Feeding of a veteran pony

[Whittler01]

I have an approx 31 year old pony who is generally good health, although his top line and general condition is changing due to his age and is to be expected.
However since the end of June he has lost approx 17kgs.
Now this could be down to the fact we had the heat wave so the grass stopped growing, and not as sustaining as normal, but during this time I stabled him so he had hay and I also upped his hard feed, where he used to get a handful, he is now getting 3 big scoops a day and I have started adding a balancer. Yet he has lost weight again.
I am using a weigh tape so not accurate I know, but it gives a guideline and I am concerned that with upping his food, out on grass all day and stabled at night for hay and he is still losing weight.
While its been suggested I should leave him out on grass all day and over night now the grass is coming back through, I still feel like he is out on it all day and on alot more hard feed and has between 3 and 4 kgs of hay overnight and his not gaining weight or his weight is not stabilising.
He is 13.3 hh native breed..... I find I am second guessing myself all the time and not sure if I doing right. While I am still monitoring for the next couple of weeks, I will get the vet out to check him over and go through what I am feeding him and what I could add to help with his weight......but would be interested in peoples experience of feeding older horses/ponies and similar experiences.
I sometimes feel that I am being neurotic, I know he is a good age, and that his body will slow down its just the weight that I am really concerned with.
Any advice, pointers or suggestions would be greatfully received.

Thanks

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Has he been tested for cushings?

 

[Whittler01]

Has he been tested for cushings?

Over the years am not too sure, possibly not, however am sure the vet would suggest this when they come out. ?

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Over the years am not too sure, possibly not, however am sure the vet would suggest this when they come out. ?

Yes definitely worth doing as it can cause weight loss.

How are his teeth? They can struggle to chew as they get older so sometimes need a mash replacement if they can't chew hay so worth getting his teeth checked as well when the vet comes.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Do get his teeth double checked at the check up, tho he may be clearing what you give him, teeth issues can still cause weight loss.
A friend got her vet to check back in June as her 33yr old mare wasnt gaining but losing weight. 2 back teeth were a problem.

 

[Nettle123]

Our 31 year old looks great on veteran vitality mixed nice and sloppy.

 

[Whittler01]

Yes definitely worth doing as it can cause weight loss.

How are his teeth? They can struggle to chew as they get older so sometimes need a mash replacement if they can't chew hay so worth getting his teeth checked as well when the vet comes.

Teeth are good for his age.....not long had the vet out and sorted them ?......with mash this is something I was considering but didn't know which as I didn't want to undo or over compensate for what he already is on lol

 

[Barton Bounty]

Our 31 year old looks great on veteran vitality mixed nice and sloppy.

This…

and if you can, add micronised linseed too ?

 

[HashRouge]

It sounds like you are getting the vet out which is good, as that would definitely be my first port of call. I would do this sooner rather than later. I'd want them to check teeth, test for cushings, and run a general blood test to see if there is anything else going on. I'd also worm or do a worm count/ tapeworm saliva test.

I have had some issues with my 29 year old losing weight in previous years. She lost a huge amount of weight very quickly in 2019 and the vet couldn't find anything obvious so suggested worming, and she soon put the weight back on! No idea if she did actually have worms, or if it was a change in diet that sorted things out. Since then, her weight has been fairly stable but she can drop very very quickly, so if I think she is even fractionally leaner than she was, it is a sign to me that she needs more food. I have been on holiday for 3.5 weeks and when I went away she was nicely rounded and was spending the nights on a rested section of grass while her field mate stayed next to her on the grazed down field (they are very pair bonded, but have completely different dietary requirements!). Obviously while I have been away the drought has continued and she has eaten the grass down, so my YO started giving her hay am and pm. I got back on Wednesday and while I think she still looks good, she has definitely dropped off slightly so I have upped both her hard feed and her pm hay (which I've increased considerably). She goes back in with her field mate in the morning, so the am hay is staying the same as he is a porker and doesn't need any more! Our grass is coming through a bit now after heavy rain on Wednesday night, so we'll see if that makes a difference.

I highly recommend Veteran Vitality for aiding weight gain in fussy, elderly horses.

 

[PurBee]

If you’re in an area where the grass is not growing and brown, due to the heatwave, you may be over-estimating what the pony is getting when out during the day?

3-4kg of hay and 3 scoops (1.5kg?) feed = 5.5kg for a 380-400kg pony? At that age 2% body weight may be preferred, so 7.6kg forage/feed required daily. (8kg grass = 1kg hay)

I’ve over-estimated slow spring growth for mine out in the fields, notice them dropping weight thinking 1 less hay feed per day should balance out, but it doesnt until there’s more growth.

If the above isnt the correct math and theyre on more than 2% and dropping weight the vet check-up is worth it.

Is your hay soft with lots of grass leaf, or stiff and stemmy? (Ideal hay for horses is a mix of both types, but generally it tends to be one or the other/ 1st or 2nd cut)
For an oldie the softer hays would be easier absorbed in the gut, more nutritious. Stemmier hays lots more fibre/cellulose to break down to gain nutrition, and more hay needed if stemmy.

