Feed balancers for horses have risen in popularity over the years – and for good reason. The best feed balancers are more than a vitamin and mineral supplement, and when fed at the correct amount a balancer will provide your horse with all the nutrients he needs.
The best feed balancers allow you to get all the essential nutrients into your horse, in a low-volume and low-energy way, which is particularly helpful if you’re watching your horse’s waistline or you’re actively trying to help your horse lose weight.
Of course, nutritional requirements change with age and workload, so like other feed products not all feed balancers are created with the same goal in mind. Balancers can usually be divided into one of the following groups…
- light balancers – formulated to provide all the nutrients they are likely to be missing from the restricted diets of good-doers and horses in light work
- performance balancers – designed to support competition horses and those working hard
- senior balancers – formulated to support digestion, comfort and movement in older horses
- stud balancers – aimed at stallions, pregnant or lactating mares and youngstock with higher protein requirements
We’ve rounded up a selection of some of the best feed balancers for horses to help you find the right feed for your horse…
NB: Cost per day has been calculated using the maintenance measure for a 500kg horse in light work (where there was variation) and the RRP of the smallest available bag/tub. Some products require you to feed more in certain situations, which will increase the cost per daily measure, while buying a larger bag/tub will likely decrease it – these costs per day are a guide only.
Light balancers: what’s on the market?
Baileys No.14 Lo-Cal Balancer
Sizes: 20kg
RRP: £35
Daily feeding rate: 500g
Cost per day: £0.88
Aimed at horses at rest or in light work who require a calorie-considered diet, this pelleted balancer is ideal for good-doers on restricted grazing or soaked forage who would otherwise miss out on important nutrients.
Low starch (6%) and sugar (5.5%) levels make it suitable for equines prone to laminitis, while it is also suitable for equines prone to gastric ulcers.
Blue Chip Super Concentrated Low Calorie Balancer
Sizes: 3kg
RRP: £31.75
Daily feeding rate: 100g
Cost per day: £1.06
This very low starch and sugar balancer contains cinnamon, which helps to maintain blood sugar levels and improve glucose tolerance, and L-Carnitine, which can fast-track fatty acids into the muscle cells to be used.
The probiotics restore the natural balance of the gut flora and help to maintain the natural wellbeing of the digestive system, allowing optimum utilisation of the vitamins, minerals and nutrients.
Dodson & Horrell Go Lite Balancer
Sizes: 15kg
RRP: £26.15
Daily feeding rate: 500g
Cost per day: £0.87
This low-calorie balancer is suitable for horses in need of a calorie-controlled diet and those prone to laminitis. It contains an effective level of biotin, zinc and methionine for hoof strength and growth, as well as natural antioxidants to support overall health, and protected yeast to support a healthy hindgut and nutrient uptake.
Saracen Essential Balancer
Sizes: 20kg
RRP: £35.49
Daily feeding rate: 500g
Cost per day: £0.89
Whole cereal grain-free, low in sugar, starch, and calories, this balancer is suitable for good-doers or those with a history of gastric or metabolic issues. It is dense in vitamins, minerals, and quality protein sources, as well as omega-3 fatty acids, live yeast and micronutrients that are essential to support optimum hoof growth.
It can be fed alone to balance forage-only rations, alongside other compound feeds to top-up the nutrient specification or to balance rations that are fed below the recommended intake.
Spillers Lite & Lean Balancer
Sizes: 20kg
RRP: £34.89
Daily feeding rate: 500g
Cost per day: £0.87
This balancer is high in amino acids, including extra lysine, methionine and threonine to help support lean muscle and topline – this is particularly important for horses fed low-energy or soaked hay. It also contains cinnamon, FOS and magnesium to support weight loss and a healthy metabolism and is suitable for those prone to laminitis.
TopSpec Lite Feed Balancer
Sizes: 15kg
RRP: £34.50
Daily feeding rate: 500g
Cost per day: £1.15
Designed for good-doers, this balancer is a ‘non-heating’, cereal-grain-free formula, with low levels of starch and sugar, and a considered level of protein to help maintain muscle function but avoid promoting body condition.
It contains all the micronutrients required to balance the diet of horses in light to medium work in a small amount of exceptionally low-calorie feed. It is suitable for horses and ponies that have recovered from laminitis providing they are not obese.
Performance balancers: what’s on the market?
