Feed and Supplement Correctly

Senior Horse

Senior horse - How should I feed it?

Considering the conditions and limitations that a senior horse presents, feeding management must be effectively adjusted in order to favor the maintenance of the horse's body condition, which can sometimes be challenging.

Water 

It is essential to monitor water consumption in these horses. In winter, the temperature of the water may discourage drinking, so we must be particularly careful to ensure that water needs are met. In summer, on the other hand, the increase in temperature requires greater water intake to ensure proper hydration. Adding electrolytes to the diet may be a good strategy.

REHIDRAMAX

fodder  

Forage is a vital component of the diet. In senior horses, it is particularly important to use good quality forage, as intake and digestive efficiency may be reduced (particularly when dental problems are present).

Forage may be sufficient to meet energy needs, in which case a balancer should be added to provide protein (in particular lysine), vitamins and minerals according to needs.

BALANCE

If the forage is not sufficient to meet the energy requirements, consideration should be given to including a feed suitable for senior horses and/or a supplementary source of fat (e.g. linseed oil) to increase the energy intake. Give preference to a compound feed administered in the form of a “porridge”, given the dental difficulties characteristic of senior horses.

NATURE MASH

Difficulties in forage intake related to dental problems can be overcome by using forage sources in the form of granules or cubes soaked in water.

ALFABEET

WAFERS

Compound foods    

Concentrated feeds suitable for senior horses generally contain a fibrous ingredient such as alfalfa or beetroot, and are formulated to be administered in larger quantities than a regular concentrated feed, aiming to meet part of the fiber needs of these animals.

Since protein absorption in senior horses is reduced, the concentrated feed should provide a higher protein content and should be a good source of lysine (the limiting amino acid in horses).

The incorporation of fat allows for an increase in calories without increasing non-structural carbohydrates (starch and sugars), which should be kept to a minimum in the diet of these horses (particularly in animals with Cushing's Syndrome or insulin resistance).

NATURE MASH

GASTRO PRO

The levels of vitamins and minerals provided should take into account the reduced digestive efficiency of these animals. There may be greater oxidative stress in these animals, so adequate levels of primary antioxidants, vitamin C and E, should be ensured.

Supplementation

Probiotic supplementation may be beneficial, as well as the use of chondroprotectors in horses affected by joint disease.

GASTROBALANCE

ARTIPLUS

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Feed and Supplement Correctly

Senior Horse

Senior Horse - Why is it so difficult to maintain body condition?

In recent years, there has been an increase in the average life expectancy of horses. This increase has been due in part to the abandonment of the use of horses as working animals and their increasing use in sport and leisure, as well as to the provision of better health care and greater knowledge about the species in general.

With this increase in age, new challenges have arisen, namely in maintaining an adequate body condition. There are several factors that affect the maintenance of an adequate body condition in senior horses.

Digestive efficiency 

In general, we see a decrease in digestive efficiency in older horses. Absorption capacity is limited by age-related changes in the intestinal epithelium, which limits the passage of nutrients into the bloodstream.

The production of the enzyme amylase, necessary for the digestion of starch, is also reduced, impairing pre-cecal digestion of starch and increasing the arrival of starch in the large intestine and consequent intestinal acidosis – which makes the horse more prone to “colic” and laminitis. Protein digestion and absorption is also particularly affected in senior horses, which contributes to muscle degradation.

For these reasons, a gastric supplement and/or a concentrated feed “cereal free”, can ensure or complement the senior horse’s diet.

GASTROBALANCE

GASTRO PRO

Bad teeth

Age-related tooth wear and/or loss are detrimental to gripping, chewing and salivation. Insufficient chewing and salivation promote the arrival of larger particles into the intestinal lumen, hindering the action of enzymes and microbiota, which compromises digestive efficiency.

Complementary forage and concentrate foods can ensure or complement the diet of senior horses.

ALFABEET

NATURE MASH

stress / Illness

factors of stress Temperature can have a significant impact on a senior horse. Low temperatures particularly affect senior horses because internal heat-producing mechanisms, such as intestinal fiber fermentation, may be limited. Low temperatures can also limit a horse’s water intake, increasing the risk of dehydration and related problems.

Changes in management can also have an impact on body condition. For example, when transitioning to an extensive herd system, the hierarchies that are established can limit intake.  

Chronic weight loss and consequent decline in body condition may also be related to disease states and/or chronic pain. Infectious problems, arthritis, kidney dysfunction, allergic or tumoral conditions, among other conditions, may justify loss of body condition.

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