Favourite ration balancer?

[greywithchrome]

My pony mare is currently just getting 1.5 cups of Brooks Enhancer a day with her supplements in it. She’s doing fine on it, but I was thinking of switching to Buckeye Gro 'N Win because it soaks so nicely (lol) and I have heard it can be good for those chubby ponies. That being said I recently heard there is concern over iron levels in Gro 'N Win?

What is your favourite ration balancer and why?

ALSO - if you use a balancer supplement instead for the vits/minerals what do you put it in?

EDIT: Shouldve mentioned I am in Ontario, Canada

[joiedevie99]

Our show horses that get a balancer eat Proelite Grass Advantage. It complements our hay well, and we feed their Performance and Omega, so it’s easy. I also like Triple Crown 30, and the newer Triple Crown Gold which is molasses and soy free for sensitive horses.

[grayarabians]

Our barn recently started offering ProElite feed. I’m trying the Grass Adv with my horse. It seems iron is high in all commercial feed and balancers. The rep at PE told me the iron, copper and zinc ratio is under tight control. I’ll be sending out a sample soon to see. Has anyone else tested the PE GA ?

[stb]

Triple Crown Balancer Gold. It’s soy free, has TC’s gut package, added electrolytes, and is very palatable. I used TC 30% for years and got good results but the horses never liked the taste and I always had to add lots of other things to get them to eat it.

[BoyleHeightsKid]

Whatever compliments your hay the best… if you can test your hay

that said I love Triple Crown 30 it does have iron but is fairly low compared to others and it’s got a nice amino acid profile and higher levels of copper and zinc. It’s also very low in NSC at 9.8% so if you’re feeding a fatty that would be of concern as well

https://www.triplecrownfeed.com/prod…tion-balancer/

You could also switch to a forage balancer (these have NO IRON) if your pony doesn’t need the extra calories from a ration balancer. Something like California trace plus, or Vermont Blend might work mixed in with some soaked timothy or alfalfa pellets.

https://www.californiatrace.com/abou…ia-trace-plus/
https://customequinenutrition.com/pr…/vermont-blend

Horsetech and Uckele also have some nice forage balancers as well.

[greywithchrome]

I love the idea that Triple Crown has a soy free and molasses free blend! Looking into it though it doesn’t seem to be widely offered in Canada I shouldve mentioned off the bat that’s where I am located.

[JB]

@greywithchrome

My pony mare is currently just getting 1.5 cups of Brooks Enhancer a day with her supplements in it. She’s doing fine on it, but I was thinking of switching to Buckeye Gro 'N Win because it soaks so nicely (lol) and I have heard it can be good for those chubby ponies.

It’s not “good for chubby ponies” any more, or less than the Brooks Enhancer which is also a ration balancer. It’s just a different balancer. I’m assuming your pony is small? How much does that 1.5c weigh? Most balancers are around 3c/lb, and according to Brooks Feeds, .9lb of the min for an 800lb horse, so I’m assuming yours weighs less. Those minimum weight recommendations are for the nutrition provided, for the age/weight/workload given

That being said I recently heard there is concern over iron levels in Gro 'N Win?

But you’re not concerned about the Fe in the Enhancer? They add iron, and odds are good their iron is relatively high as well.

What is your favourite ration balancer and why?

Triple Crown - lowest iron, and highest copper and zinc of almost any balancer out there. But if that’s not available I’d need to know what you can get.

Regardless though, nearly every diet benefits from having additional copper and zinc since forage is typically high in Fe, along with often low copper and zinc but at the very least low relative to that iron.

ALSO - if you use a balancer supplement instead for the vits/minerals what do you put it in?

Hay pellets, or handful of a textured feed works, especially if it’s soaked and well-mixed. These are typically called “forage balancers”.

If your pony is truly chubby, then I wouldn’t be feeding a ration balancer at all. BoyleHeightsKid listed great alternatives, and Mad Barn Amino Trace is a great CN option.

[greywithchrome]

@JB

It’s not “good for chubby ponies” any more, or less than the Brooks Enhancer which is also a ration balancer. It’s just a different balancer. I’m assuming your pony is small? How much does that 1.5c weigh? Most balancers are around 3c/lb, and according to Brooks Feeds, .9lb of the min for an 800lb horse, so I’m assuming yours weighs less. Those minimum weight recommendations are for the nutrition provided, for the age/weight/workload given

But you’re not concerned about the Fe in the Enhancer? They add iron, and odds are good their iron is relatively high as well.

