Nutrition with April - Independent Equine Nutritionist MSc ANutr

09/03/2026

🌱 Spring is (almost) here… are you and your horse ready for it? 🐎

The days are getting longer, the grass is starting to grow, and many horses are about to see a big change in their diet. While spring grass can look like a welcome return to lush grazing, it can also bring nutritional challenges if we’re not prepared.

Sudden changes in grazing can increase the risk of weight gain, digestive upset, and issues linked to high sugar levels in grass. What seems like “just turning them out” can actually have a big impact on your horse’s health.

Now is the perfect time to ask yourself:
✔️ Is your horse’s current diet still appropriate?
✔️ Do they need support while transitioning onto spring grass?
✔️ Are they maintaining a healthy weight and condition?
✔️ Could their vitamins and minerals need adjusting?

Every horse is different, and what works for one may not work for another. A small change now can prevent bigger problems later in the season.

If you’d like help reviewing your horse’s diet for spring, feel free to get in touch for an independent, evidence-based nutrition consultation.

🌿 Let’s set your horse up for a healthy season ahead!

15/02/2026

🐴 Forage First Isn’t a Trend, It’s Biology

Your horse’s digestive system is designed for near-constant fibre intake, not bucket feeds, not cereals, and not supplements as a foundation diet.

Here’s what truly matters nutritionally:

🌱 Forage = the foundation
Good quality hay, haylage, or grazing should provide:
• Energy
• Fibre for gut health
• Mental wellbeing
• Thermoregulation
• Gastric ulcer protection
• Stable gut microbiome

If forage isn’t right, nothing else can fix the diet.

🧠 Concentrates are tools, not defaults
Bucket feeds should only exist to:
✔ Meet specific energy needs
✔ Correct nutrient deficiencies
✔ Support workload, age, or health conditions
✔ Balance forage

Not because:
❌ “They look hungry”
❌ “They’re in work”
❌ “It’s what the yard feeds”
❌ “They need a feed twice a day”

🧂 Supplements are not nutrition
They should:
✔ Target a specific deficiency
✔ Support a diagnosed need
✔ Be evidence-based
✔ Have a clear purpose

Not be used as:
❌ Insurance
❌ Marketing-driven choices
❌ “Just in case” feeding
❌ Band-aids for poor base diets

🔍 Real nutrition = individual nutrition
There is no universal “good feed”! Only:
✔ the right forage
✔ the right balance
✔ the right nutrients
✔ for that horse
✔ in that workload
✔ with that health status

💬 If you don’t know why it’s in the bucket, it probably shouldn’t be there.

Nutrition should solve problems — not create them.

Feel free to share!

03/02/2026

Warning! If you feed Fast Fibre from Allen & Page please check your bath codes and best before… there is a product recall!

If you have emptied your bags in to a bin and no longer have the bag, it is always safest to not use the feed if you are unsure.

Drop any questions below but you can see all the information provided from Allen & Page in the shared post ☺️

Please do share to help notify your horsey friends! 💚

Fast Fibre Product Recall Update

To ensure that customers do not get any affected feed we are going to include batch no 15/01/26 best before date 05/05/26 of Allen & Page Fast Fibre, for additional reassurance. This is in addition to batch no 14/01/26 with a best before date of 04/05/26.

We are recalling these batches of Fast Fibre because of an ingredient issue which has led to reports of a darker colour feed together with a sticky consistency. While we conduct further tests, we have decided to recall these batches only for the safety of your equines despite not all bags being affected.

Please be reassured that these Fast Fibre batches do not have any NOPS issues, are not a doping/clean sport issue and are not toxic in any way.

We are advising customers NOT to feed Fast Fibre from these batches, as it may be out of specification and also for your additional reassurance. Customers should dispose of their bags only from these batches:
• 14/01/26 with a best before date of 04/05/26
• 15/01/26 with a best before date of 05/05/26

If you have tipped your bag into your feed bin and have not retained the label, and your bag(s) were purchased after the 16/01/26, please ensure you check the consistency and colour of your feed when soaked and if you have any concerns please do not feed.

If you have fed your horse and suspect that the Fast Fibre was from either of the above batches, and you have any concerns please contact us directly.
No other Allen & Page products or other batches of Fast Fibre are affected. If you are unsure if you have the affected batch, if you purchased your Fast Fibre before 16/01/26 your Fast Fibre is unaffected and good to feed.

We communicated this information to all stockists and customers at the earliest possible opportunity. We recognise that this may cause inconvenience and concern for horse owners, and we appreciate the patience and cooperation of those affected.

