Confusion over veteran v's conditioning feed?

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runaway

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I'm in a little bit of a pickle having read the online article about feeding in H&H the other day feeding a veteran

I spoke to a feed company a while ago who told me that the veteran feeds weren't that "special" and that feeding a conditioning feed would be just as good. Advice which contradicts the H&H article a bit.

What is confusing me is whether I really should be feeding a veteran feed or not??

I have a 22yr old TB and we hack out occasionally. He is maintaining his weight, just, but like 'Ben Gunn' in the article seems to have lost a bit of joie de vivre. He's being feed ad lib hayledge, has daily turnout, and is on Top Spec Balancer and Heygates Classic (which is basically a high fibre cube).

Would you suggest going onto the Top Spec Cool Condition Cubes (dad's horse is on those) or do you think he needs a Veteran blend as he might be missing out on some vits and minerals? (Will the Top Spec not provide the required vits and mins?).

Thoughts and ideas most welcome and appreciated.
 
if the horse is getting everything he needs in his diet he will maintain weight and look happy. Vetren mixes just generally have more weight putting on stuff in and vitamins i think.. o id say a normal mix or nut would do you fella fine.
You may want to feed him a vetren mix for piece of mind.. after all they are designed for the old boys
lou x
 
I think that each horse is different - and because one has an older horse doesn't necessarily mean that it should be on a vetrans diet. Likewise a younger horse that doesn't maintain weight won't necessarily do well on a conditining feed because of the higher energy components, making some horses quite fizzy.

I fed my 15 year old TB on a Spillers veteran mix. He simply wasn't doing well enough on a bog standard feed, and a conditioning feed would have been too heating. In the six months up until his death he looked really well, and I couldn't have been happier with his condition.

I think that sometimes you have to try a few different things to see what works for your horse.
 
That's the thing though how do you know if your horse is getting everything he needs??
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He's on the recommended ration of Top Spec and gets 4lb/8-9kg of Heygates. So these should have all the nutrients he needs shouldn't they?
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His coat is shiny, eyes bright etc so there carn't be much missing hey? Maybe I'm just getting in a pickle having read the article.
 
Yeah I think that's what I must stick with, if he's looking well etc. It's just a bit un-nerving reading things from the experts that make you wonder if you're doing the right thing for your horse.
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Think I'll try the conditioning cubes as my dad's horse is doing really well on them. Strangely I've never fed my horse a veteran feed so the conditioning feeds can't be doing him too badly
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if he's doing well on what your feeding dont change it. only change things when they aren't working. there are loads of feeds on the market and most are over complicated. with any horse the most important thing is that they get enough fibre and vits/mins. if his condition score is good then believe in yourself and stay with what your currently doing.
 
I agree with the if it's not broken don't try to fix it motto but he lacks the "life" he had and could do with a bit more weight so was starting to think he might need a veteran feed.

I think I'll stop worrying about whether he needs a vet feed and do as I normally would. He'll soon start to show if I'm getting it wrong but at the more he's pretty well.

I just have to remind myself he is 22 and had a pretty hard life before I got him at 9, so he's done well. Every one ages and they're bound to show "tiredness" at some point, I just don't want him to
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Thank you for all your thoughts. If anyone knows an age reversing feed for horses please let me know
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I've never bothered with the veteran feeds, you have to feed such huge amounts to get the benefits. But if Chex ever starts to drop weight I probably try one. I would only change if there was a need, rather than just because they are now a veteran.
 
Agree with Chex. My 18yo is on Alfa A oil and bailyes competition mix. She is going/doing really well on that. But my eye is on her for any change that she may require now or in the future.
 
Hi
I'm Ben Gunn's mummy, and to be honest I wasn't that impressed by the article. I had told them in my initial email that I had already tried a couple of different veteran mixes and he wound't eat them, so having a whole article pushing the concept of "an elderly horse has to be fed on a veteran mix" was slightly annoying.

I am now feeding him soaked oats, molasses SB, readigrass, blue chip and oil (the same as I did last winter really) and he is fairly lean, but at least the start of the hunting season has restored his "get up and go".

Personally I would sugest trying a conditioning feed before a veteran one, but others may say different.

Fiona
 
I feed alfa a oil and topspec balancer (ehich contains all the vits and mins you need) and one of mine also gets the topspec conditioning flakes, they are very palatable and easy to chew for older equines. Both veterans look amazing on this, I shall take some photos soon and post them.
 
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