How to Feed Senior Horses
- Calories and Energy. While it’s good practice to assess and address body condition score (BCS) at all life stages, weight management is particularly important for senior horses.
- Water. Water is the most important component of any horse’s diet. ...
- Forage. Good-quality forage should be the basis of the horse’s diet. ...
- Other Key Nutrients. ...
- Take-Home Message. ...
What is the best feed for older horses?
- If the horse cannot eat hay (leaves wads of hay by feeder): Feed complete feed with highly digestible fiber. ...
- Assure high quality sources of protein, vitamins and minerals.
- If the horse cannot chew well, one can make a slurry of complete (and/or) extruded feed.
- Feed at least 3 times a day.
What is the best hay for an older horse?
types of hay for horses – Legume Hay
- Alfalfa. Alfalfa is the most common legume hay for horses. ...
- Clover. Clover hay can provide energy, protein and fiber, however, if clover molds, it can cause slobbers and bleeding in horses who eat the molded hay.
- Birdsfoot Trefoil. Birdsfoot trefoil is more resistant to negative soil conditions as well as moisture fluctuations. ...
Does your older horse need a `senior` feed'?
Signs that your senior horse may need a senior diet include: Quidding – dropping partially chewed hay out their mouth while eating. As the horse ages, nutrient absorption and utilization decrease due to breakdown of the digestive system with age.
What are the top rated horse feeds?
Top five best complete horse feeds:
- Manna Pro Senior Weight Accelerator. If you have a senior horse and are looking for the best feed for it, then Manna Pro is what you require.
- The Missing Link 5-Pound Equine Plus Formula with Joint Support for Horses. ...
- Start to Finish Cool Calories 100. ...
- Manna Pro Calf-Manna Supplement. ...
- Horse Guard Super Weight Gain Equine. ...
What can I give my old horse to gain weight?
Ultium® Competition, Omolene® #200 and Omolene® #500 are also calorie-dense feeds that may be helpful to help an older horse gain weight when fed with appropriate good quality hay and/or pasture.
How do you keep an old horse healthy?
Make sure your saddle fits properly as your senior horse's topline changes. Feed your horse a high quality diet that meets all their nutrient needs. Watch for early signs of cancer or Cushing's syndrome for best treatment outcomes. Keep senior horses up-to-date on vaccines and deworming to prevent infection.
What do you feed an old skinny horse?
To maximize nutrient intake in an aging horse, try the following:Feed 1% of a high-quality forage daily (based on body weight).Offer a complete feed specifically designed for senior horses with higher digestible fiber at a minimum of 0.5% body weight.Feed a senior horse more frequently, at least three times daily.More items...•
What is the best senior feed for horses?
The 5 Best Senior Horse FeedsTribute Equine Nutrition Seniority Horse Feed – Best Overall. ... Buckeye Nutrition Safe N' Easy Complete Senior Horse Feed – Best Value. ... Buckeye Nutrition Senior Balancer Senior Horse Feed – Premium Choice. ... Bluebonnet Feeds Horsemans Elite Senior Care.More items...•
Do older horses need grain?
Typically, no grain is required but if desired or needed, choose one with restricted starch/sugar and contains added fat (4-7%). In these horses, forage based pellets or cubes could replace 10 to 50% of the long stem/chopped forages.
Are alfalfa cubes good for older horses?
Alfalfa cubes are an excellent source of nutrition for horses, and can be used for everything from putting weight on a skinny horse, to maintaining weight on a pregnant, nursing, or heavily worked horse, to ensuring an older horse receives the nutrition he needs.
Why is my old horse so skinny?
Older horses don't have to become underweight horses. If senior equines begin to lose weight, there is usually a reason for the change such as dental inadequacy, gastrointestinal inefficiency, immune dysfunction, or the stresses associated with pain.
Are Oats good for senior horses?
Yes – if your horse needs them! Of all the cereal grains (e.g. corn, barley, wheat, etc.) oats have the most appropriate nutritional profile for horses. They are an excellent source of calories, and have a better protein and amino acid profile than many other grains.
What is considered old for a horse?