As always for further information or advice, please contact Allen & Page:
• Phone: 01362 822902
• Email: helpline@allenandpage.co.uk
• Website: www.allenandpage.com

01/02/2026

Omg… we MADE IT. 🎉
The 200 days of January are finally over and hello February! 🌞🌱
Spring is officially around the corner and the sunshine is already teasing us…

But here’s the question…
Have you thought about your horse’s diet for spring yet?

Fresh grass = big changes for your horse’s waistline, energy levels and health. With spring grass on the way, now is the perfect time to start planning your horse’s diet 👀

If you’re not sure:
✔️ What to feed
✔️ How to manage weight
✔️ How to transition safely onto grass

…I’ve got you covered 💚

Need help? Reach out and let’s get your horse’s diet spring ready!

22/01/2026

🐴 Why supplements can’t fix a poor diet

Supplements are often used to “patch” problems e.g. poor hoof quality, low energy, muscle loss, digestive issues but they can’t compensate for a base diet that isn’t doing its job.

Here’s why:

🔹 Forage drives everything
If forage quality, quantity, or intake is inadequate, no supplement can override the impact on gut health, energy supply, or nutrient absorption.

🔹 You can’t build on a weak foundation
Adding isolated nutrients won’t fix imbalances in protein, energy, fibre, or overall ration structure. Horses don’t use nutrients in isolation, they rely on balance.

🔹 Absorption matters more than inclusion
Stress, poor forage, excessive starch/sugar, or gut disruption can limit how well nutrients are absorbed. A supplement on paper doesn’t always translate to results in the horse.

🔹 More isn’t better
Layering supplements on top of an unbalanced diet can increase the risk of excesses and wasted money without solving the root problem.

Supplements should support a well-designed diet, not compensate for poor forage, inappropriate feed choices, or mismatched rations. This is why the first step in any nutrition consultation I do is assessing the whole diet, starting with forage, before recommending anything else.

If you’re using multiple supplements and still not seeing changes, it may be time to look at the bigger picture rather than adding another tub.

📩 Message me or book a consultation if you’d like an independent, evidence-based review of your horse’s diet.No product pushing, just practical guidance.

18/01/2026

Here are my tips for the hay shortages this year! Drop any other tips you have in the comments to help each other!

11/01/2026

🐴 “Is a nutritionist worth it?” Let’s talk honestly.

Yes — working with a nutritionist costs money.
Yes — you could ask in Facebook groups.
Yes — you could spend hours researching feeds yourself.

But here’s the real question 👇
What is the cost of continuing to guess?

I see owners:
🔸Changing feeds every few weeks
🔸Buying multiple supplements “just in case”
🔸Getting conflicting advice from well-meaning people
🔸Feeling unsure, frustrated and overwhelmed
🔸And often spending far more than they realise.

Working with me is a small, one-off fee that gives you:
💚Clarity on what to feed and why
💚All your questions answered with no judgement
💚Truly unbiased recommendations (I’m independent of feed companies)
💚A diet tailored to your horse, forage and management
💚Long-term strategies, not quick fixes
💚 Sometimes a diet plan that saves you money too!

This isn’t just theory either.

I have a Master’s degree in Nutrition, but I’ve also:
🐎 Owned and competed my own horses
🌾 Fed both good doers and poor doers
❄️ Managed seasonal weight changes
📋 Balanced real-world budgets, time constraints and yards

So I understand the science and the reality.

You don’t work with a nutritionist because you can’t feed your horse.
You work with one because you want to feed with clarity, not constant doubt.

If you’re tired of second-guessing, chopping and changing feeds, or wondering if you’re missing something then that’s where I can help.

💬 Message me or comment below if you’d like tailored, practical, evidence-based support that actually makes sense.

Sometimes the biggest return isn’t the diet itself, it’s finally knowing you’re doing right by your horse.

10/01/2026

If feeding your horse feels harder than it should… you’re not alone.

I often speak to horse owners who feel:
• Confused by conflicting advice
• Guilty that they’re “not doing enough”
• Overwhelmed by feed labels, marketing claims and opinions
• Frustrated that nothing seems to actually change

And here’s the truth 👇
Most equestrians aren’t under-feeding… they’re overthinking.

You’re trying to juggle:
❄️ Seasonal weight changes
🌾 Variable forage quality
💷 Rising feed costs
📋 Endless supplement recommendations
🐴 A horse that never reads the rulebook

No wonder it feels stressful.

What I see again and again is this:
👉 Diets built on guesswork
👉 Multiple feeds doing the same job
👉 Supplements added “just in case”
👉 And owners losing confidence in their own decisions

The problem isn’t you.
It’s that nutrition has been made unnecessarily complicated.

