Are feed balancers worth the hype

[The unicorn]

A lot of my friends recommended them especially the Baileys low calorie balance. But I don’t really see the point of them . A vet told me the average horse gets all they need in grass and hay. When I asked him about a blancers. Do you think feed companies are promoting balance because very little people actually feed mix’s nowadays.

 

[milliepops]

I'm not sure it's hype, they've been around for years and years - an old YO fed equilibra about 20 years ago! it's just that more companies are offering them now so there is more choice.

Personally i think they are useful for horses that are in work but do not need a full ration of normal hard feed. There are recent threads on this forum from people who have looked at the mineral profile of their grazing and found it not optimum for horses therefore something to address common deficiencies and top up horses that are doing more than just existing is a useful thing IMO. sure some are better than others. same as anything really.

 

[be positive]

I think it is the term balancer that is a bit misleading, they were originally made to balance out a ration of oats, equilibra were one of, if not, the first to make one and at the time it was something new rather than the limited choice of vit/ min supplements that were available at a time when mixes and cubes were also being developed and promoted as the thing to feed.

Feeding has moved on and many are returning to straights, stripping back to basics to get rid of the extra sugar and high levels of starch we were feeding so balancers should now be more use but I would still prefer a good vit/ min supplement and in an ideal world we would all have our forage and grass tested so the right levels of vits/ mins can be added, that is really the way forward to get the balance correct.

I think there is also a bit of a trend to look for a quick fix for any problems, a calmer for hotter horses, a low calorie one for the fatties, ones to help with weight gain, ones to give extra energy etc when in reality all most horses need is more work, less food and plenty of turnout along with an appropriate diet, if giving a balancer helps the owner to feel they are doing all they can then it does no harm, may do some good but not feeding one will probably do no harm either for the average horse in light work.

 

[bubsqueaks]

I feed Equimins as steer clear of the main feed companies hype & definitely don't like them jumping on the ulcer & laminitus band wagon one bit
I feed because good doer is on restricted grazing plus soaked hay, & I know we have poor grazing so if I went down the testing route it would be inadequate.