Baileys No.19 Performance Balancer
Sizes: 20kg
RRP: £37.50
Daily feeding rate: 500g
Cost per day: £0.94
Aimed at good-doers in work, this low-calorie balancer provides all the nutrients you’d find in a competition mix or cube, but without the associated calories, making it ideal for horses who are stressy or excitable but require nutrients for health and performance.
Low levels of starch and sugar also make it suitable for horses prone to gastric ulcers. It can be fed as the sole concentrate, alongside any type of forage, or added to reduced quantities of other hard feeds, to ensure a fully balanced diet.
Blue Chip Super Concentrated Joint Care Balancer
Sizes: 3kg
RRP: £31.75
Daily feeding rate: 100g
Cost per day: £1.06
This balancer contains turmeric, black pepper, oils and glucosamine to promote healthy joint function and movement. It contains carefully formulated levels of essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients alongside complete hoof, respiratory and digestive supplements. Can be fed dry, damp or soaked.
Dodson & Horrell Ultimate Balancer
Sizes: 20kg
RRP: £43.55
Daily feeding rate: 500g
Cost per day: £1.09
This balancer is a low-calorie source of vitamins and minerals with additional digestive, hoof, recovery, immune, and protein support. It is ideal for topping-up natural vitamin levels in forage and is described as suitable for all horses.
NAF Five Star Optimum Concentrated Feed Balancer
Bag weight: 3.7kg, 9kg
RRP: £37.99 for 3.7kg
Daily feeding rate: 100g
Cost per day: £1.03
This concentrated formula is described as suitable for all – from the family pony to performance horse. It contains key ingredients to optimise gut function, combined with optimum nutritional supplement specification that balances a high-fibre, low-concentrate, or performance diet.
Saracen Competition Fit Balancer
Bag weight: 20kg
RRP: £35.50
Daily feeding rate: 500g
Cost per day: £0.89
This highly nutritious, low-intake balancer comes in the form of a mix. This allows it to provide a higher level of fibre and oil, which support stamina, and the inclusion of micronised maize helps to provide a higher energy level when compared to traditional pellet balancers.
Spillers Original Balancer
Bag weight: 20kg
RRP: £44.59
Daily feeding rate: 500g
Cost per day: £1.12
This balancer provides digestive and immunity support in addition to everyday vitamins and minerals. It is rich in amino acids to support muscle development and topline, high in antioxidants and contains pre- and probiotics.
TopSpec Performance Lite Feed Balancer
Bag weight: 15kg
RRP: £38.30
Daily feeding rate: 500g
Cost per day: £1.28
Designed for good-doers in medium to hard work that do not need extra topline or muscle development, this balancer provides everything your horse needs in a small amount of non-heating low-calorie feed.
It contains a multi-supplement that is described as including the levels of micronutrients normally only found in high quality specialised supplements.
Senior balancers: what’s on the market?
Blue Chip Super Concentrated Senior Balancer
Sizes: 3kg
RRP: £31.75
Daily feeding rate: 100g
Cost per day: £1.06
Formulated for horses over the age of 14, this balancer contains the correct levels of vitamins, minerals and nutrients in the diet, along with additional supplements to ease the ageing process. It includes digestive, hoof, coat, skin, respiratory and joint supplements. Can be fed dry, damp or soaked.
Keyflow Golden Oldies Veteran Balancer
Bag weight: 15kg
RRP: £47.50
Daily feeding rate: 500g
Cost per day: £1.58
Providing comprehensive nutritional care for older horses, this balancer comes in the form of a cereal-free mash, which allows it to be ingested easily, even when dentition is poor.
It is low in sugar and starch and contains omega-3 to support joint mobility and muscle suppleness.
Spillers Supple & Senior Balancer
Bag weight: 15kg
RRP: £38.48
Daily feeding rate: 500g
Cost per day: £1.28
This balancer supports digestion, comfort and movement in older horses. It is high in antioxidants to support immune health and has probiotics and prebiotics to support digestive health. It also contains high levels of glucosamine, MSM and omega-3 to support joint health.
TopSpec Senior Lite Feed Balancer
Bag weight: 15kg
RRP: £39.95
Daily feeding rate: 500g
Cost per day: £1.33
Designed for elderly horses that are prone to weight gain, this balancer combines the benefits of a low-calorie feed balancer and a joint supplement
in a cost-effective way.
It’s formulated without cereal grains and provides only low levels of sugar and starch, which helps to maintain healthy hindgut function and avoid loose droppings.
Stud balancers: what’s on the market?
NB: We have not calculated a cost per day for the stud balancers below as feeding rates vary greatly with stage of pregnancy for mares as well as age for youngstock.
