Balancer brands poll, please help 🙈

[SatansLittleHelper]

I'm losing my mind slightly trying to decide on a decent but cost friendly balancer for 3 horses and a Shitland, all are good doers and all are in 0 - light work.
The problem is that I'm easily bamboozled by different brands and wondered what the most popular brand people trust is?? Or am open to suggestions?

 

[HelenBack]

I feed Baileys Performance Balancer and like the spec, even for my pretty much retired boy

Just thought I'd mention it as you don't have Baileys down as an option. Lo Cal is quite popular too but I just prefer the vitamin and mineral levels in the Performance one.

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

Thank you, I forgot Baileys, I've added it now

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I feed Spillers original balancer, it's low cal, don't need to feed loads of it (I probably feed less than recommended too), not a bad price and was comparatively high in protein/lysine which I like for the growing youngster. (It's also available everywhere which makes things easier).

 

[cauda equina]

Mine get Equimins, the powder as the pellets smell awful
I chose it as it has no added iron
They eat it happily and look well

 

[Britestar]

Gain opticare.
Best value, been using it for years.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Not done the poll, but Progressive Earth Pro Balance+.

Originally I chose it as it was the highest spec of the Forageplus/Progressive Earth balancers without added linseed, as one of mine was reactive to linseed. The posher ones all have linseed.

Since sorting out her hind gut issues she is no longer feed reactive, but I was so pleased with the Pro Balance+ that I've stuck with it. I buy about 25kg at time to last my 3 neds 6 months. It comes with chocolate .

 

[Squeak]

I've mentioned it a few times on here already but I use GWF's one cup. I have also fed their equilibria too but at the moment my horse is looking and doing well on the one cup so I've kept him on it.

 

[MereChristmas]

I’ve known of or used a few brands. Of course it is always personal choice and how it has affected horses you know.

Gain… sent a friend’s horse crazy
TopSpec Lite.. expensive, stopped using it when I realised Spillers don’t add iron.
Spillers lite and lean..was OK before F got ulcers, not right for him after
Spillers Ulca.. F just wasn’t right, wasn’t sure whether F had faecal water with this.

I now use NAF In The Pink Senior powder because it has ordinary vits and mins plus a few extras for gut and joint help as F is now 18 and a good do-er.

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

I’ve just gone back to Progressive Earth after not feeding any balancer for awhile. Tried Equimins powder once and neither of mine would eat it.

These are the two that from what I’ve read on here over the years are the best bang for buck and have no fillers.

My last order from Pro-Earth arrived very quickly.

 

[Lexi 123]

I use gain Opti-Care Balancer it great value for money and it non heating. I started using it a few days ago and my horse coat has improved and gotten shiny . My horse has been completely normal energy wise. I don’t know why people say their horse is crazy on it because it has no energy in it and low starch.So it obviously something else they are feeding. It can also be feed to horses and ponies prone to laminitis.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Spillers Lite and Lean because it’s low in iron. Having tried Forage Plus for a few years with no discernible difference and Equimins which they wouldn’t eat the Spillers is all they get now. The only thing I add is pea protein to B’s feed as his feet need an extra bit of help.

 

[Snow Falcon]

I used 365 for a youngster I had. Was impressed with it. Have now purchased for current one too.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Do they actually need a balancer? Over the years we have tried all sorts with the only noticeable effects being detrimental. The most recent was ForagePlus but we had a bad reaction to the linseed in it. From your last I would also avoid NAF, having had 2 very different horses go footy on it, in the middle of winter.
Too many people on here have reported trouble with TopSpec for me to want to try that.
Ours are currently eating oily herbs, enjoying them and looking great, even the last of the skin problem caused by the linseed seems to be on the way out.

 

[2 Dragons]

Progressive Earth Pro-veteran for my 2, suits then both and contains a joint supplement so works cheaper than buying a separate one.

 

[Goldenstar]

Gain opticare very good value .

