What is a balancer?

A balancer is a pellet containing minerals, vitamins, and trace elements. There are no additional substances such as starch, grains, or fillers. That's why you often only give 100 to 300 grams of a balancer per day. That's enough because the concentrations of vitamins and minerals are high. All essential elements are in that small amount of balancer. Furthermore, your horse only needs roughage. The invention of balancers is related to the desire of many horse owners to feed their horses no unnecessary fillers and grains. They want to feed as close to the horse's nature as possible, also known as 'the new feeding'. And the use of a balancer is much more natural for the horse. Did you know, for example, that the esophagus and stomach of horses can't digest more than 500 grams of food at a time? Mineral balancers are available from brands such as Vitalbix, Metazoa, Agrobs, Equilin, and Equifyt.

Roughage is the foundation

Balancer pellets complement hay and possibly other roughage. Good quality roughage, preferably unlimited, is the foundation of a good horse diet. Our Dutch hay often has a somewhat variable composition, and although it contains enough energy for most horses, it doesn't always contain enough vitamins, minerals, and trace elements. This is because in many places in the Netherlands, the soil is poor in minerals. The nutritional value of hay also depends on the type of soil. Hence, a balancer: to ensure that your horse gets everything it needs.

The problem with concentrate feed

Concentrate feed also contains minerals, vitamins, and trace elements, but you feed much more of it. For the daily amount of vitamins and minerals, you often have to give two kilograms of concentrate feed. The rest of the concentrate feed pellets consist of pressed grains, starch, soy, and other fillers. Often, these are by-products from the food industry. There are usually considerable amounts of grains and sugars such as molasses in it. Horses find this very tasty, but it's not so good for them. Sugar-rich pellets pose a risk of gastric ulcers, and the grains and sugars must be digested in the small intestine, while horses mainly use their large intestine and cecum. Horses really don't need all those grains and fillers. A balancer is a much more natural and healthier way for a horse to supplement deficiencies in vitamins, minerals, and trace elements.

The difference between concentrate feed and a balancer

In the table below, you can see the difference between a commonly used basic sports pellet and a commonly used balancer. We have selected a few important minerals and vitamins to illustrate the difference.

A healthier horse without fillers

The fillers in concentrate feed often unnecessarily burden the horse's body. At Heltie, we receive many inquiries about horses with complaints that turn out to be associated with consuming several kilograms of concentrate feed. Many skin problems and irritations, for example, arise from starch and sugars in the concentrate feed. Hoof laminitis, muscle acidosis, and liver problems can also arise from large quantities of unnecessary fillers in concentrate feed. These substances burden the horse's body and produce many waste products that the horse must then eliminate. Grains are not necessary for the vast majority of horses. In well-known types of concentrate feed, there are almost always too many grains such as maize, rye, barley, and wheat. These grains provide a lot of fast sugars and starch. Furthermore, phytic acid is present in the husks of these grains. This substance binds a number of minerals such as calcium, iron, and zinc, making them less well absorbed in the horse's body. A horse is not designed to digest larger quantities of grains (starch). By far, most horses remain fit, healthy, and energetic on sufficient high-quality roughage, supplemented with a good balancer.

Balancer is the foundation for all horses, including sport horses!

For sport horses as well, sufficient high-quality roughage forms the basis of the diet. In addition, you feed a good balancer for minerals, vitamins, and trace elements. It is a misconception that all horses need concentrate feed for energy. Roughage is the primary source of energy, and only from dressage level M do horses need additional supplements for energy. Often, it is advisable to choose grain-free options such as healthy fatty acids and fibers. For sport horses in dressage, jumping, and eventing, long-lasting energy is most suitable. You want the energy to be released slowly and not in a peak where your horse is first hot and then collapses. Horses naturally thrive on very fiber-rich feed, full of cellulose. These fibers provide slowly released energy. Energy-rich fats are also found in oil. The advantage of fibers and fats as an energy source is that they do not cause spikes in blood sugar levels.

What do you feed your horse?

Do you feed your horse concentrate feed? It is interesting to compare the ingredients and nutritional values with those of a balancer. Take a look at the ingredients and levels of vitamins and minerals listed on the label. And check the ingredients for grains such as maize, oats, and wheat, as well as soy. Write down the percentages of sugars and starch (carbohydrates) and note the levels of, for example, magnesium, zinc, vitamin A, and vitamin D. In most cases, there are significant differences between concentrate feed and a balancer. Examples of good balancers are: Metazoa, Vitalbix, Equilin, Agrobs, and Equifyt.