By age definition “senior” horse has been defined as 15+ years of age. Due to improvements in veterinary care and nutrition, horse routinely live 25-30 years of age, some into their 40's. It is not uncommon to see horses in late teens and twenties performing at high levels.
Can you ride a 30 year old horse?
There is no set age for retiring your horse. Some horses have physical conditions or diseases that require an early retirement. Other horses can be ridden late into their life without issues. As a general rule, most horses should stop being ridden between 20 to 25 years old.
What is considered a senior horse?
Horses are typically considered “senior” after 20 years of age.
Are alfalfa cubes good for older horses?
Alfalfa cubes are an excellent source of nutrition for horses, and can be used for everything from putting weight on a skinny horse, to maintaining weight on a pregnant, nursing, or heavily worked horse, to ensuring an older horse receives the nutrition he needs.
Why is my horse at risk for colic?
A horse infested with parasites is more at risk to have colics and difficulties in putting on weight. If the horse has received a consistent worming programme all its life, it is less likely to have colics and more likely to have a long and healthy life. Poor digestion.
What herbs help with ulcers in horses?
Herbs that may help with gut ulceration are Marshmallow, Meadowsweet, Liquorice and Slippery Elm Bark. A handful each of Marshmallow and Meadowsweet once a day may help with gut ulceration, inflammation and irritation. Liquorice has to be used with caution as it is a laxative and should not be used if the horse is scouring or have loose manure. It should not be used long term either and only 1 teaspoon a day for up to 3 months. Slippery Elm Bark is good for scouring at a dose of 1 to 2 tablespoons a day.
Why do horses eat hay?
Because the horse might have poor teeth, provide its meals as a soft mash for easier chewing as well as good quality chaff. Hay might be too hard to chew or the horse might choke on it, so the hay might need to be dampen to soften it, or chopped like chaff. It is good practice to dampen hay so it is not dusty.
How old can a horse live?
However, nowadays, horses can live happily until a very old age, some well after the age of 30. Hopefully this article will help you and your old mate find the right care. According to NRC and veterinary bodies, a horse is considered geriatric at the age of 20. In general, a horse is considered a senior horse from 15-16 years of age.
How old are horses when they are stabled?
The results identified that horses aged 10 years and over who are stabled and still get regular exercise are at higher risks than those pastured at all times. Among other factors are recent changes in diet, in type of hay, in weather conditions, in housing and worm infestation.
What are the risks of horses getting colic?
In summary, changes in diet (type of hay, grain or concentrate) as well as feeding more than 2.7kg of grains, feed ing round bales of hay, and decreased access to pasture contribute to high risk of colic. Worms. As seen above, worm infestation is a primary issue. This also applies to all horses, young and old.
What happens if a horse's droppings are too thick?
If the droppings become too lose like "cow pat", reduce the oil and/or the protein content. Too much protein can be seen in urine as it becomes thick, smelly and difficult to pass.
Why can't horses digest hay?
Horses with very poor teeth are sometimes unable to properly digest the fiber contained in hay cubes or chopped hay, simply because they cannot adequately chew the ingested material. Mushy feeds such as soaked hay pellets or beet pulp can be used in these situations.
What percentage of senior feed should be in a horse?
A well-formulated senior feed should contain, at the minimum, 12% dietary fiber and a protein percentage between 12 and 16%. The latter is often achieved by including soybean meal in the formulation. If there is evidence of decreased renal function, protein content should not exceed 12% and excess calcium should be avoided. Yeast and other digestive aids are also included to improve fiber and phosphorus digestion. Mineral and vitamin fortification should be higher than that for a standard maintenance horse feed to account for a possible age-related decline in digestive efficiency.
Why is Yeast included in horse feed?
Yeast and other digestive aids are also included to improve fiber and phosphorus digestion. Mineral and vitamin fortification should be higher than that for a standard maintenance horse feed to account for a possible age-related decline in digestive efficiency.
Can horses eat pasture?
Although these diets can be fed without other forage, it is always preferable to provide the horse access to some high-quality forage in the form of pasture or first -cut hay with a high leaf-to -stem ratio.
What to feed an older horse?
