“If you feed your horse exclusively roughage, there's a high chance of deficiencies,” says Madelief. “The soil is poor in minerals such as copper, zinc, and selenium. Horses that don’t graze often don't get enough vitamins A, D, and E either. These mineral and vitamin deficiencies are often not immediately apparent but can surface in the long term. This leads to various problems, such as a weakened immune system, poor hooves or coat, and weaker muscles, tendons, and bones. It can take years for a deficiency to become a problem, and it's not always easy to notice. That's why it’s important to use a balancer to supplement these deficiencies in time.”

How do you determine what's needed?

“When you have a consistent batch of hay, you can have it analyzed, including the minerals. Then you can choose an appropriate balancer. That’s ideal.” However, Madelief acknowledges that not everyone has that option. “If a hay analysis isn’t feasible, or if you're feeding different batches of hay, you can rely on average roughage. At Vitalbix, we use the CVB tables for horses and ponies. These tables provide the average values for a horse’s needs and the average nutrient content of roughage. Using these averages, Vitalbix calculates what the balancer should contain,” she explains. “In 9 out of 10 cases, this works out well. In rare cases, the hay might differ, but if you only feed small batches, that’s usually not a big issue. Additionally, you can often address any deviations with a supplement alongside your roughage and balancer.” For most horses, a balancer based on these calculations is sufficient.

What must be included in a balancer?

“There are certain minerals and vitamins you definitely want in a balancer. Always check if they are listed on the packaging. A balancer should contain enough copper, zinc, selenium, and vitamins A, D, and E. Vitamins A and E are especially important if your horse spends less than four to six hours a day on grass or performs heavy work.” In addition to vitamins and minerals, essential amino acids are crucial, says Madelief. “Not all balancers contain these. Essential amino acids are called essential because they are indispensable and must come from the diet. Horses cannot produce these amino acids on their own. This includes lysine, methionine, threonine, and tryptophan.” Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins that keep muscles, tendons, hooves, and skin healthy. They are also very important for the immune system.

Extra important in a balancer:

• Copper
• Zinc
• Selenium
• Essential amino acids
• Vitamins A and E if your horse doesn’t graze

What should NOT be in a balancer?

Some balancers contain added iron, but this is often already abundant in roughage. “So you’d rather not have that,” says Madelief. Iron can also be present in the groundwater that horses often drink and in the raw materials of balancers. In that case, the iron isn’t added, but it’s still there. The total amount doesn’t always appear on the label. “Many people also try to use products that are low in sugar and starch, especially for horses prone to insulin resistance and laminitis. Since you usually feed only a small amount of a balancer, the sugar content is less important,” says Madelief. “But if you want to keep it as low as possible, choose a balancer without molasses.”

Not in a balancer:

• Added iron
• Molasses / added sugar

Start with the basics

“Start with the basics and always look at your horse first before calculating everything,” says Madelief. “The basics consist of good and sufficient roughage, followed by a good balancer. If, despite good roughage and a balancer, you notice that your horse still isn’t in optimal condition or develops issues, you can look further and, for example, have your hay analyzed (including minerals) or have a nutrition advisor calculate your horse's diet.”

Making a good choice

Finally, Madelief offers some tips for choosing the right balancer for your horse:

• The daily dosage on the packaging is often too low. Therefore, don’t just look at the recommended dosage from the manufacturer but also check if you’re giving enough. The daily requirements for horses and ponies can be found online. If you’re not experienced with this, it might be better to consult a nutrition expert.
• Compare balancers from different brands based on the daily dosage, not just the amount of vitamins or minerals per kilo. A balancer may be very concentrated per kilo, but the recommended dosage might still provide some nutrients in insufficient quantities. By checking the vitamins and minerals in the recommended dosage, you can make better comparisons between different brands.
• If your horse works harder, it needs more. Often, the packaging of balancers doesn’t differentiate dosage recommendations based on the amount of work, even though horses that work more have higher requirements. All macro minerals, calcium, sodium chloride, potassium, phosphorus, trace elements are used up faster with moderate or heavy work. The need for vitamins A and E increases significantly even with light work. Overdosing is unlikely, so when in doubt, it’s better to use a higher dosage.
• Keep in mind that it can take three months for deficiencies to be somewhat replenished. If you suspect deficiencies or if your horse hasn’t been given a balancer before, it’s advisable to temporarily (the first two months) use a higher dosage to address these deficiencies. You can only really assess how a horse does on a new diet after a full year when it has gone through all the seasons.
• B-vitamins can be a good addition to your balancer, especially in cases of stress, digestive disturbances, heavier work, or health issues. B-vitamins aren’t a cheap addition to a balancer, so they do make a product more expensive. For healthy horses, this addition isn’t always necessary.
• Always mix a balancer with some fiber-rich feed, like a roughage mix or fiber mix. This ensures that your horse chews well, which is better for digestion.
• Tastes differ, even among horses. A balancer contains a relatively high amount of minerals, giving it a slightly salty taste. This means a horse may need to get used to the taste, especially if it’s transitioning from a more traditional diet with concentrate feed. If they’re grazing, the feed might be less appealing. Keep offering it. If they really won’t eat it, mix the balancer with a low-sugar mash. Use lukewarm or cold water for this, as hot water can destroy vitamins in the balancer.
• Whether a switch to a balancer is suitable for your horse depends heavily on the roughage and other feed your horse is currently receiving. If your horse is getting several kilos of concentrate feed per day, switching to just a balancer can be a big change. In some cases, a horse may eat less well or not get enough energy, leading to lethargy or weight loss. Fortunately, there are now healthy mueslis available that are more concentrated than regular concentrate feed, low in starch and sugar, with the balancer already included. These mueslis can be a great option to make the transition easier. If you switch directly to a balancer and notice your horse is becoming too lean, provide more roughage and have the roughage analyzed (e.g., with a Quickscan). This will help you ensure that the roughage provides enough energy and protein. A healthy horse typically does well on good roughage and a balancer, but a horse in higher-level sport, an older horse, a lactating mare, or a young horse may sometimes need extra support.
• If in doubt, consult a nutrition advisor who also includes the roughage analysis in their assessment.

You can always contact Vitalbix for free nutritional advice.