Is a balancer classed as a suppliment?

[djlynwood]

Im moving on to part livery where feed is included in the price.

I told them that I feed the Topspec Leisure Time Balancer with Cool Condition cubes and chaff.

They told me that i would have to buy the balancer myself as its a suppliment.

I never thought of it this way but I suppose it could be.

Whats your views?

 

[Divasmum]

Anything that is added to normal feeds ios a supplement and on the whole livery yards do not pay for those.

 

[vallin]

As above, would class it as a supplement

 

[Wagtail]

Yes, definitely a supplement. I will include all normal feeds (conditioning, competition, mollasses free etc) as inclusive but definitely not balancers.

 

[Tnavas]

A Balancer is basically a palatable extruded supplement. If you read the ingredients it is mostly vitamins and minerals and some extra protein in the form of soy and other oils.

 

[thatsmygirl]

I don't know really would be interested to see what topspec say about it. They class it as a complete feed which is what I use it as with nothing else. They do powdered supplements which you ad into feed but the balancers to me are a complete feed ( no supplements needed apart from salt)

 

[millitiger]

it is classed as a supplement.

 

[M_G]

I would class it as a complete feed and not a suppliment as you do not add it to normal feed.. If you feed a balancer you do not need to feed anything other than hay

 

[thatsmygirl]

I would class it as a complete feed and not a suppliment as you do not add it to normal feed.. If you feed a balancer you do not need to feed anything other than hay

Same here it's my horses complete feed not a supplement I add to the feed

 

[MissTyc]

Mine get balancer and hay, so it is their feed. They need nothing else.

 

[djlynwood]

Hmm, thats interesting.

Im going to ring Topspec and see what they say.

 

[splash30]

I moved onto part livey and feed a balancer, they stated they would not cover the balancer and I would have to supply it, I did not have a problem with this, but since I have been there, they have said they would buy it for me as they did not realise how long a bag lasts, I will add she does not have any other hard feed apart from chaff.

 

[millitiger]

do the people who class it as a 'normal' feed really expect a livery yard to include it in the feed they supply???

 

[djlynwood]

I moved onto part livey and feed a balancer, they stated they would not cover the balancer and I would have to supply it, I did not have a problem with this, but since I have been there, they have said they would buy it for me as they did not realise how long a bag lasts, I will add she does not have any other hard feed apart from chaff.

I have said that I will buy it myself as its really making a difference to my mare and dont want to cut it out.

This is my first horse and after years of sharing, Ive never had to bother with feeds before so Im a bit unsure as to what different feeds are classed as.

 

[SamanthaG]

I think balancers are designed to be fed with a chaff only

 

[MissTyc]

do the people who class it as a 'normal' feed really expect a livery yard to include it in the feed they supply???

Yes, if it if their only feed the livery price includes feed.

When my horses were on Baileys number 4 + Alpha A Oil, they cost me approx £30/month in hard feed. (+ speedibeet in winter)
Now that they are on TopSpec balancers + basic chaff (I add oil as needed, not don't feed alpha any more), they cost me approx £20/month to feed.

I wouldn't expect it to be included if it was fed on top of their hard feed like some people seem to do.

I should add my argument is academic since I run a diy yard populated mostly by my own ponies, thus unlikely to ever be on full livery anywhere!

 

[thatsmygirl]

Iv rung topspec out off interested and they will go in great detail why it's a feed and not a supplement.
If a yard states feed included than yes they should pay or state what is not included. It's only the price they won't be happy with but a bag lasts a 500kg horse 40 days so isn't expensive.
I moved onto topspec as it's saving me a lot off money when I was buying bags and bags off baileys no 4 so I'm saving but the yard will be looking at the cost per a day and not the wider picture.

 

[thatsmygirl]

yes, if it if their only feed the livery price includes feed.

When my horses were on baileys number 4 + alpha a oil, they cost me approx £30/month in hard feed. (+ speedibeet in winter)
now that they are on topspec balancers + basic chaff (i add oil as needed, not don't feed alpha any more), they cost me approx £20/month to feed.

I wouldn't expect it to be included if it was fed on top of their hard feed like some people seem to do.

I should add my argument is academic since i run a diy yard populated mostly by my own ponies, thus unlikely to ever be on full livery anywhere!

agree