My approach is simple:
✔️ Evidence-based
✔️ No brand bias
✔️ Tailored to your horse, management and budget

If you’re tired of:
• Chasing condition
• Constantly changing feeds
• Second-guessing every scoop
• Feeling like you should know better

Then it might be time to stop struggling alone.

💬 If you’d like support creating a feeding plan that actually makes sense comment below or drop me a message!

You don’t need more products.
You need the right plan and reassurance you’re on the right track.

08/01/2026

❄️ Feeding the Poor Doer Through Winter ❄️

Winter can be a real challenge for poor doers, and I often speak to owners who are doing “all the right things” yet still watching the weight drop off their horse. If that sounds familiar, you’re definitely not alone.

Weight loss is rarely down to just one factor. Often it’s a combination of several things:

🍏Increased energy needs
Cold weather increases calorie requirements as horses burn more energy just to keep warm, especially if they’re unclipped, out overnight, older, or naturally lean.
🍎Forage quality (or quantity)
Not all hay or haylage is created equal. Late-cut, stalky or weather-damaged forage can be bulky but low in digestible energy, meaning your horse physically may not be able to eat enough to maintain weight before feeling full.
🍏Reduced grazing
Winter pasture provides less nutritional value and often has less digestible energy.
🍎Dental issues
Sharp edges, missing teeth or age-related wear can reduce chewing efficiency, meaning less fibre digested and fewer calories absorbed.
🍏Worm burden or gut health challenges
Even low-level parasite burdens or hindgut imbalance can impact nutrient absorption and weight maintenance.
🍎Stress & management changes
Altered turnout routines, herd dynamics, travel, and reduced daylight can all affect appetite and condition.

🥕 Practical tips to help support poor doers in winter

✔️ Prioritise forage
Forage should form the foundation of the diet. For poor doers, this often means:
• Ad-lib access (truly unlimited)
• Considering higher-energy hay or haylage
• Splitting forage into more frequent nets if intake is an issue
✔️ Choose calories wisely
Not all calories are equal and not all ingredients are safe to rely on. Choosing the right source of calories massively will impact your horses, temperament, condition, health etc.
Good options may include:
• Digestible fibre sources (e.g. beet pulp, alfalfa)
• Oil or high-oil feeds (introduced gradually)
• Forage replacers if chewing is compromised
✔️ Feed little and often
Smaller, more frequent meals are easier to digest and help maximise nutrient uptake.
✔️ Check the basics
• Teeth checked regularly
• Worming plan based on testing
• Rugs appropriate for weather and the individual horse

✔️ Review, don’t guess
If you’re adding scoop after scoop without results, it’s time to reassess rather than just feed more of the same.

💬 Need help with a struggling poor doer?

If your horse:
• Drops weight every winter
• Never quite holds condition
• Needs more feed than you’re comfortable with
• Or you’re unsure whether their diet is actually balanced

I can help you create a practical, forage-first, evidence-based feeding plan tailored to your horse, your forage, your budget and your management.

I’m completely independent of feed companies and offer online consultations, so you don’t need to be local to get support.

📩 Message me or comment below if you’d like help or have any questions about working with me!

05/01/2026

Did anyone else have snowy ponies this morning? 🐴

03/01/2026

A cold but wonderful day back out on the road, visiting my very first client of 2026 ❄️🐴

I absolutely love getting out to meet your horses and working with you to create nutrition plans that truly fit your daily routine, your horse’s individual needs and your budget. Today’s visit led to a really interesting discussion about supporting this horse going forward, with a focus on ulcer prevention and promoting a happy, healthy gut.

Choosing the right feeds and supplements can feel incredibly confusing, and it’s so easy to assume that the most expensive options must be the best. What saddens me, and exactly why I do what I do, is seeing owners spend a lot of money on products that simply aren’t doing what they promise. Horses are expensive enough without wasting money on things that don’t add real value!

My role is to help you understand where your money is genuinely worth spending, and which options offer the best value while still supporting your horse’s health and performance.

If you’d like help reviewing or improving your horse’s diet, feel free to drop me a message, I’d love to help! 🐎

01/01/2026

✨ Happy New Year! ✨

As we step into 2026, I just want to say a huge thank you for all the support over the past year. My first year in business has been incredibly rewarding, and I’m so grateful to have met and helped so many wonderful horses (and their owners!) along the way 🐴💚

I’m really excited to see what 2026 brings and to continue supporting horses with evidence based, practical nutrition that truly works.

My books are open again from next week! If you’d like any help with your horse’s diet, please feel free to drop me a message because I’d love to help.

Here’s to a happy, healthy and successful year ahead ✨