Feed Balancers?

HairyCob

HairyCob

Has anyone seen my mind?
Mar 18, 2002
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Dolly is currently on restricted grazing, and her 'bucket' feed consists of a scoop of Hi-Fi light, a handful of cool mix, a bit of garlic and a joint supplement.... there's a porky pony just itching to get out of her, and I'm not letting her get any fatter!

BUT, I'm concerned that she's missing out on essential vitamins and minerals, so am thinking of introuducing a feed balancer.

Which one folks? !

Anyone got any preferences, and if so why?

I'd love to say money no object, but that isn't the case:( so I'm looking for something effective and reasonably priced- I don't mind paying 'a lot' for a bag if it's going to last a long time, but don't want to be coughing up TOO much more on a weekly basis!:D
 
I have used Lo-Cal and Equilibra - the swap was because I swapped suppliers - I was happy enough with lo-cal - except i kept getting split sacks and my new supplier delivers!!!
I use them to 'balance' growing youngster, laminitic wee one, veteran and hardworking native. Seems to work for all of them!!
 
It would be cheaper to get a food supplement AND they don't have any calories in them. There's loads on the market but I'd recommend TLC - it's a thick treacle like liquid in a big bottle. Got everything you could possibly want from a supplement and only costs about £9 a bottle, which last a month at least.

Why are you feeding the handful of cool mix? If she's already over-weigth she DEFINITNLY won't need any hard feed and at that amount the vitamin content is minimal.
 
Ziz can live on fresh air, I feed her so she can have her arthritic medicine, she's on chaff and Baileys Lo-Cal and since feeding her this I've been amazed at the improvement in her coat and her feet - no crumbling hooves, no more losing shoes every 2 - 3 weeks - she's in really good condition.
 
I hear local is good. I used D&H ultimate balancer it's £30 a bag and lasts me about 6-7 weeks. That's for a 15.3 TB. It has everything in it for all sorts mobility, digestion, feet, immune system. My boy has survived all winter on that and chaff.

I would cut out the mix don't like them at all. Also TLC sounds good never used it but was recommended.
 
I was just wondering why people feed chaff aswell sometimes. Thinking about what Pink said, I might be best buying happy hoof and putting a supplement in, I think Milly could do with having as less calories as possible at the moment!
 
Becasue they are designed to eat just fibre. I would much prefere to feed a (good ;) - mollichaff etc don't count ) chaff and some supplement. Balancer are cereal and protien based.

Not too much of a problem at the amounts the balancer ias fed at, but fibre would be preferable for fatties. AND they think they're getting more ;)
 
totally agree with Pink's Lady, invest in a good broad spectrum vitamin supplement. My 2 (good doers) are on a fibre based diet of hi-fi lite and my horse gets fibremix easy along with their supplemnts. They absolutely thrive on it.
 
I'vve just changed Albie on Top Spec feed balancer it seems to work well and although its £30 a bag it will last 7 weeks and I don;t have to feed any supplements, just like the others put a large handful of Hi Fi In so he can chew his food and not eat so fast.
 
Thanks for all your replies folks!

Pink's lady said:
Why are you feeding the handful of cool mix?
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Basically because I'm too soft and feel mean if I don't give her any:rolleyes: but also using it up because I bought a bag when I got her, so I could keep her on the same feed that she was used to....although it got cut down DRAMATICALLY when she arrived- she was on two feeds a day of 1 large scoop chaff, 1 large scoop mix, AND two scoops (wet volume) of Speedi beet:eek:

OK, so I need to cut out the mix. No problem.

What about the chaff I'm feeding- someone mentioned 'good quality' chaff- is HiFi light OK? If not, what IS good quality?

And let me just make sure I'm getting this right... a balancer contains calories and the like and is fed in larger quantities, almost as 'the feed', a supplement would give her the essential vitamins and minerals etc she needs, and could be mixed with her chaff... is that right?

I don't want to cut the chaff out- she can have a good scoop full of that, and feels like she's getting a 'feed' like the boys do (they are on Baileys No 4- one is in reasonably hard work, one is an ancient, retired and skinny TB, the other a cob in light work- my YO's horses, not mine!)

So... all you feed experts, heres a question...

What would you feed Dolly? She's 14.3hh ish, Arab X Welsh, never had lami, but a little bit overweight and piggy, so on restricted grazing. She has to have a joint supplement as she has slightly stiff hocks at times(or a GP supplement that covers this- currently on Codlivine Super because that's what her previous owners fed).

Devise me a feeding plan please:D
 
And let me just make sure I'm getting this right... a balancer contains calories and the like and is fed in larger quantities, almost as 'the feed', a supplement would give her the essential vitamins and minerals etc she needs, and could be mixed with her chaff... is that right?
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Yep, sounds about right.

What about the chaff I'm feeding- someone mentioned 'good quality' chaff- is HiFi light OK? If not, what IS good quality?
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Dengie is very good quality chaff (hence the price :rolleyes: ). Some of the chaff are just horrible, like molli-chaff. Basically amounts to all the sweeping left over from hay (think off all the little dusty bit under a hay net), heavily mollassased so they'll actually eat it. Yuk!

What would you feed Dolly?
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Couple of handfulls of Hi-fi lite to put her supplements in. And may be a carrot or so ;)


For her joints, if you can't afford Corteflex (which is horrible expensive) Soulble Superflex by NAF is great
Soluble%20superflex.jpg

contains glucosimine, chondritin and MSM - everything you get in the VERY expensive stuff the vets will sell you for arthritic dogs.

And a general supplement - a broad spectrum one. TLC is really good. And cheap ;)
TLC.jpg
 
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I've got to say Lami-light for me. I've just put Buffy back onto it after six months off it for the first time in two years (Blue Chip Original for the first).

I intended just to feed Happy Hoof plus supplements but have given up just too much hassle and money. Her coat was so manky when it changed I had to buy a skin supplement anyway (plus she suffers from sweet itch)and even with her summer coat through and a bath she is not looking anywhere as good as last two summers.

She is the type that will very easily go laminitic. I know there is nothing we have to feed that will definately prevent or alleviate the condition but Lami-Light has evreything which is currently being discussed as far as I can see ie. magnesium, probiotics, prebiotics, clay, anti oxidants etc. I couldn't find anything else on the market that had as much in as this one.

She has an intermittent cough and the Lami-light contains their Primo Vento breathing what sit. She had to have a hoof supplement last year Lami Light has that in.

And as I drop the amount of Happy Hoof versus extra grazing I would have needed to get a general multi vitamin top up as well.

I now have my wonderful pink bag, a bag of chaff, tub of Oestress and life is so much simpler! I also have a very large quantity of empty supplement buckets which I am not quite sure what to do with:rolleyes:
 
I agere about the Blue chip lami light. It costs £28 a bag, but the bag lasts well over a month. i mix it with a small scoop Dengie hi-fi lite and a couple of supplements, including NAF's Laminaze. I suspect this is to salve my own paranoia rather than actively helping, but it's worth a try while the spring grass is still lush.

It's so demoralising when you ride every day (OK, still light work) and reduce grazing but still can't get rid of the flab.

K
 
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