Balancers: Topspec; & Topspec Lite v. Baileys No. 14 Lo Cal

MrsMozart

MrsMozart

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Think I've just about decided on feed for the Hairy Gang..., but finding it hard to get all the info. re. sugars.

DWB - stressy - loses condition when the grass goes, so I want to be ahead of the game. Fine with sugarbeet as a filler. Good weight. Lacking in topline (it's coming, but slowly). In medium work now.
IDxTB - fruitloop on any sugar at all. Not as bad as the DWB regarding holding onto condition. Can't have sugarbeet of any sort (sends her loopy). Good weight. Topline is building nicely. In medium work.

Both of them have ad lib hay. Both now in at night. Thinking of putting both on the Topspec Balancer, with added sugarbeet for the DWB as and when she needs it. Will be checking the sugar content with the manufacturer, but interested in peoples opinions of this Balancer :)


Trad Cob - very good doer (currently overweight!) - slowly being brought back into work, no idea at this time as to how it will go. Tied up last year for no apparent reason, though was much fitter and a good weight then.
Welsh x - good doer - mild Cushings - always fed as a laminitic (has had three bouts in last five years). Fine on sugarbeet/Speedibeat. Good weight.

Both with ad lib hay (albeit soaked and double netted). Looking at the Topspec Lite Balancer, or the Baileys No. 14 Lo Cal Balancer. Any thoughts on either of them? Just want it really to get the vits, etc.


We've been feeding the two biggies on apple chaff, Pink Powder, Glucosomine and msm, but the sugar in the apple chaff has sent the IDxTB whappy, so she's now off it. The two littlies are on a handful of Happy Hoof and the same supplements.

Open to thoughts and suggestions :D. Views especially on the referenced Balancers much appreciated :D :D
 
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I use lo - cal and i really like it. Both my horses have shiny coats, are in great condition and look fab. I have friends who use top - spec and swear by it .... not a very helpful post .... sorry!
 
It is helpful OD :D. Good to hear of people's experiences :D

Thank you LM :D. I'll look at the Blue Chip again (the DWB was on it a couple of years ago, but she was in very poor condition then and the only thing that helped in the end was grass! :rolleyes:).
 
I fed Woody (walking hat rack) Bailey's Lo-Cal when I had him over here and he looked fab on it in a fairly short period of time.

I also put Mouse on it (walking teddy bear!) to give him the minerals he needed without extra calories and he was very sensible on it - forward going but not stupid.

I haven't tried TS but I'd recommend Lo-Cal.

E x
 
I really rate top spec. I fed it at half rations to my good doers - there's always that option to save room in your feed room. Improved the quality of my welsh cob's feet immensely. My previously fizzy Arab cooled right down on it. Both had a small handful of happy hoof and then the half rations.
That said, I've heard that some horses go loopy on it.
 
Im another one to vouch for baileys lo cal. Rose gets 400g a day with cup full of top spec top chop lite and is looking really good on it.
 
Lo Cal gets the thumbs up from me. Feed it to the WB X TB's and Fat Boy Cob and they look very well on it. Last year decided to take them off it as our grazing is so good and give them something cheaper, but within a few weeks noticed the hanoverian X TB's normally glossy coat had gone very dry and scurfy. Restarted the Lo cal and her coat recovered. They also have lovely strong feet on it.
 
Thank you all :D

I'm now wondering if I should give the big ones the Lo Cal as well.

Argh! Feeds :eek::rolleyes:. It's too early. I have to go out for a few hours, but will be back to the thread later :D

Thank you again for your responses :D
 
Another thumbs up for Lo-Cal. I feed it to my 14.3hh slightly overweight good-doer of a cob and my 16hh Russian WB X, also a good-doer, and both look really well on it.
 
I moved over to Bluechip - I thought it was more expensive but it actually lasted longer than some of the other balancers I tried so worked out more cost effective. I wanted help with building up muscle on a big young horse.
 
I feed lo-cal to my TB and he looks amazing on it.
I stopped it in the summer as I didn't think he needed it and within weeks he had started to drop off condition so he's back on it now :). I feed it with HiFi, fibre nuts and oil.
 
Have you tried Spillers Light? Much cheaper than the other 2, under £20 a sack and my two look amazing on it, used to use Baileys Low cal and really there isn't much difference at all, apart from the price :)
 
I've never used a balancer before Markie but now really rate Bailey's lo cal (14). He has a cup per day and it lasts for ages, just recently started 2nd bag since the end of May. He will increase to 2 cups per day, depending on the grass. I worked out that he would need more top spec to get the 'same' as the Baileys.
Also, a few years ago, changed from using sugarbeet (my friend's mare gets a bit woohoo on it) to fast fibre and have had far better results with it.
 
I feed Lo-cal mainly because my local feed suppliers have it in stock and have to order in Top-Spec but I have used that in the past. If you're worried about sugar/starch levels it's my understanding that Top Spec balancers have the lowest, Baileys is a good budget alternative and Spillers has the highest levels, even the light.
 
I have used baileys in the past and do rate. I went onto top sepc comprehensive balancer on recommendation from a friend and found it was fab for coat shine and general condition and energy but my good doer cob did put weight on with it. He has been fat all summer and so will be going back to baileys as from this week with soaked hay, hifi lite and soaked hay (and equicell till the new year)
 
Thank you folks :D. Very interesting responses :D

I think, givne the sugars/starch... it will be Topspec for the two mares (the big ones, in work), and the Lo Cal for the littlies (lads, out of work). Will monitor Grey Mare closely, so won't start it until this apple chaff sugar is out of her system :)

Will look at the fastfibre, thank you :D
 
Another thumbs up for Bailey's Lo-Cal, have 3 tubby-tending Spanish horses on just it and soaked hay/haylage with some oat straw and they all look a picture.
 
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