Triple Crown - lowest iron, and highest copper and zinc of almost any balancer out there. But if that’s not available I’d need to know what you can get.

Regardless though, nearly every diet benefits from having additional copper and zinc since forage is typically high in Fe, along with often low copper and zinc but at the very least low relative to that iron.

Hay pellets, or handful of a textured feed works, especially if it’s soaked and well-mixed. These are typically called “forage balancers”.

If your pony is truly chubby, then I wouldn’t be feeding a ration balancer at all. BoyleHeightsKid listed great alternatives, and Mad Barn Amino Trace is a great CN option.

This is all super helpful, thanks!! My last question was kind of airing on the fact that I would like to try a balancing supplement instead, such as Mad Barn Omenity or, Amino Trace, and I just didn’t know what to put it in that would be less calories than the balancer. The pony in question is 14.1 hands and is around 1040 pounds … I am still trying to get another 100 roughly off of her.

[JB]

IMHO the Amino Trace is better - more amino acids, more copper and zinc. But without a forage analysis it’s still a guess, just a “better” guess if you’re going to guess.

A cup of shredded beet pulp is way fewer calories than 1c of a hay pellet, if that’s an option. Add 2-3c warm water and you’re good.

[candyappy]

I feed Purina Enrich Plus Ration Balancer . Horses love the taste and eagerly eat every crumb. I have always been pleased with Purina so I feed it.

Mares get 1 pound a day ( 2 feedings) Young Gelding gets 2 pounds a day ( 2 feedings).

[ChestnutArabianMare]

I like Tribute’s Essential K. My easy keeper mare gets 4 cups - approximately—1.125lbs according to my kitchen scale—per day split into two feedings and does well and gobbles it up. She’s an equine garbage disposal, though, so she’s not the best one to ask about the taste LOL.

[suzyq]

I like triple crown 30. I’ve tried a lot of the vitamin balancers mixed with a little feed and my horse won’t eat them, I think they are just not tasty. He will eat the tc 30.

[GoodTimes]

I’m also in Ontario.

The most readily available RB options will be
Tribute Essential k
Buckeye Gro’n win
Purina equalizer
Purina Optimal
Masterfeeds VTM

For vitamin mineral supplements I like Mad Barn.
They can make a custom one for you, or you can go with the amino trace or omneity.
I prefer the amino, but with the higher copper and zinc there are some palatability issues.

At some point I’ve fed all of the above. I wouldn’t say any of the horses looked better or worse on any particular product.

I currently have one who gets Gro’n win with added copper and zinc powder from Mad Barn.
The other two get the amino trace with some beet pulp for palatability.
They all get free choice hay and vitamin E

[ToughShet]

My senior IR pony will cut a b---- for his Triple Crown 30 :lol:. It was difficult to find but man, he loves it. I also add a couple of SmartPak supplements that are specific for Cushing’s.

[WesternSkies]

Another vote for Triple Crown 30. Most of the horses at the barn I board at are on it. They all have nice toplines, good hooves, and shiny/dappled coats. Little to no health problems as well. I hope you can get it in Canada!

[SonnysMom]

I use Gro N Win form my mid 20s gelding. He gets that and about 1 cup of Purina Senior for flavor. I can probably get rid of the Senior and he would still eat the Gro N Win

[greywithchrome]

@GoodTimes

I’m also in Ontario.

The most readily available RB options will be
Tribute Essential k
Buckeye Gro’n win
Purina equalizer
Purina Optimal
Masterfeeds VTM

For vitamin mineral supplements I like Mad Barn.
They can make a custom one for you, or you can go with the amino trace or omneity.
I prefer the amino, but with the higher copper and zinc there are some palatability issues.

At some point I’ve fed all of the above. I wouldn’t say any of the horses looked better or worse on any particular product.

I currently have one who gets Gro’n win with added copper and zinc powder from Mad Barn.
The other two get the amino trace with some beet pulp for palatability.
They all get free choice hay and vitamin E

Yes these are about the same options I have come across! Plus the Brooks Enhancer that I am feeding now. This is helpful thank you

[greywithchrome]

@WesternSkies

Another vote for Triple Crown 30. Most of the horses at the barn I board at are on it. They all have nice toplines, good hooves, and shiny/dappled coats. Little to no health problems as well. I hope you can get it in Canada!

I think I might need to become a Triple Crown dealer in Ontario this food is so highly recommended!

[Claddagh]

Triple Crown 30 here too. Everybody loves it and doing great on it.