Nutrition 101: What's the Best Feed for Older Horses?

Older horses truly are treasures.  They've been around the block a time or ten, are usually well trained, sensible and perfect for teaching children or inexperienced riders all about the joys of riding and life with horses.  So what's the best way to keep your old timer in top condition as he enters his twilight years?

We ask Peter Pryde - from Prydes EasiFeed - about the best way to ensure older horses' nutritional needs are met...

Peter advises, "Older horses have special nutrient requirements because as they age their ability to eat, chew and digest feed changes. The most important aspect of the diet that you should pay attention to is their intake of fibre. If their teeth aren't in good condition they won't be able to eat enough hay or pasture. When this happens older horses will start to lose weight, despite seemingly being fed enough 'hard feed' and in severe cases they will develop diarrhea because they simply don't have enough fibre in their hindgut."

"To make sure you meet their fibre requirements older horses with poor teeth should be fed a minimum of 1kg per 100 kg of bodyweight per day of chaff (not hay) or fibre pellets like Pryde's EasiFibre, even when they have access to plenty of pasture or hay. If they don't have access to, or can't eat any hay or pasture at all, this amount should be increased to at least 1.5 kg/100 kg of body weight per day."

"Older horses do also lose some of their ability to digest fibre in the hindgut and protein in their small intestine, so for oldies having trouble holding their weight, an easily digested grain based feed with high quality protein should be fed (unless they are prone to laminitis). Extruded feeds that use quality sources of protein like Pryde's BioMare Cubes are perfect for older horses."

 

Quick Link

• Find out more about the feeds mentioned above and view the full range available from Prydes EasiFeed at the Prydes Website.