Feeding TB - Top Spec comprehensive v Equilibra 500 feed balancers

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Astra

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I'm interested in people's thoughts about Top Spec Comprehensive verses Equilibra 500 + Omega 3 feed balancer. I've always fed the Top Spec alongside a conditioning feed to my TB who struggles to maintain his weight (he has been investigated at the vet college and he suffers from partial malabsorbtion in the small intestine, so can't utilise his feed as effectively as the average horse). I'm considering swapping over to the Equilibra as it's quite a bit cheaper (£23.99 to £36.95), but don't want to save money only to have his condition deteriorate, so thought I would ask if people found the Equilibra as 'conditioning' as the Top Spec? He is also on ad-lib good quality haylage, as part of his feeding regime advised by the RVC.
 
cant say anthing about Equilibra but i know when i stop using topspec i can definalty see a differance within a week, works out quite cheap really when you think a bag lasts 6 weeks and they are getting all the vits and mins and they need :-)
 
used to feed equilibra and moved to top spec few years back - i found then that top spec had more in it and worked out same/slighter better value as bigger bag.

Just re-accessed and now moving to forage analysis - some minerals are off the scale and other deficient, it would be impossible to balance through a off the shelf balancer.
 
kizzyjerry said:
Just re-accessed and now moving to forage analysis - some minerals are off the scale and other deficient, it would be impossible to balance through a off the shelf balancer.
Click to expand...

Agree^^^^ i used to buy a balancer but now i just add the vits i need to balance my forage which costs me about £180-200 a year. It worked out my grass was quite good but low in 2 or 3 vits. Happy days!!!!:)
 
I haven't used Equilibra, but I tried my TB on the topspec comprehensive balancer. Found it utter rubbish, tbh, total waste of money - did nothing for him at all. He looked better when I was using pink powder.

Now though I'd agree with the forage analysis comments, or if you want to use a balancer I'd recommend Equimins Meta Balance, but you have to phone them for it as it's not on their website.
 
My 21yo tb is on Equilibra 500 +o3 and he looks amazing on it. He is in light work, a bit of a poor do-er, goes on hunger strike if they forage isn't to his liking and as a long term cribber has tiny teeth in front so he cannot reach short grass at this time of year so his feed really has to work for him. He is on a total GWF Nutrition feed plan so has Fibregest as a conditioner and Alfalfa Oatinol (or some times Dengie HiFi) as a chaff. If you email/ring GWF Nutrition they were really helpful when I enquired and are lovely in the office when I pick it up from their mill.
Haven't tried Topspec so cannot give you a comparison. Good luck! :)
 
I feed the equilibra 500 balancer to my tbx, who was very poor and skinny when i got him. I originally put him on D&H ultimate balancer with me adding oil, however, i researched all the different balancers and the Equilibra 500 came out as the best one for me, i switched him over and he is doing really really well on it, hes put on weight and muscle, and his coat and eyes are bright and shiny.
I feed it alongside alfa-a (no molasses), speedi-beet (no molasses), and in winter he gets baileys no4 conditioning cubes (but no where near the recommended amount), and adlib haylage.

I really rate it, and have had loads of comments on how well my boy looks and is doing on it. In the summer, he was doing so well he was just getting the balancer and a bit of alfa -a, and this from the hat-rack horse who i had to give 3 meals a day covered in oil when i first got him last winter- i was really worried this winter his weight would drop off, but if anythiing ive had to cut back a bit as he was getting a bit porky with the conditioning cubes :rolleyes:

I love the fact my boy is doing so well on it, but particularly like that its a decent price and they deliver it to your door! :D
 
Nocturnal said:
I haven't used Equilibra, but I tried my TB on the topspec comprehensive balancer. Found it utter rubbish, tbh, total waste of money - did nothing for him at all. He looked better when I was using pink powder.

Now though I'd agree with the forage analysis comments, or if you want to use a balancer I'd recommend Equimins Meta Balance, but you have to phone them for it as it's not on their website.
Click to expand...

Do you know what is in the Equimins Meta balance>? is there a breakdown anywhere? Im very interested as its been recommended by a few people on here. :)
 
I think this is the lastest spec...

Equimins Meta Balance:

Feeding Directions: When feeding for the first time, introduce slowly
over a period of 10 -15 days. Ponies: 30-40 grams per day.
Horses: 50 - 60 grams per day, Larger horses: 80 – 90 grams per day
Foals from two weeks onwards: 10 grams per day.
INGREDIENTS: Ground micronized linseed, Dicalcium Phosphate Limestone Flour, Vitamins, Minerals, Trace elements, Organically bound minerals, Saccharomyces cerivisae, probiotics and prebiotics
Analysis:
Oil 7.7% Protein 14.4% Fibre 3.8% Ash 20.9%
Vitamin A 625,000 iu/kg Vitamin D3 125,000 iu/kg
Vitamin E 17000 iu/kg Vitamin B1 1000 mg/kg Vitamin B2 1000 mg/kg
Vitamin B6 800 mg/kg Vitamin B12 3.25 mg/kg Biotin 175 mg/kg
Pantothenic Acid 1300 mg/kg Choline 15,000 mg/kg
Nicotinic acid 2100 mg/kg Zinc Methionate 15000 mg/kg Calcium 4.5%
Phosphorus 3.465% Sodium 5% Magnesium 42.5 g/kg
Folic Acid 500 mg/kg Vitamin K 1225 mg/kg Zinc 13280 mg/kg
Lysine 166 g/kg Copper 3325 mg/kg
Cobalt 125 mg/kg Iodine 85 mg/kg Selenium 30 mg/kg
Manganese 5000 mg/kg Methionine 15,000 mg/kg
Prebiotics 10,000 mg/kg

Organic Minerals bound to a yeast cream: Magnesium 5000 mg/kg
Zinc 750 mg/ kg , Copper 500 mg/kg , Chromium 5000 mg/kg
Manganese 1000 mg/kg, Cobalt 1250 mg/kg, Selenium 15 mg/kg
Probiotics: Lactobacillus Acidophilus & Bifidobacterium 10 billion cfu/g
Sacccharomycyces Cerivisae 20 billion cfu/g

It lists some minerals twice as there are some in normal rock-form and some which are bound to a protien (i think) to try and maximise availability for the horse.
 
Ooh thanks so much for that, having a quick look the quantities they are using look pretty impressive comparing it too the bigger branded balancers. Definitely more interested, think I'll give equimins a call !
 
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