in a risky period for NSC sensitive and laminitis-prone horses and ponies as the small green shoots that will be coming through are very concentrated in sugar, starch and fructans. Our stressed and very short pastures also make them high-risk.

What can you do? If you have a laminitis-prone horse or they need to maintain a low sugar and starch diet:
🍂 Try to reduce their grazing time on stressed or green, sweet pastures with new shoots.
🍂 Monitor the conditions and adjust the time of day that they have access to pastures (Fructan levels in grass change throughout the day and are at their highest in the afternoons, but also can be very high in the morning after a frost.)
🍂 If in doubt about your pasture, you are better to have them on suitable low sugar and starch meadow hay.
🍂 Consider the concentrates you are feeding and watch out for those high in sugars and starch.
🍂 Include a safe, fibre supplement in their feed like Lupin Fibre Cubes, to keep the quality fibre in their diet and promote gut health.

A laminitis supplement can also help your horses through these risky seasons. We stock Dodson & Horrell's Lami-Free Herbal Supplement, which supports the laminae, and can maintain and repair the hoof tissue that is effected by laminitis.

05/04/2024

⭐ Welcome to the team Kate Ingham ⭐
We are excited to welcome a new member to Team T&R this year; eventer, organiser and key member of the WA horse community, Kate Ingham. Kate is new to the sponsorship team, but certainly not new to T&R community, having been a valued customer for a number of years.
Get to know a bit more about Kate and her team...

"I am an Event rider that also enjoys going Showjumping, which is funny as I was showjumper as a teenager and after attempting to take my WB cross country a few times and never making it past the water jump I was hooked, not sure what they says about me but I do love to gallop at big jumps that don’t fall down. There really is nothing like Eventing.

While I have successfully competed at Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide international three-day events I think my favourite achievement is having breed 2 WBxTB horses and taken them successfully to FEI level eventing. One of these mares has recent delivered a stunning foal and I can't wait to experience training a horse that I bred out of a mare that bred. It’s a feeling like none other.

My two current competition horses are Asti Hera aka Princess Bella who competes 2* and Asti Showstopper GPH aka Lovely Leo who is my young WB who has just commenced competing at EvA95.

My 3 go-to T&R feeds at the moment are Clayton Pellets, Horse Grower and Weaner Pellets and Lupin Fibre Cubes. I switched across to T&R feeds many years ago after having the horses on feeds manufactured interstate. Not only do the horses look a million dollars but the money I save by buying local makes a huge difference!"

Welcome Kate!


Thanks to Vickiphotos - Equine Event Photography for the great - and very appropriate picture!

03/04/2024

"Dry, bare paddocks...not ideal! With very limited forage left, I've been increasing the inclusion of Lupin Fibre Cubes to make sure my horses are getting quality fibre every day. My 2 Recip mares (one with a foal at foot) are on Lupin Fibre Cubes and Horse Grower Weaner Pellets, and despite the season - look at the shine and condition on them!" - Jodi Dunlop

We know the season has left a lot of people with bare paddocks. It's so important to keep quality fibre up to horses when pasture is limited. Lupin Fibre Cubes are very low in starch and sugar making them a safe fibre alternative to chaff.

03/04/2024

⭐ Welcome to the team Bella Rhodes! ⭐ We're so excited to have Bella join our Junior Ambassador team for 2024. Bella is from Lake Clifton, and competes in polocrosse, rodeo events and junior barrels. Bella has been making huge improvements in all of her disciplines and had some great results and faster times already this year. With a national's trip and new skills to learn, she has got an exciting year ahead of her. Get to know more about Bella...

𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘂𝘀 𝗮 𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘀:
"Ghost is a Stockhorse his rising 17 and is my main polocrosse horse, he has shown he likes the rodeos as well.
Ace is a TB who I have pinched from my sister, and he has competed at many barrel racing series and always placing nicely and also plays polocrosse. He is having a much-needed rest.
Paisley is my QHx who is currently in foal and ridden lightly by my younger sister for me. She is my first love and was gifted to me on my birthday. She loves rodeos and enjoys the lower grades of polocrosse."

