Feeding an elderly horse

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saffysmum

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What feeding management do other people have to keep weight on elderly horses. My gelding is 28 this year hes a coloured cob with arthritis Im unsure if I should let him have unlimited grazing with hay and a feed or to keep feeding his winter rations throughout the spring and summer with limited grazing and hay. Im concerned about him getting laminitis and realise it would be detrimental as his arthritis is in his hind legs. Any suggestions or advice would be very welcome.

Winter feeding was adlib hay or hayledge, feed was unmolassed sugerbeet, Equi Jewel, linseed meal, turmeric, molichaff veteran.
 
very difficult to answer. mine is 25 and is a good do-er in the summer when out 24/7 but not so good in winter. it depends on your grazing, I don't feed any hay during the summer and only feed a bit less than half a scoop of baileys light chaff, a measure of formula4feet and equimins flexijoint supplement....in winter she has haylage for breakfast, is out in field all day, and 12lbs hay and a bit extra haylage together with a mug of fast fibre(soaked) 1 scoop baileys light chaff, and the supplements the same. you can only try different options to see what suits him, he would probably prefer to be out grazing 24/7 and this would help to keep him supple and unless your grazing is very poor he would not need hay or a big feed, just a small one with any supplements that you think he needs. but it is for you to keep an eye on his weight and adjust management accordingly. hope this helps..
 
Hi splashgirl thankyou for replying Ive never had this problem before, he came out of winter the year before last looking poor, this year not as bad. He has been retired 4yrs now due to the arthritis, he is out 24/7 all year and wont come in at all, it takes 2 people to bring him in for feet trimming, dentist and vet ect lol. Ive always fed some hay to mine with restricted grazing until the end of May and then again before the Autumn flush, my grazing is very good old pasture. Im going to do a worm count this week and hes due the vet for his jabs so will ask her, I did consider it could be pain related, he holds one back leg forwards underneath himself a lot of the time these days, maybe he needs to go on bute or similar.
 
saffysmum said:
Winter feeding was adlib hay or hayledge, feed was unmolassed sugerbeet, Equi Jewel, linseed meal, turmeric, molichaff veteran.
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Oh Equi Jewel is great isn't it? Love it!

Our lovely old boy is sadly in the great polo ground in the sky now, but before he left us he did really well on Allen & Paige 'Old Faithful' - it was soft enough for him to eat but full of everything he needed. To quote from their site: " Old Faithful’s Special Blend provides easily digestible ingredients to maintain condition, as well as high quality protein. For use at whatever age your horse starts to drop off condition and not look as well as he used to. A blend of linseed and soya oil helps to maintain healthy joints and can assist skin and coat condition and this mix is formulated to be appetising for fussy feeders."

Actually - Allen & Page are also really helpful at helping with feeding plans, I really recommend giving them a call, I found they really great and they sent me a free sample!
 
I have a 25 yr old 10hh Falabella x and he's a chronic laminitic. He has diastema so I have to watch what I feed him as long fibres tend to ball up in his cheeks. This winter has been his best ever, I feed him a Stubbs scoop of chestnut feeds silver feed which is just hi fibre and grass nuts and chaff and added vitamins twice daily. I presoak it so there is little chewing add a carrot and turmeric, micronised linseed and some chaste berry powder as I suspect low level cushings. He gets a section of hay at night and a couple of parsnips too and a few times a week I hang up a lucie brick for him which he really lives. He has held his weight well and the turmeric and linseed have absolutely helped his arthritis no end. All of mine are on turmeric, I can't recommend it highly enough for improved mobility where a horse has arthritic changes.
 
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My old man, a 26yo Irish Draught stallion, decided in his last few months that he didn't want his feed mixed, so I fed it in separate feed buckets. He had Mole Valley veteran mix in one bucket, Readi Grass in a large tub, and soaked grass nuts in another. Plus a mixture of haylage and hay. When the day came when we had to say goodbye to him due to very creaky joints, my vet said what fantastic condition he was in.
 
Another vote for Allen adn Page Veteran Vitality. I used to struggle with my old mare's weight every year and dread winter. This winter I've had to cut down her food THREE TIMES becuase she is actually getting fat, never thought I'd see it happen adn certainly not in winter! It's not high in cereals or anything, just v high in fibre and nutritionally balanced - I use that with sugar beet to bulk it out and linseed for added fat.

If in doubt I also recommend contacting the advisors at some feed companies - surprisingly helpful and quick to respond in my experience.

Personally wasn't sure about the difference made by turmeric but each to their own.
 
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