"We thought we would have to put our 29 year old retired race horse down because we could not keep weight on her.  After five weeks on Thrive, she is a new horse and has her bounce back."

                           -Linda from  Heuvelton, NY

"I have always sworn by Equine Senior feed for maintaining weight on hard-to-keep guys.  No more.  I am a Thrive convert - this stuff is phenomenal!  I drove 260 miles one way for this amazing feed and I'd do it again.  Enough said?"

                                 - Lynda S. from Oxford, PA

Why is Thrive totally different?

To understand why Thrive works so well, you first have to understand the nature of the products from which horse feeds are historically made. The most fundamentally important fact is that grain is naturally indigestible -- and for a very good reason. Nature intended grazing animals to eat grass and ingest the seeds at the same time.  Those seeds have chemicals in them to stop them from being digested; so they pass through the animals digestive system and are excreted somewhere else.  In effect, it is a natural seed-sowing process that has worked very efficiently. What we have done is to interrupt the natural process, harvest the seeds from the grass, and feed the animals the seeds that were never meant to be digested in the first place. The chemicals contained within the grain and grain by-products are powerful enzyme inhibitors. They resist the enzymatic action of digestion.  So the non-chewed grain berries pass through unharmed, go on to spread out and grow more grass so that the animals can live on the fiber they were designed to consume.

If the first part of a horse's digestive system is driven by enzymes and raw grain has enzyme inhibitors included in it, it is not hard to work out what happens when horses are given grain and grain by-products with those inhibitors in an active state. What Dale Moulton, the creator of Thrive, has done with Thrive is process the enzyme inhibitors to denature them, but leave the nutrients intact. Even when Thrive is consumed, it still encourages and supports normal small intestine enzymatic digestive function. This is why we see horses being able to consume in excess of 50,000 calories per day without any ill effects. As far as we know, this has not ever been achieved before.  Yet it is practical, safe and proven on many rescue horses -- most of which were in terrible states of health when they started.

What about the ingredients?

The ingredients in Thrive are fairly straightforward.  They are of the purest quality available and minimally processed to create the digestive ease that Thrive is famous for. All the standard worries are about how much protein, fat, and nonstructural carbohydrate levels there are.  Thrive does not contain the enzyme inhibitors that can create so much digestive distress in equines. Strangely, nonstructural carbohydrates have been blamed for Cushing's disease, laminitis, founder, and a host of other problems. Thrive has a substantial level of nonstructural carbohydrates, yet the horses on Thrive never displayed those problems.  Is that enough to make you think and maybe investigate more?

Thrive operates with a new set of rules, and the old thinking simply does not apply. Literally, Thrive is rewriting the rulebooks of equine health, and we are proud to say America's horses are benefiting from this in a major way.

Is Thrive made on a "least cost" formulation?

Thrive feed is not made on a least cost formulation model. You cannot easily tell which horse feeds are by looking at the feed tag. When you see descriptions such as, "ground roughage products", "grain-byproducts", or any description that appears to be ambiguous and inconcise, you can pretty much be sure that the product description has been designed to allow the manufacturer a range of raw materials to be used in the feed formulation that fall within that category. This allows the feed manufacturer to use the cheapest available product and still conform with the product description on the tag.

That is taking the low road.  We prefer to positively identify each and every ingredient in order of magnitude on every bag of feed, so people know exactly what they are getting. Then when they see the results with horses. They understand why. There's no truer saying than "you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear."

Quality ingredients, advanced processing, amazing results -- it just makes good sense.

Is Thrive expensive?

Whether Thrive is expensive or not is a difficult question to answer. Many people consider Thrive an absolute bargain; some people think it's pricey. Really, the cost of a horse feed cannot be measured in how much a bag costs, but rather what effect it has on your horse's health over a long period of time -- and also how efficient your horse becomes at digesting grass. Some people do not feed Thrive all year round because their horse's gut is in a pristine state, and their horse is able to live on just grass for a good part of the year.  That makes Thrive very good value.  Also, it's extremely difficult to compare Thrive to normal horse feed bag by bag, because there is no comparison.  You simply cannot do with normal horse feed the things you can do with Thrive. When considering which feed to purchase, the real question you should be asking yourself is, "Is my purchase going to be an expense or an investment?". Actually, you would be surprised how economical Thrive is bag by bag.

How do I change over to Thrive?

