Why should I feed a balancer all year round?

Why should I continue feeding a balancer all year round?

We bust some myths and answer some common questions raised.


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“I don’t need to feed a balancer in the summer as it will make my pony/horse fat”

ALL Blue Chip balancers are low in calories and molasses free too, containing extremely low levels of starch with no added sugar. You can feed a balancer to provide all the daily vitamins and minerals your pony/horse needs without the worry of additional weight gain.  Some balancers (such as our NEW Low Calorie feed balancer), can actively help promote safe weight loss. 

Diet balancers and those aimed at good doers, such as Lami Light and our Super Concentrated range, are especially beneficial as part of a calorie-controlled diet.  These balancers support overall health with individual formulations to target specific potential issues.

Blue Chip Lami Light and our NEW Super Concentrated Low Calorie feed balancer actively help to promote safe weight loss.

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For those on a calorie-controlled diet we can calculate EXACTLY how many grams of sugar and starch you would be feeding per day. Contact us today and we can help. This is a preferred approach than looking solely at percentages, which can be misleading due to varying daily feeding rates.

“I’ll just feed a vitamin and mineral supplement in the summer”

Feed balancers go one better than a broad-spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement as they contain quality digestible protein which supplies essential amino acids, the building blocks of all body tissues. Amino acids are extremely important to include in the daily diet as they are invaluable for the needs of a laminitis prone pony/horse by supporting the structure of body tissues including the laminae.

“I don’t need to feed a balancer because we have good grass and my pony/horse doesn’t need anything other than calories”

Don’t make the mistake of solely relying on calories to maintain the well-being of your pony/horse. Grass is likely to provide most of the calories your horse will need during the grazing season, but the mineral content of grass can fluctuate.

Feeding balanced levels of vitamins, minerals and supporting ingredients such as anti-oxidants and protein keeps your pony/horse healthy in the long term. Over time, deficiencies in minerals could have a negative effect on your ponies/horse’s health.

"I'll just remove feed to reduce the chance of Laminitis"

It is now recognised that up to 90% of laminitis cases are caused by an underlying hormonal disease such as Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) and/or Cushing’s Disease (PPID) www.bhs.org.uk

Low calorie/soaked hay and fibre intake should always form the base of your ponies/horse's diet, feeding a balancer alongside this helps to provide everything your pony/horse needs daily without additional starch or sugar content.

Senior feed balancer contains Chaste tree berry which could help support the pituitary gland to potentially lessen the risk of Laminitis.

Lami Light feed balancer offers four fold digestive support with both prebiotics and probiotics, plus sepiolite clay and nucleotides for improved digestive health. Lami Light is boosted further by additional MSM for supporting hoof health plus vitamin B5 for safe weight loss.

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“Our fields are big so the ponies/horses are getting access to a varied and healthy diet.”

No matter how well your fields are looked after it will never be diverse enough or large enough to provide the correct vitamin, mineral and nutrient balance.

Top tips:

  • Blue Chip feed balancers are formulated to be fed alongside a fibre based diet, which promotes best possible digestive health.
  • Blue Chip balancers contain probiotics and nucleotides to help support gut efficiency, alongside a full hoof and respiratory supplement. Pro feed balancer also contains prebiotics for those under additional stress such as growing young stock, competition horses, and older horses needing help promoting top line.
  • Lami Light feed balancer is boosted further still by the inclusion of prebiotics, probiotics, nucleotides and sepiolite clay. These additional ingredients help further fulfil the needs of those prone to or suffering from Laminitis. 
 
  • Blue Chip balancers contain organic copper and organic zinc for improved liver, skin, hoof and coat health, and to minimise coat bleaching for ponies and horses turned out without rugs in the sun.
  • Antioxidants in our balancers support the immune system, limiting the effect from allergies, and adverse reactions to fly bites.
  • A complete vitamin, mineral and nutrient package in all our balancers ensures the correct functioning of the metabolic system, central nervous system, and immune system, alongside proper growth rates, bone strength and joint health.
  • We use organic/chelated minerals to ensure optimum absorption and effectiveness.

  • Condition score and weigh tape on a regular basis, to make note of gradual changes in weight, also noting where your horse is storing their fat.
  • Just 20 minutes exercise a day can have a benefit to your horses’ fitness and general health.  This doesn’t have to be ridden, it could just be an in-hand walk, but no snacking on the way!

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  • Grass is the highest calorie contributor to your horses diet, if you are really struggling with your horse getting overweight consider the use of a grazing muzzle, stable time off grass, and strip grazing to decrease access to grass, and/or a track system to encourage more movement.

 

  • If your pony/horse has a tendency to gain too much weight in the spring and summer don’t be afraid of letting them lose weight in the winter.  This is a natural process and puts a stop to the gradual weight gain over many years, possibly leading to further health problems.

 

We are always here to help, call us, email or chat on social.
Call: 0114 266 6200
Email: info@bluechipfeed.com
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