Hay cubes and hay pellets are another choice of forage that you can feed to your older horse. Hay cubes are made by pressing hay into small squares, whereas hay pellets are made by compacting and pressing the forage through a preset form, and then cutting the produced pellet into the desired length. Both hay cubes and pellets are good choices, since they are easy to store, are typically less dusty than baled hay, and usually produce less waste. Hay cubes and pellets, however, are typically more expensive than baled hay and some horses will eat them at a quicker rate which could potentially cause digestive problems. If this is the case with your horse, you should feed him several smaller meals during the day, or place the feed in different locations throughout his pen so he will be less likely to eat it all at once.
Why do you have to move a senior horse away from a younger horse?
You may also need to move him away from younger or aggressive horses so that he won’t have to compete for food. Ideally, all senior horses should have a yearly veterinarian exam to check for health or dental issues and to also monitor his body weight and body condition score.
What should a horse's diet be?
His overall diet should be based on digestible fiber, with a protein level around 12% to 14% and depending on the condition of your horse, his feed may need to be low in sugar and starch especially if he has Equine Metabolic Syndrome or Cushing’s disease.
What color should hay be?
You’ll want to feed hay that is leafy with very few stems, is light to medium green in color, and smells fresh and slightly sweet. The hay should be soft and pliable to the touch, and should be free of weeds or other types of foreign material.
What is senior feed?
Senior feeds typically are highly palatable, are easy to digest, and are fortified with vitamins and minerals to meet the specific needs of an older horse. Senior feeds are also soft and easy to chew and digest, and can be mixed with water to make a mash for horses who have difficulty chewing and swallowing their feed.
How to help a horse get older?
As your horse gets older and you start noticing changes in his body condition and attitude, you’ll probably need to alter his diet, adjust his feeding schedule and feed smaller meals at more regular intervals. You may also need to move him away from younger or aggressive horses so that he won’t have to compete for food.
What happens when a horse starts aging?
Or as your horse starts aging, you might notice that he is developing a sway back or that he is starting to have dental problems. Along with physical changes, your horse’s nutritional needs will also start to change ...
Why is my horse not chewing his feed?
Problems such as missing teeth, abnormal wear on the teeth or jaw arthritis can mean that your horse could struggle to chew their feed. Forage that is not chewed properly can lead to choke, and will not be digested properly in the small intestine, which could lead to impaction colic.
What is a senior support balancer?
Senior Support Balancer - For horses who maintain weight easily or need to lose a few pounds
Why do horses struggle to maintain muscle mass?
Maintaining Muscle Mass: Older horses may struggle to maintain muscle mass due to: - A reduction in workload. - Poor absorption of protein from the small intestine . - Reduced ability to build new muscle. Feeding high-quality protein is essential. Sixteen Plus Mix and Cubes and KwikBeet contain high levels of digestible protein to help maintain your ...
What supplements help with respiratory system?
Providing extra antioxidants can help support the heart and nervous system. Herbal supplements such as Breathe Free may help to maintain a healthy respiratory system. Digestive Support contains yeast, prebiotics and psyllium to help support digestive function.
How to keep a horse moving?
Light, regular exercise is beneficial for your horse. Feeding supplements to encourage joint health can help to keep your horse moving.
What to feed a horse as it gets older?
As your horse gets older their heart, lungs, liver, digestive system and kidneys may begin to need extra support. Providing a low calcium feed such as Sixteen Plus avoids placing additional stress on the kidneys. Providing extra antioxidants can help support the heart and nervous system.
Why do horses lose weight?
Some horses may begin to lose weight due to dental problems or reduced ability to absorb nutrients from the intestine. Some horses may gain weight due to reductions in workload.
What happens if a horse has PPID?
Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) levels rise in all horses this time of year, but horses with PPID can experience significant elevation that, if left un controlled, can cause weight and topline loss. Horses with uncontrolled PPID are at a greater risk of developing insulin dysfunction and laminitis, so this is something you’ll want your veterinarian to check out.
What to do if you feed less than the recommended amount of senior feed?
If you feed less than the recommended amount of senior feed, you will need to keep the ration balancer in the diet to ensure his vitamin and mineral needs are met . Try feeding several small meals throughout the day, rather than two large meals, especially when feeding wet feeds in summer.
