feeding golden oldies... (also in s.y)

whisp&willow

whisp&willow

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also in stableyard:

hi everyone...

my sisters old pony is very very old... 40...! and has not kept condition as she normally does on summer grass.

she has lost lots of teeth now, and the ones she has are smooth as a babies behind!!

she can eat grass and hay- but not as effectively as last year, and there is a lot of balling going on! so not sure how much is reaching the stomach!

at the moment i am feeding her mollassed sugarbeet, spillers senior conditionin mix for weigh gain (soaked to form a mash, table spoon of salt, and a good old glug of rapeseed oil: split over two feeds a day.

just wondered what anyone else feeds, or would recommend i feed!

she is out 24/7 with two other horses, and is bottom of the heap.

i want to ensure she has enough forrage type feed going in there, but as it is she wont eat the bucket unless VERY sloppy, NO chaff, and mix soaked to form a mash.

was suggested to give soaked grass nuts to replace hay/grass... but its an effort for her to eat the feed already mentioned in two sittings, so another is not going to fly!

i was considering "alpha beet" but notice that it is un-molassed...?

many thanks!

vicki. x
 
A&P Veteran Vitallity is supposed to be good! and is a soaked mash type feed maybe look at swapping the Conditioning feed to this. You could also try Linseed

To be honest even in an older horse that is a poor doer I would stear clear of sugar/molassed feeds due to the cushings/lami risk so alpha beet may be better

Something I fed to my youngster when he dropped weight was barley rings soaked overnight - these are a barley and linseed mix

http://www.dodsonandhorrell.com/products/horse-ranges/weight-condition/barley-rings.html

http://www.allenandpage.com/Products/Older-Horses-and-Conditioning/Veteran-Vitality.aspx just looking this is also has linseed in it ( bit of a wonder product in my opinion both for condition and mobility)
 
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thanks ladylinda

i am not worried about lami or cushings... she has been fed on mollassed sugarbeet every winter since we've had her. ;) (and when she was in hard work.)

i have never fed un- molassed...! :o we used to feed her barley rings when she was in hard work- might give them a try- thanks! ;)

Oberon: thanks for the info! ;) i'l take a look at that! we dont know her exact age... but she's definately 40 if she's a day! (aged well over 10 years ago as around 30 by a vet highly experienced in dental work...)
 
I would try Veteran Vitality by allen and Page I have an old mare who lives out 24.7 all year and it worked wonders for her, They also do a fast fibre that also soaks to a mash which may be good if she is struggling to eat hay/hayledge. I had mine on Vertran Vitality, Fibergy and Alpha beet last year with her joint supplement and oil and she held weight even put some on last winter with all that snow and she refuses to go in her shelter little moo. If you start her on it now it'll start bulking her up for the coming winter and if not you have time to change. Good Luck its worrying having an oldie through winter. Mines just starting to show her age and is much grumpier with people she doesnt know fussing around her haha
 
Ladylina83 said:
A&P Veteran Vitallity is supposed to be good! and is a soaked mash type feed maybe look at swapping the Conditioning feed to this. You could also try Linseed


http://www.allenandpage.com/Products/Older-Horses-and-Conditioning/Veteran-Vitality.aspx just looking this is also has linseed in it ( bit of a wonder product in my opinion both for condition and mobility)
Click to expand...

i like the look of this- although i would need to find out if they stock it in inverness... and if not, if they will get it in...

im over 80 miles away from a feed merchant... :eek:
 
Veteran Vitality - Allen and Page - I have never had results like i've had with this. It is excellant. I have a 32 yo, has teeth but starting to wear and are spacing, so also quids alot. I feed haylage over winter months, keeps better condition on. Then I feed VV, chaff and s.beet in the thick of winter. You can buy online from Allen and Page
 
thanks Becky: it is worrying.... and strange- she's always held great condition over summer and into winter. but her teeth are giving out on her now! :( im taking it a day at a time if im honest.

i have this bag of senior conditioning mix to get through, but will try the verteran vitality next!

tego has always been a funny, grumpy old git! especially with me! she's my sisters horse and she knows it! worst thing is MY horse is boss and is getting rather peeved that tego is getting all these buckets and she's getting nothing! :p
 
smiffyimp said:
Veteran Vitality - Allen and Page - I have never had results like i've had with this. It is excellant. I have a 32 yo, has teeth but starting to wear and are spacing, so also quids alot. I feed haylage over winter months, keeps better condition on. Then I feed VV, chaff and s.beet in the thick of winter. You can buy online from Allen and Page
Click to expand...

excellent- thanks! im sure there would be a HEFTY delivery charge to the highlands and islands though....:eek:

we have very good quality (this years, still nice and green) meadow hay bought in already, but may supplement with haylage too.
 
I'll second the ready mash - we gave the hi fibre stuff to our oldie that suffers from lami and she loved it! Also Winergy equilibrium senior is good and at the moment she has the spillers senior balancer - I don't see why you wouldn't be able to add it to something else and turn it into a more mash like consistency?
In winter in her stable we give her a huge bowl of pony nuts and chaff made into a mash as a hay replacer and she loves that too.
 
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