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Mrs DJ
Gold Member
632 Posts |
 Posted - 05 Jul 2008 : 4:42:16 PM
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How many of you use feed balancers?
My neddy is on restricted grazing, supplemented with hay, as she had a bout of laminitis 4yrs ago.
Once a day she has a handful (literally) of Happy Hoof with a spoonful of allround vitamin supplement and garlic powder.
As she's not getting the recommended daily amount of Happy Hoof, even with the supplement I'm not convinced that she's getting everything she needs. She looks well, has a good coat and feet, but sometimes I feel she could do with a little bit more 'get up and go'.
This will be partly due to her very laid back character, but I wondered if a balancer such as Baileys Lo Cal would be beneficial.
Opinions, please?????
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arabic
Platinum Member
England
4562 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jul 2008 : 7:21:05 PM
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I used to feed lo-cal and found it brilliant but Freddie is the untimate good doer and when I learned the way balancers balance the diet, I stuck to a supplement instead. Nicky from topspec explained that they help to utilise more calories from what they eat and as Freddie can do with by-passing a few rather than absorbing them, I stopped. Whilst he was on the Lo-cal, I did find it harder to shift his weight and have spoken to a few who have noticed this but on the other hand, the majority dont find this.
I think NAF Pink Powder is a v good balancer as well!
Good luck in your quest for umph lol!!
Sandie
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Mrs DJ
Gold Member
632 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jul 2008 : 8:33:06 PM
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Ha!!
Yes, she is also one of the 'gets fat on fresh air brigade', so I don't want to introduce anything in her diet that will make her utilise calories any more efficiently than she already does.
My main problem about lack of umph is that she seems to prefer trot to canter. If I ask for canter, she goes into this amazing power trot instead - unbelievably fast, but quite difficult to ride. My OH says he will video it for me one day, 'cos I'd love to see what it looks like from the ground!! If I slow it down and ask again, she gets quite irritable - a sort of "you asked for more, and I'm giving more Mum, what's the problem?".
Actually, going off thread, I have a sneaking suspicion that perhaps I'm not giving quite correct aids. I use a Cashel soft saddle, and don't think my legs are quite where they should be. (Reminder to me - work on your position) Am saving like mad for a Heather Moffett saddle, but with two teenage boys who keep finding reasons to spend my savings, it may be a while before I can afford one (big sigh!!)
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kath
Gold Member
United Kingdom
943 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jul 2008 : 8:54:13 PM
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We give all ours TopSpec - the two oldies get the Veteran balancer and my yearling gets the Comprehensive. I've been really pleased with it, they all look fantastic on it and are only feed a little chaff & unmollassed sugar beet on top of it. Couldn't recommend it highly enough  |
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arabic
Platinum Member
England
4562 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jul 2008 : 12:23:03 AM
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Oh Mrs DJ, been there done that too lol!! My NH instructor is an agean for HM saddles and after insisting that my treed was a poor fit, promptly brought a HM to try on him which ended up on his neck! Not to be beaten, the next time she brought another with suber pad etc and it went up his neck and the girth rubbed him. By now Freddie is getting a little opinion of his own and decided that my bareback pad was offensive as well and let me know with a threatened nip - bless him!!!! This summer, not to be beat, she produced yet another of Heather's masterpieces, only to find Freddie nipping he bum and hey presto, it say a "little low at the front" surprisingly to lift if to the correct position was more than "a little". The latest she brought, I cant fault, apart from - I cant afford it and Freddie still decided nipping was the order of the day. Altho she insists my treed doesnt fit (contrary to my saddler) we dont have any threats of nipping when he is girthed!!!
All that said I am considering the German Equivelant to a Diddipad lol!!!! I spent a while considering the cashel after all your successful comments but the Iceline I am looking at is a bit more substancial I think and not a lot more expensive - still early days into research yet tho!!
I am no expert to even deign to pass comment but reading your post, I think you have a point - perhaps the lack of umph is not food related!
Perhaps you could get a HM on trial and see how you go before you start saving too seriously.
Love
Sandie |
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phoenixbruka
Gold Member
England
1190 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jul 2008 : 9:17:02 PM
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Ref feed balancers I use top spec on my two, we have quite a few horses on the yard that use top spec lami-lite for the VERY good doers etc that seems to work really well
Ref your saddle woes.... I'd stick with the treed saddle that your saddler - and your horse - says fits!!
I have a farrington for my older boy that fits like a glove( and they're just a 'good' fit for arabs!) and a WOW for my baby as I want something infinately adjustable as he grows ( yes they are expensive but its the most comfortable thing I've EVER sat on  )
Don't be pressured into NH things for the sake of change, your horse sounds happy with what he's got  |
   
www.liveryatcordwell.co.uk |
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sabinelenny
Silver Member
England
413 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jul 2008 : 7:45:41 PM
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Also using Top Spec feed balancer!! Agree horses look fab on it I was told by the helpline to use cool conditioning cubes only when needed and the balancer has to be fed correctly according to the horses weight all the year round |
   
www.purespiritarabians.com |
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Cage Alma Arabians
Bronze Member
England
226 Posts |
Posted - 25 Aug 2008 : 10:19:44 PM
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| Baileys Stud balancer- one of the cheapest and doesn't send our youngstock through the roof like some others we have tried! (Blue Chip for example) |
     
