You might’ve heard the term tossed around at the barn or seen a bag labeled “ration balancer” and wondered, Is this something my horse needs? The answer: Maybe! These concentrated feeds are often ideal for horses that don’t need a full ration of grain but still require a source of essential vitamins, minerals, and amino acids to thrive.
In this article, we’ll break down what ration balancers are and what types of horses benefit from them most.
Ration Balancers for Horses
A ration balancer is a heavily fortified pelleted feed option designed to be fed alongside forage in small amounts. Its purpose is to provide your horse with the essential nutrients forage-based diets generally lack.
Ration balancers typically contain:
- Low crude fiber and fat.
- High protein levels.
- Generous amounts of key macrominerals such as calcium, trace minerals such as copper and zinc, and fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin E.
Ration balancers are formulated so a serving size of 1-2 pounds per day provides all the vitamins, minerals, and quality protein your horse needs. So, while a bag of ration balancer is going to cost more than a bag of traditional concentrate feed, the smaller serving size means it goes a long way.
Which Horses Need Ration Balancers?
Your horse might need a ration balancer if:
- He’s an easy keeper (in other words, puts on and maintains weight very easily) that’s not getting the protein and nutrients he needs on a forage-only diet.
- You’re feeding less than the minimum recommended feeding rate on your chosen feed’s label.
- He’s a young, growing horse. A ration balancer—plus high-quality forage—can provide the nutrients young horses need without excess calories and weight gain that could increase the risk of developmental orthopedic diseases.
- He’s a riding or performance horse rehabbing from injury. Switching from a performance feed to a ration balancer reduces dietary calories and might help your horse remain calm while laid up.
- He cannot tolerate the high starch and sugar levels of some grains because he has a health condition leading to insulin dysregulation.
- His workload varies by season. A ration balancer fed year-round can ensure the horse receives consistent nutrition even as the amount of calories provided changes with workload and energy needs.
- She’s a pregnant broodmare that’s maintaining adequate condition eating hay and pasture.
How to Choose and Feed a Ration Balancer
When shopping for a ration balancer, consider your horse’s specific nutritional needs. Ideally, you’ll want to start with a hay or pasture analysis. This analysis helps determine whether your forage provides enough crude protein. If it does, a vitamin-and-mineral supplement might be sufficient. If not, a ration balancer that also includes protein can help fill that gap and better support your horse’s overall health. Also, make sure you’re choosing a product designed to be fed with your type of hay (e.g., grass vs. legume/alfalfa).
Then, read the bag’s label carefully, and follow the feeding recommendations. Each product contains different types and amounts of nutrients. Feeding the recommended rate for your horse’s size and activity level will help prevent your horse from developing a potentially harmful nutrient imbalance.
Take-Home Message
A ration balancer might be an economical option to make sure your horse is getting the nutrition he needs. Work with a veterinarian, equine nutritionist, or feed company representative to create a feeding program tailored to your individual horse.
Related Reading: How To Choose Horse Feed: It’s All About Balance
This article is brought to you by Sentinel Horse Feed.
