Sustain Case Studies

Finding the right balance of energy can be tricky, too much and some horses can become fizzy and lack concentration, too little and the horse can be rather ‘flat’. Dressage in particular requires controlled energy but Lizzie found she was struggling to get the balance of energy just right for her horse Jazz. Lizzie contacted the Allen & Page helpline and explained that although Jazz was in medium work and needed more energy, when she had tried feeding a competition mix Jazz became too excitable and was difficult to ride. This was particularly apparent at competitions where Jazz had far too much energy for his first test but by the time he got to his second test he had ‘run out of steam’, feeding more just made his behaviour worse.

Upon the recommendation of the Allen & Page Nutrition Team Lizzie gradually changed Jazz onto Sustain. Sustain is ideal for competition horses as it contains a good level of energy, however unlike traditional competition feeds the energy that Sustain supplies comes from its high fibre and oil content which provides slow release energy which is ideal for improving stamina levels and is less likely to lead to fizzy or excitable behaviour. Sustain also includes Protexin to promote a healthy balance of beneficial bacteria within the digestive system and can help to maintain a healthy gut particularly at times of stress such as travelling and competing.

Lizzie is thrilled that Jazz is now much more manageable and has enough stamina for two tests and as a result their marks have improved considerably.

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Donna contacted the Allen & Page feeding helpline last year after purchasing Flora a 6 year old Highland mare. Despite being very well bred Flora was rather run down and needed to gain a little weight but Donna also found that when she started to work Flora that although she initially had plenty of energy this soon ran out and Flora became very ‘flat’.

To help improve Flora’s energy levels the Allen & Page nutritional team recommended Sustain, a palatable muesli mix with high levels of both fibre and oil and low levels of starch to avoid excitable behaviour. Ingredients such as linseed, soya oil and highly digestible fibre provide plenty of slow release energy that is very effective at improving stamina levels. Sustain also contains a full range of vitamins and minerals as well as Protexin to help maintain a healthy digestive system so there is no need to add expensive supplements.

Donna has found that Flora’s energy levels have improved and that she positively gleams with health. With her improved stamina levels and fantastic condition Flora has proved to be a willing all-rounder that just wants to please. Now that Flora is in such great condition Donna has put Flora in foal and is now looking forward to the birth of her foal next year.

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Sammie-Jo Coffin a successful young showjumper from Cornwall found she was struggling with her top horse Crosswinds Bobby Dazzler or Bob for short. Bob is a very talented showjumper but he was lacking in energy and was not putting in the effort required, which resulted in Bob often having poles down and consequently Sammie-Jo became very frustrated that Bob was not performing to the best of his ability.

Sammie-Jo contacted Allen & Page for feeding advice and it was suggested that she try Sustain for Bob. Sustain is designed to help improve stamina levels and is particularly useful for horses that tend to go ‘flat’ after being worked in or that run out of energy in their second class. Sustain provides the horse with mostly slow release energy from its high fibre and oil content which is very effective at increasing stamina and is less likely to cause fizzy or excitable behaviour. Being high in fibre but low in starch Sustain is much ‘friendlier’ on the horse’s digestive system and Protexin, a prebiotic combination is included to help maintain a healthy balance of beneficial bacteria in the gut.

After being fed Sustain for just a few weeks Sammi-Jo reported that Bob was like a different horse, full of enthusiasm and his energy levels were much improved, having the same amount of energy after two classes as when he started. Sammi-Jo and Bob have moved up to jumping Area Trials and Grand Prix’s and Bob was placed 4th in only his second Area Trial which Sammi-Jo was thrilled with. Bob is being consistently placed in 1.30m and above classes and Sammi-Jo is looking forward to another successful season in 2009.

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Nutritional Analysis
Oil:	6.5%
Protein:	12.0%
Fibre:	13.0%
Estimated DE:	12.0 MJ/kg
Starch:	24%
Vitamin A:	13,000 IU/kg
Vitamin D:	2,000 IU/kg
Vitamin E:	250 IU/kg