Feed 'balancers'

[CJ1]

There seems to be a selection on the market now ranging from £8 to £40! Are they all pretty much the same thing?
My boy is on half a scoop of basic nuts, a scoop of chaff and fibre-beet twice a day. I sprinkle on a measure of equimins, a glug of vege oil and a handful of cattlecake (linseed) plus apples and carrots.

He's doing well on this but am i being a bad mother and not giving him the proper does of vits, ash, minerals and stuff. A bit like me not eating my 5 fruit and veg a day, but i have the choice, he gets what hes given!

Are feed balancers the equivilent to vitamin powders?

 

[CSYMolly]

If you are feeding him equimins you don't really need to feed a balancer, not unless he isn't doing well. Mine is on baileys local and alpha A and does very well on this.

 

[Happytohack]

If he is doing well on this and you are feeding the equimins supplement, I wouldn't have thought there is any need to change it. I feed pretty much the same as you, but feed Top Spec Leisure balancer (so no other vit & min supplement) and my big mare looks wonderful on it.

 

[CJ1]

Phew, thought i was being bad mummy for not spending a shed load on feed every month like other people!

 

[amandaco2]

i feed a balancer.ive got a foal and broodmare.
i use either baileys or blue chip of topspec.

 

[brighteyes]

I give our old mare Top-Spec anti-lam as she needs lots of supplementation due to Cushing's. The others get it as it would go off otherwise!

 

[Partoow]

what you need to think about when feeding is the difference between calorific need and nutritional need. Good doers tend to have a low calorie need [they get fat easily] but they still have a need for nutrients especially those called limiting nutrients as much as any horse doing equivalent work load. Feed balancers make sure that this nutritional demand is taken care of. You quite often wont realise that there is a lack somewhere until the horse is put under stress ie increased work load, travelling etc and at this point you may see the coat loose its shine or they may be a little on the lethargic side, lack stamina. Most feed balancers also have probiotics which aid digestion particularly fibre in the hind gut which means they get more value from their food. So correctly fed feed balancers can actually save you money! as well as provide nutritional needs to keep your horse totally healthy.Most compound feeds are designed to be fed at a certain level so that they provide the nutritional need as well as the calories, as we have already seen some horses need more calories than others but the nutrient load is about the same for the horse depending on size. So now you can start to see the value of feedbalancers.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

As the saying goes 'If it aint broke, don't fix it'.

If your horse is doing fine then don't merss with what tyou are giving him. If you get problems, lack of energy etc then reappraise your feeding regime, otyherwise leave well alone.

 

[Krysha_n_Helga]

i put helga on top spec one because i was going throw a bag a week of condition cubes and she was never looking much better with them. Now she look great with being on the top spec.
Like what Toby said "don`t fix what not broken" thats great advice

 

[Janette]

I use Naf Pink Powder to help Star's guts cope with haylage, which it does very well. I weigh taped her today and she's gained weight as well and is looking fab. It's about £11 a pot which will last aprox 30 days.