NUTRITION contain all the nutrients necessary to support these areas.
The Benefits of
BALANCERS
B
alancers are often misunderstood but really are an excellent feeding option for many horses. What They Are Balancers provide all the essential nutrients you’d find in a mix or cube, without the energy/calorie element so are fed in much smaller quantities. They are formulated to supply the nutrients known to be lacking in forage and pasture, which is even more important if hay is being soaked, which washes out nutrients as well as calories, or if grazing is stressed. Every balancer supplies a wide range of vitamins and minerals in carefully calculated ratios to
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meet a horse’s daily needs, including nutrients to support healthy hoof growth, metabolism, tissue repair etc. Unlike vitamin and mineral supplements, balancers also contain protein which supplies essential amino acids. These are the building blocks of all body tissues, including hoof, hair, muscle and bone, so are pretty important and also often deficient in modern forages. Most balancers also contain ‘digestive enhancers’, like yeast culture or prebiotic, which support gut efficiency. Some balancers are said to contain special ‘supplements’ to target certain issues but this is just another way of saying they
Great for Good-Doers Because balancers are concentrated and fed in such small quantities, their calorie contribution to a horse’s overall diet is negligible, making them perfect for horses who maintain condition on forage alone or those on calorie-controlled diets. They’re low in starch and sugar, so suitable for those prone to laminitis, and will help build and maintain muscle tone in working good-doers, whose requirements for essential nutrients can be met without adding to their waistlines. Feeding a low calorie balancer, alongside forage, is better than feeding a ‘token gesture’ of a mix or cube or no hard feed or supplement at all, as it ensures the horse receives a fully balanced diet, without going to the waistline. Many a ‘lazy’ good-doer, fed no or little hard feed, feels happier and healthier when receiving a fully balanced diet through the recommended
amount of a balancer. They often start to find work easier and, as fitness levels improve, so can achieve a healthier body condition. Added Flexibility Horses’ calorie requirements can fluctuate with workload and depending on the contribution made by grass and forage. Spring and summer grazing may supply plenty of calories so feeding the full recommended amount of a mix or cube, that may be appropriate through the winter, would provide too many additional calories and has to be cut back. While this controls calories, it also reduces intake of essential nutrients so adding balancer to reduced amounts of hard feed, brings nutrient levels back up without unwanted calories, and helps ensure the horse continues to receive a fully Continued overleaf...
