A feed balancer is a low-intake, concentrated source of quality vitamins, minerals, protein, yeast products, trace elements and various other micronutrients, that enables you to balance the forage and inadequately supplemented feed in your horse’s diet. Like any feed, a balancer should be introduced to the diet gradually, preferably over 4-5 days, and divided between the number of feeds given each day. Pelleted balancers, which can be more palatable than powdered ones, can be fed entirely on their own.

When researching a feed balancer, check that the main ingredients include sources of vegetable protein. Fibre sources have a role to play at lower levels too. Antioxidants such as vitamins A, D, E as well as selenium and copper levels must be exhibited, and oil, fibre, protein, ash and moisture levels are also mandatory declarations.

Feeding the minimum requirement will ensure no other vitamin or mineral supplement should be necessary as your horse should be able to acquire all his daily needs from the balancer. This will depend, however, on the quality of the forage that is available.

Feed balancers are extremely versatile as owners have the option to either feed it on its own to horses maintained on all-forage diets, or add it when extra nutritional fortification is necessary, therefore ensuring that they control the amount of energy supplied to their horse(s). They are used in order to improve the efficacy with which your horse can employ his feed, enabling him to eat more fibre and less hard food, which in turn can improve digestion. It can also allow him to obtain optimum supplementation, which can aid development, condition and performance.