Maybe also, in oldies the gut could do with support with probiotics to help absorb the nutrition from food?….worth a trial of protexin gut balancer for £20 tub months worth.
31 is an amazing age, so you’ve evidently been doing the right thing all these years. ?
This years weather has been so unusual, and its had a knock-on effect on grazing. Many on here have been haying their horses a lot to replace lost grass intake.

 

[Whittler01]

Our 31 year old looks great on veteran vitality mixed nice and sloppy.

Thank you, I will add this on the list to discuss with the vet

 

[Whittler01]

This…

and if you can, add micronised linseed too ?

Thank you for this suggestion, I will discuss with the vet

 

[Whittler01]

It sounds like you are getting the vet out which is good, as that would definitely be my first port of call. I would do this sooner rather than later. I'd want them to check teeth, test for cushings, and run a general blood test to see if there is anything else going on. I'd also worm or do a worm count/ tapeworm saliva test.

I have had some issues with my 29 year old losing weight in previous years. She lost a huge amount of weight very quickly in 2019 and the vet couldn't find anything obvious so suggested worming, and she soon put the weight back on! No idea if she did actually have worms, or if it was a change in diet that sorted things out. Since then, her weight has been fairly stable but she can drop very very quickly, so if I think she is even fractionally leaner than she was, it is a sign to me that she needs more food. I have been on holiday for 3.5 weeks and when I went away she was nicely rounded and was spending the nights on a rested section of grass while her field mate stayed next to her on the grazed down field (they are very pair bonded, but have completely different dietary requirements!). Obviously while I have been away the drought has continued and she has eaten the grass down, so my YO started giving her hay am and pm. I got back on Wednesday and while I think she still looks good, she has definitely dropped off slightly so I have upped both her hard feed and her pm hay (which I've increased considerably). She goes back in with her field mate in the morning, so the am hay is staying the same as he is a porker and doesn't need any more! Our grass is coming through a bit now after heavy rain on Wednesday night, so we'll see if that makes a difference.

I highly recommend Veteran Vitality for aiding weight gain in fussy, elderly horses.

Thank you for this suggestion..... I will add it to the list to discuss with the vet, thank you

 

[Whittler01]

If you’re in an area where the grass is not growing and brown, due to the heatwave, you may be over-estimating what the pony is getting when out during the day?

3-4kg of hay and 3 scoops (1.5kg?) feed = 5.5kg for a 380-400kg pony? At that age 2% body weight may be preferred, so 7.6kg forage/feed required daily. (8kg grass = 1kg hay)

I’ve over-estimated slow spring growth for mine out in the fields, notice them dropping weight thinking 1 less hay feed per day should balance out, but it doesnt until there’s more growth.

If the above isnt the correct math and theyre on more than 2% and dropping weight the vet check-up is worth it.

Is your hay soft with lots of grass leaf, or stiff and stemmy? (Ideal hay for horses is a mix of both types, but generally it tends to be one or the other/ 1st or 2nd cut)
For an oldie the softer hays would be easier absorbed in the gut, more nutritious. Stemmier hays lots more fibre/cellulose to break down to gain nutrition, and more hay needed if stemmy.

Maybe also, in oldies the gut could do with support with probiotics to help absorb the nutrition from food?….worth a trial of protexin gut balancer for £20 tub months worth.
31 is an amazing age, so you’ve evidently been doing the right thing all these years. ?
This years weather has been so unusual, and its had a knock-on effect on grazing. Many on here have been haying their horses a lot to replace lost grass intake.

So the grass was brown, but since we had some rain its coming through again so he is eating the new small shoots, this is why I dont think its sustaining him very well as he is really having to work to get the grass. This is why I upped his food and then took the decision to keep him in at night so he was on hay. He has to be out during the day as he has arthritis and cartilage problems so is better for him to be out....... we generally have very good grazing, and the hay is grown on the farm and is of also very good standard......generally its the soft hay.
It may be just down to the weather conditions that has affected his grazing and grass intake as he has always been a good doer, but the change I am seeing in him with his condition of the top line and buttocks, coupled with the weight loss has completely thrown me and is worrying me that it may not just be an age thing. Vet will be out and will discuss thoroughly then, but just wanted to get some suggestions from others..... thank you this has been helpful

 

[Horseysheepy]

I kept my pony (with no cushings) into her 30's with hardly any teeth, on the following diet:

Cheap high fibre pony nuts 2kg a day soaked into a mash.
Mollichop 4kg a day.
A small net (to keep ulcers at bay) of the softest hay I could get to keep her chewing overnight whilst stabled.

It's not what you'd call a healthy diet by all means! But it provided her with warmth and fibre.
Whilst she was still in work (she loved hunting!!) But showing signs of ageing, as in starting to drop weight over Winter, I found Allen Paige's Veteran Vitality was amazing stuff!.

 

[Green Bean]

Keyflow golden oldies is so good for veterans. It turns into a nice sloppy mix and has ingredients to supports joints of older horses