As you continue to care for your equine companion through the seasons, it’s important to adapt your horse care approach...
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Knowing how much your horse weighs is important, but body condition is a key factor in determining how fit they are. Body condition measures the level of both fat and muscle in the horse’s body.
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Article re-posted with kind permission by Equine Guelph: http://equineguelph.ca/index.php Equine Guelph has made a New Year’s Resolution to empower horse owners...
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Ensure your senior horse has access to clean, fresh water at all times to prevent dehydration, especially if they consume more dry feed. In the winter, offer your senior horse warm water when temperatures are cold. In colder temperatures, water can become very cold, and older horses with sensitive teeth may be reluctant to drink it if it's too chilly. Providing warm water can be a helpful strategy to encourage them to drink and prevent dehydration during the winter months.
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As horses age, they can experience changes in their digestive systems, which may lead to various digestive issues. Providing a digestive supplement can be beneficial in supporting their gastrointestinal health and overall well-being.
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Joint supplements help support joint health and reduce stiffness and inflammation. Senior horses may benefit from a basic joint supplement that contains glucosamine, chondroitin and hyaluronic acid. Recent research has shown that joint supplements which also contain fermentation metabolites may mediate the immune response in the joints and reduce age-related inflammation. They are recommended for horses with arthritic changes.
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Including healthy fats in the diet can provide extra calories and help improve body condition without increasing the amount of concentrate fed. The equine stomach is relatively small and meals of more than 4 to 5 pounds can easily overwhelm the stomach and lead to ulcers and hindgut imbalances. When you have maxed out the amount of concentrate your horse can safely eat, a high-fat supplement will contribute the extra calories your horse needs to maintain a healthy weight.
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Beet pulp is a good source of easily digestible fiber and can be soaked to create a soft mash, making it suitable for senior horses with dental issues. It can be added to the diet to help maintain weight and provide additional calories. Learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of beet pulp.
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Commercial senior horse feeds are specifically formulated to meet the nutritional needs of older horses. These feeds are usually more easily digestible and may contain higher levels of protein, fat, and other essential nutrients. Many companies sell multiple types of senior feeds.
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Natural vitamin E is often deficient in the diet of modern horses, particularly those eating diets consisting mainly of hay or other dried forages. Natural vitamin E is necessary for senior horses due to its role as a potent antioxidant and its involvement in various physiological processes.
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Good-quality forage, such as grass hay or alfalfa hay, should form the foundation of your senior horse's diet. Forage provides energy, protein and minerals. Feeding this essential fiber helps prevent issues like colic, hindgut imbalances and ulcers. Provide between 1.5% to 2% of your horse’s body weight in forage daily. For example, a 1,000-pound horse should eat 15 to 20 pounds of forage per day.
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Exercise benefits a horse in several ways. The effort of movement increases the calories a horse utilizes each day. The...
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A horse’s nutritional needs change as they age. Consuming, digesting and absorbing enough calories and nutrients becomes more difficult for...
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The most common question I get is, “What exactly is insulin resistance or dysregulation?” The following is not a scientist’s...
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How grass grows The exact time spring grass begins to grow will vary from season to season. It also differs...
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Horses that have demanding training or competition schedules, broodmares raising foals, and growing horses can expend a huge number of calories doing their jobs. They need energy and lots of it, but they need the kind of energy that won’t cause digestive upset or improper growth patterns.
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Eventually every horse gets to the point where it is time to retire, but when and how depends on the...
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Use the following strategies to increase calories in your horse’s diet. Remember to keep checking your horse’s condition frequently so they don’t gain too much weight!
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Can what you feed be making your horse a little crazy? The short answer is yes, it might be. Diets high in simple carbohydrates, like the sugars and starches found in some concentrates (those high in grain and molasses), can cause a horse to have hormone fluctuations that lead to anxiousness and excitability.
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It is easy for horses to drop weight in the cold winter months and you may not notice it until...
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The capacity of the gastrointestinal tract to absorb nutrients becomes less efficient as horses age. Many older horses are unable...
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PPID, once known as Cushing’s disease, is now commonly referred to as pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction. In PPID, a portion...
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Over the past couple of decades improved management, nutrition, and veterinary care have contributed to increase longevity in today’s horse population. It is not unusual to hear of horses living well into their thirties. As horses age, the wear and tear of a lifetime of activity takes its toll on joints, leading to the development of arthritis. While there is no cure for arthritis, there are ways we can keep senior horses more comfortable.
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During drought conditions, pastures may not provide enough fiber and energy to meet your horse’s nutrition requirements. Feeding additional hay may be necessary. If additional calories are still needed, consider a high-fat supplement. Horses should consume at least 1.5% to 2% of body weight per day in forage. Supplemental forage in the form of hay or hay cubes may be needed.
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