What supplements can I give my horse for arthritis?
An anti-inflammatory product and/or a glucosamine/chondroitin sulfate supplement might benefit horses with arthritis. If you have questions about feeding your senior horse, work with your veterinarian or an equine nutritionist to develop a program that will meet his nutrient needs. — The Horse Staff.
How to tell if a horse is eating hay?
Weight loss is a sign that calorie intake is lower than calorie usage. If you believe your horse is eating the hay provided and the quality appears good (plenty of leaf and not too much stem), I’d see if you can increase his hay intake. My preference is to increase forage before increasing grain. If the hay appears to have been cut at a more mature stage, you might want to forego increasing hay intake and move to one of the following options:
What is senior feed?
Senior feeds are usually complete feeds, meaning they contain all the forage a horse needs and, therefore, are designed to be fed without hay. Which version you feed your horse depends on his specific needs and his ability to eat other forage sources.
Why do horses lose weight?
Pain is another possible cause of weight loss, especially in older horses with mild osteoarthritis. This can make getting around harder for a horse. They become less motivated to go to feeding areas to eat, and even pain-related stress itself can result in weight loss.
Is rice bran good for horses?
Fats are great calorie sources, because every gram of fat provides 2.25 times more calories than an equal weight of carbohydrate or protein. A few pounds of rice bran in combination with beet pulp often helps put weight on horses.
What to feed an older horse?
While it is true that older horses may chew and digest somewhat less efficiently, whole-ration pellets of modest nutrition (10-percent protein, one Megacalorie per pound) are the answer to that problem, not the 16-percent protein in alfalfa or fat added to already high-fat senior feeds. Although it is getting harder to find, oat hay is the most practical answer for older horses' forage needs. If made in the early stages of grain formation, oat hay alone is an excellent total ration for maintaining older horses while avoiding the imbalances and excesses that can come with alfalfa. Additionally, the twice-a-day feeding routine you follow is quite unnatural and requires internal adjustments that stress the digestive and metabolic systems. When the intermittent "meals" offer high-protein, high-calcium alfalfa and energy-rich concentrates, the potential for problems is greater still.
How much protein should I give my horse?
If he can chew and swallow without difficulty, an older horse will do best if he has light (10 to 12 percent protein, one Megacalorie per pound) hay available at all times, and this is what I would recommend for your horse. Water and salt complete the healthy diet.
Is oat hay good for horses?
Although it is getting harder to find, oat hay is the most practical answer for older horses' forage needs. If made in the early stages of grain formation, oat hay alone is an excellent total ration for maintaining older horses while avoiding the imbalances and excesses that can come with alfalfa.
Why do horses lose weight?
Digestive system. One of the main reasons older horses start to lose weight is because of their inability to chew fibre properly due to poor dentition. If your horse is unable to eat hay due to his advancing years, his fibre should be provided through a hay replacer, which is fed alongside hard feed.
What is the best food for a horse?
The horse’s diet should include a good level of protein, which is essential for muscle and cell renewal. Hay is usually low in protein, so it is important that your horse receives sufficient quantities in hard feed. Good sources of protein include alfalfa-based chaff and some haylages, as well as compounds feeds specifically formulated for veteran horses.
Why is fibre important for the digestive system?
Adequate fibre intake – it is essential for the digestive system and it gives internal warmth
Why is it important to feed an older horse?
It is important that the health of the sympathetic nervous system is maintained as the system becomes less efficient with age, which means the horse is less able to control its body temperature.
Is hay good for bone remodelling?
Vitamin D and calcium are both essential for bone remodelling, but hay and straight cereals are low in calcium. An alfalfa-based chaff is a good source of digestible calcium.
When Does an Old Horse Require Special Care?
As with humans, chronological age does not always match the aging process. In studies by the author many horses over age 20 had conditions that required special care; however, many did not. Indeed, these horses often were still valued as riding or performance horses or, in the case of stallions and mares, used for breeding even past the age of thirty. Age alone should not be a criterion for retirement or special management. If the horse is in good body condition, healthy and active even at 20+ years, don’t change your routine. However, if an aged horse has some of the problems in Table 1, it may be a candidate for special care. Nutritional recommendations are given in Table 2.