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝘃𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲?
"I was selected for the junior polocrosse national’s team in chinchilla.
Winning my first 1D buckle on Ace was a huge thing for me as we have only ever placed together."

𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗧&𝗥 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘂𝘀𝗲?
"We feed Lupin fibre pellets and love that we can some hydration back into our horse. It’s the base of all our feeding.
Might and power muesli we love this for our horse’s muscle recovery and giving the extra energy.
Paisley in foal now we have started her on grower and weaner for the extra she might need."

28/03/2024

Happy Easter everyone, from the T&R family to yours!

28/03/2024

Looking for a high-performance pellet? Horse Pellets are our elite, pelletised complete feed designed to support heavy workloads and growth in young performance horses.

🔥 Highly digestible energy and protein for growing horses and those with high intensity workloads

🔗 Superior proteins and amino acids for muscle building and recovery

🌱 Designed specifically for horses in WA and to complement our pastures and conditions

🦴 High calcium and phosphorous for bone health

💪 Added Vitamin A, D & E for tendon strength, nerve and muscle function and antioxidant activity

🚚 Available in bulk for businesses.

This highly palatable, delicious pellet promotes feeding ease and nutrient uniformity, and meets or exceeds the NRC ‘Nutritional Requirements of Horses’ when fed as directed.

Would you like more information on Horse Pellets? Chat to us today.

Thompson and Redwood Horse Pellets are a versatile feed for young horses coming off Grower Weaner Pellets. Made with the freshest local ingredients.

26/03/2024

Our customer Liz shared these great progress photos of her Off the Track mare, "This little mare went from this 1st photo (inset) to 2nd photo (main) in 6 months on T&R Lupin Fibre Cubes and Crushed Lupins, Lucerne chaff and Rhodes Hay."

What a great result Liz, and thanks for sharing! Taking progress photos of your horse is a great way to track their condition 📷

26/03/2024

- Do you know the starch and sugar content of your hay or chaff?
When you're balancing your horse's diet, you need to take into consideration the type of hay and chaff that you are feeding. Their nutritional value depends on the plant type, but also the region it is grown in. Our hays here in WA test quite differently to the East Coast.

'Cereal' refers to hays and chaffs made from oaten, wheaten and barley crops. The grains are naturally high in sugars and starch, but so are the leaves and stems of the plant. Some sample results from WA hays/chaffs are:
🌾Oaten - NSC 31.5%. WA's Oaten hay consistently tests between 30-38% but has been recorded as high as 42.63% in Southwest WA!
🌾Wheaten - NSC 28.8%

💡LET'S CALCULATE: For a 500kg horse fed oaten hay at an average of 35% NSC, they are consuming 3.5kg of NSC for every 10kg of hay. This means consuming 1,246kgs of starch and sugar in their hay alone in a year!

Performance horses with high workloads do need carbohydrates in their diet as a source of energy, but it's important not to feed more than the daily requirements, especially if you are already feeding a performance concentrate.

❗Another thing to look out for is Crude Protein levels. While lucerne is a great low NSC alternative hay and chaff (average 10% NSC), the protein levels can be very high. Crude protein results average around 20%, but this depends on the season. This year crude protein in Lucerne has jumped as high 36%!

TIPS:
💡Instead of chaff look at feeding Lupin Fibre Cubes. With low NSC (5.3%) and only 15% protein (lower than lucerne), it provides good levels of digestible energy, and is a quality fibre source that promotes gut health. With no additives, Lupin Fibre Cubes are a healthy, cost-effective chaff alternative.

💡Get your hay tested and balance your horses feed, taking into account the results.

