Forageplus informasjonsside

Forageplus Commitment to Horses

No matter what you do with your horse we are here to care about you, support you, teach you, search for you and help you find the path to a healthy, robust horse with whom you will share and enjoy many years of fun, success and happiness. We are here to make a difference to horses and their owners around the world because every horse matters to us.

Our Forage Focused Balancers

Our horse feed balancers are of the highest quality, equine vitamin and mineral supplements designed to balance the total horse diet to the hay, grass or haylage your horse eats. Forageplus horse balancers are formulated using scientific forage analysis with reference to the National Research Council guidelines.

Therefore, our balancers contain ultra low amounts of iron, as it is already sufficiently supplied in the grass or hay. Manganese and calcium are also usually supplied at high or good levels. They also have no fillers, are very low in sugar and starch and contain the highest purity minerals and ingredients. Our Forage Focused™ formulas are based on data collected from extensive forage analysis we have carried out on hay, haylage and grass from all over the UK and Europe, ensuring the ultimate balanced diet.

What do they contain?

Our balancers contain excellent levels of essential nutrients and minerals, vitamins and amino acids that your horse may not be getting in its natural diet of grass and hay. This diet is notoriously low in magnesium, copper and zinc. In the winter where hay is the greatest proportion of the horse diet then vitamin E will be very short. Whether you are feeding a young pony, an adult horse or a horse with a specific condition, there are balancers aimed at specific areas to improve your horse’s health.

Do horses need a balancer?

With the grass or hay that horses feed on providing minerals, it is understandable that some might assume an equine balancer is unnecessary. However, it is not just the total amount of minerals per day needed but also the ratio of minerals which counts just as much, if not more. Looking at ratios ensures horses get the right amount of magnesium, copper and zinc for them whilst keeping iron and manganese low.

Using statistical analysis of our mineral data we are unique among feed companies in developing a range of essential balancers which target only those minerals which are deficient and blocked by the antagonistic effect of minerals like iron and manganese which are in excess. These formulas are based on analysis of hundreds of samples of forage to achieve optimum health in horses. Our Forage Focused™ products allow owners to nutritionally target certain areas for optimum health. This ensures you are getting essential nutrition in a balanced feed, as well as optimal mineral requirements.

Balancers may be especially useful to horses on a forage -only diet, or of an unhealthy body weight. They are also helpful for older horses and with high energy feeds for hardworking horses.

What can horse balancers help with?

• strong tendons
• healthy skin
• vibrant, shiny coat colour
• strong ligaments 
• a strong immune system
• muscle tone
• healthy nerves
• a well functioning metabolic system
• good fertility and bone
• a healthy digestive system
• strong liver function
• healthy joints
• healthy structurally sound and robust hooves
• strong white lines
• healthy frogs
• good growth in young horses

Which daily balancers are best for my horse?

Incorporating balancer feed into your horse’s diet can help target different areas and support certain body conditions such as laminitis, a magnesium deficiency or joint problems. We offer 9 types of nutrient dense feed balancers, all helpful for different areas and horses.

Summer balancers

As the name suggest, these types of essential balancer are best for optimum health, body weight and performance in the summer. These types of balancer can be fed to all adult horses, including senior horses, on green and growing pasture from April – October.

Winter balancers

Unlike summer balancers, winter horse feed essential balancers contain vitamin E, which is rarely found in winter pasture or hay and haylage. Supplement an excellent dosage of vitamin E to help keep your horse healthy throughout the winter months. These essential balancers should be fed to all adult horses including, veteran horses, from October – April.

Performance balancers

Performance balancers are best for hard working horses. They provide excellent amounts of minerals and amino acids to support muscles, muscle tone, ligaments, recovery and a controlled energy release. Forage intake is often deficient in quality protein, our balancer provides good levels of protein.

Laminitis prone / good doer Balancers

This is the best balancer for horses who are prone to laminitis. It supports healthy hoof laminae and a strong hoof wall connection with essential fatty acids, high vitamin A, Vitamin D, magnesium, copper and zinc. This balancer contains extremely low iron, starch and sugar.

Hoof health balancers

Hoof health horse supplements also target healthy hooves using excellent levels of key nutrients to support healthy keratin formation. The mineral ratios are also matched to the common deficiencies in forage.

Skin health balancers

If your horse suffers from flaky or itchy skin, these are the best essential balancers for them. Whether in a large of small concentrated feed, these supplements provide a wide range of essential nutrition to target dry skin episodes and support the best skin health for the future.

Balancers for young horses 

With young horses, it’s essential they get excellent levels of the right vitamins and minerals to support their growth and well being. The highest purity minerals and vitamins, matched to grass, hay and the NRC recommendations aim to support bones, ligaments and tendons for horse up to the age of 6 years old.

Balancers for breeding mares

For the first two trimesters of a mare’s pregnancy they will be fed as an adult horse. In the last trimester of horse pregnancy a more targeted approach needs to be taken. This will continue into the lactation period. We have chosen the most suitable horse essential balancer and selected separate nutritional supplements /ingredients to support the health and well being of the pregnant mare and the growth of a strong and healthy foal. Our pregnant mare feed suggestions are based on statistical analysis of results of forage when related to the level recommended by the NRC.

For information on horse feeding rate and health or advice on our analysis services and equine products, email us through our contact page. Or for even better results carry out analysis of the grass or hay your horse eats and allow us to optimise your horse’s diet and health even further.