EquineRation Balancer vs. Complete Feed: Which Does Your Horse Need?
Walk into any feed store and you'll see three big families of horse feed: ration balancers, concentrates (often called "grain") and complete feeds. They look similar in the bag but do very different jobs. Picking the right type matters more than picking the right brand.
- Ration balancers supply protein, vitamins and minerals in a small serving (about 1–2 lb a day) without many calories.
- Concentrates add calories on top of hay and range from high-starch sweet feeds to low-starch, high-fat pellets.
- Complete feeds contain enough fiber to replace some or all hay, which makes them useful for horses with poor teeth.
- Feeding any fortified feed below its label rate also shortchanges vitamins and minerals.
- Match the feed type to your horse's calorie needs first, then compare brands.
The three main types of horse feed
| Ration balancer | Concentrate | Complete feed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main job | Fill nutrient gaps in a hay diet | Add calories | Replace some or all hay |
| Typical amount (1,000 lb horse) | About 1–2 lb/day | About 3–10 lb/day | Often 4–20+ lb/day, depending on hay |
| Calories per day | Low | Moderate to high | Moderate to high |
| Protein % | High (often 25–32%) | Moderate (often 10–14%) | Moderate (often 12–14%) |
| Fiber % | Low | Low to moderate | High (often 15–20%+) |
| Common uses | Easy keepers, metabolic horses, horses that hold weight on hay | Working horses, hard keepers | Seniors, horses with poor teeth or limited hay |
These are typical ranges, not rules. Always check the bag's feeding directions.
Ration balancers
A ration balancer is a small, concentrated pellet designed to balance a forage-based diet. Hay usually supplies enough calories for many horses, but it's often short on certain nutrients, such as quality protein (lysine), copper, zinc, selenium and vitamin E. A balancer fills those gaps in about 1–2 lb a day.
Good fits: easy keepers, insulin-resistant horses, horses in light work that hold weight on hay, and horses being fed less than the label rate of a regular feed.
Because balancers are fed in small amounts, their sugar + starch percentage contributes little to the whole diet. A balancer at 14% NSC fed at 1.5 lb adds far less sugar than a 12% feed fed at 6 lb.
What a balancer won't do: add many calories. A hard keeper on a balancer alone may keep losing weight.
Concentrates ("grain")
Concentrates are fed alongside hay to supply extra energy. Today's concentrates range widely:
- Sweet feeds: grains coated in molasses. Palatable and high in sugar and starch.
- Textured and pelleted performance feeds: often a mix of grain, fiber and fat.
- Low-starch, high-fat feeds: energy from fat and digestible fiber instead of grain, often used for horses that need calories but should avoid starch.
Concentrates are fortified with vitamins and minerals, but only at the label's feeding rate. Large starchy meals are linked to digestive upsets, so ask your vet how much to feed per meal.
Complete feeds
Complete feeds contain enough fiber to replace part or all of the hay. Most senior feeds are complete feeds. They're usually easy to chew and can often be soaked into a mash, which helps horses with dental problems.
The feeding rate depends on how much hay the horse still eats. A horse eating plenty of hay might get a few pounds; a horse with no teeth eating no hay might need a large amount split across several meals. Follow the bag's directions for "with hay" and "as hay replacement," and ask your vet.
The most common feeding mistake
Here's a situation vets and nutritionists see all the time: an easy keeper is getting a regular concentrate, but only a cup or two because the owner doesn't want the horse to gain weight. The label says 4–6 lb a day.
The problem: the vitamins and minerals on the tag assume the full amount. At a fraction of the label rate, the horse gets a fraction of the fortification. Switching to a ration balancer often supplies the nutrients without the calories. Ask your vet if this applies to your horse.
The opposite mistake happens too: doubling up fortified products, such as a balancer plus a full rate of concentrate plus a vitamin/mineral supplement. Some nutrients, like selenium, can become excessive. The Equine Feed Guide's plan checker flags overlapping supplements.
How to choose: a simple decision guide
- Can your horse chew hay well? If not, ask your vet about a complete or senior feed.
- Does your horse hold a healthy weight on hay alone? If yes, ask about a ration balancer or vitamin/mineral supplement.
- Does your horse need more calories? Ask about a concentrate. For horses that should limit starch, look at low-starch, higher-fat options.
- Does your horse have a medical condition like EMS, PPID, ulcers or PSSM? Ask your vet about sugar, starch and fat targets first.
Then compare products by published numbers. The feed guide lets you filter by feed type and see sugar + starch, fat and protein side by side.
Cost per day, not cost per bag
A balancer might cost more per bag than a sweet feed, but you feed much less, so it can be cheaper per day. To compare fairly, divide the bag price by the number of days it lasts at the label feeding rate for your horse.
Frequently asked questions
What is a ration balancer for horses?
A small, concentrated feed, usually fed at about 1–2 lb a day, that supplies protein, vitamins and minerals to balance a hay-based diet without adding many calories.
Can I feed a ration balancer with grain?
Some owners do, but it can double up on vitamins and minerals. Ask your vet or a nutritionist before combining fortified products.
Is a complete feed the same as a senior feed?
Many senior feeds are complete feeds, but not all complete feeds are labeled senior. The key feature is enough fiber to replace some or all hay.
Can a hard keeper live on a ration balancer?
A balancer alone usually doesn't add enough calories for a hard keeper. Your vet may suggest adding fat, digestible fiber or a concentrate.
Why does my horse need a balancer if it eats good hay?
Even good hay is often short on certain nutrients like copper, zinc, selenium and vitamin E. A balancer fills those gaps. A hay test shows what your hay provides.
Sources and further reading
- National Research Council. Nutrient Requirements of Horses, 6th revised edition (2007).
- University extension horse programs on choosing horse feeds (for example, University of Minnesota and Penn State Extension).
- American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP): owner resources on nutrition.
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