25/03/2024

⭐ Welcome to the team Lexy Colton!⭐ Lexy is an enthusiastic and dedicated young rider based in Albany with her lovely Welsh Cob Holly. She loves eventing, jumping, dressage and pony club, and is at the start of her competition journey. Lexy and Holly had a successful jumping outing yesterday, coming home with placings and a win, and with her positive attitude towards learning, we can't wait to follow her progress this year. Get to know more about Lexy...

𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘂𝘀 𝗮 𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘀...
"My love for horses is well and truly in my blood, with my Mum, Aunty and Nana all horse riders (in their younger years), so I have been riding ever since I can remember. I was a late starter to Pony Club and the competition world, but absolutely love the journey and the highs and lows that come with the sport."

𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘂𝘀 𝗮 𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘀...
"My main pony is Tiaja Park Hope, "Holly, a beautiful 9yo Welsh Cob mare who stands at 13.2hh, but she is as wide as she is tall! Holly and my partnership is relatively new, having purchased her mid last year. Holly loves to jump, her favourite by far is XC, so our focus this year is to move up a grade in showjumping and eventing. She is an incredible pony that I am so lucky to ride and own."

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲?
"My proudest riding moment was winning my first jump cross with Holly, and then two weeks later we also won our first ODE together."

𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗧&𝗥 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘂𝘀𝗲?
"Claytons Pellets - help sustain Holly's energy levels, whilst maintaining a healthy weight and coat.
Lupin Fibre Cubes - Holly's favourite! They ensure a healthy gut and hydration."

20/03/2024

⭐Welcome to the team Erin Bertola! ⭐Erin is one of our Junior Ambassadors for 2024 and we are so pleased to welcome her to team T&R.
Erin has been competing with show horses since she was 3 years old, working a lot with horses her family has bred. Erin has some great competition goals this year, and one of her big aims is to continue to develop her training skills. Get to know a bit more about Erin...

𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘂𝘀 𝗮 𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘀...
Cimeron Silver Lining – “Linus” is an 8 year old grey Welsh B gelding who is 14.2hh.I had been competing on Linus since 2019 in Childs Show Hunter Galloway then in opens classes after we purchased him in 2021. He is an incredible Hunter Galloway who has given me successes beyond my wildest dreams. Linus also has incredible
abilities in jumping which we hope to do more with this year.

Thorne Park Madison Avenue – “Whiskers” is a 4 year old Riding Pony/Thoroughbred cross homebred mare standing at 14.2 3/4hh. I have broken her in myself and completed her training and she has just commenced her Show Horse career as a Newcomer this year. I am very exciting with this new prospect as she is incredible to ride and so beautiful. I can’t wait to see what she can achieve.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝘃𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲?
"I have two proud moments. The first being travelling Cimeron Silver Lining to Sydney to compete in 2023 and winning The Show Hunter Small Galloway at the Southern Cross Spectacular – a National event we qualified for.
The second happened just recently at the EWA awards night. Cimeron Silver Lining had won the Show Horse of the year over 14hh in 2021 and 2022, and he was the named the 2023 winner also. Winning it 3 years in a row maybe was absolutely incredible!"

𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗧&𝗥 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘂𝘀𝗲?
"We have used T & R for as long as I can remember helping my family with the feeds from a toddler! We mainly use T & R Pony Maintenance Cubes but have also used Pony Cubes and Claytons and with our broodmares and youngsters we use the Grower Weaner Pellets."

📷 Christie Lyn Photography

20/03/2024

Did you know it takes an average of 900 chews for a horse to eat 1kg of muesli? More chews = more saliva, and more saliva = more gut buffering!

A muesli feed is a combination of whole grains and legumes, that are slow cooked and steam rolled mixed with canola oil and other supplements. Mueslis are great sources of energy and protein, and different blends can suit all levels of exercise intensity. Some benefits of including muesli are:

🌾They get the benefit of the whole grain: the hulls or shells of grains and legumes are valuable sources of nutrition, especially fibre!

🌾Increased chewing = increased saliva: Muesli feeds encourage more chewing, with 1kg of muesli needing an average 900 chews. Increased chewing produces more saliva, which helps with digestion and is vital for buffering the acid in the stomach.

