Feeding the Senior Horse for an Active, Healthy Lifestyle

I have 2 senior citizen horses.  Tina, a 35 year old Arabian mare and Dude, a 26 year old 3/4 Arabian gelding.  I have had my fair share of frustrations regarding finding a feeding program that works and more importantly! that they will eat.  So I am sharing this information.  I would recommend that you consult with your veterinarian before implementing any changes in your horse's feeding plan.

I find that my senior citizens do quite well in the warmer months turnout on pasture.  I have been fortunate in that neither of them has ever exhibited any signs of Cushings disease.  One of the big issues with senior horses is  dental health.  Tina and Dude have both basically outlived their teeth. :(  More on Dental care later.  I am hoping to attend an Equine Dentistry school later this year.  Stay tuned.

The problems that I face happen when the weather turns cold.  Which, in Wisconsin, is about 6 months of the year. :)

Here's my basic feeding program during the cold weather.  I try to find fine stemmed grassy hay.  I feed lots of it.  I keep this hay in front of them 24 hours per day.  They may not be able to get much out of it but it does give them something to play with.

AM Feeding:  5 lbs. of beet pulp(without molasses), 3 lbs of Senior Horse Feed, 1 lb of Rice Bran balanced with Calcium/Phosphorus), 1 cup of corn oil,  1 cup of Stabilized Flax and 1 cup of Equi-Shine(Vitamin/mineral supplement, 1 tablespoon of Salt.  I pour all this into a 5 gallon bucket, mix it up, then pour hot tap water over it until it makes a soupy gruel.  I have large shallow feed tubs that I pour this mixture into.  Hopefully, the horse can eat it all before it freezes. 

PM Feeding:  5 lbs. of beet pulp, 4 lbs. of Senior Feed, 1 lb. of Rice Bran, 1 cup of Flax.  Repeat the same procedure.

During bitter cold weather, I will often take out a mid-day feeding of approximately the same.  If I go out to check and everything has been cleaned up.  More Food! 

One of the problems that senior horses face is a reduced ability to regulate cold.  A horse creates body heat through digestion.  We need to get enough roughage into these older guys to create heat.  Beet pulp is a wonderful food for older horses.  It contains plenty of roughage, but is easily chewed/gummed down. 

Why the other ingredients in my feeding plan?  Senior Horse Feeds are formulated for senior horses.  Rice Bran is a high fat product that can supply extra calories.  Corn oil is a cheap source of extra calories.  Stabilized Flax is a great source of fat, Vitamin E and free radical fighters.  Equi-Shine is a great vitamin/mineral supplement.  Table Salt is to encourage these older guys to keep drinking. Colic is the number 1 killer of older horses.  We need to keep these horses hydrated even in the winter months.

More Ideas/thoughts on Feeding the Older Horse:

If at all possible, have a heated water source for your horse.  Adequate water consumption is crucial during the cold winter months.  We tend to forget about the water during the winter, but your horse quite possibly needs to consume more water in the winter since he is eating a dry(hay-based) diet.

Soaked hay cubes - tried this a few times, but my guys just weren't crazy about the cubes.  Expense is another issue.

Beet Pulp with added molasses:  If your horse turns up his nose at straight beet pulp, try a bag with the added molasses.  This will usually get him going on the stuff and then you can gradually wean him over to the no sugar product.