Baileys lo-cal balancer or Topsec lite?

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Jazmyn101

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My horse is currently fed 1 scoop of Hi-fi lite, 1 quarter scoop of pasture mix, half a scoop of sugar beet and garlic. She has been on box rest for about 5 months now and doesn't need this, (this is what she was fed when ridden but doesn't even need it then as she is very forward when ridden). I've decided I just want her on the Hi-fi and a balancer and didn't know which one would be better or if there are any that anyone could recommend, thanks!
 
I use Dodsen and Horrell ultimate balancer. They do great on it. I changed to Baileys low cal this spring, but they started to get flaky feet, I changed back and they were fine again.
 
I use top spec lite, very pleased, I just Chuck mugful in feed bowl, nothing added, you don't need chaff with it and mine doesn't wolf it too quickly.
 
I use Baileys and my boy is great on it. He's a barefoot native and no probs with his feet or anything else. I like it because when mixed wth a bit of chaff it makes a nice feed without being high calorie (and my boy likes to eat!)...
 
I've used Bailey's in the past, and it is good.

However, in all honesty, I see no difference in her this winter than when she was on it....and she is simply on fast fibre and chaff. And she is doing a heck of a lot more work, and harder work too. She is beautifully shiny and looking great still.

I think it's all very dependant on the horse and what suits them, and I also think we can be a bit ripped off at times too.
 
I've got two on topspec lite and love it. Feet are great and they both seem to have everything they need from it. Ones in light work and the other a youngster.
 
Recently moved mine to D&H Ultimate Balancer from Top Spec for reasons I won't go into and am going back very swiftly. Mare gone bonkers :(
 
Used to use Baileys then nothing for a while. Have recently been using D & H ultimate, no problems with it but probably going back to Bailey s as
1. My local feed shop doesn't stock D & H, they have to order it
2. It horribly expensive
 
I agree with Moomin, i put J on Lo-cal last autumn through to this spring, he did really well on it (or so i thought). He's been off it since April and looks just as good if not better and is in harder work. He's fed Hifi and Fast fibre with benevit advance thrown in.
 
A lot of balancers sound great until you actually break down what's in them, most are a rip off with little goodness and there is far far better balancers out there in powder form iv found, but depends how far u want to go into it as no balancer works for my horses due to our ground being high iron and most balancers have iron in them which won't balance my horses diets just unbalance it more!! So in my mind balancers are clever marketing
 
I've got mine on Bailey's because it is readily available and cheaper than top spec. I also find the staff at Bailey's more helpful in general, when I've contacted them.
I have noticed an improvement in both their feet since they've been on Bailey's but they have been on it for a few years now.

eta I started feeding a balancer when I saw my young pony eating poo and was advised to start him on something to boost his vitamin/mineral intake. I chose balancer in pellet form so that he would feel he was getting something special :)
 
I put mine on topspec lite he was on it 4 days and looked fab (shiny coat etc) but it sent him bonkers and he wasn't even on half the recommended amount! iv got him on chaff and solution mash now which is brill stuff I think and he looks well! if I was going to try another it would probably be spillers- although i know a few horses that have been on topspec and lo cal and it does seem to be good- trial and error perhaps.
 
I use Spillers Lite balancer on my good doer and she is fine on that. 17.00 hh warmblood, barefoot and jumping once a week and schooling medium three times a week, hacking once a week
 
I've fed Top spec lite in the past and found it very good for a horse that had bad feet and saved me paying for both a hoof supplement and a balancer. I now have a different horse with excellent feet who is prone to weight gain and I just feed Alfa-A Lite (won't eat Hi-Fi) and Dengie Vitamins and Minerals which is in a powder form. Horse is a 16.1 all rounder who does a little bit of everything hacking, schooling, show jumping, hunting. He looks great on it.
 
Another vote for spillers lite, fed with fast fibre in winter and on its own in summer :) I did use baileys lo cal but it's nearly £10 a bag more (at my local feed merchant) so switched to spillers and haven't noticed a change still looks good with a super shiny coat.
 
I have fed top spec lite to my boy, and he went bonkers within a week (and was the only thing that had changed) - before then had fed baileys lo-cal balancer. Kept at the top spec for a month but there was a significant difference, took a couple of weeks after to settle when I changed back, but back on lo-cal for a while now and very happy. Easy to get, don't feed much so a bag lasts my two about 6-8 weeks. Suits me and them.

They do get a myriad of supplements though so tough to know which bits help with coat, feet etc.
 
agmp said:
I have fed top spec lite to my boy, and he went bonkers within a week (and was the only thing that had changed) - before then had fed baileys lo-cal balancer. Kept at the top spec for a month but there was a significant difference, took a couple of weeks after to settle when I changed back, but back on lo-cal for a while now and very happy. Easy to get, don't feed much so a bag lasts my two about 6-8 weeks. Suits me and them.

They do get a myriad of supplements though so tough to know which bits help with coat, feet etc.
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Hmm, hoping that doesn't happen with her. I'm afraid I won't see any difference until she is off box rest as she is crazy right now, thought she had been on box rest for 5 months but it's actually been 6. Will see how it goes.
 
Jazmyn101 said:
Hmm, hoping that doesn't happen with her. I'm afraid I won't see any difference until she is off box rest as she is crazy right now, thought she had been on box rest for 5 months but it's actually been 6. Will see how it goes.
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I'm sure it will be fine, I think my boy is a little too routine orientated. He isn't keen on change. I had been feeding top spec calmer to him for years so was really hopeful with lite, but for him it didn't really suit. For my other it seemed to make no real difference!
 
Have tried Baileys Lo-Cal, Topspec Lite and Spillers Lite for my gelding, with the Spillers Lite winning hands down (Topspec was the worst). At £10 a bag less than Baileys and around £15 less than the Topspec it's s winner all round
 
Bertolie said:
Have tried Baileys Lo-Cal, Topspec Lite and Spillers Lite for my gelding, with the Spillers Lite winning hands down (Topspec was the worst). At £10 a bag less than Baileys and around £15 less than the Topspec it's s winner all round
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? My Top Spec Lite was £20 for 15k, the Bailey's is £25 for 20k, Spillers Lite is £19 for 20k, so yes the TS is a bit dearer, but not much.....where do you get yours from? £15 a bag cheaper is a big saving!
 
My very good doer is on Bailey's lo cal with Dengie Healthy hooves mollases free and she does just fine on it. I did try the top spec but didn't see any difference for the extra money so went back to Bailey's
 
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