Hendrik Jan V.D. Pony Lust i Highlight V.D. Kralen

Hendrik Jan V.D. Pony Lust and Highlight V.D. Kralen are free-range ponies who do not need a very elaborate diet. The metabolism of primitive breeds is highly efficient, which is why overweight ponies are common when the diet is not properly balanced. For ponies not in work, a diet of grass and hay alone is enough, as with these two.

Because the ponies live outside all year, they receive the herbal respiratory supplement Light Breath, which supports immunity. It contains cistus, nettle, eucalyptus and Echinacea purpurea, plus blackcurrant and chokeberry pomace rich in vitamins E and C, protecting the ponies from infections and respiratory problems. Light Breath works above all against coughing, and thanks to it Henio and Cookie feel much better on warm days, when there is more pollen and dust in the air. For horses that eat greedily, as these do, the product should be fed wet. In autumn and winter the ponies get the same supplement warm, to help them stay warm in low temperatures and poor weather.

A small addition to the Grassland horses' diet is linseed. After 20 minutes in boiling water, then cooled, they eat it with the prepared Light Breath herbs and a fresh carrot. The many oils in linseed mean that feeding it regularly improves the coat and hoof horn. It can also supply as much omega-3 as pasture, so it works very well for ponies, especially when there is no longer any grass.

This diet and this way of keeping them are quite enough for ponies not in work. They give them movement and protect them from many problems, especially obesity. And if an owner is tempted to give the little ones an extra treat, it is worth replacing horse sweets such as sugar or biscuits with carrots, apples and beet.