Forage for Horses – Naturally Better Nutrition Starts Here
Not all forage is created equal. Discover the importance of high-quality, clean, and naturally nutritious forage – and how Thunderbrook helps your horse thrive from the inside out.
Chaff: A meal-enhancing hero for digestive health
Did you know? Adding chaff doesn’t just bulk out a bucket — it plays a vital role in digestion and mental wellbeing.
- Slows down eating time, mimicking natural grazing.
- Encourages chewing and saliva, which supports gut health.
- Helps reduce the risk of digestive disorders.
- A perfect fibre carrier for supplements or minerals.
Try Healthy Herbal Chaff for a daily fibre boost or Organic HerbaLite for a low-calorie option — both help turn any feed into a healthy, more natural meal.
Why Forage is the Foundation of Equine Health
Forage isn’t just filler — it’s the heart of your horse’s diet. Horses are naturally designed to graze, chew slowly, and extract nutrients from a variety of fibrous plants. But modern husbandry and feeding practices, as well as poor-quality forage can disrupt this delicate system, leading to digestive issues (like faecal water or even colics), weight imbalance, and behavioural stress.
- The dangers of poor-quality forage: Dust, mould, excess sugars (fructans), and lack of fibre.
- The benefits of premium forage: Supports hindgut health, weight stability, hydration, and emotional wellbeing.
Why add chaff to your horses feed?
What to look for in good forage
What makes good forage?
- Naturally low in sugar and starch
- Free from dust, mould and contaminants
- Rich in mature, structural fibre
- Consistent in quality and cleanly processed
- Grown and harvested with care, not chemicals
“Feeding forage that’s as close to nature as possible doesn’t just support physical health — it nourishes the whole horse.”
~Sami, Thunderbrook nutritionist
Harvest and production
At Thunderbrook, we believe horses thrive when fed in harmony with their natural design. That’s why all of our forage is:
- Grown on clean, nutrient-rich soil
- Never sprayed with herbicides or pesticides
- Harvested at the perfect time for nutritional balance
- Carefully preserved, dust-free, and free from fillers
Watch this video to discover how carefully our Hay Cobs are being produced:
Senior horses
Older horses often struggle with coarse hay due to reduced dental function — but that doesn’t mean they have to miss out on good fibre.
These Thunderbrook forages are gentle on the mouth, but rich in nutrition:
- Hay Flakes – Quick-soak, easy to chew, soft fibre.
- Meadow Nuts / Organic Meadow Nuts – Soaked into a mash for easy consumption.
- Gentle Gain – Designed to help older horses maintain weight, with a highly digestible, easy to soak, fibre base.
Tip:
Soaking forage can reduce the risk of choke and improve hydration — essential for golden oldies.
Comparison
Testimonial
“My rescue cob Luna has been fed Thunderbrook Healthy Herbal Chaff for 2 ½ years and her coat is in the most amazing condition now and her hair and feather quality has improved along with her hooves (she is in full work and barefoot). In the winter months she has also had soaked HayCobs for a little extra. Both feeds smell so amazing I could eat them myself.”
~Charlotte Brownings
Weight Gain
Forage-based weight gain – Without the sugar spike
Some horses need help keeping weight on — especially in colder months, with high workloads, or as they age.
That doesn’t mean turning to cereals or sugary feeds. Our fibre-based weight gain approach is:
- Gentle on the gut
- Naturally slow-release energy
- Non-heating and suitable for sensitive horses
Gentle Gain is our go-to blend, formulated with oil-rich fibres and prebiotics to support healthy condition — the natural way.
Sami, Thunderbrook nutritionist: “Additional fibre and protein in the feed help your horse to achieve a healthy weight. Our protein-rich rice bran Thunderbrook Gentle Gain (can be fed both dry and soaked) is an ideal support for horses that need to put on some weight.”
Common questions about horse forage
Q: What’s the best forage for a laminitic horse? The best forage for a laminitic horse is low in sugar (ESC) and starch, ideally below 10% combined. Late-cut meadow hay, well-soaked hay, or fibre feeds such as Thunderbrook Organic Herba Lite, Healthy Herbal Chaff, or Organic Meadow Nuts (when soaked) are excellent options. These support fibre intake without adding unnecessary carbohydrates, which is key in managing insulin resistance and reducing laminitis flare-ups. Always test your hay if possible, and avoid ryegrass-based forage or anything that hasn’t been analysed for sugar content.
Q: Can I feed Hay Cobs dry? Yes — Thunderbrook Hay Cobs are specially designed to be fed dry to healthy horses with good dental function. They are dust-free, pressed from high-quality dried forage, and ideal for increasing fibre intake where long-stemmed hay isn’t practical — such as during travel, winter turnout, or for horses with hay allergies. However, if your horse bolts their feed, has dental issues, or you’re feeding large quantities, soaking is recommended to reduce the risk of choke. Always introduce dry-fed cobs gradually and monitor water intake.
Q: How do I transition from hay to Meadow Nuts? Transitioning from hay to Thunderbrook Meadow Nuts should be done gradually over 7–10 days or more to allow your horse’s digestive system to adapt. Begin by replacing a small portion of hay with a fully soaked serving of Meadow Nuts, then slowly increase the ratio each day. Meadow Nuts should always be soaked to a mash before feeding. They’re especially useful for horses with poor dentition, fussy eaters, or those needing a soft forage alternative. Start with 100g dry weight of Meadow Nuts soaked in 500ml of water, and build up from there depending on bodyweight and workload.
Q: Is chaff necessary for all horses? While not essential for every horse, adding chaff to the bucket feed offers significant benefits for most. Chaff increases chewing time, which stimulates saliva production — a natural buffer against stomach acid. This helps support healthy digestion, reduce the risk of gastric ulcers, and improve nutrient absorption. Chaff also slows down fast eaters, making meals more satisfying and safer. It’s particularly beneficial for horses on restricted grazing, prone to digestive upset, or fed hard feeds. Forage-based chaffs like Healthy Herbal Chaff and Organic Herba Lite add bulk without excess sugar or starch.
Q: Why choose organic forage? Organic forage is grown without artificial fertilisers, herbicides, or pesticides, meaning fewer chemical residues for your horse and a gentler impact on the environment. For sensitive horses, or owners looking to reduce dietary pollutants, certified organic forage offers peace of mind and transparency. Thunderbrook’s Organic Meadow Nuts and Organic Herba Lite Chaff are certified by the Soil Association, guaranteeing full traceability and quality. They’re especially well-suited to horses with metabolic issues, allergies, or compromised gut health.
Explore our full forage range and discover how simple, honest nutrition can transform your horse’s wellbeing.