🌾Steam Rolled - the steam rolling process starts the gelatinisation process in grains, which makes them more easily digestible by horses, who otherwise cannot process them. (Oats are the only whole grain a horse can digest.) Increased digestibility improves the energy availability of the grains.

🌾Added molasses - we add molasses to our muesli range to makes them extra delicious, and great for fussy eaters.

🌾Slower feed intake - with the increased chews needed, horses tend to slow down their feed intake, which helps to avoid issues such as choke.

🌾Added oil - we add canola oil to our muesli range, which is high in omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. It helps to condition, improve coat health and add shine to your horse, and Omega-3's have been linked to reductions in inflammation.

🌾 Our muesli blends contain an added vitamin & mineral pellet to ensure your horse's nutritional requirements are met, and added biotin and methionine promote good hoof health and strength.

We offer 3 unique muesli feeds to suit the varying needs of performance horses. Our Mueslis are complete feeds when fed at the recommended rate but can also be used in small amounts to complement a cube or pellet.
🟠 Oat-free muesli
🔵 Horse Muesli
🔴 Hi-Performance Muesli

19/03/2024

Keep an eye out...Lupin Fibre Cubes have a new bag! 🎀
They're our same natural super fibre cube that you know and love, all wrapped up in a fresh new package. The new bags feature "Quinn", a Warmblood gelding who thrives on Lupin Fibre Cubes, and we'll share more about his story soon.

Our new shipment of bags has arrived and will be coming into production and hitting stockists shelves as we finish our current supply of white bags.

We are suppliers & manufacturers of quality animal produce. Specialising in Equine, Poultry, Sheep,

18/03/2024

Sharing those champion vibes!

Both Arden (left) and Prince (right) ended up with Champion! Prince is loving life with new owner Carmen, and both ponies thrive on their Lupin Fibre Cubes.

#

15/03/2024

WELCOME to our Junior Ambassadors for 2024, Erin, Lexy and Bella!

We were overwhelmed by the response and applications for our program this year, and we wanted to thank all the juniors who applied. It is so great to see how many talented young riders are coming through the various disciplines - what a future there is in equestrian sport!

We will be introducing Erin, Lexy and Bella properly over the coming weeks, so stay tuned for more...

14/03/2024

"Fussy eaters, too much fizz, needing more topline, digestion concerns and the occasional laminitis episode were all issues we have been faced with over the years... until the breakthrough of the outstanding T&R product ‘Lupin Fibre Cubes’.

We can still remember being on a sponsored rider’s video call, when the team at Thompson and Redwood shared with us that there was a new product being developed. Something that was super exciting. Something that was going to fill the gap that not only we were experiencing, but other horse enthusiasts as well."

From their 20yo pony stallion to their warmblood cross gelding, Caris and Britt have been able to use Lupin Fibre Cubes with great results across their whole stud and performance team.

Read more >>>
https://thompsonandredwood.com.au/the-miracle-cubes-our-experience-with-lupin-fibre-cubes

13/03/2024

Have you got or are you thinking of getting an Off the Track horse? These equine athletes need a bit of special care when it comes to feeding, especially in the first months after they finish racing.

Most racehorses are fed a high-grain diet, which provides carbohydrates in the form of starch and sugar for quick release energy. A high amount of starch promotes a high population of starch-loving bacteria. This means the horse’s gut will not be efficient at digesting fibre.

Off the Track horses need more slow release energy, so are generally fed a diet higher in fibre. Good hind gut health for an OTT horse means they need a high population of fibre-loving bacteria.

To do this, we need to convert the bacteria in their guts over time, by growing the population of fibre-loving bacteria. This transition is part of “Letting Down”.

During the Letting Down period, your horse should still keep, if not improve in condition. For this to happen, they still need to be getting good digestible energy from their feed source.

