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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What does vitamin E deficiency look like in horses? Subtle signs of vitamin E deficiency often go unnoticed. Stiff during warm-up Sore after exercise Sour attitude when ridden Lack of energy and impulsion
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Confused about the difference between a fortified feed, balancer pellet, and vitamin and mineral supplement? You are not alone. We put together a simple chart to help you choose which one is right for your horse.
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Why choose Equi-Jewel? Equi-Jewel® was developed by Kentucky Performance Products, LLC to safely meet the energy needs of today’s horses....
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As pastures fade from green to brown, horse owners all over will soon be feeding hay to meet their horses’...
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Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) has become more and more prevalent in our equine community. It is...
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Article re-posted with kind permission by Equine Guelph: http://equineguelph.ca/index.php Remember, each horse is an individual and will have their own specific...
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