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

Forageplus
Not sure if this helps you because I have a big horse and if I had to feed non-powdered balancers by weight I'd be struggling. I feed in a small amount (coffee mug) of fibre beet (and 4 mugs of water)

I feel confident that a single scoop of powder has everything he needs.

 

[Goldenstar]

To have my ID’s on opti care is half the cost of forage plus and it’s easy to get them to eat it .

 

[Surbie]

I feed Forageplus Hoof & Skin, but I can only feed about 3/4 of his daily rate as he won't eat it.

I buy about 25kg at time to last my 3 neds 6 months. It comes with chocolate .

I buy mine 25kg at a time too, which lasts about a year. Forageplus don't send chocolate. Very definitely missing a trick there!

 

[daydreamer]

I put other, I use Equimins complete pellets

 

[dreamcometrue]

Simple Systems Metaslim for mine.

 

[expanding_horizon]

Other balancers

Equimins concentrated
Progressive Earth
Forage plus

I’d not personally feed any balancer with added iron.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

The odd time we have fed balancers it's been D&H Suregrow for youngsters and the odd bag of Blue Chip as the Welsh cob looks good on it. It doesn't affect anyone else.

 

[Hackback]

Gain stud balancer 32. I previously used Saracen Stamm 30 but swapped to Gain when I got the youngster because he was already on it. The nutritional values seemed quite similar so I use it for both horses (older horse has Cushings so I think needs as much support as I can give him). I'm going to look at the Opticare now though.

 

[Bernster]

Forage plus winter balancer, low in iron.

 

[rextherobber]

Gain stud balancer 32. I previously used Saracen Stamm 30 but swapped to Gain when I got the youngster because he was already on it. The nutritional values seemed quite similar so I use it for both horses (older horse has Cushings so I think needs as much support as I can give him). I'm going to look at the Opticare now though.

I've just looked at the Opticare, it's got soya, molasses and alfalfa in it, so I can't give it to any of mine, for one or all of these ingredients, which is a pity...

 

[dottylottie]

i’ve used baileys lo cal before, lily has been on spillers lite and lean until now, but i’ve put both the girls on the gwf one cup! too soon to report, but i only want them to have a balancer so they’re definitely getting everything, and it’s cheaper and i need way less which to me makes more sense than a “normal” balancer since the whole point is shifting some pounds!

 

[MuddyMonster]

Not done the poll, but Progressive Earth Pro Balance+.

Originally I chose it as it was the highest spec of the Forageplus/Progressive Earth balancers without added linseed, as one of mine was reactive to linseed. The posher ones all have linseed.

Since sorting out her hind gut issues she is no longer feed reactive, but I was so pleased with the Pro Balance+ that I've stuck with it. I buy about 25kg at time to last my 3 neds 6 months. It comes with chocolate .

This. Except I don't buy 25kgs at a time but do love that it comes with chocolate.

 

[Nicnac]

Pure Fibre Balance for all mine. Shitland gets a tiny handful am and pm, ID 1/2 scoop between 2 feeds and humoungous new boy 3/4 scoop between 2 feeds. They don't get any other hard feed. Recommendation is a bit more but I've fed Pure Feeds for years and always 'underfed' vs their recommendations.

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

Do they actually need a balancer? Over the years we have tried all sorts with the only noticeable effects being detrimental. The most recent was ForagePlus but we had a bad reaction to the linseed in it. From your last I would also avoid NAF, having had 2 very different horses go footy on it, in the middle of winter.
Too many people on here have reported trouble with TopSpec for me to want to try that.
Ours are currently eating oily herbs, enjoying them and looking great, even the last of the skin problem caused by the linseed seems to be on the way out.

I have been trying to decide how really necessary it is to be honest but I'd feel alot better if I knew they were getting all of the vits etc they are supposed to have. There is an equine nutritionist (One of the very few truly genuinely qualified in nutrition) on FB who is very vocal about the fact that all horses should, at the very least, be having a vit/mineral supplement. In fairness none of these look terrible, all have decent feet etc but I feel they could look better and it would put my mind at rest that they were getting all they need.

And thanks for all of the other replies too. It's certainly given me some options to look through