❌ DON’T: switch your horse straight onto a low-energy, high fibre diet, i.e. 100% pasture or hay.
❌ DON’T: make any sudden changes, make all changes slowly.
✅ DO: Start to decrease the grain content and introduce an intermediate feed that is rich in fermentable fibres. Lupin Fibre Cubes are the ideal intermediate feed, as they are valuable source of energy, without the starch and sugar.
✅ DO: make small alterations over time as their condition changes, and workload increases.
✅ DO: work towards introducing a high-quality pellet or cube that is lower in starch and sugar, but has a good level of high-quality proteins, and full range of minerals, both major and trace, especially Phosphorus and Magnesium, and the Vitamin B complex.

Lupin Fibre Cubes are an ideal feed you can introduce slowly as soon as you take over your off the track horse. These will help to boost the fibre loving bacteria and aid the transition from a high-grain diet to a more suitable off the track feed. You can then start to pair them with either our Claytons Pellets, or Horse Cubes for Seniors, which are complete feeds that we recommend for Off the Track horses.

12/03/2024

- Why is nutrition so important for healing?
Horses and injuries...we do what we can to avoid them but sometimes injuries happen, and we just have to do our best to help them heal. Healing is a process that requires specific nutrients, and without them, healing can be compromised or delayed. Here are 5 reasons why what you feed during their recovery can help them heal:

1️⃣ Protein is essential for tissue growth and repair. Making sure they are getting enough quality protein to support healing is vital.

2️⃣ Certain amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) have important roles in the healing process like arginine, glutamine and leucine, and lysine is essential for allowing the body to access to the amino acids in the diet.

3️⃣ Vitamins and minerals are essential for function, but also for healing. For example, Vitamin D, Calcium and Phosphorus are important for bone, tendon and ligament health. Vitamin A is essential for collagen synthesis and plays a key role in bone strength. Vitamin C is needed for blood vessel formation, collagen synthesis and plays an important role in healing skin wounds.

4️⃣ Gut health is often compromised after injuries, when a horse might be on stable rest, recovering from surgery or have had medications and antibiotics that can irritate the gut. Making sure they have enough quality fibre can help, especially super fibres that boost the gut microbiome like in our Lupin Fibre Cubes.

5️⃣ Energy is important for healing, but you need to ensure that the energy they are getting doesn't exceed their requirements. It's a good idea to talk to a nutritionist if you need help with this, as they still need quality nutrients to help them heal.

Our Lupin Fibre Cubes are a great option for horses healing from injury or illness. Lupins are a high-quality protein source with a favourable amino acid profile and gut-boosting properties. They are cool and low fizz, giving horses healthy fibre and nutrients to help them.

11/03/2024

Meet "Wallace"! He's been on stable rest for a degloved leg. We met his owner Lisa at an event and got chatting to her about her concerns with Wallace's eating and hydration...

"Hi Jo, just wanted to again thank you for introducing me to the amazing lupin fibre cubes! My guy has spent the past 2 months basically locked up in a small yard to try and heal his degloved leg. The fibre cubes and senior pellets have not only helped him keep weight but he's gained weight in the process. Also, his leg is healing quicker than we thought, and I truly believe good nutrition has helped that along as well. I cannot recommend T&R enough to everyone!"

Thanks for the update Lisa! Stay tuned for our post tomorrow, where we are going to cover the role nutrition plays in healing.

08/03/2024

Happy International Women's Day from the team at Thompson & Redwood! We're a business that is proud to have a strong group of women on our team, from our employees to the riders and ambassadors we support.

05/03/2024

The lovely Luna is looking fabulous, and still going strong on her Claytons Pellets despite health challenges - "She has had two surgeries in the past 2 months and has managed to maintain her weight!! Thank you again we are so happy, and she absolutely adores her Clayton’s pellets!"

Thanks for sharing Mandy, we're so pleased to see Luna looking so good.

