Decent balancer (but not forage plus, equimins etc..)

[Michen]

One that I can buy from the feed store... so a pelleted balancer but with as good a hoof friendly ingredients as poss..

And low iron...

Any suggestions?

 

[ester]

I think on other thread spillers was coming up as a suggestion a fair bit, for mainstream

 

[HelenBack]

Yes I've seen lots of recommendations for Spillers too.

I feed Baileys Performance balancer and like it. It's got alfalfa in I think which some people aren't keen on but I've never had a problem with that.

 

[TPO]

Another that's heard good things about the Spillers Lite balancer. I started a thread a few months ago asking for opinions/experience of it.

The fact that it is low iron* made it popular.

In the end I stuck with Pro Balance from Progressive Earth because the spec was better & it was better value for money plus its easy to buy.

*theres a forage plus article that's tested iron in supplements and apparently there is a lot more in different supps than expected

 

[MereChristmas]

I have yet to use the purchased bag ( finishing off previous stuff, Equimins) but although not my ideal I chose Spillers Lite and Lean to use next
Surprisingly the assistant at Wynnstay said it was very popular and she used it herself successfully.

 

[Michen]

Thanks all I had completely forgotten about the other thread. Will go for that.

 

[laura_nash]

I've switched to the TopSpec Lite balancer (from Forage Plus) as it's pretty much the only one I can buy at the moment thanks to Brexit. I know a lot of people say TopSpec is bad for barefoot but so far so good, very happy with their hooves currently. The TopSpec Lami balancer didn't come up too badly on the Forage Plus iron analysis and the Lite is supposed to be similar ingredients, just some stuff not included.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I use pro balance from progressive earth both mine are barefoot they do well on it.

 

[SmartieBean09]

Spillers has no added iron.

 

[milliepops]

Mine are on spillers daily balancer and gets the thumbs up fairly economical too.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Another that's heard good things about the Spillers Lite balancer. I started a thread a few months ago asking for opinions/experience of it.

The fact that it is low iron* made it popular.

In the end I stuck with Pro Balance from Progressive Earth because the spec was better & it was better value for money plus its easy to buy.

*theres a forage plus article that's tested iron in supplements and apparently there is a lot more in different supps than expected

They give you free chocolate as well

 

[Rosie'smum]

I used to always feed pro earth balancers but every summer my mare would refuse her feed and as she has medication really needed her to eat. Swicthed to spillers lite and lean and she loves it. So much so that she will walk herself in through a 19acre field to have it so must be tasty!

I do miss the free chocolate! A particular highlight is when they put a daim bar in

 

[Red-1]

I like Formula 4 Feet. More a vitamin supplement than a balancer, as in it is pelleted but you only feed a tiny amount. I use it as a hand treat when clipping legs.

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

I ve used top spec lite for 6 years as the horspital used it and I’ve no complaints at all...good hoof horn, shiny coats, no fizziness....and I don’t use full recommended amounts.

 

[Barlow]

I tried mine on TopSpec and it sent him loopy, even on half rations. A real shame as he looked very good on it. I wondered if the magnesium in it caused problems and was going to try a mag free one. Horses for courses eh?!

 

[Griffin]

I have used Spillers Lite+Lean for a few years now. I have tried others but always end up coming back to it because it is a pretty good spec for an 'off the shelf' one and it seems very palatable. Also, it seems to really suit my mare and she looks good on it.

 

[Britestar]

I use Gain opticare.my horses all look great on it. 10- 24 years old.

 

[Raz16]

I also use Gain opticare, 20 year old horse looks great on it. I was a bit stuck because she has skin allergies to linseed which ruled out most balancers but I'm really pleased with how she looks on this. Really good value as well £20 for 25kg, feed 600g for 16hh horse.

 

[milliepops]

I also used Gain Opticare before the contamination issue, my local feedshop didn't get any more in after that so I swapped to Spillers. it was the most economical though I agree.

 

[Britestar]

Most of the major feed companies had contaminated batches too. They just weren't so up front about it as Gain.

 

[milliepops]

Most of the major feed companies had contaminated batches too. They just weren't so up front about it as Gain.

