Feed balancers...?

[little_critter]

I'm thinking of switching my mare onto a feed balancer.
Currently she has 1/4 stubbs scoop Fast Fibre and 1/4 stubbs scoop Pasture Cubes twice a day with a vitamin supplement. I don't think she actually needs this feed (see my other thread on condition scoring her for pics) and definatiey won't need it when the spring grass comes through.
I was giving her feed to try to up her energy levels but I've come to the realisation that if you're a couch potato, stuffing more Mars bars into your face will NOT make you feel like doing more exercise!
I think I've cracked the energy / motivation issue so would like to switch to a feed balancer as I don't believe she actually needs much hard feed.
So..questions.. - can you feed a feed balancer on it's own or does it have to be mixed with chaff?
Mole Valley currently have 25% off TopSpec feed balancer, but don't do TopSpec Lite feed balancer which I'd prefer to feed.
If I'm only going to be feeding 450g anyway will the 'lite' actually make much difference?
I assume if I feed a feed balancer I can stop putting a vitamin supplement in her feed?
Before anyone says don't giver her any hard feed at all, I need to give her something so I can give her her liver supplement (she does have a minor liver issue so I want to continue with the liver tonic)
Any advice gratefully received.

 

[marmalade76]

I'm not huge fan of balancers as I think they're a bit of a rip off.

I would continue what you're feeding, just cut down the amount, perhaps drop one of the feeds so she's only having one a day.

 

[Walrus]

I feed Spillers Lite Balancer - have done from when they introduced it and my lad looks great on it. I love it. Love the theory behind balancers as they contain the quality protein needed to build muscle which, if you horse is a fatty like mine and is on restricted grazing and not great hay, he might not be getting from his diet. The Spillers one is just little pellets so don't suppose you would need a chaff if you didn't want. I mix half of mine with a handful of HiFi Lite and put the other half in his nut ball. If the liver supplement is a powder you'll probably need chaff to mix it in with?

 

[mturnbull]

I 100% LOVE feed balancers but I suppose its all form your own experience. My last horse lacked that little extra 'oomph' when he was ridden but also suffered with stressy/nervous energy if he had too much so I found feeding a nightmare to being with trying to find the balance between enough energy for the work I was asking of him but without triggering his nervous side and I found this in Dengie Alfa A balancer. They offer his also in there Hi-Fi range which may suit you better as its lower in calories and all my gelding got was 1 mug of balancer and a scoop of chaff. The difference I found in the months to follow was really unreal and although I should take a little credit (dont want my head growing too big!) I owe a lot of it to the change in his behaviour both energy levels and on the ground to this balancer.
Now any horse I have I will be putting on a balancer and currently my 9 month old warmblood filly is on spillers gro'n'win balancer and I saw a great improvement in her condition since I have started feeding her on it.
So for me anyway a balancer is a must in any of my horses diet!

 

[kerilli]

I really rate balancers, specifically Baileys Stud Balancer, which I've fed to all mine (it's not just for breeding horses and youngsters) for years.
I trust what's in a Balancer far more than a mix or nut. A feed specialist told me that nuts in particular can be the equivalent of Fast Food for horses...
You don't need to add chaff, although I always do.
Depending on the volume of liver tonic you need to get down her, I think chaff would be a good idea. Depends if she's a bit of a fatty etc, which one you'd pick.

 

[thatsmygirl]

Feed balancers are a bit off a marketing con if you ask me.
How can u balance your horses diet when u don't know what needs balancing??? You can't so it's the same as a general vit/min supplement only a lot more expensive.
I would add the vit/min into a bit off your fast fibre, only has to be a handfull no great amount and will be loads cheaper

 

[CrazyMare]

I love the balancers - all of mine eat Topspec.

I really like the idea that I can feed just the balancer, or mix with chaff/speedibeet. I find it very easy to adjust the amounts depending on workload/weight. Plus I know they are getting their vitamin and mineral ration, wheras if one is a fatty, in low work, fed a very small amount of mix, they aren't reaching their nutritent intake levels.

Mine look fantastic on Topspec - I use the Comprehensive balancer.

 

[thatsmygirl]

So why do people find a balancer easier than a powdered vit/min supplement at a quarter off the price? Both off which are only adding vits/mins but with no testing off your ground/hay etc may not be what your horse needs anyway?

 

[Walrus]

So why do people find a balancer easier than a powdered vit/min supplement at a quarter off the price? Both off which are only adding vits/mins but with no testing off your ground/hay etc may not be what your horse needs anyway?

Balancers have quality protein as well as vits and mins, the powders have just vits and mins. My horse is young, in work and needs to build muscle. However, he is also a chubber so has restricted everything! At least with a balancer I know he's getting the protein to build muscle.

 

[redredruby]

I have given the spillers senior balancer for probably about 6 months now, and have noticed a real difference in how he looks - I would def recommend them.

 

[Spyda]

Another vote for the Lite versions; I've used Baileys Lo Cal and at the start of winter moved onto the Spiller's Lite Balancer. The Lo Cal was costing me about £24 20kg bag. The Spiller's Lite balancer I'm getting for under £15 20kg bag (not on special offer, either). I'm pleased to recommend both but the Spiller's product has to have the edge due to value. I feed my 630kg mare 600g of the Lite balancer per day and it's costing me around 45p per day. My horse looks fabulous this winter. Genuinely!

 

[miss_wilson]

I feed the simple systems total eclipse balancer, everyone comments on how shiny and well my girl looks!!

 

[AFlapjack]

I used to feed my boy TS lite balancer but it sent him loopy (he was panicky & spooky etc) I have since swapped him onto Fast Fibre and he is much saner, back to his old self. Definitely think the balancer did it.

 

[SaffronWelshDragon]

I feed Baileys Lo Cal, not been feeding it for long, but love the idea of my natives getting all their requirements with no calories (mine don't go anywhere near hard feed, but they are worked). This feed it just little pellets, I dampen it a bit with water and add my Flexijoint, which is a powder to make sure it sticks to the pellets, otherwise it just sinks to the bottom of the bucket.

 

[Holly Hocks]

I would never feed a balancer as without a forage analysis I wouldn't know what I was supposed to be balancing....

 

[marmalade76]

I feed the simple systems total eclipse balancer, everyone comments on how shiny and well my girl looks!!

Isn't that a mixture of linseed, brewer's yeast and seaweed? If so, not quite the same as a pellet balancer (and much better, IMO). I feed mine linseed and brewer's yeast, it works out cheaper to buy them separately.

 

[marmalade76]

I used to feed my boy TS lite balancer but it sent him loopy

Same thing happened with one of the horses on my yard.