Buckeye Nutrition
Ask the Experts
Feeding the Senior Horse
Tuesday, October 06, 2009by Buckeye Nutrition
Horses today are living much longer than they did in previous years - in fact it is not unusual to have a horse live into his thirties. As our equine partners live longer lives, it is our responsibility to support them nutritionally in their later years.
One question people often have is how to determine if a horse is "old." At what point does a horse move from being "mature" to being a "senior"? The answer to this question really depends on the individual horse. While most people consider 20 to be the start of old age in horses, there is no real age when a horse can automatically be considered chronologically old. The most effective way of establishing old age in horses is to watch for certain physical signs. Chronically low body condition, loss of muscle over the topline leading to a sway-backed appearance, graying of the coat, and hollowing out of the grooves above the eyes are all symptoms of old age.
There are four primary characteristics of senior horses that can affect their overall nutritional outlook. The first is deteriorating dental health. This is very common in the senior horse and effects their consumption of hay - the most important part of any horse's diet. Senior horses with bad teeth will simply not be able to chew and process long-stem forage; so alternative fiber sources must be provided in their diets. The second characteristic of senior horses is decreased digestive efficiency. Older horses have nutritional requirements similar to those of a long yearling because they simply cannot metabolize nutrients as easily as they did when they were younger. The third characteristic is a changing metabolism. This means that some older horses may develop problems in maintaining weight and become "easy keepers", while some may develop problems in holding their weight and become "hard keepers." The final characteristic we see in older horses today is arthritis. Arthritis actually has a huge impact on nutrition, as it causes both pain and stress, which can cause an older horse to begin losing weight or go off of feed completely. Also, in group-feeding situations, older, arthritic horses may not be able to fend off other horses to eat their feed.
When feeding senior horses, it is a good idea to use a commercial grain mix specially formulated for these older horses. These types of grain mixes are designed specifically for the needs of senior horses, so the protein, and vitamins and minerals in the mix are adequate for a senior horse's higher needs, and are correctly balanced to fit his nutrient requirements. When shopping for a senior feed, look for a high amount of fiber in the grain to compensate for any loss in ability to process hay. Some senior feeds can even be fed as complete feeds - replacing hay altogether. Also, be sure to look for form in your senior feed. Pelleted feeds are best for those senior horses that have poor teeth, as pellets are easy to process and digest. And finally, be sure to look for a low starch and sugar level. Senior horses can become susceptible to many metabolic disorders due to high starch and sugar levels, including Cushing's disease and insulin resistance. By choosing a senior feed that is low in starch and sugar, you can reduce the risk that your senior horse will develop one of these diseases.
31 comment(s) for “Feeding the Senior Horse”
The pellets do not need to be moistened, although it is owner/horse preference. If your horse's teeth are very poor, moistening the pellets will make it easier for them to consume.
Miss Kim,
It sounds like your mare's teeth should get evaluated. She may just need the float this year to create a more even chewing surface. I might suggest feeding a senior feed along with the Gro N Win to increase fiber and calories in her diet. The Gro N Win will still provide essential amino acids that will help her regain topline and muscle growth and works well in conjunction with the Senior feeds.
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at 1-800-898-WINS.
Shari
I also have a Percheron mare that needs to lose 200-300lbs and get to work. She is now exercising and I have been giving her 2lbs per day Safe & Easy with Hay. What would help her get nutrition and no sugars until I get the weight off her? I do have some Gro^Win on hand.
Thank you!
Sorry to hear about the Black Walnut problem. I am not sure about the sweating, please send me an email at technicalsupport@buckeyenutrition.com and we can talk about that some more. As for the Safe N Easy, that should be enough if fed at the recommended level that you shouldn't need any additional top-dress.
Thanks!
Shari
I would look at the EQ8 Gut Health product. It is fairly low in starch and sugar, high fat, and high fiber. It has live probiotics and prebiotics to help with digestive help and is also very palatable. If he has good quality grass hay, a product like this can safely add pounds and help the digestive tract as well. Let us know if you find anything else out in the meantime!
Shari
Maybe try the Gro N Win for both of them. Gro N Win is low in calories and NSC but very high in vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. For the gelding, I would top-dress Ultimate Finish as necessary. The Percheron mare that needs to lose weight needs the Gro N Win because even with the low inclusion rate, she will still be meeting her daily requirements. Right now at 2 lbs per day of Safe N Easy, she is not getting enough vitamins and minerals. I think you could easily feed both horses with 1-2 products.
