Sponsored by Lexa Skandinavia
Batman went grain-free in 2012, and I have been very happy with the diet choice. I have a healthy and happy horse without stomach issues like he used to have, little problems building muscle and a very comfortable and balanced energy level.
When I visited Arctic Equestrian Games 2017 with Batman in February, Batman received a little gift from Lexa Skandinavia. I had never heard of this brand before as they are quite new here in Norway, and did some research before I gave him the mash – and he loved it! In April, I decided to go over to feeding him Lexa. They responded immediately on all of my questions, and were very helpful with the choice of feed, and they also have a line of feed which is made especially for Norwegian horses! I then received a bunch questions regarding Batman and got assistance to choose the optimal combination for him.
Tanja asked about Batman’s age, daily intake of forage and the nutrition levels in the haysilage he eats, how much I train him, if he suffer from any stomach issues, the hoof quality, any other diseases such as diarrhea, colic, ulcers or allergies.
Batman do have a history with stomach problems, he is an extremely sensitive horse and have suffered from colic earlier. He is also the pickiest horse I have ever met. I remember trying to force him to eat his muesli back in the days, and ended up throwing it all away. He simply won’t eat anything he doesn’t like. Frustrating, yep. Anyways! I struggled for years to deal with his issues, so when the company asks questions like this, I feel a lot safer on my choice, especially because I own a horse like Batman. Our horses is of course the most important thing in the world, and the diet is an important decision to make. Every horse needs a different diet based on the horses nutritional needs, allergies, diseases, activity level, breed and age and I was happy to have found a company that really cared about every single individual!
Tanja stopped by to deliver the feed, she explained everything I needed to know about the new feed, and Batman loved her! Tanja actually managed to find Batmans “spot”, a place I have never rubbed him before. Very fascinating to watch, Batman’s entire body went like “omg mooore”.
Therefore, I’m proud to announce that I am now a Lexa Scandinavia ambassador! Woho! 2,5 weeks after I started feeding Batman Lexa, he still love it. And I’m surprised my super picky horse actually likes it, even on the first day, when we started to introduce the new feed, he ate everything in his bucket. That’s a very good sign and weeks later, he is still super eager to get his daily porridge. So yep, I can recommend Lexa to picky Friesians with stomach issues, bad topline and sensitive everything. And all he gets, is just a small portion a day. That’s enough! Lexa believe that horses should eat forage only, and if more energy, protein or fat is needed, we can supplement with natural, grain-free feeds in small amounts. Horses are not made for eating five liters of oats per day. Their digestive system is built to eat grass, small amounts of it, spred through the day. Keep it natural.
I will definitely post an update about this later, and tell you about my experiences with the new diet. If you are curious, Batman’s new diet is based free access to high quality haysilage, and a combination of the following:
Kornfri Strukturmix Norway (ca 400 grams per day)
The base itself. Strukturmix is 100% grain-free, specially developed to fit Norwegian horses nutritional needs. It is also low in starch and sugar. The feed is based on alfalfa flour, linseed, sunflower seeds, chopped alfalfa, blackcurrant, beets, crude oil and flaxseed oil. It also contains essential amino acids, herbs and brewer’s yeast, which does good for stomach, digestive system and coat.
Kornfri/Grain-free Mash (a handful per day)
Lexa’s Grain-free mash is low in sugar and starch, contains linseed, hay and alfalfa, probiotics and brewer’s yeast and other goodies!
Beets/Rødbeter (100 grams per day)
100% pure beets! Easy to digest, perfect source of fiber, contains betanin, mangan, vitamin C, iron, magnesium and more.
Musc Prosport muscle supplement
Batman also gets this supplement because he lost his topline during the winter. This supplement will help him regain healthy muscle and can also be fed sport horses in hard training. Batman need it as an extra boost to help him build up muscle around the back and pelvis region.
Atcom Allegro Vital vitamin & mineral supplement
This supplement covers Batman’s daily need for vitamins and minerals. The haysilage will of course provide him with some, but most hay lack essential minerals. Therefore, I always keep Batman on a vitamin/mineral supplement to avoid low levels and deficiency diseases.
Peace, love and Friesian hugs,
Batman & Matilde
