fornema
Well-Known Member
I have a Warmblood rising 2 year old, what would you reccomend as the best balancer for a youngster ?
Best Balancer for youngster
- Thread starter fornema
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HuntingPink
Active Member
I don't like balancers because the increase the levels of the ingredients they contain which may or not be beneficial. You can put ratios completely out of whack feeding balancers (which don't actually balance). You need to get a forage and grass analysis done and see what needs supplementing if you really want to balance the feed.
Elfen
Well-Known Member
D&H sure grow or baileys stud balancer - my now three year old has done very well on the baileys with ad lib forage and turnout 
Miss L Toe
Well-Known Member
At this time of year most people round here stable at night, my youngsters get a level pet-scoop [level before soaking], of non molassed sugar beet pulp plus a handful of Dengie Chaff [very tasty] and minerals, Feedmark or Equimins, it depends on your grazing, if it is rough stuff with hedges and herbs rather than a bowling green I don't worry too much, they will pick up what they need.
If you want to promote a bit of growth and condition with a view to working with them, I recommend adding Dodson and Horrel Mare and Youngstock / Suregrow, , but only a good heaped petscoop, you don't want to push too much, but to make sure they don't lack anything. They will go through growth in spurts, but unless losing condition fast, I would stick with small feed and ad lib hay at night, the hay must be good quality, haylage, is more available, and I would be careful he does not get too "rich" a diet [loose poops]
The main "mistake" [as I see it], is that people round here feed molassed chaff, and molassed sugar beet pulp, now that may be OK for mature equines on maintenance, essentially it lacks minerals, and vitamins. I prefer to make sure they are getting a trickle of minerals and vitamins over the year.
If you want to promote a bit of growth and condition with a view to working with them, I recommend adding Dodson and Horrel Mare and Youngstock / Suregrow, , but only a good heaped petscoop, you don't want to push too much, but to make sure they don't lack anything. They will go through growth in spurts, but unless losing condition fast, I would stick with small feed and ad lib hay at night, the hay must be good quality, haylage, is more available, and I would be careful he does not get too "rich" a diet [loose poops]
The main "mistake" [as I see it], is that people round here feed molassed chaff, and molassed sugar beet pulp, now that may be OK for mature equines on maintenance, essentially it lacks minerals, and vitamins. I prefer to make sure they are getting a trickle of minerals and vitamins over the year.
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Persephone
Well-Known Member
I feed my rising 3 y/o Equilibra.
She has 350g Equilibra and a handful of Chaff. The next time I buy feed I will change the chaff to Hifi Lite as the spring comes.
She also has Adlib Haylage. She was on hay, but got a bit ribby so I changed over.
She has 350g Equilibra and a handful of Chaff. The next time I buy feed I will change the chaff to Hifi Lite as the spring comes.
She also has Adlib Haylage. She was on hay, but got a bit ribby so I changed over.
fornema
Well-Known Member
I am knowledgeable about feed but im asking which people find best with their horses to see what gives them the best results. she was bred on well known racing yard and has been fed by some very knowledgeable people so im not going to cut it out of her diet when she has already been evaluated. She does need a balancer not helped by our poor grazing currently and her very small teeth which she struggles to eat grass thats very short which is currently wh\at we have. Therefore i will continue to feed what she needs.
Let me add she is out 24/7 and not a good doer.
Elfen -
That is what she is fed currently with the addition of stud cubes and unmollased HIFI and half a bale of hay daily as i think the nutrient content of haylage would set her off balance. Its good to know you are feeding similar.
becca1305
Well-Known Member
My rising 3 WB just gets top spec lite balancer with the others. She's also gone ribby over winter off a diet of grass, ad-lib haylage, balancer, a handful of hi-fibre nuggets and a handful of alfa-a molasses-free twice daily. She's now on grass, ad-lib haylage, balancer, 1 scoop hi-fi lite twice daily (the others are good-doers and spring grass coming through), 1/4 scoop dry sugar beet (soaked) in her evening feed with a big glug of soya oil. She also has a small glug of oil on her hi-fi lite in the morning. She seems to be putting on condition again nicely and I'm sure it won't be too long before I can cut her feed back again.
ETA. Im considering swapping them all onto the pure feeds balancer as it seems to have more in it, but it does work out slightly more expensive per day. I also had her on D&H sure grow, however I had to feed 3 mugfuls of that per feed rather than 1 of top spec and her feed was getting huge once I had to add some extra calories in so I swapped her over to top spec.
ETA. Im considering swapping them all onto the pure feeds balancer as it seems to have more in it, but it does work out slightly more expensive per day. I also had her on D&H sure grow, however I had to feed 3 mugfuls of that per feed rather than 1 of top spec and her feed was getting huge once I had to add some extra calories in so I swapped her over to top spec.