Feed Balancers- are they worth it?

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horsesatemymoney

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Just debating what to put my horses on over the winter, they're out at the moment and get a bit of happy hoof, nuts and bran, but thinking they'll be in more in winter and so need something else. I'm just wondering if to try something like Micronised Linseed, or an all singing, all dancing balancer?!:confused:
 
YES !!!!

I have tried Spillers, baileys Lo-Cal, and have now settled on Top Spec Lite - he gets this on it's own, he loves it, and the difference this one has made is fantastic. He is gleaming with health, a skin condition has cleared up, his hooves are fab (barefoot), and he is much keener on hacking out now.

In fact, he wanted a good gallop today and was frustrated when the other two horses didn't go - so we went on our own :)

I sound like an advert - I even contacted TS to tell them how pleased I was. :eek:
 
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I look at it like this, how can u balance your horses diet etc with a balancer without knowing what to balance to?
They are a bit of a con I'm afraid and some such a blue chip really are low low levels anyway so a very expensive way to feed.
 
Ozzy at easter....

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Now...

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He went from a poor 3 year old to a nicely built young horse :)
 
My 19 year old good doer has Spillers lite balancer. It costs me 16 pounds a bag and a bag lasts me approx 2 and a half months as he is fed half the recommended daily amount (as advised by Spillers).
 
Bertolie said:
My 19 year old good doer has Spillers lite balancer. It costs me 16 pounds a bag and a bag lasts me approx 2 and a half months as he is fed half the recommended daily amount (as advised by Spillers).
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Where do you get yours from? :eek: mine costs me £21.99!!!

Buddy has spillers lite balancer, pasture mix, fast fibre and abit of happy hoof.

He looks and goes well :)
 
Thank everyone= silly question, but do you feed it with stuff like speedi beet and happy hoof, or do you really not need anything else? I've got two opposites, one very old and one youngster, is there one which is suitable for both? Thanks:D
 
I feed Top spec light as well, lasts between 2 and 3 months, costs £25 a bag, she just has this and hay/grass and does really well on it, coat and hooves are brilliant, stress levels minimal and she has plenty of energy. Much cheaper than feeding mix or cubes.
 
I feed spillers original with Hifi original chaff! Does the job fantastically! She looks great and 100% healthy (also barefoot and he feet are great) if she needs a bit extra in the winter I will just add in some speedi beet :)
My bag was £12 and lasts about 3 months!
 
I feed Baileys lo cal alongside Alfa A and Alfa Beet (beet in autumn/winter only) to my TB - looks fantastic on it and keeps him quite level headed. Used to use Blue Chip but switched purely for price (Baileys much cheaper) and it lasts me around two months so definately cannot reccommend balancers enough :)
 
I always used to swear by them, but I haven't fed one for a year now, and I have to be very honest and say I haven't noticed any difference...

My ponies all look great, one of the yearlings managed to win a minor championship at his breed show the other week having been fed on only grass and hay for the past few months... I don't believe he would have done any better if he'd been having a balancer.
 
Hmm, I'm going to go against the grain here and say as long as the horse has decent varied forage it shouldn't need one.

I did feed mine one when he was on box rest to make sure he got everything, made him go mental!! I might feed it again, as it certainly made him full of himself, although might go for lite over top spec comp this time :rolleyes:
 
I think they have their place for certain horses, but if a horse is in good health and has access to quality grazing and forage, they are not necessary.

For example when we bought my sons' pony it was quite poor, so put him on a course of pink powder. He picked up nicely, but took him off it once the grass came through, and he looks as good now.

Also I have seen people feed a balancer, then adding more vit and mineral supplements, which is just throwing money away!

As the feed market has got more and more complicated, I think balancers have become popular, as offer an all in one option and appear less confusing.
 
I started my mare on Top Spec stud balancer once she was confirmed in foal - it makes sure that she is getting all her vitamins and minerals and also gives her a source of protein without the calories, she's a very good doer and puts weight on looking at the grass so is on restricted grazing. She hasn't put weight on with it (which was my main concern) and hasn't gone fizzy or silly either. She gets 3 mugs of balancer and a big scoop of chaff mixed with water and a littel sugar beet - the chaff is mainly to pace her eating as she gulps and had a really bad choke early in her pregnancy.

She'll stay on a balancer until at a stage where/if she needs a stud mix for the extra calories and once babies weaned she'll stay on a balancer of some sort, I never had much time for them previously but have been impressed with how easy it is to feed and how well she's doing on it.

Price wise a bag is expensive (~30 a bag) but a bag is lasting ages.
 
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