An increasing number of grain mixes are available on the market.
These mixes bear no resemblance to flaked feeds, despite frequent comparison with the latter.
Just because a feed “looks nice”, it does not necessary mean that is a balanced feed specially designed for horses’ needs.
These mixes often consist of oats, barley, corn and spelt, together with easily identifiable light-coloured bran cubes (pellets) and recognisable alfalfa cubes (dark green).
These mixes do not have a balanced mineral, vitamin or trace element content, and the vitamin/mineral content shown on the labels is low in comparison with balanced feeds from reputable manufacturers, and only correspond to those already present in the raw materials, but very often in insufficient quantities to meet equine requirements.
These mixes generally sold at very low prices have a high starch content, and horses fed such mixes over several months run the risk of developing a number of disorders requiring veterinary attention.