As your horse ages, you may need to adjust their diet to accommodate their evolving needs. By making simple changes to your horse's feeding program, you can help them stay healthy and feel great throughout their later years.
By Dr. Abby
The Connection Between Oral Health & Diet in Aging Horses
Feeding your senior horse can be difficult. Many senior horses continue to do very well on forage as well as a ration balancer. However, your horse's ability to eat hay and eat hay well is directly related to their oral health.
Many senior horses have lost teeth, or their teeth have started to 'wear out'. This is a normal part of the aging process and means that your old friend likely needs additional calories from something other than hay or grass.
An easy way to supplement them with these calories is with a high-quality senior feed. Many senior feeds (but not all) are complete feeds that can be fed as the horse's only feed source. If your horse is struggling to maintain its weight or is dropping feed, it is essential that you have a sedated oral examination and a good discussion with your veterinarian about their diet.
Contact our experienced equine vets at Great Lakes Equine to schedule an oral examination for your senior horse. We’re also here to discuss any dietary or nutritional concerns you may have.
Before Best Feeding Practices
After Best Feeding Practices
