The next few months are going to be tough with so many people impacted by financial stress induced by COVID 19. We would like to address how your horse can continue to be fed well, receiving what they need nutritionally, but not cost you a fortune. This is how you can best feed your horse whilst on a tight budget. 

You don't need to choose expensive premixes and supplements to be feeding your horse well, You CAN supply your horse with an excellent quality, balanced diet on hay and pasture, with the addition of just a few key ingredients.

A good starting point is to look at what a horse actually needs. Once we understand this we can cut out everything else!

What my horse needs

1. A horse needs to have access to reasonable quality forage, this can take the form of hay and green pasture.
2. A horse needs a small amount of carrier feed that is used to add essential vitamins and minerals.

In Australia, hay and pasture are deficient in a common group of minerals, and we also often find it's very high in Iron and low in Copper and Zinc. Unfortunately, high Iron levels can interfere further with the absorption of Copper and Zinc.

So the main trace mineral deficiencies for Australian horses are Zinc and Copper.

The other two trace minerals that are commonly deficient are Iodine and Selenium.We know this from years of lab testing pasture and hay.

Magnesium is another important major mineral for overall horse health. Magnesium can be safely and easily supplemented, and it can often make a big difference to many horses, as a calmer and as support for metabolic issues. 

The other main addition you need to consider for your horse's overall health is Salt (sodium) to maintain a good electrolyte balance.

What my horse does not need

If you have your horse on a quality hay and pasture diet, with the addition of essentials vitamins and minerals what your horse will not need are all the added surplus vitamins, proteins and fats that are commonly added to premixed feeds and expensive supplements. 

Vitamin E has its benefits, however, we recommend it to be added separately as it is very unstable when mixed with other ingredients. It is also only recommended for specific health problems.

Vitamin B’s and other vitamins are unlikely to be deficient if quality hay and pasture is available.

There is one main exception; if your horse is grazing oxalate pasture we may need to consider also supplementing Calcium.

This diet works no matter the stage or health of your horse

Your horses' age and the stage are irrelevant if you can base your horses' diet around the quality forage (pasture and hay) and add what vitamins and minerals are commonly found to be deficient.

Missy's Bucket was developed around this philosophy of offering high concentrated doses of the main minerals found to deficient in pasture and hay.

Recommended Diet 

An excellent place to start for an average 500kg horse: 

A Word About Hay

Hay is best fed in a slow feeder. Slow feeding nets reduce waste and slow consumption, thus saving money.

If your horse is just on pasture and hay, you can be confident that with a couple of additions, they will be getting a quality, balanced feed for just over $2 a day including their daily carrier/hard feed. If your horse has special medical needs we may need to look at some other additions however this is a great place to start with a basic balanced daily feed.

If you keep it simple, feed only what you need and cut out the rest there is no need to break the bank! 

Our Products

Find out more about Missy's Bucket premium blend of trace minerals, vitamins, amino acids and antioxidants to maintain overall horse health. 

Missy's Bucket has been developed specifically to supplement the diet of horses that are fed primarily on pasture and hay. 

Feed as an additive to your horses daily feed, Missy's Bucket boosts your horses' vitamin and mineral intake, many of which are commonly lacking in Australian pasture.

Horses will benefit when Missy's Bucket is added to their feed, as this mix of trace minerals, vitamins, amino acids and antioxidants are essential for strong hooves, a shiny coat and your horses' general wellbeing. 

With high Copper and Zinc Levels and NO IRON, Missy's Bucket works to appropriately balance the mineral ratios in the whole horse's diet.

In Missy's Bucket, you will find trace minerals Zinc and Copper,B vitamin Biotin and antioxidants Selenium and Vitamin E.

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A high-quality form of Magnesium Oxide known to contain less Iron than other imported forms. 

Mined and produced right here in Australia, it is scientifically proven to be a safe and effective form of magnesium supplementation in the horse.

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