maintanence mix vs 16+

[catherine22]

I used to share a NF x TB mare, shes now 27 and her owner has now moved her to my yard, for her to now be stabled as shes getting on!
shes always been fed on 16+, molichaff, oil and sugar beet (her owner has since changed it to speedibeet because its easier) and has been fine, always dropped a bit of weight in the winter tho but nothing drastic. her owner wants to change the 16+ to maintanence mix personally I cant see why but obv have limited say as shes not mine.

I just wondered if any of you use maintanence mix on older horses and how they do on it.

From what i can see theres not that much difference in it make up wise

 

[lilym]

make up wise the protien and oil levels will be different, our own brand maintenance mix- i'm assuming you me a shop's own brand - is 9.5% protien and 4% oil and 10mj/kg digestible energy, D&H sixteen plus mix is 13% protien and 5.4% oil and 11.5mj/kg of digestible energy - so they may well find if she is prone to weightloss the 16 plus will be the better bet.

 

[Shooby]

i would not recommend a maintence mix as veterans need more of some vits and mins than a younger horse and many have problems digesting feed and may have less teeth, a veteran mix or conditioning mix will help with these problems, you could suggest that she contacts the veteran horse society as they have vast knowledge on oldiers

 

[eekmon]

You feed virtually the same as I do my 30 yo. I always fed 16+ mix but last year changed to 16+ cubes as he always seemed to pick out all the bits from the mix so changed to the cubes. I would not change if it was me if all is well. Is it the Senior Maintainence Mix or just the box standard one? One of ours at our yard is on the senior one and does fine on it though it is dearer than 16 + mix.