Highly Recommended
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Our Verdict
Horizon Legacy product range is made up of four recipes which each receive the Dog Food Advisor’s rating, 5 stars.
The table below shows each recipe in this range including our rating and the AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
| Product line | Rating | AAFCO |
|---|---|---|
| Horizon Legacy Farm Country Blend | 5 | A |
| Horizon Legacy Northern Water Fish | 5 | A |
| Horizon Legacy Prairie Vista Red Meat Blend | 5 | A |
| Horizon Legacy Slim and Vibrant Weight Management | 5 | A |
Recipe and Label Analysis
Horizon Legacy Farm Country Blend was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Horizon Legacy Farm Country Blend
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, peas, pea flour, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, source of vitamin E), salmon meal, red lentils, chick peas, flaxseed, egg product, salmon oil, alfalfa, carrots, apples, broccoli, bok choy, cabbage, blueberries, fructooligosaccharides, salt, potassium, chloride, hydrolyzed yeast, yucca schidigera extract, taurine, colostrum, dried aspergillus niger fermentation extract, pineapple, dried trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, dried rhizopus oryzae fermentation extract, dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried bifidobacterium bifidum fermentation product, dried lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, vitamin a acetate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate , D-calcium pantothenate, biotin, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), ferrous sulphate, iron proteinate, zinc sulphate, zinc proteinate, manganous oxide, manganese proteinate, copper sulphate, copper proteinate, calcium iodate, selenium yeast, magnesium oxide.
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.5%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 34% | 15% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 38% | 17% | 38% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 33% | 35% | 32% |
Ingredients Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken. Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”. 1. Chicken is naturally rich in the ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The third ingredient is turkey meal. Turkey meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh turkey.
The fourth ingredient is peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. And like all legumes, they’re rich in natural fiber.
However, peas contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.
The fifth ingredient is pea flour, a powder made from roasted yellow peas. Pea flour contains as much as 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.
The sixth item is chicken fat. Chicken fat is obtained from rendering chicken, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.
Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.
The seventh ingredient is salmon meal. Because it is considered a meat concentrate, fish meal contains almost 300% more protein than fresh fish itself.
Fish meal is typically obtained from the “clean, dried, ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish and fish cuttings” of commercial fish operations.2
The eighth ingredient is lentils. Lentils are a quality source of carbohydrates. Plus (like all legumes) they’re rich in natural fiber.
However, lentils contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.
But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this Horizon product.
With four notable exceptions…
First, salmon oil. Salmon oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. These two high quality fats boast the highest bio-availability to dogs and humans.
Depending on its level of freshness and purity, salmon oil should be considered a commendable addition.
Next, this recipe contains fructooligosaccharide, an alternative sweetener3 probably used here as a prebiotic. Prebiotics function to support the growth of healthy bacteria in the large intestine.
In addition, this food includes chelated minerals, minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.
And lastly, we note the use of selenium yeast. Unlike the more common inorganic form of selenium (sodium selenite), this natural yeast supplement is considered a safer anti-cancer alternative.
Nutrient Analysis
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 37.8%, a fat level of 16.7% and estimated carbohydrates of about 37.6%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 37.1% and a mean fat level of 15.2%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 39.7% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 41%.
Which means this Horizon product line contains…
Near-average protein. Near-average fat. And above-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the peas and flaxseed, this looks like the profile of a dry product containing a significant amount of meat.
Horizon Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Horizon through November 2024.
No recalls noted.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Our Rating of Horizon Dog Food
Horizon Legacy is a grain-free dry dog food using a generous amount of named meat meals as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.
Compare Horizon Dog Food
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A Final Word
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