www.cage-alma-arabians.com
Derbyshire. |
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Pauline
Platinum Member
England
3185 Posts |
Posted - 25 Aug 2008 : 10:44:45 PM
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Have used most of the Balancers on the market and found that Baileys Lo-Cal to be the best and the cheapest too.
Feed anything from a Newforest pony to my 100 mile advanced endurance horses, all needing differant extras but the base is Lo-Cal
Pauline  |
Pauline Higgs
Equine & Human Holistic Therapist
www.thegentlestouch.co.cc
www.endurancegbmidsouth.co.uk
Berkshire / Hampshire Border |
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Pixie
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
6586 Posts |
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angel2002
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2502 Posts |
Posted - 27 Aug 2008 : 11:05:18 AM
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Me too ...... Baileys Lo-Cal for good do-ers, Stud balancer for broodmares and youngstock or Spillers Buckeye Gro N Win.
Haven't fed anything else for years, all get it and all look great! :)) |
Angel
Passion Arabians
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Silvern_Scepris
Gold Member
England
1084 Posts |
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arabic
Platinum Member
England
4562 Posts |
Posted - 27 Aug 2008 : 3:54:05 PM
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Blimey didnt realise it was so popular. Perhaps I will consider putting Freddie back on it for the winter.
How much is a bag of lo-cal these days. It was about £17 when I last bought it? |
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lisa b
Gold Member
795 Posts |
Posted - 28 Aug 2008 : 06:48:46 AM
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| i pay £26 ...but lasts for months as my sec d mare also thrives on fresh air and has more whoa than go...she has this and happy hoof twice a day and she looks excellent and has a bit more go... good luckx |
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Silvern_Scepris
Gold Member
England
1084 Posts |
Posted - 28 Aug 2008 : 9:12:43 PM
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I think my last bag was about 23.00  , it's still cheaper than a lot of other balancers though. |
  
London/Essex Border |
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arabic
Platinum Member
England
4562 Posts |
Posted - 28 Aug 2008 : 10:15:31 PM
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| Thanks, I know it was always the most economical of balancers. Trying to remember what I fed it with but I think it was just a handful of chaff? Hard to believe he wintered with just that, but Im sure he did - and adlib hay of course. Seriously thinking about going back to it. Wish I had never changed in the first place but I thought SS was going to be so much better. |
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angel2002
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2502 Posts |
Posted - 29 Aug 2008 : 4:51:43 PM
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That's exactly how I feed it arabic.... Couple of handfuls of garlic chaff, speedibeet (as low in sugar) and plenty of Carrots & parsnips They look great on it
I use Spillers Grow N Win balancer or Baileys Stud balancer for babies and broodmares, fed exactly the same way as I do the Lo-Cal.
Mandy xx |
Angel
Passion Arabians
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Edited by - angel2002 on 29 Aug 2008 4:54:42 PM |
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garnet
Platinum Member
2382 Posts |
Posted - 03 Sep 2008 : 12:34:19 AM
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| I use Baileys Lo-Cal with Hi-Fi Lite and haylage for working PBA, retired PBA and working Irish cob who had laminitis 4 years ago. They all look really well and a good weight. In winter the PBAs will get Alfa A as well and I have kept them like this for the last 4 years. |
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Pasha
Platinum Member
England
3622 Posts |
Posted - 03 Sep 2008 : 2:41:30 PM
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I've just switched to Baileys Lo-Cal from TopSpec so great to hear lots of good opinions on it!!
I switched because although Pasha looked a million dollars on TopSpec, he was lacking in energy (he was on 1 mug TopSpec and large handful of Alfa A twice a day). I was reluctant to add a feed to it as he's an extemely good doer (TopSpec Comprehensive is a feed + balancer, so he would have been getting 2 feeds)!
I spoke to Baileys and they suggested Lo-Cal (as lower calories than the TopSpec and just a pure balancer) and their all-round Endurance mix.
So he now has 1 mug Lo-Cal, 2 mugs Endurance mix and large handful Baileys Alfafa Blend twice a day.
He doesn't seem to be putting on more weight (thankfully) but has definately perked up!! He now has the energy for our mammoth dressage lessons and long hacks so all good |
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gg
Bronze Member
England
202 Posts |
Posted - 03 Sep 2008 : 9:41:21 PM
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i have been using D and H ultimate balancer for many years. I now have a crabbet mare who seems to stay barrel shaped all year round. One cup balancer and handful of alfa, one feed a day. I chose this one for the joint supp in it. Has Lo-cal got any in? Wonder if i should cahnge to that as i guess it's cheaper and less calories?
Julie |
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arabic
Platinum Member
England
4562 Posts |
Posted - 04 Sep 2008 : 11:41:35 AM
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| Well I've done my sums, read previous topics and mine is going on Pink Powder at the balancer rate for the winter. Lots of recommendations here and earlier this year NAF suggested I put my bloater on seaweed in summer and PP in winter. (Out of curiosity I am going to compare the specs of lo-cal and PP) |
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Joto
Gold Member
855 Posts |
Posted - 04 Sep 2008 : 1:25:08 PM
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| I feed NAF Pink Powder, I thinkits excellent. |
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Kirsty5278
Platinum Member
England
2682 Posts |
Posted - 04 Sep 2008 : 1:39:08 PM
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| I use pink powders as a detox, dodson and horell balancer and chaff with a bit of garlic and two scoops of pink powder... I put them on it for a month at a time... I didn't know you can use it as a balancer?? Do you still use hard feed sandie or do you just add pink powders to chaff....? |
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arabic
Platinum Member
England
4562 Posts |
Posted - 04 Sep 2008 : 9:03:40 PM
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| Hi Kirsty. I buy grass nuts from the local feed merchant (local grass dried into pellets and bagged) like the ones advertised on the Northern Crop Dryers website. I put a small handful with his chaff in summer and increase them as necessary in winter. I usually soak them in winter and it gives him a nice big bucket of feed. To feed as a balancer you halve the regular amount - have a look at the info on the NAF website. |
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Kirsty5278
Platinum Member
England
2682 Posts |
Posted - 04 Sep 2008 : 11:11:25 PM
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| i've never heard of grass nuts.... i will look into them! thank you!!! |
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