16 year old TB - how do you care for your veteran?

[Frances28]

I have a 16yr old TB Mare - (mentally 4 years old!).

She is ridden three times a week for about an hour, out by night in by day. She is being fed Bailey's No 17 for her breakfast with a drop of Apple Cider Vinegar.

What else should I be thinking about giving her? How do you care for your oldies?

 

[oofadoofa]

I give my oldie MSM to help with his joints, but then he is an ex racer so he has had a bit of a hard life!

 

[wendy42]

My lad is 16 but we don't consider him an oldie yet and neither does he!! He is IDxTB and is ridden most days, my daughter and I share him. I hack she does SJ, XC, Hunts and is just going to start a bit of dressage. He is out 24/7 since March but will come in at night in about October depending on the weather. We do give him supplements, Glucosomine, Cod Liver Oil, Formula For Feet and Multi vits in a bit of chaff, luckily he's a good doer so only has a bit of pasture mix the night before and the morning if he's going to have a particularly busy day.

 

[kellyeaton]

i would get him a senoir mix that will have every thing in he needs you can even by vetran food now with glucosimin in it. vetran supplement if you are not feeding the recomended amonnt plenty of forage!

 

[muddy_grey]

I had a 16 yo ISH mare and I thought she dropping weight in the winter so I got a sack of veteran mix. She went CRAZY! I switched her back to her usual feed and added a balancer which was much better.
I have also used a veteran supplement in teh past on a real oldie (30+), but can't really comment on how well it worked as he was so old.

 

[only_me]

we have a 17 year old tb polo pony on our yard, when he came he was in very bad condition so at the moment is living out and eating loads of grass!

and he is fed a scoop of normal cool mix, which i sometimes soften with water if i am feeding the horses at night.

doctor green is already working his magic and his cuts and scars are healing nicely, and is looking a million times better!

 

[ladyt25]

Mine is 17 and on the same he's been on since I've had him (had him 13 years), I don't see him as an oldie as yet, he's competing intro BE (that's intro cos of my limits XC wise!). He doesn't appear to have any signs of arthritis as yet and is in fact fitter than he's been for years at the mo. He has a bit of energy mix to mix his farriers formula and kossolian in but that's it, in the summer he's out 24/7! We have a 24 yr old ex racer too - he's just out at grass 24/7 but is fed allen and page old faithful in the winter with some sugar beet and does fine.

 

[Three]

If she's looking and feeling well then I'd say you don't need to change anything!

My oldie is 33, hacks a couple of times a week for around an hour to keep him ticking over. He can't eat hay anymore so his winter feeds are different but at the moment he has D&H 16+, veteran vitamin supps, a little oil and cidar vinegar.

 

[Shilasdair]

My only useful tip is to keep your 16yo out in the field as much as possible - they seem to do better out, IME.
In fact my 19yo TB lives out all year, and seems to thrive on it (obviously I feed her hay and haylage in the field). I appreciate this depends on the weather where you live - it's not as easy to keep them out in wetter/colder areas.
I just make sure I rug mine well - never let her get cold at all, and she's fine.
S

 

[Frances28]

Well from the sound of everyone's response I am doing the right thing. Many thanks for the help and advice - really appreciate it.

If there is anyone else wanting to add anything PLEASE do!

 

[Rachntabby]

dont feed her any differently i have a 19 yr old TBxID and she is currently out 24/7 and has a scoop of alfa-a oil and limestone powder and garlic in winter she will have top spec coolcondition cubes added and lots of haylage. was going to add a joint supplement but the back woman said her joints were fantastic so havent bothered
there is a 32 yr old pony at our yard who is fed the same as a 9yr old
only add supplements if she seems stiffer etc

 

[amandaco2]

my 18yo ish lives out in summer and in in winter(yard rules)
she gets adlib hay
alfa a oil
topspec comprehensive.
she gets ridden 4-5times a week.
aslong as they look well keep the feed the same!