Feed for an oldie

[Bradsmum]

My very old girl (in her 40s) lost some weight very quickly and I thought I might have to call it a day for her. However her appetite is good and she still trots up the field on occasions to greet me so I felt I should give her a last chance. i changed her usual pony nuts (she has everything soaked due to dental issues), for Top Spec Conditioner. She didn't enjoy that and didn't always finish her food. I've now got her on D& H Sixteen Plus mix with Graze On chaff morning and night with a feed of Fast Fibre at lunch time. This she is eating with no problem and the weight is getting better. However she has developed a greasy coat and it is obviously irritating her and itchy. I've been grooming every day but the greasy spots are becoming lumpy. Don't really want to change her feed again but if anyone has some suggestions I'd be happy to hear them. She is turned out 24/7 with a lightweight rug. Thanks for reading.

 

[MrsMozartleto]

I use Saracen's Releve and their Equijewel. Expensive but feed in small amounts.

Re. the lumps - the lightweight rug might be causing an issue given the weather we've had recently.

 

[Bradsmum]

Thanks Mrs M. We have had non-stop light rain and a few heavy showers for well over a week which is why she has a rug on. Due to her age, as soon as she gets wet she gets cold and then the weight will drop again. I'm just wondering whether the current feed has too much oil or something which has resulted in these greasy lumps. I guess I will need to up my grooming skills

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

My late oldie had to be fed hay replacers completely for about the last 8 months. He wouldn’t eat soaked grass nuts or speedibeet. He didn’t manage chaff very well either but was ok with grass.

He loved Pure Feeds Meadow Mash so overnight I fed two scoops of that soaked in one trug and in another I fed a mix of 2 scoops Simple Systems Haycare (Timothy nuts) which is a bit more fibrous and a scoop or two of Spillers fibre nuts plus mint and fenugreek as fussy. He ate the Meadow Mash too fast to last the night which is why I did a different trug with something that wasn’t quite as delicious.

I also used to add a bit of veteran chaff to each feed to slow his eating down. As an extra to keep him busy whilst riding my other horse I’d put a scoop or two of dry chaff in a trug with a mix of dry nuts (Baileys nuggets, spillers fibre nuts and Haycare) which he could whiffle through and find the tastiest ones first.

For his main feed he had Saracen Releve nuts, Spillers fibre nuts plus Equijewel and micronised linseed.

He was in superb condition when he passed. Very sadly he got a field injury a couple of weeks ago mainly because he was so lively and behaved like a 3 yr old and had to be pts.

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

This was posted a few days ago and has a lot if suggestions.

https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/threads/feeding-the-golden-oldie-help-needed.823504

 

[Bradsmum]

Thanks Sussexbythesea, so very sorry for your loss. We try so hard for them and it's truly gutting when they incur an injury. I saw Adorable Alice's post shortly after I posted but my enquiry is more to do with her coat than changing her feed if I can help it. She has improved weight-wise on the sixteen plus mix and is enjoying it but as a result she now has this greasy coat.