04/03/2024

Let's digest PROTEIN QUALITY...
Firstly, what is a protein? Proteins are essential macronutrients that have many critical roles in the body and are vital for horses and ponies of all ages - around 15% of their overall body mass is made up of proteins! Protein is often misunderstood, but it is critical for horse health, function and performance. Some key roles of protein include:
✅ Tissue growth and repair
✅ Providing structure
✅ Nutrient transport around the body
✅ Immune function
✅ Regulating metabolic function

Horses get protein from their diets, and there is protein present in their grass, hay, and feeds. However, not all protein is created equal, and each feed ingredient will have a different quantity AND quality. For example, grass might have a good amount of crude protein, but that protein quality could be low.

➡️ What determines protein quality?
Proteins are made up of amino acids which are like building blocks. The quality of a protein is determined by the type and number of essential amino acids that it contains and how digestible they are. Essential amino acids cannot be made or synthesised by the horse so must be provided through the diet. For a certain protein to be built, the correct amino acids must be supplied.

✅ A high-quality protein source contains the ideal ratio of essential amino acids which are easily digestible. This means that the body can then use most of those amino acids in protein synthesis.

❌ Low-quality proteins don't offer as many essential amino acids, so there are a lot left over for the body to excrete.

When you look at your horse's feed, you need to take into consideration the QUANTITY and QUALITY of the proteins in their diet. The amount of protein needed varies depending on a horses age, life stage and workload. Broodmares in late gestation and lactation, growing horses and performance horses have a higher protein requirement than a mature horse in light work.

Our feeds are put together by nutritionists and vets, and we use quality protein sources. Protein intake must be balanced and suited to the needs of the individual horse.

28/02/2024

JUMP! It's a leap year!

28/02/2024

Looking this good on Claytons Pellets and our Lupin Fibre Cubes!
"This is our yearling LP Armani, taken straight from the paddock during summer spell. Has a brush and his coat is absolutely gleaming! He is produced on Clayton's and Lupin Fibre Cubes."

- Britt & Caris Reside from Leeara Park

27/02/2024

: WORKLOADS - Do you know what your horse's workload is?
With competitions starting again, it's a good idea to assess your horse's workload and make sure their diet is meeting their nutritional requirements for health and performance.

The NRC has outlined 4 workloads in their Nutrient Requirements for Horses, which is the resource used when developing and calculating a horse's diet. The amount of protein, energy, vitamins and minerals your horse requires, changes with how much work they do.

⌛ The hours of work act as a guideline, but accurately defining workload and nutrient requirement is also influenced by many other factors including heart rate, age, health status, weather conditions etc. This is especially important for high-level competition and performance horses!

🩺 Heart rate is an indicator that many professionals use to assist in calculating workload as it can explain why two similar horses doing similar work may actually need different feeds.

❤ Resting heart rate is 36-42 beats per minute (BPM) and increases during work to the levels in the graphics below.
A horse that may have a lower level of base fitness may actually be working harder than a horse with a higher level of fitness while doing the same work. So the horse with lower fitness may actually use more energy and have a higher heart rate.

Find out more in our blog post on Working Out Your Horse's Workload: https://thompsonandredwood.com.au/working-out-your-horses-workload
Equestrian Western Australia Pony Club WA Polocrosse Association of Western Australia Inc - PAWA Off the Track WA

26/02/2024

Did you know that we're supporting a new monthly giveaway for Pony Club WA?
The T&R Mount of the Month aims to reward those super horses or ponies that have made a difference in the lives of our young Pony Club riders. Find out more below ⬇️

https://www.facebook.com/ponyclub.wa/posts/pfbid026c6tB2NLqSTc1d7GxekneT5SVPufskuSjNS2Fj1kzt6exQ3w9hKEhKYDHTPrDR6Xl

Applications are now open for the T&R Pony Club Mount of the Month for the month of February.

Entries for the competition close on the 29th of February. The winner will be notified in early March.

Please share with your club members.

Applications: https://forms.office.com/r/0B1cdPXEx2