The way you change your horse to this ultimate diet is just as different as the results you will achieve. DO NOT MIX THRIVE WITH ANY OTHER TYPE OR BRAND OF HORSE FEED. The only acceptable addition is forage hay and water. The reason is the digestibility:   it’s over 90%.  If you mix any other feed with Thrive, including other brands of extruded feed, you may induce a digestive upset that is easily avoidable. Please be aware that many vets are still unaware of the difference in Thrive to all other feeds and may advise you to change over slowly. If you have professional advise telling you, please ask them to contact Dale Moulton and discuss why there is a difference. All you do to change over is stop feeding your horse all rations except hay and water for 24 hours.  Then feed the appropriate ration of Thrive (2 to 3 pounds) just like you were feeding the previous ration. This amount of feed assumes you are like most people and feed twice a day, morning and night, making a total of 4 to 6 pounds per day. Just remember, Thrive is like nothing else on the market, and neither are the results.

What type of horses are suitable for Thrive?

I have yet to find a horse of any age, gender, or breed that does not do well on Thrive. The ability to feed Thrive free choice allows optimum growth with a digestive system not compromised with oil, fat, or raw starch. Senior horses thrive on the highly digestible nuggets so kind to the whole digestive system. When you think about it, horses naturally eat grass given a life in the wild. They never eat anything but forage grasses their whole lives.  It’s only humans that dictate the hundreds of different types of feed for each type of horse.  Once again we disagree.

How long before I see changes in my horse?

Dramatic changes in horses have been observed in as little as 24 hours.  Many owners report obvious improvement in their horses attitude within a week.  And every owner notices changes within two weeks, if they follow the protocol designated for their horse. Support is only a phone call away seven day's a week!

Do all horses love Thrive right away?

Most do, but not all.  Two factors come into play.  The first is mouth feel. Thive is light and crunchy.  Some horses take longer than others to adjust to the new feel in their mouth and also how they get it back to their premolars and molars. Thrive dissolves so readily in a horse's mouth, it is effortless to chew.

The next issue is that of sweetness. Thrive is not a flavored or sweetened ration.  It relies on naturally delicious flavors to entice horses. If a horse is in a barn where it gets feeds containing oils and molasses, you may experience an initial resistance to Thrive.  Your horse will want the candy, not the vegetables!

Once the initial trepidation is passed, you will see a whole new urgency at or near feed time.  Horses really get attached to the feed bin, and enough is never enough!  Fortunately, Thrive is a great pocket treat for them as well.

How much do I feed?

You can start with 4 pounds per day per 1000 pounds body weight. That's a bag every ten days. Thrive is like the gas pedal on your vehicle; when you want more performance, you push down on the gas pedal. With Thrive, if you want more performance, you add more feed, all the way up to free choice. Extended testing with all different types of horses in different situations revealed that the average amount of Thrive consumed by an average-sized horse is around five pounds per day. That being the case, the average horse should get at least eight days from one bag of feed. No additional supplementation is required.

Can I add oils to Thrive for more energy.

No! Please don't try and better the formula, if it's not broke, don't fix it. If you can get 50,000 calories per day into a horseand build nearly 500 lbs. of muscle in a month on a starving horse, why would you need to add anything to that formula?

How often should I feed Thrive?

You should break the daily ration into a minimum of at least two equal feeds per day. If you need to leave your horse unattended for longer than a day, you can place the feed in a dry manger out of the weather and let your horse feed himself during your absence. Make sure that a constant supply of clean water above 45 degrees F. is available for your horse to drink at all times.

How long will Thrive last in the bag?

Because Thrive is a dry feed and has been processed to a temperature that kills mold and fungal spores, it will last at least a year if kept in a dry place. The processing temperature is not high enough or long enough to deteriorate the valuable nutrients contained in the feed -- just make them easily digestible. There are samples over three years old that are still in good shape.

What size bag does Thrive come in?

The bag holds 40 pounds. The high digestibility ensures the contents equal or exceed the nutritional value of a normal 50 pound bag. The big benefit is the 10 pound lighter bag is so much easier for women to move around, and a lot of women have horses.

Why is Thrive low fat?

Contrary to popular trends Dale Moulton does not advocate or endorse the feeding of fat and oil to horses. A horse's digestive system was never designed to digest fat and oil.  They are herbivores, grass eaters. We all know the amount of information available that supports the adoption of a low fat diet in humans.  Just look in the supermarket for products that say, “high fat for health”? We are more adept than horses at metabolizing fat, and we are told to eat a low fat diet for health. Yet we willingly feed our horses fat laden pellets and are assured that it’s just fine.  That’s not sound reasoning! Fatty feed may produce fat-covered, obese horses that carry around parasitic weight that limits performance. This is how it works. Fat is a cheap way to get calories at the expense of health. It does not take a nutritionist to work out the concept.  It is about feed companies making money. Thrive is low fat because that is  how it must be for a horse to thrive. Many owners report that Thrive builds lean muscle mass, allowing their horses to perform without layers of useless fat to drag around.

Isn't Thrive high in protein?

