Does my horse need a balancer?
Once you’ve chosen your daily feed you may wonder to yourself ‘does my horse need a balancer?’. Many ponies and horses live out permanently very successfully, think Exmoor ponies, or New Forest ponies, and do not receive balancers, so does your horse need this extra feed? and if so why?
If feeding the recommended amount of a reputable feed, deliberately formulated for the type of work undertaken, the likelihood is that your horse does not need a balancer. In fact, it could cause problems. However, if you are not feeding the suggested amount it is likely that your pony will be lacking in certain vitamins and minerals.
If like me you do not feed as much as the manufacturer recommends, then you’re left with trying to negotiate the wide range of balancers on the market. There are so many, it’s difficult to know which one to choose. Hopefully this article will help.
Should I feed a balancer?
We all want to ensure that our horse or pony is happy and healthy. Part of that is making sure that our horses have all the vitamins and minerals that they need.
If your pony is out 24/7 and only have access to grass and hay as required, it is likely that they will be missing a number of trace elements. Unlike their non-domesticated counterparts living free in the New Forest, or on Exmoor, they are unable to roam free and over varied terrain, munching all manner of different grasses and forage that provides all their needs. More likely they will be in an enclosed area with only grass to eat. Because of this we need to provide them the extra.
Even if your horse is stabled for part of the day and/or already gets a hard feed, if it is not as much as the manufacture recommends, your horse will again be missing out. This is the time to start thinking about introducing a balancer.
Why is my horse eating soil?
If you notice that your horse is seemingly eating the soil in their paddock, it’s a good sign that they are lacking something in their diet. By eating the soil they are independently trying to add something that they know their body needs.
If you start feeding a balancer at this point, or put a mineral lick into the field, you’ll probably notice that they stop. Be careful putting a lick into a field with more than one horse, as you could encourage bullying behaviour. Putting out two or more at various points around the field will ensure that even the horse at the bottom of the pecking order will have free access.
Why is my pony chewing the fence posts?
Licking the soil or chewing fence posts can be a sign of a diet that’s lacking. If your pony starts chewing, firstly arrange for a dentist to take a look in case your pony has a problem with its teeth. Once you have ruled out a dental cause, it’s time to look at diet. Again, this is a suitable time to check that the feed you’re providing provides the full range of vitamins and minerals.
This behaviour could also mean that your horse is bored. If the diet is covering all nutritional bases, then you could try using a hay ball or adding enrichment items to the field. Upping exercise or doing more groundwork could also be an option if you have the available time.
What does a feed balancer do for horses?
A good balancer should do exactly what is says on the tin. It should balance the diet so that your horse is receiving all of the vitamins, minerals, and trace elements that are necessary for good health. Making sure that your horses diet is appropriate will;
- improve condition
- aid the functioning of internal organs
- improve coat shine
- healthy hooves
- improve and stabilise mental health
Remember that the brain is an important organ and will only function to its full potential if the pony’s diet is fully balanced. Any shortfall may have an effect on your pony’s mood and attitude whilst both ridden and on the ground.
There are balancers which also contain increased magnesium for nervous or hot headed horses, and those designed to be fed to lamanitics. Always check the ingredients to make sure that they include anything specific that you need.
What do you feed alongside a balancer?
What you feed alongside a balancer will vary from horse to horse, there is no one answer. The balancer is there to balance the diet and can be added to most feeds. Look at your horse and choose a feed based on your answers to these questions:
- What condition is your horse in – body score and weigh to answer
- Is your horse in light, medium, or hard work
- Is your horse a good-doer or susceptible to laminitis?
- Does your horse need extra help for their gut health?
- How old is your horse?
There are hard feeds available for all variations of the above. There are feeds specially formulated for youngstock, or aged horses, and yet more feeds targeting the good-doer which normally have reduced sugars and contain no molasses.
When should I feed a balancer?
You can feed a balancer every day, at a time of your choosing. If you pick a balancer that is in pellet or cookie form you can even feed as a treat in the field, just be careful not to give too much.
If you’re not feeding your horse, or not feeding the recommended amounts – very many people don’t feed according to manufacturer instructions, then it is very likely your horse will need a balancer to stay healthy.
Which balancer for laminitis?
The most appropriate balancers for laminitics are those that have less than 10% sugars and do not contain molasses.
Do not assume that because the bag states it is laminitic friendly, that it is the best option. Check the ingredients before feeding anything to your horse.
If you don’t feed hard feed to your laminitic pony then you could try Equibites by Dodson & Horrell that are a top up of vitamins and minerals and in cookie form that make them great as a ‘treat’ in the field.
Which balancer for weight gain?
Balancers should not be used for weight gain. If your horse needs to gain weight then look at increasing the feed that they are currently on to the recommended amount, or looking for a hard feed that is specifically designed for weight gain.
When making any changes to your horses diet remember to take things slowly and alter over a period of a couple of weeks so as not to shock your horses digestive system.
Calming balancer for horses
Many balancers include magnesium which has been shown to have a calming effect on some horses. If you choose a balancer which claims to also be a ‘calmer’ check that the other ingredients also include all of the other vitamins and minerals that are necessary for a healthy horse. It may be that owing to the increase in some ingredients, others have been reduced or even omitted due to the way the affect another.
Young horse balancer
Young horses need a specific dietary intake to ensure that they grow well and healthily, especially their bones. Make sure that the calcium/phosphorous ratio is correct for the stage of your horses development as these are important for bone growth.
Source: 1
Can I feed balancer on its own?
Forage is the most important part of your horses diet. Making sure that you provide sufficient grazing or hay is the first thing to think about. Horses are designed to eat little and often, as such the saliva and chewing motion are an important part of gut health.
If you don’t feed hard feed, there are balancers that can be fed on their own. Many are in pellet form, and there are vitamin and mineral cookies that can be fed straight from the hand. Depending upon your horse, you may be able to put a vitamin and mineral lick in the field for them to access when they need.
One cup/equibite link
What is the difference between a balancer and a supplement?
Balancers and supplements are easily confused and are often used to mean the same thing. A balancer however is used to ‘balance’ a diet to ensure it contains everything necessary, whereas a ‘supplement’ is an additional liquid or powder (generally) that is specifically designed to give a little extra help for a particular problem. For example, a liquid to add to food to help older joints, or a powder that has extra gut enzymes to help those with digestive issues, or those prone to ulcers.
Conclusion
Whilst it is not always necessary to feed a balancer, the majority of native ponies and horses that are kept mostly on pasture will probably benefit from its addition. Always check the ingredients though to ensure that the balancer covers a broad spectrum of vitamins and minerals. If your pony is susceptible to laminitis, or suffers from EMS, or Cushings, try to use a balancer with under 10% sugars and one that does not contain molasses. There are a whole plethora of different balancers on the market so you will undoubtedly find one that suits your horse.
