Balancer
A balancer is a concentrated feed with protein, vitamins and minerals but few calories, designed to fill gaps in a roughage-based ration.
General information, not individual feeding or ration advice. For your own horse, consult your vet or a nutritionist.
How does it work?
A balancer provides quality protein with the right amino acids, plus vitamins and minerals, in a small daily portion, without adding many calories. It sits between an ordinary vitamin and mineral supplement and a full concentrate. Balancers are mainly intended for easy keepers that hold their weight easily on roughage alone, but then miss certain nutrients.
Why it matters
Roughage does not always cover all the needs for minerals and vitamins. A balancer fills those gaps without making the horse fat, which can happen with concentrates.
Common misconceptions
- A balancer is not a concentrate: it provides hardly any energy and is there to make up shortfalls.
- A balancer does not make a horse fat; that is precisely the point of it.
What to watch for
Follow the feeding guideline on the packaging; a balancer is meant to be given in small, measured portions. For the right choice and dosage for your horse, a nutritionist or vet is the source to turn to.
Discover more
Sources: Kentucky Equine Research · University of Minnesota Extension.