It's About The Horse

jackspark · Member Joined: 10 Jan 2010 Posts: 4477 Location: Missouri

http://thehorsehealthzone.webs.com/rationbalancers.htm

Are these just pelleted food or something entirely different? I feed pellet food and have not heard it referred to as a ration balancer. Still fighting weight gain problems with my aging senior, looking to make a change.
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merle · Member Joined: 13 Feb 2009 Posts: 445

Over the winter I started feeding a ration balancer made by Pennfield Feeds called All Phase.

Here is a link to it.

http://www.pennfieldequine.com/products_phase_allphase.php

My horse and mule were eating only pasture and hay. I was not giving them any thing that had vitamins and minerals. Over the past few years I've been debating back and forth if that was sufficient for them or not. Last year the organization I volunteer at, CORRAL, started feeding All Phase. They were raving about the difference they saw in the horses. I tried it and I like it. My mule who typically sheds out in May/June started shedding with the 'normal' horses in Feb/March (I live in NC). She also is not as bloated as she used to be and has much less watery stool. I think she was missing some thing that the All Phase is supplying.

Edited to Add - I feed 1 cup per animal per day.

jackspark · Member Joined: 10 Jan 2010 Posts: 4477 Location: Missouri

Thanks so much Merle! That is exactly the info I needed; and I saw that brand name in my search. I think I might look into changing some diets around here; don't think we are getting all of the right nutrients in our pelleted feed plus prairie hay. Difficult when ya have a couple of Jack Sprats and a couple of their wives

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Nancy

Flying Monkey Trainer

A journey of a thousand miles must
begin with a single step. Lao Tzu

ShannonE · Posted: Sun May 01, 2011 11:44 pm Post subject:

Purina here in Canada makes Equalizer as their ration balancer and my horses have been on it for 5 or 6 years. There are no calories in it which is a bonus for my easy keeper as he thinks he's getting something wonderful.

My old horse lived to be 29 and my husband's old boy is still going strong at 31. I certainly don't think that's just from the Equalizer, but I do believe it helps some. Our 4 year olds are also on it as they get nothing else but hay and they are healthy little dudes.

It is a more expensive way to get a vitamin/mineral supplement into them but it can be soaked and fed warm. They especially love that in the dead of winter. Our old boy has a choke probem so nothing gets fed to anyone here that doesn't look like porridge.

It's a product I'd certainly recommend.

Shannon

learningthedance · Posted: Mon May 02, 2011 2:09 am Post subject:

Here is a good, easy to understand write up about ration balancers.

http://www.understanding-horse-nutrition.com/ration-balancer.html

I have all mine (and my sisters) on Buckeye Gro n Win ration-balancer for grass hay/pasture. They have one for horses on alfalfa too.

http://www.buckeyenutrition.com/r...alancers/gro-%27n-win/Detail.aspx
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jackspark · Member Joined: 10 Jan 2010 Posts: 4477 Location: Missouri

Talked to my feed store and they said that they could get me the Kent Topline (HorseGo) Might try it this summer when the horses have access to pasture and then go from there.
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Nancy

Flying Monkey Trainer

A journey of a thousand miles must
begin with a single step. Lao Tzu

jackspark · Member Joined: 10 Jan 2010 Posts: 4477 Location: Missouri

Feed stores....... AAARRRRGGGGGG Has anyone used Calf Manna instead of equine ration balancers? Easy to access here and cheaper; I compared the ingredients and not too much difference soooo
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Nancy

Flying Monkey Trainer

A journey of a thousand miles must
begin with a single step. Lao Tzu

learningthedance · Posted: Sat May 14, 2011 10:20 pm Post subject:

jackspark · Member Joined: 10 Jan 2010 Posts: 4477 Location: Missouri

OK, I've changed my mind about my feed store. They called and told me my RB would arrive tomorrow and they got an extra bag cause the owner thought he'd like to give it a try

I hope it'll help my girls( who get almost nothing but big round bales of average quality hay) be assured the vitamins and minerals they need. All of mine have been slow to shed out this year and it makes me wonder if they are getting enough

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Nancy

Flying Monkey Trainer

A journey of a thousand miles must
begin with a single step. Lao Tzu

jackspark · Member Joined: 10 Jan 2010 Posts: 4477 Location: Missouri

Horses have been feed the Ration Balancer for a month now and Hubby keeps sayin' "Man the horses look good this year" I don't know if it has anything to do with it but I plan to continue for the next few months to see if I think it has made a difference.

Side note: Rookie has not has an incident of laying down after eating since I began to soak his food making a mash out of it. Amazing what I learn from this forum

My horses thank all of you!
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Nancy

Flying Monkey Trainer

A journey of a thousand miles must
begin with a single step. Lao Tzu

becdubie · Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 4:47 pm Post subject:

So....anybody having trouble getting their horses to eat this stuff? the article say's not all horses will eat it.
Do you soak it and/or mix it with something else?
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jackspark · Member Joined: 10 Jan 2010 Posts: 4477 Location: Missouri

Yes and No I soak the pellets for my gelding but not for the mares. They seem to like it a lot! I sometimes just use it as a treat for clicker training.
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Nancy

Flying Monkey Trainer

A journey of a thousand miles must
begin with a single step. Lao Tzu

Copious_Amour · Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 11:06 pm Post subject:

A lot of the farms in Oregon fed Calf Manna to horses. Don't know anything else other than that but it sounds like the RB Is working well

jackspark · Member Joined: 10 Jan 2010 Posts: 4477 Location: Missouri

Basically the same thing, Em. I may do that if it's cheaper and easier to get. My feed store is having to get it in just for me so I don't know how long they'll keep making a special trip to go get it.
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Nancy

Flying Monkey Trainer

A journey of a thousand miles must
begin with a single step. Lao Tzu

Clarissa · Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 1:36 pm Post subject:

Nancy that photo you posted of your mares in your thread about cooling heels, certainly shows fat horses! So something you feed them is working. I wouldn't want to see them any fatter really.

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