Equine nutrition is a hot topic! Most owners strive to meet their horse's nutritional needs by providing the right diet. A ration balancer is a readily available option that may be just what your easy keeper needs. This pelleted feed works well with horse's on a high-quality forage diet.

Defining a Ration Balancer

This type of feed provides your horse will vitamins, minerals, and amino acids without the extra calories. It's perfect for young, growing horses or easy keepers that have access to quality hay and pasture.

Often, hay and grass can lack certain vitamins and minerals, depending on your area and the soil it's grown in. Ration balancers are able to make up for these shortcomings.

The protein content of a ratio balancer is usually between 25 and 35%. While that may seem like a lot, the feeding rate is considerably lower!

How is it used and fed?

It can be used alone for a low-calorie food source, combined with straight grains, or used as a top-dress for a grain fed less than it's recommended amount.

Horses that can't handle high sugar or starch diets can benefit from this feed. Some of these conditions include Cushing's disease, laminitis, and hyperkalemic periodic paralysis.

Often, as little as 1 to 2 pounds of the ration balancer is fed daily. Check with your feed company to verify dosage for your specific horse.

Different Types

Ration

Nowadays, most feed companies have some sort of ration balancer. Here's some of my favorites:

This may be the perfect option for your horse! Check with your equine nutritionist or feed company to see if your horse is a good candidate.

Head over to FAQ About Feeding Your Horse Hay to learn more about your horse's nutrition.

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