Balancers / low calorie feeding good doer

mazzerrr1993

Member
Joined
18 April 2019
Messages
21
Visit site
Hi all!

Just wondered what you all feed your good doers? The vet has always told me to treat as if he's a laminitis risk as he needs steroids for some issues every now and then.

He's been on Bailey's lo cal for 8 months or so now and the farrier has noticed his feet are getting poor and crumbly, thinks it's possibly lack of nutrition as hay is all soaked aswell.

I'VE heard topspec lite is good just looking for some general reviews.

Thankyou x
 

Fanatical

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 March 2009
Messages
1,626
Visit site
The Low Cal Bal should give the horse all the nutrients he needs, especially if he is getting grass as well. Have you tried feeding Biotin? That is the best thing for strong feet.
 

ihatework

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 September 2004
Messages
21,346
Visit site
I’d be tempted to use a high spec supplement (eg equimins advance) in a carrier (speediest/fast fibre etc) rather than a different balancer.

If I were going the balancer route it would be Spillers
 

peanut

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 November 2007
Messages
4,464
Visit site
My horse has had laminitis in the past and used to have bad feet. I swear by Progressive Earth's Pro Hoof for feet/gut.

She has a small amount of Dengie's Hi-Fi molasses free chaff, fast fibre and Pro Hoof. I add micronised linseed to aid digestion in the summer months when she is on limited/poor grass.
 

dogatemysalad

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 July 2013
Messages
6,118
Visit site
I've been feeding Baileys Lo Cal to good doers for year and they've done really well on it. Also add salt though. I feed Top Spec balancer to those that need more energy.
 

SEL

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 February 2016
Messages
12,304
Location
Buckinghamshire
Visit site
When I first got my mare and she was 100kg over weight (at least!) with feet that had all the hallmarks of white line stretching, I got nutritionist advice to go for a really high spec powder one to accompany her soaked hay instead of the low cal ones on the market. She had it in a small amount of beet.

At the time I used Forage Plus but I've since found out she's intolerant to linseed so Equinatural now make me one up without it in. Rock crunching feet these days. The rest of her is broken, but her feet are fab!!
 

Follysmum

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 February 2013
Messages
2,429
Visit site
I treat all mine as a preventative, even the ones in a lot of work that aren’t native.
They all get
Linseed, Brewers yeast, salt, magnesium mixed in a tiny amount of soaked grass nuts and chaff.
I stopped feeding bagged balancers along time ago after having my grass analysed.
 

Twohorses

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 January 2019
Messages
143
Visit site
I feed my horses https://horsetech.com/high-point-grass.

It's a condensed vit/min supplement that is soy-free, with no added iron. I mix it with one cup of Timothy pellets 2X/day. It cuts calories way down, as only three ounces daily is required to feed.

I feed it to both horses -- one is in IR remission, the other is an easy keeper.

It probably cannot be bought in the UK but the link shows the ingredients, so maybe something similar is available.

IMHO a quality CONDENSED supplement mixed with grass hay pellets provides the lowest calorie possible and still give the horse it's necessary nutrients:)
 

ester

Not slacking multitasking
Joined
31 December 2008
Messages
60,198
Location
Cambridge
Visit site
If you prefer a pellet equimins adv. complete is the best option, no iron either. If you want to add something to a carrier (I use agrobs wiesencobs as low DE and need something for the bute :p. then you have other options forageplus/prohoof/equivita.

A generally healthy horse should make enough of their own biotin so it's really not the target ingredient.

I'd never use topspec.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TPO

Midlifecrisis

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 August 2014
Messages
4,217
Visit site
I use Top Spec Lite as the vet school put me on to it a few years ago and my ponies have good feet..shiny coats..not fizzy so all good from my perspective.
 

Leo Walker

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 July 2013
Messages
12,384
Location
Northampton
Visit site
Equimins but the powdered version and pink mash for mine. Pink Mash was the lowest calorie feed I could find and a small amount swells up a lot to hide supplements. Everything I feed it to looks good on it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TPO
Top