If you`re looking for low starch and sugar, here it is ⬇️⬇️⬇️

We don`t just say our feed is `low starch`, we mean it and we show you. Calm Care Plus has:

✅ Maximum 0.8% starch
✅ 5.3% NSC (Non-Structural Carbohydrates = WSC + starch)
✅ 4.5% WSC (Water Soluble Carbohydrates = simple sugars + fructans)
✅ 4.4% ESC (Ethanol Soluble Carbohydrates = predominantly simple sugars)
✅ 5.2% HC (Hydrolysable carbohydrates = simple sugars + starch)

These figures are important when we talk about feed suitability for conditions like laminitis, insulin resistance and other metabolic conditions, because they influence insulin responses in the body.

#lowstarch #lowsugar #horsecare #horsehealth #laminitis

COLIC - Do you know these common risk factors?
Colic is a digestive upset, but it`s important to remember that there are different types like impaction, gas, spasmodic or sand colic, and a therefore a number of different triggers to be aware of. Here are some common triggers, and while even the most carefully managed horses can develop colic, there are things we can do to help prevent it:

⚠️ Sudden changes in diet, including hay, concentrates or pasture that can upset the microbiome. Even rain events that cause a flush in green pasture can be enough to upset the digestive system.

⚠️ Diets that are too low in fibre and forage

⚠️ Dehydration - a big one at the moment! Dehydration can lead to impaction colic, especially in periods of unseasonal heat or even in winter where drinking decreases.

⚠️ Lack of feed or irregular feeding, where the digestive system and hindgut doesn`t have a consistent supply of fibre and forage to keep it moving

⚠️ Sudden overeating or gorging

⚠️ Dental issues which lead to improper chewing

⚠️ Poor quality forage or very dry, course indigestible fibre

⚠️ Stress from transport, changes to environment or social stress

⚠️ Sand colic from the accumulation of sand when grazing short pastures or picking up feed off the ground

⚠️ Illness, infection or parasite overload that impacts the digestive system

⚠️ A history of colic or predisposition to intestinal displacement

As a digestive condition, nutrition and gut function play a huge role in colic management. Our horses are designed to eat fibre and forage, and they should always have enough fibre and water in their digestive tract to keep it moving.

✅ Make sure your horse or pony is getting minimum 1.5% of their body weight in fibre and forage daily
✅ Avoid large periods without feed
✅ Keep feed consistent and make changes slowly
✅ Keep them hydrated

#horsehealth #colic #horses #horsefeed #horsecare

⭐ Junior Ambassador - Welcome Amarli Angel ⭐

Amarli is a dedicated young horsewoman from rural South-Western WA, who has been riding from a young age. After attending her first polocrosse training day 5 years ago she has been hooked on the sport! Amarli loves her horses, and is a great young role model and member of the polocrosse community.

Amarli`s main horse Edenhope Tori is a great polocrosse horse and keen campdrafter, and Amarli has been working hard on developing young horse Fleets Shadows for the Autumn young horse carnivals.

Amarli has had some great achievements in polocrosse already, and was even selected to represent WA at Nationals in Queensland in 2024, with the team going on to win Sub-Junior Champions.

Amarli`s horses have been fed T&R for a number of years and her team is fuelled by Lupin Fibre Cubes and Might & Power Oat-Free Muesli.

Welcome Amarli, we`re proud to have Amarli on board as a junior ambassador.

Photo credit: Around The Traps-Rural Life in Photos
#polocrosse

JOIN US | Full Time Truck Driver
We are looking for a new team member to join us as a Full Time Truck Driver.

At T&R, our Truck Drivers are central to our logistics operations and functions.
If you’re well organised and energetic, work well with other logistics team members and can quickly integrate within your new team, this is the opportunity for you.

You’ll need to hold a current HR Licence (minimum) and proven previous truck driving experience. We’re offering a competitive hourly rate for the right person.

