Category: Senior Horse

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Part 8: Fresh Water and White Salt Are Important for the Senior Horse

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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Part 6: Joint Supplements for the Senior Horse

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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Part 5: Healthy Fats for Senior Horses

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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Part 4: Beet Pulp and the Senior Horse

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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Part 3: Senior Horse Feed

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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Part 1: High-Quality Forage for the Senior Horse

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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3 Tips to help your hard keeper

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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Is Your Horse’s Diet Making Him Hot?

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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Concerns for senior horse owners

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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Feeding Horses in Drought Conditions

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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