Baileys Stud Balancer
Sizes: 20kg
RRP: £27
This balancer provides optimum nutrition for all breeding stock. It can be introduced from 3 months of age and, being low calorie, it is ideal for good-doers, supporting even growth rates without encouraging weight gain.
Its quality protein and elevated levels of vitamins and minerals, including chelated minerals for improved bioavailability, support foetal development as well as helping ensure the mare is receiving the nutrients she needs to produce good quality milk.
Blue Chip Pro Feed Balancer
Sizes: 15kg
RRP: £43.30
Formulated for performance horses and growing young stock, this balancer supports consistent, steady growth rates for youngstock.
It contains elevated levels of vitamins and minerals, and includes nucleotides for quality cell replication, pre- and probiotics, plus essential omega-3 and -6 oils.
Connolly’s Red Mills GroCare Balancer
Sizes: 20kg
RRP: £27.75
This nutrient-rich balancer, specifically formulated for broodmares, stallions, and youngstock, contains a long-lasting gastric acid buffer and prebiotics to support gastric and hindgut function.
It has been formulated to help promote bone strength and correct limb development by providing quality protein, vitamins A, D and K, plus essential micronutrients such as elements calcium and phosphorus.
Dodson & Horrell Suregrow
Sizes: 20kg
RRP: £25
This balancer is a concentrated source of vitamins and minerals, packed with additional support supplements for stallions, mares, foals and youngstock. It is low in starch and includes key amino acids, hoof support and vitamin E, which helps support fertility and milk quality.
It also contains MOS and FOS prebiotics and ActiSaf yeast – a probiotic which supports a healthy hindgut environment of fibre fermentation and nutrient uptake.
Keyflow Nurture Pro Stud Balancer
Sizes: 15kg
RRP: £38
This scientifically formulated, pre-digested feed balancer supports and balances a pasture-based diet for equine stud animals. The highly palatable nuggets, which are large enough to be eaten off the floor, contain amino acids that support quality lean muscle and skeletal growth and development.
DHA, a long-chain omega-3 fatty acid, is included to support semen motility, mare postpartum recovery, foal feeding behaviours and development.
Saracen Stamm 30 Balancer
Sizes: 20kg
RRP: £34
This balancer, designed to support breeding and youngstock, is whole cereal free, low in starch and sugar, which makes it suitable for fast-growing foals and horses with more excitable temperaments. It can be fed alongside a forage only diet or alongside the existing ration to support nutrient intake.
All types of breeding stock will benefit from the elevated inclusion of antioxidants, including vitamin E, which supports immune function, colostrum quality and can help to support optimal muscle function.
Spillers Gro N’ Win Stud Balancer
Sizes: 20kg
RRP: £27.45
Designed for youngsters who hold their condition well and to complement a forage-based diet, this balancer is a low-calorie nutrient-rich growth formula for safe and even development. It’s suitable for foals, youngstock and pregnant or lactating mares.
TopSpec Stud Lite Feed Balancer
Sizes: 15kg
RRP: £38.30
TopSpec Stud Lite Feed Balancer provides most of the benefits of TopSpec Stud Feed Balancer, including a multi-supplement combined with a feed, but on a low-calorie, low-protein base, making it ideal for youngstock and broodmares that are good-doers.
What is the best balancer for horses?
The best balancer for your horse depends on why you’re feeding it and your horse’s individual needs – different balancers serve different purposes.
Balancers often provide a wide range of nutrients, if your horse has a particular issue or demand on his lifestyle, a specific supplement – such as one of the best joint supplements for horses – may provide him a greater benefit. It’s also important to note that, in most cases, you need to feed an electrolyte in addition to the balancer if your horse requires one.
When choosing a balancer, check whether it suits your horse’s workload and dietary needs. Always introduce feeds gradually and follow recommended feeding rates. Most feed companies offer free nutritional advice, so if you’re unsure which is the best feed balancer or other product is right for your horse give them a call to discuss. You can also read through some advice they gave H&H on how to choose a feed balancer for your horse.
Can you feed a balancer on its own?
Balancers often come in a pellet form, making them suitable to be fed on their own – and this is one way balancers differ from supplements. Adding chaff to the bucket feed, however, is a great way of extending your horse’s eating time.
You might also be interested in:
Veteran supplements: what’s on the market?
What is a feed balancer? H&H explains…
How to choose the right feed balancer for your horse
How are feed balancers different to vitamin and mineral supplements?
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