Everything Horse magazine Magazine, October 2014 | Page 31

DIGESTION AND FEEDING SPECIAL WITH EQUIMINS

WHY DO PEOPLE FEED

BALANCERS?
B
alancers can be found in
many feed rooms across the
UK, but do you know why
people feed them, and what
the purpose of them is? In
this feature David Willey, Managing
Director of Equimins, explains what
they are, when to use them and
how they can be fed.

Feed balancers are designed
to balance the horse’s diet, to
ensure he’s receiving the vitamins,
minerals and trace elements he
needs to help support health and
condition. They usually contain
higher levels of protein than a
standard supplement, and can
also contain additional ingredients
that support particular conditions
or life stages. They can be added
to the bucket feeds of horses that
don’t receive the full ration of a
concentrated bagged feed and they
can be given to horses that don’t
receive any ‘hard’ feed. What’s
key to remember is that balancers
don’t usually add a lot of calories to
the horse’s diet.
Balancers come in different
forms. The concentrated versions
are found in tubs, like ‘normal’
supplements and, because they’re
concentrated, you need to feed
much less than a normal feed
balancer. Some can be fed to a
wide range of horses and you
simply adjust the amount you feed
to match, whereas others are made
for particular types of horse, such
as performance horses, or those
with management challenges,
such as horses needing to lose a
few kgs! Equally some are made
to complement a forage diet,
providing the horse with all he
needs to help ensure health…you
just need to add forage.
You may think that balancers
aren’t all that different to ‘general
purpose’ or broad spectrum

vitamin and mineral supplements
in that they supply the horse with
a range of vitamins, minerals and
trace elements. They differ in that
most do have higher protein levels
than supplements, which help
to support the horse’s muscles.
You may also find that there are
additional ingredients, such as
probiotics and yeasts, which help
support the digestive system and
gut efficiency. You may also find
that feed balancers contain other
elements for more comprehensive
support, like biotin for the hooves.

When it comes to how to feed
balancers, this will depend on
their presentation. If you buy a
powdered balancer, it’s best to
add it to feed, whether fibre or
concentrated feed, to ensure that
the horse eats the full amount. If
you opt for a pelleted balancer, you
can add this to the horse’s feed,
feed on its own in a bucket, or just
feed from the hand.
If can be difficult to decide which
balancer is the right one for
your horse, but you’ll find that
supplement
manufacturers
provide lots
of information
online and, also,
are happy to
help by email or
telephone. There
are many aspects
to compare when
you’re choosing
a balancer. The
suitability of the
balancer to your
horse’s workload
and lifestyle is
important, but
don’t forget the
cost as the cost
per day can vary
massively from
product to product.

October 2014 • Issue 13 • Everything Horse UK Magazine

If you’re trying to work out which
is the most cost effective, just work
out the cost per day by finding
the feeding recommendation.
This can be