Oh I know, and tbh I'm not sure it was a life or death issue anyway. I would be using it if I was still going over the border to get it from my other (happens to be welsh) feed merchant, but since the latest lockdown it feels like i ought to stay in my county and the local one doesn't have it in. I will be happy to swap back (so will my bank balance).

 

[poiuytrewq]

My old horse always got a bit greasy and scurfy in winter especially but since being on spillers balancer he looks amazing. I wish I’d used it before he retired now. Elbow grease saved!!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I used to always feed pro earth balancers but every summer my mare would refuse her feed and as she has medication really needed her to eat. Swicthed to spillers lite and lean and she loves it. So much so that she will walk herself in through a 19acre field to have it so must be tasty!

I do miss the free chocolate! A particular highlight is when they put a daim bar in

So jealous never had a Daim bar!

 

[MollyFell]

Interested as to why not equimins, is there something negative I should know? Happy to swap if there's a better option, looking like the Spillers Lite is a popular choice.

 

[Michen]

Interested as to why not equimins, is there something negative I should know? Happy to swap if there's a better option, looking like the Spillers Lite is a popular choice.

My horses won't eat it unless it's in a decent size feed (which they don't get in the spring/summer). Plus the "scandel" around their Vit E oil and how they've treated their customers (worth a search for the thread on here or someone may link you to it).

Not a company that deserve £50 plus of my money a month, frankly.

 

[MollyFell]

My horses won't eat it unless it's in a decent size feed (which they don't get in the spring/summer). Plus the "scandel" around their Vit E oil and how they've treated their customers (worth a search for the thread on here or someone may link you to it).

Not a company that deserve £50 plus of my money a month, frankly.

Oh gosh, I wasn't aware of any issues/controversy, I'll have a nosey, thanks!

 

[PurBee]

I use Gain opticare.my horses all look great on it. 10- 24 years old.

i use Opticare too as a ‘backup’ balancer - due to its economy and ease of purchase for me locally, but i dont like the added iron and many of the minerals are not in the forms for easy absorption. But it has yeasacc in also which i like.
My horses do ok on it considering what it’s made of, but one horse is black and opticare, due to the iron/copper/zinc ratio’s in the balancer being out of whack, makes her black hair reddish due to too much iron, compared with zinc copper levels. So i then have to add more zinc/copper, magnesium to balance the balancer properly!

I wrote to Gain enquiring why the high level of added iron, considering the mineral imbalance of it in the profile of the balancer, and that all forage grown in ireland is high iron already - even the streams and rivers run red due to loads of iron in the land! ...but they never replied.

If you have a chestnut on opticare you’ll notice coat change too, the red will be more washed-out red tone than a deep glossy red as it should be, again mainly due to iron/zinc/copper ratios. Copper is needed for fur pigment..too much iron blocks the copper absorption.

I think if you have a black horse, that will really show you if your balancer is any good. The dapple grey looks great on opticare, more dappled. But their coat isnt shiny on just opticare alone - i have to add linseed for coat shine.

Equimims advance complete - black horse looked great on it, but wasnt keen on taste.

I want to try forage plus, but am now figuring out cost with importing it into ireland....it may not apply to animal feedstuff.

formula4feet - well i gave that stuff a 3 bag trial as i had white line issues....for the cost i expected some results...but quite frankly, their feet quality of horn etc didnt really change in that year period so i stopped f4f. There could have been other factors involved, so not blaming the balancer, but still expected it to have made some noticeable difference.

 

[milliepops]

PurBee how have you managed to find out about the iron levels in Opticare? it's not listed on the standard or stud balancer.

 

[PurBee]

PurBee how have you managed to find out about the iron levels in Opticare? it's not listed on the standard or stud balancer.

That’s news to me mp, this was 3 yrs ago when i contacted them, having got the breakdown of minerals from the back of the bag. Have they changed the ingredient listing on their bags now? I’ll check my bags later.

 

[milliepops]

That’s news to me mp, this was 3 yrs ago when i contacted them, having got the breakdown of minerals from the back of the bag. Have they changed the ingredient listing on their bags now? I’ll check my bags later.

Dunno, i don't have one to check, as above I'm currently on spillers, so I was going on the datasheet online, which does look like the edited highlights but I'd expect iron to be mentioned as other manufacturers do... :/

http://www.gainequinenutrition.com/...Product-Sheet-Opticare-Balancer-1-page-FA.pdf