Please send your CV to peter@thompsonandredwood.com.au

Have a horse or pony that needs a low sugar and starch diet? Not sure how to choose the right option for them?
Our laminitis and metabolic condition-safe range is versatile and flexible, so there is an option for every horse and pony. We`ve put together this handy chart to help you choose the right matches:

They are all:
✅ Grain-free and grain by-product free
✅ Maximum 0.8% starch
✅ Maximum 5.3% NSC
✅ Soy-Free
✅ Grown, owned and made locally
✅ Cost-effective with lower feeding rates

#laminitissafe #carefeed #mashfeed #horsefeed #lowsugarandstarch #lowstarch #ulcersafe #horsehealth #ponyfeed

Laminitis, Cushings and Insulin Resistance - Why is Autumn a high-risk time for starch and sugar sensitive horses and ponies?

While spring gets most of the attention around grazing risks, Autumn is actually a high-risk time too. A combination of dry weather, hot days, cool nights and scattered rain creates a perfect storm in our pastures, and morning might not always be a safe grazing time.

Why?
➡️Hot, dry conditions mean pastures are short and stressed, so they store more sugars and starch (NSC or Non-Structural Carbohydrates) in the leaf.

➡️ Cooler overnight temperatures and warm days mean the starch and sugar levels builds up in the leaf.
Fructans are a component of the NSC level and normally vary during the day with highest levels in the afternoon.

➡️ Cooler overnight temperatures can mean fructan levels are still dangerously high in the mornings.
Some scattered rainfall can encourage small shoots of growth, and these new shoots have a higher concentration of sugars.

➡️ The weather is a bit unpredictable, which can cause sudden spikes in sugar content in pasture, rather than consistent levels, and any sudden variations in pastures are risky for horses.

➡️ Leading into winter, horses and ponies might be naturally prone to storing more weight prior to winter.

➡️ Horses with PPID (Cushings) can have a natural, seasonal change in hormone levels in autumn which can increase the effects of their condition and put them at risk of flare ups and laminitis.

What can you do?
🍂 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
🍂 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. Calm Care Plus is only 5.3% NSC.
🍂 Include a safe, fibre supplement in their feed like Lupin Fibre Cubes or Lupin Fibre Boost, to keep the quality fibre in their diet and promote gut health.

It`s unseasonally hot at the moment, and with competitions in full swing it`s important to keep our horses hydrated 💧
Use Lupin Fibre Cubes or Lupin Fibre Boost to make a hydrating mash by adding plenty of water and some electrolytes. You can make your own isotonic solution (which are used to fluid volume and electrolyte balance) by adding salt at the following ratios:

➡️ 0.9% to 10L of water with 600g of Lupin Fibre Cubes or Boost
➡️ 0.6% to 5L of water with 400g of Lupin Fibre Cubes or Boost
➡️ 0.3% to 2L of water with 200g of Lupin Fibre Cubes or Boost

Feed Your Steed

Horse Cubes for Seniors - A highly digestible fibre cube for conditioning and health.
As horses age their nutritional requirements change. They may need additional support for weight gain and maintenance, gut and immune function and topline building. Horse Cubes for Seniors have been designed to meet their needs and help senior horses age in good health.

➕ Added Pre & Probiotics for gut health and function
➕ Highly concentrated so low feeding rate - a 500kg senior horse at rest only needs 2kg per day.
➕ High calorie formula with added canola oil for condition and coat shine
➕ Quality protein sources to support topline building
➕ Added vitamin E to mop free radicals, and Vitamin C to support immune function
➕ Mashable, palatable fibre pellet for oldies with poor dentition. Can be fed both wet and dry.
💲More affordable and cost-efficient without compromising on nutrition, at almost half the cost of other senior feeds.

If you have an older horse that needs some extra support, have a chat to us about Horse Cubes for Seniors and how to incorporate it into their diet.

#seniorhorses #horsecubesforseniors #oldhorse #seniorhorsefeed #carefeed #horsecare #horsenutrition #horsemash