Shari
Thanks for your help,
Peggyann Hamilton
For a 1000 lb mare in maintenance or low work, you would feed about 1.0-1.5 lbs per day. Please see the new www.gro-n-win.com website for more information on feeding Gro N Win!
It sounds like Safe N Easy would be a good option for your mare. It is low in starch and sugar and low calorie, yet will provide enough energy for a horse that still has a job to do. It comes in both pelleted and textured forms too!
If you feed the recommended amount of Senior, you do not need to add Gro N Win. There will already be enough vitamins, minerals, and amino acids in the Senior, since it is fortified with Gro N Win. To add more weight, you can still top dress the Ultimate Finish for additional calories. You could also look at increasing the amount (or quality) of the forage you are feeding to add calories to her diet as well.
Thank you for using our products. Gro 'n Win is an excellent choice for your horses. Gro 'n Win supplies your horses with the essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids they need in a low calorie, low starch and sugar formula. Since forage is the primary calorie source for your horses, limiting forage intake by utilizing grazing muzzles may help to decrease excess calories while still ensuring your horses have at least 1% of their body weight in forage (hay or pasture). Please contact our care line at 800-898-WINS(9467) for more information on incorporating grazing muzzles into your feeding program.
Maintaining weight is one of the challenges of caring for our older equine friends. As long as her teeth are in good condition, you can simply add one of our Ultimate Finish fat supplements to her daily feeding regime. Ultimate Finish comes in three varieties that vary in level of fat and feeding rates.
Ultimate Finish 25 is an extruded nugget, that is 25% fat and has a feeding rate of 1/2 pound up to 3 pounds daily. Ultimate Finish 40 is a soft pellet, that is 40% fat and you can feed up to 8oz daily. Ultimate Finish 100 is a prilled fat, that is 100% fat and has the same feeding rate as Ultimate Finish 40, up to 8oz daily.
Any of these products would be a great way to help your mare increase body condition before the upcoming winter months. If you don't want to add more volume to your horse's meals, Ultimate Finish 40 or Ultimate Finish 100 would be ideal to add extra calories and still keep meal sizes smaller. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact us using the customer care line at 800-898-9468.
If you want to increase the calorie amount in his feed without increasing feeding amount too much, I would top dress with Ultimate Finish. We have a 25, 40 or 100 percent fat available. With the Senior Texturized product, I would recommend the Ultimate Finish 25. You will start by adding 1/4-1/2 lb and can go as high as 3 lbs per day. I would recommend starting at 1/4 lb per day for a few days, then 1/2 lb per day, and going up to 1 lb per day and see how he responds to that.
Senior Texturized is to be fed by the guidelines on the bag. Depending on the size of your horse and level of activity, you will need to provide the amounts recommended. If you are feeding below 5 pounds per day, we recommend that you provide 1 pound per day of Gro 'n Win to meet your horse's protein, vitamin and mineral needs.
Ultimate Finish 25 is an excellent choice to complement our Gro 'n Win product. Ultimate Finish 25 can be fed at variable rates depending on the needs of your horse. If you are just interested in skin and coat enhancement, then we recommend 1/4 pound per day. For increased body condition, we recommend a minimum of 1/2 pound up to 3 pounds per day. If your mare is at a good weight and you wish to maintain that weight and condition, I would recommend 1.5 - 2 pounds per day. Gro 'n Win will need to be fed along with the Ultimate Finish to provide all of the essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals she needs. I recommend feeding 2 pounds (16 ounces) of Gro 'n Win per day.
The answer depends on the types of grains you are adding into your ration and where they were produced. Many grains can be variable in the amounts of minerals such as selenium and vitamins, so the best way to make sure you are not over or under supplementing your grain is to have the individual grains tested for mineral and vitamin levels prior to adding to it.
Buckeye Nutrition Safe 'n Easy is most comparable to Purina Strategy Healthy Edge. Safe 'n Easy comes in either pelleted or texturized form. Both are low starch and sugar formulas fortified with Gro 'n Win technology to supply essential vitamins, chelated minerals and amino acids. Increased levels of lysine, methionine and threonine serve as building blocks for muscle development and maintenance for a strong topline. Increased fiber content promotes a healthy hindgut. This scientifically-formulated diet works to ensure that all proper nutrition is accounted for and is utilized to its highest potential for optimal health and performance. For more information contact our care line at: 800-898-9467.