What are some examples of arthritic problems in horses?
Ringbone and spavin are examples of arthritic problems commonly seen in older horses. However, a little stiffness that the aged horse will warm out of fairly quickly when exercised should not be a cause for alarm or retirement.
Why do horses lose weight?
The most common causes of weight loss in aged horses are failure to keep up with deworming schedules, debilitating diseases and/or poor dentition. If an older horse is failing to maintain adequate body weight, despite good deworming schedules, normal appetite and adequate rations, its teeth should be checked carefully, using a full mouth speculum. Merely pulling the tongue to one side to look at the back teeth is not a reliable method of detecting dental abnormalities. If the teeth are normal, the horse should be carefully checked for disease by having a veterinarian perform a thorough physical exam, including a blood sample to check for chronic infections and liver or kidney dysfunction.
How to help horses in winter?
Three-sided “run-in” sheds are adequate in most cases. Higher energy needs in winter can be met by providing increased feed in a more highly digestible form such as high-fat pelleted or extruded feeds. Insuring free access to clean, fresh, unfrozen water can reduce constipation or impaction problems, which are most common in winter. If the horse does not drink well, feeding water-soaked feeds (1 to 2 gallons of water per feeding) will help increase fluid intake. Addition of 1 to 2 ounces of salt to the feed may also encourage increased water intake but should be done only if the horse has unlimited access to water.
How to help an arthritic horse?
Once up, the horse may stagger. Try to support it without putting yourself at risk if it collapses. Massaging the limbs and muscles to get the circulation going again may help. To make the arthritic horse more comfortable, consult your farrier and veterinarian regarding the optimal way to trim or shoe the horse.
Why is my horse's flexion so painful?
Arthritis. As with human athletes, years of stress, injuries and general wear and tear can result in painful and crippling arthritic changes in older horses. Arthritis is a combination of inflammation and degeneration of the tissues associated with a joint which make flexion and/or weight bearing painful.
What is the best hay for a 1000 lb horse?
A typical ration for a 1000 lb horse might consist of free access to top quality hay, preferably a straight grass or grass/alfalfa mix or pasture, plus 2 to 8 lbs of a feed designed for old horses, plus free choice water and salt. Avoid straight alfalfa. Its calcium content is high and may exacerbate failing kidney function.
What are the microbes in the hindgut?
The hindgut contains microbes, which are bacteria and protozoa capable of digesting dietary fiber supplied by roughages in the diet. The horse does not produce enzymes which digest fiber, but uses microbes to break down fiber. Microbes enable horses to utilize fiber quite well.
How much roughage should a horse eat?
For example, a 1,100 pound horse requires at least 11 pounds of roughage.
How many nutrients do horses need?
A horse requires five types of nutrients. Each nutrient has an important role in the horse's body and is needed to keep the horse healthy.
What are the best supplements for horses?
Only add supplements to the diet if something is missing. Some protein supplements are oilseed meals, soybeans, cottonseed, linseed (flaxseed) meal, peanut meal, sunflower seed meal and rapeseed (canola). Vitamin and mineral supplements should only be added to the diet if the horse is deficient. Generally, the only minerals of concern in feeding horses are calcium, phosphorus and salt. In some geographical areas, lack of selenium and, in growing horses, copper and zinc, is a concern. Other minerals are likely to be present in adequate amounts in a normal diet.
Why is it important to know how to feed a horse?
Understanding the function of the horse's gastrointestinal (GI) tract is critical for maintaining its health and preventing conditions such laminitis.
How much water does a horse drink?
A horse drinks about 10 to 12 gallons of water daily depending on the work it is doing. In hot weather, a horse may drink up to 15 to 20 gallons of water. In very cold weather, water heaters may be needed to prevent the water from freezing. Energy in feeds is measured in Mega calories (Mcal) of digestible energy (DE).
What are the minerals needed for horses?
Small amounts of minerals usually are needed. Iron, copper, phosphorous, calcium and magnesium are examples of minerals that are important for a horse's body. Without iron, blood cannot carry oxygen to the body's cells. Without calci um and phosphorous, bones and teeth will not form properly.