Major misunderstandings are evident with regard to protein in horse feed. The high quality proteins in Thrive are easily utiltized.  And what is not used for muscle-building or rebuilding is converted into energy -- just like carbohydrates. Protein is essential for all the intestinal microorganisms that break down fiber into simple sugars for energy.  That is what they live on. Protein and carbohydrates both have the same energy value.  So once again your horse has all the protein necessary to build and rebuild. What is not used will become fuel for useful work. If you are not convinced, check the results that Thrive produces and see for yourself.

Are supplements necessary?

Thrive is a complete ration and needs no supplementation for optimum nutrition.  In fact, it is advised against.  Adding other products to Thrive upsets the delicate balance of ingredients Dale Moulton worked so hard to achieve. A normal equine digestive system has the capacity to manufacture all the necessary nutrients when supplied with the correct diet. Thrive achieves this with advanced technology.  So all you have to do is just feed your horse without worrying about mixing supplements together. Horses and humans alike do not need all the vitamins and minerals for health every day. We have tissue reserves to make up the slack in nutritional variation.

Are there any drugs in Thrive to calm them down?

No, absolutely not. The calming effect you may notice is how the horse is naturally meant to be.  It is base temperament. It’s not that this feed drugs them to get horses calm, it’s just the feed on the market in America creates less than ideal emotional performance.

Are there probiotics in Thrive?

There are no probiotics in Thrive, because they are unnecessary with a healthy horse on this diet. Literally speaking probiotic means “for life”. In digestive terms probiotics are used to replace desirable bacteria killed by digestive anomalies or events. An event could be as simple as the consumption of antibiotics as a treatment or precaution after an injury or sickness.  Another event could be the destruction of the normal intestinal bacterial flora due to the constant ingestion of raw starch -- causing fermentation in the cecum and colon and producing an environment that is not conducive to the growth of good bacteria.

Do I need to feed alfalfa with Thrive?

No, you don’t.  Forage hay like Coastal Bermuda, Tifton 44, Timothy, Orchard grass and other acceptable equine forage are just fine.  Remember, horses are grass eaters, and given the right digestive bacteria they are very good at getting energy from it. Feed Thrive at the suggested rates, and you will have a horse that will become very efficient at getting the most from what you feed. After a short time you will notice your horse will not eat as much hay, but is in better physical condition.  It's called digestive efficiency.  That’s a saving you can measure in dollars and cents.

Will my horse lose weight on Thrive?

If your horse is obese, it may shed the excess fat over time. Owners report that Thrive does not fatten their horses.  It lays down lean, strong muscle mass, keeping the parasitic weight (the weight a horse has to carry around that does not help with propulsion) to a minimum. Thrive is highly digestible and energy dense, so your horse has little trouble getting the most out of it. Also, your horse will lose up to 150 lbs in water from the large intestine and cecum.  This is called gut ballast and is predominantly salty water that the body holds in the digestive system to allow the fibrous material to pass though the gut easily. Because Thrive may make your horse a much more efficient user of forage, there will not be as much grass and fiber in the gut.  So less water is necessary to keep it moist. This can make a huge difference to a performance horse.  To understand the difference a horse would feel, have a really large meal and then go for a good run -- not an nice feeling.  Horses are no different. Without extra weight in the gut, your horse may breathe easier and perform better.

What if my horse gets into a whole bag of Thrive?

Because of the ability to feed Thrive free choice, your horse will just have a good time and enjoy him or herself.  That’s about it. What peace of mind for you not to worry about something that is all too common and can have disastrous consequences with many bagged feeds and all grain types!

Will Thrive slow down performance horses?

Thrive does just the opposite. Just because your horse will become easier to handle and calmer doesn’t mean they will be slower. To be flighty and anxious takes energy, and that energy is taken from what horses eat. Thrive reserves the energy for more useful things like speed and power. Your horse should be warmed up before a speed event.  They will remain focused and calm until you ask for performance.  Ten they will give 100%.  Then after the run is finished, they will be calm and easy to handle.

Will my horse be more heat tolerant?

Three types of heat affect horses and are detrimental to their performance. Environmental heat, muscular heating due to physical work -- and heat of digestion, the heat generated by the digestive process. The ease with which Thrive is digested dramatically reduces the horse's heat load and that effects performance, especially in hot weather. Additionally, because Thrive may have a calming effect on your horse, little energy is lost in nervousness.  So the energy value of the feed is saved for useful work, instead of being dissipated as dangerous attitudes and behavior not commensurate with easy handling and interaction.

I have an old horse with poor teeth.

Aged horses with compromised dentition do wonderfully on Thrive, as do all horses.  The easily wetted kibble that Thrive makes softens into an easy to swallow and digest diet that enhances an aged horse's life substantially. It does not take very long for senior horses to get the prance back into their gait. Many senior rescue horses are thriving every day on this wonderful diet.