Vitamins or balancer?

wellsat

wellsat

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Which do you think is better value? I've always been a vitamin person up to now as have had good doers but I'm not sure whether it would be better value to put Gerry on a balancer. He's happy and healthy so I don't need to change his feed from that point of view, I'm just not sure which would be best for him when his current tub of vits run out.
 
I think it depends on what you feed really.
I'm a big balancer fan and won't swap mine but if your just feeding a tiny bit off feed with a vit/supplement than it prob would be cheaper but if you start adding hoof supplement etc than go to a balancer. The amount off people who feed so much on top would be better off on a balancer
 
Speak to a nutritionist + if you have more than 1 horse can you feed the same thing to all? Having a bag of this and a bag of that gets expensive. I have been fortunate to feed all my horses on 1 balancer, these range from a yearling, 3yo, int eventer, 21yo brood mare/dressage pony and a 23yo laminitic. 1 bag feeds all, and has kept my costs down! :-)
 
He's currently on Speedibeet, Alfa A Oil, Veg oil, Readygrass and carrots. He's looking really well on it so don't want to change any of that. He doesn't need any extra supplements, just like to make sure I'm putting a good balanced diet into him.
 
I have a fatty and when I first got him I fed him a handful of Dengie HiFi Lite and then just Equivite Original vits and mins. I started schooling him more seriously in about September and soon after that I changed him from the Equivite to the new Spillers Lite Balancer. I decided that because I was schooling him more and I wanted him to develop muscle a balancer contains quality protein whereas a vit and min supplement doesn't. Because my boy is on restricted hay and poor pasture to keep his weight down I didn't believe he would be getting his protein ration from forage so decided on a balancer over vits and mins.
 
wellsat said:
He's currently on Speedibeet, Alfa A Oil, Veg oil, Readygrass and carrots. He's looking really well on it so don't want to change any of that. He doesn't need any extra supplements, just like to make sure I'm putting a good balanced diet into him.
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I take it the alfa a oil/speedibeet is for condition? If so maybe topspec comprehensive may be a better bet than the lite if you would like to mentain weight. Mine have been on it for 5 months and are now just feed the balancer instead off the big meals they use to be on.
 
Thanks TMG, yes he needs a feed which helps him to maintain weight. I'm expecting to be able to drop it down in spring though as we have very good grazing, there isn't a single poor doer on the entire yard.
 
you have specified his bucket food(all good). and i take it he has plenty of good hay or haylage? and you stated that he is looking good on it? and your grazing is good when it comes through? my guess is he is getting everything he needs! is he fat (well not thin) shiny happy and enough energy? you are a manufacturers delight! the cost of a bag of balancer will pay for his flu and tet this spring! i know which i would rather give my horse.
 
ofcourseyoucan said:
you have specified his bucket food(all good). and i take it he has plenty of good hay or haylage? and you stated that he is looking good on it? and your grazing is good when it comes through? my guess is he is getting everything he needs! is he fat (well not thin) shiny happy and enough energy? you are a manufacturers delight! the cost of a bag of balancer will pay for his flu and tet this spring! i know which i would rather give my horse.
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lol, yes, he's on lovely ad lib haylage and the grazing is excellent.

He's black and glossy like patent leather and I've never yet managed to tire him out.

Might see if the world ends if I don't buy another bag of balancer....
 
well, vitamins are just vitamins. Balancers are vitamins,minerals and essential aminoacids [essential proteins] so they are different products.
 
I feed Benevit from Feedmark which contains 26 different vitamins and minerals. I think most vitamin supplements have minerals as well. I've used this for years on different horses and they've all done well on it.
I think balancers are good but they are more expensive. I can't help but feel that it's a way for the feed companies to make the horse owning population feel guilty about giving their horse the 'right thing' and hike up the prices to give themselves a tidy profit. Not that I'm a cynic or anything!
 
badgerdog said:
I feed Benevit from Feedmark which contains 26 different vitamins and minerals. I think most vitamin supplements have minerals as well. I've used this for years on different horses and they've all done well on it.
I think balancers are good but they are more expensive. I can't help but feel that it's a way for the feed companies to make the horse owning population feel guilty about giving their horse the 'right thing' and hike up the prices to give themselves a tidy profit. Not that I'm a cynic or anything!
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I am a cynic. My first horse, now almost 32, has only ever been fed s/b, chaff and coarse mix. He looks great and still hacks out.

When horses worked for a living owners had only straights to feed them and these horses did a hard day's work.

I did try a balancer for a poor doer - a complete waste of money as he didn't eat his feed at all as he hated the taste.

Now I feed sure-limb to youngstock and broodmares and give them licks in the field. Other than that it is just as my old man gets, with coarse mix dependent on their age and work.
 
The main difference between balancers and vit supplements is protein. If your horse is looking well on his vits, leave it - if it ain't broke don't fix!! Mine have access to horslyx they take what they want and look fab on it!
 
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