Vitalbix Active+ Muesli

Vitalbix Active+ is ideal for hot-tempered or sensitive horses. Active+ contains only 8% starch and 3% sugar, along with a high proportion of fiber (22%) and fats (8.5%). As a result, Active+ primarily provides slow-release energy. Active+ has a low glycemic index and has little effect on blood sugar levels (does not cause significant spikes in blood sugar). Vitalbix Active+ provides manageable energy, for a relaxed and supple horse!

A diet that is low in starch and sugars, and contains sufficient fiber, vitamins, and minerals, is best suited for horses prone to muscle cramps and stiffness.

All Vitalbix products are low in starch and sugar (max. 11%).

Combine various Vitalbix products for an optimal diet:

• Vitalbix Daily Complete or Vitalbix Active+ muesli for the necessary vitamins and minerals. Does your horse not perform any work? Then choose Vitalbix Daily Complete. Does your horse perform work and need extra energy? Then choose Vitalbix Active+ or a combination of Vitalbix Active+ and Vitalbix Daily Complete. Start with 50% of the recommended dose of Active+ and gradually increase the amount.
• Vitalbix Pure Lucerne+ for extra fiber and protein (dosage depends on protein requirements)
• Vitalbix Linseed Oil + Vitamin E as a source of omega-3 fatty acids and sustained-release energy. Oil is a safe source of energy (dosage depends on energy requirements)
• Vitalbix NutriMash as an additional supplement if your horse is underweight or prone to being underweight, or to mix supplements into their feed

Vitalbix Daily Complete and Active+ contain a generous dose of vitamin E and magnesium. Horses prone to muscle cramps or stiffness have a higher need for vitamin E and magnesium. We recommend supplementing with vitamin E and magnesium to support muscle health.

It is important to provide your horse with enough roughage (hay and grass) throughout the day and night to keep its digestive system healthy. Make sure your horse does not go more than 4–6 hours without roughage. In cases of stomach ulcers, do not let your horse go more than 2 hours without roughage; preferably, provide it ad libitum.

Products with a high starch and sugar content (>15%) can have a negative effect on stomach pH (lowering it). For horses with sensitive stomachs, therefore, it is best to choose feed with a starch and sugar content of less than 15%.

All Vitalbix products are high in fiber and contain no more than 11% starch and sugar.

For extra fiber, we recommend mixing one scoop of Vitalbix Pure Lucerne+ into the Vitalbix Active+ or Vitalbix Daily Complete kibble. The alfalfa encourages chewing and saliva production and helps regulate the pH level in the stomach.

As a supplement, you can feed 1–2 servings of Vitalbix NutriMash grain-free mash daily.

It is best to feed your horse high-quality hay or haylage with a low energy content. You can replace some of the hay with grass seed hay or straw. Be careful to avoid colic (max. 2 kg per day for a 500 kg horse).

Forage is the foundation of a healthy weight. As a general guideline, you can aim for 1.5–2 kg per 100 kg of body weight, which amounts to approximately 7.5–10 kg of forage per day. This amount also depends heavily on the dry matter content—hay or haylage contains some water. Note: When combined with pasture access, it may be necessary to reduce the amount.

Since your horse is receiving less roughage, it is at risk of a protein deficiency in its diet. Sometimes, a protein deficiency during weight loss can lead to muscle loss rather than fat loss. In that case, it may be necessary to replace a small portion of the roughage with Vitalbix Pure Lucerne+ to provide extra protein (amino acids) and prevent muscle loss.

Please note: a horse should lose no more than 1% of its target weight per week. If the target weight is 500 kg, your horse should lose no more than 5 kg per week. In practice, weight loss usually happens a bit more slowly. This means that you really need to allow several months for your horse to lose weight.

The foundation of a healthy weight is an adequate supply of roughage—high-quality hay, haylage, or fresh grass. Make sure your horse has unlimited access to roughage and avoid periods without it. A horse that needs to gain weight can generally (provided it is healthy) eat as much hay or haylage as it wants to reach its target weight.

Is your horse getting an unlimited supply of high-quality forage but still not gaining weight? If so, have your horse examined by a veterinarian first to rule out health issues such as stomach ulcers, a worm infestation, sand in the intestines, reduced intestinal motility, an intestinal fungus, or impaired liver or kidney function, etc. Once such issues have been ruled out, you can start supplementing the diet with Vitalbix.

Too much starch and sugar in your horse’s diet can disrupt its gut flora. This leads to reduced nutrient absorption from the feed. Adjusting the diet can help improve this situation. Limit feeds with high starch and sugar content, such as regular pellets and muesli. Combine various Vitalbix products for optimal results:

• Vitalbix Active+ muesli provides the necessary vitamins, minerals, and calories – approx. 1.5 kg per day for a 500 kg horse
• Vitalbix Nutrimash for prebiotic fiber (promotes healthy gut flora, extra B vitamins and calories – approx. 700–1,500 grams per day for a 500-kg horse)
• Vitalbix Pure Lucerne+ for extra fiber, calories, and protein – approx. 3–5 scoops per day for a 500-kg horse
• Vitalbix Linseed Oil as a source of extra calories (increase the amount gradually) – start with 2 pumps of 30 ml per day and gradually increase to about 6 pumps of 30 ml per day for a 500 kg horse

Mix some Vitalbix Pure Lucerne+ into the Vitalbix Active+ or Vitalbix Daily Complete pellets for extra fiber. The alfalfa encourages chewing and saliva production and prevents your horse from eating too quickly.

Do you feed your horse a regular muesli made from grains and molasses (added sugars)? If so, your horse may need to get used to the taste of the new feed. Vitalbix contains no (whole) grains and no added sugars. It’s a bit like switching from tea with sugar to tea without sugar. We therefore recommend mixing the old feed with Vitalbix for at least 2 weeks.

Most horses usually eat Vitalbix readily. Since Vitalbix contains no added sugar, your horse may not be as eager to eat it at first or might leave it untouched initially. It’s important to give it some time; you’ll see that your horse will eventually eat it just fine. Feed containing added sugar is often eaten too quickly, which is not natural behavior for horses. It’s better to see them chewing their feed calmly.