We believe that reasonable postage and packaging charges is one of the most important dealbreakers when deciding whether to spend your hard earned money online. So we've always strived to keep ours as low as possible, by working with our suppliers to bring costs down.

As part of our ongoing improvements we've therefore recently updated the store to give all our customers who spend over £40.00 automatic free delivery*. This was partly due to feedback that we received from our customers who felt that we should offer this option, and we're more than happy to oblige!

If you have any comments good or bad about the store, we always like to hear them - simply email us at info@dodsonandhorrellpetfood.co.uk

There's also the chance to win 10% off at the checkout in our monthly prize draw, by completing a short survey here.

*Unfortunately this offer isn't available to customers in certain areas of Scotland, due to the high postage costs involved here. Please check out our Deliveries & Returns page to see if you're affected.

This research has culminated in the development of a brand new range, which includes nine supplements and 15 herbs and herbal blends which will help you to quickly and easily identify the herbs and/or supplements most suitable for your horse.

We have drawn upon our years of experience in manufacture; research and development to bring you tried and tested herbs as well as exciting new improvements to a selection of our supplements. A number of our supplements, including Daily Vitamins & Minerals, Digestive Support, Hoof Support, Joint Support and Performance Vitamins & Minerals, will be available in pellet format from 1st February 2012 onwards.

Chris Gordon, Dodson & Horrell Technical Director says of the changes: “As a leading developer and manufacturer of high-quality horse feeds, we include a comprehensive mineral and vitamin supplement in all our feeds, however we have recognised that adding herbs and supplements to a horse’s daily diet is really beneficial for helping to manage behavioural issues, weak hooves or simply just supporting a healthy lifestyle for both leisure and performance horses.

“The change of some of our supplements from powders into pellets is a big improvement for both horse and owner. Our trials have found that the pellets are more acceptable to the horse as the pellets have a pleasant smell and taste and the pellets also improve flexibility of use as they can be fed on their own as well as within a horse’s daily feed. There is also less wastage from the pellets as powders can often be difficult to handle and can blow away or get stuck to the side of a feed bowl – our new pellets will help to prevent this from happening.”

The range of nine supplements includes products such as Digestive Support, which contains yeast, pre-biotics and psyllium for the nutritional maintenance of your horse’s digestive system and Vitalise, a supplement for promoting performance and vitality.

The 15 herbs and herbal blends include Stroppy Mare, which is aimed at hormonal mares and Mobility, which has been formulated to soothe joint and muscle conditions.

These awards celebrate the best of use of social media by equestrian brands, and help bring the online equine community together. We're extremely grateful to all our Facebook fans for all the brilliant photos, comments and questions that they ask, and are determined to make 2012 our best year yet online - bringing you all the latest newsworthy topics on our page.

There is one stage left of the ESMA awards and for that we need your help again...

To vote:

1. Simply go to http://www.equestriansocialmediaawards.com/voting

2. Vote for Dodson & Horrell in category 7

3. Submit your email address at the bottom of the page and submit your vote!

Our sponsored rider Oliver Townend is also up for a couple of awards, for Professional rider (category 5), and for Townend Online, his horsewear attire brand (category 10).

You have the chance to vote until midday on the 10th February, and the results will be announced in early March on the official ESMA YouTube channel.

• Itch Free helps control and relieve skin irritations, making it the perfect choice to feed sweet itch sufferers.
• Mobility provides nutritional support for joints and muscles, so is ideal for veteran horses and ponies, or those prone to stiffness.
• If your horse is prone to excitability or stress, Placid is a calming supplement that contains Magnesium to support the nervous system.
• Stroppy Mare is designed to nutritionally support mares who are affected by hormone related behavioural problems. Particularly with the mild weather that we’re experiencing at the moment, some mares are coming into season earlier than expected.

There are a whole host of multibuy offers for your dogs too! Autarky is our premium dog food brand; free from artificial colours, flavours and preservatives, and also wheat gluten and soya free. Each feed is packed full of wholesome, tasty ingredients.

Buy 2 bags of Autarky Puppy/Junior for just £37.99, (a saving of £9.91). Likewise 2 bags of Autarky Adult Salmon or Mature Lite Salmon are also just £37.99, giving you a fantastic saving of £13.01.

Meanwhile our Gusto range is a cost effective alternative, and we’re continuing our amazing promotion of 2 bags of Gusto Puppy for £15.00.

ashes caused by fireworks.

With this in mind, here are our top tips for Bonfire Night:

Stay calm and relaxed so your pet or horse doesn’t pick up on any anxiety. This is particularly important with young horses or new puppies who may not have experienced fireworks before.


Make sure dogs are well exercised and fed before dark, and shut the curtains/blinds to keep out bright flashes and muffle the bangs. Don’t overwhelm your pet if they’re frightened; let them have space.

Turning on the TV is a great distraction for dogs, and likewise for horses keeping the radio on can really help to soothe and comfort them.

Horseowners – if your neighbours are likely to have a firework display, let them know in advance that there are horses nearby so they can set fireworks off in the opposite direction.

Distract your horse with a larger than normal ration of hay, perhaps in a haynet with small holes to keep him or her occupied if stabled. Any kind of forage to keep them busy is fine.

It’s best to leave your horse in a familiar space whether that be a field or stable, in their normal routine, as long as the environment is safe and secure. Check for foreign objects that could cause injury, or broken fencing. 

Consider bringing in horses that are seriously stressed by fireworks for a few nights in the run up to Bonfire Night, or talk to your vet about possible sedation.

Try to make sure someone is around at the yard at the start of the night at least, just to be sure that your horses aren’t too phased by the fireworks. Make sure that contact details for each owner (if you’re at a livery yard) and the vet’s phone number are easily at hand, just in case.

Bonfire Night should be a fun, enjoyable celebration that brightens up the dark Autumn evenings. Hopefully our tips will help make sure you and your pets or horses enjoy the occasion!