Changing Balancer

[JosieSmith]

I am swapping Belle from one balancer to the other. Will I have to do it slowly due to the change in brands? Or because they're both balancer can I swap her straight over? I've only got about 2 days left of the old stuff, so if I have to do it slowly, is over 2 days slow enough?

 

[teddyt]

You should change any food over gradually. Preferably over at least 7 days. Balancers arent all the same, just as cool mixes arent all the same.

The theory behind changing food gradually is to allow the bacteria in the gut time to adjust. Sudden changes can upset the bacterial population and lead to problems.

If youve got 2 full days left of the old one, cut the amount in half and replace with half of the new one (assuming quantity to feed is the same- but you get the idea). Do that for two days. Then with the remaining amount cut down to a third, with 2 thirds new. Then on the 6th day do completely new. Thats better than nothing if youve only got 2 days worth left!

 

[courtsandsoli]

just think of it as if theres blue smarties and red smarties in your horses stumach, and you want to swap the blue with green, so you chuck a load of green smarties in and the blue ones get angry and upset the horses stumach, where as if you just add a little green smarties then gradually build it up the blue smarties will just die out and not get upset!

 

[JosieSmith]

Ha ha, I like the smarties analogy. I knew that was why you changed it gradually, just didn't know if, because it was sort of the same product, I could do it straight away. Was worth a try I suppose.

It's not down to bad planning on my behalf by the way, I did try to get some end of last weekend/weekend but the farmer was never in! Had to go down on my lunch today and get some, otherwise I would have given myself way more time to change it over gradually.