old horse - losing teeth

[Tinks81]

my old boy (late twenties) is losing his teeth!!

they have gone very pointy at the front ......he looks very well/fat at the moment but i worry he may deteriorate quickly ???

Has anyone any experience of this?

 

[Oberon]

my old boy (late twenties) is losing his teeth!!

they have gone very pointy at the front ......he looks very well/fat at the moment but i worry he may deteriorate quickly ???

Has anyone any experience of this?

Yes. Obi's first tooth came out at 24 years old.

I was hysterical for 24 hours and had to be sent to bed by hubby

He is 26 now and I've learnt a couple of things since then .

In summer he is out 24/7 but has a bucket feed of Fast Fibre, Spiller's High Fibre Cubes (naughty but he loves them ), Pro Balance +, micronised linseed, yea-sacc, 1000iu Vitamin E.

In winter he is out in nice weather during the day.
In at night with ad lib haylage in a huge 75ltr TubTrug (no nets as they make life harder than necessary).
Bucket feed with Fast Fibre, speedibeet, balanced minerals, micronised linseed, 2000iu Vitamin E.

He has a separate bucket of dampened unmolassed hay chaff too.
In previous years I have used Readigrass, but he didn't need it last year.

The important things to remember for a dentally challenged horse;

• Feeds need to be damp/sloppy
• Horse's teeth need checking religiously every six months
• You need to provide 2000iu Vitamin E a day to keep their immune system viable - they are unlikely to get enough from the forage alone. (the Pro Balance + I am using gives me 1000iu. I supplement the other 1000iu with a human gel cap.
• Micronised linseed will provide the omega oils. They may not get enough from the grass alone, especially in winter.

 

[Tinks81]

thank you for this though that causes me some problems!!

He is not fed (and hasnt been for 10 years since retirement!!)
He lives out 24/7 and hates coming in to a stable (he used to be a competition horse but now hates coming in !!)

He is currently a round barrell so i am sure he is eating - I just worry about coming into the winter x

 

[Oberon]

My old boy comes through the field gate and eats his dinner while I rub his back at the moment It takes 10 minutes.

If he is looking good, then there is no issue.

If you want to feed him, he can have two smaller meals in winter?

They are usually rather keen to be pampered once they get into a routine.

The good thing about Fast Fibre and the Spiller's High Fibre Cubes is that they 'cook' in a matter of minutes, so they suit my hectic schedule.

 

[Tinks81]

My old boy comes through the field gate and eats his dinner while I rub his back at the moment It takes 10 minutes.

If he is looking good, then there is no issue.

If you want to feed him, he can have two smaller meals in winter?

They are usually rather keen to be pampered once they get into a routine.

The good thing about Fast Fibre and the Spiller's High Fibre Cubes is that they 'cook' in a matter of minutes, so they suit my hectic schedule.

Trust me mine hates being pampered - if i got him out the field he would bugger off to my back garden to pull up the plants !!

he is the most dominent though so i may be able to feed him with the rest in the winter

I use fast fibre for the youngsters too x

 

[Oberon]

Trust me mine hates being pampered - if i got him out the field he would bugger off to my back garden to pull up the plants !!

he is the most dominent though so i may be able to feed him with the rest in the winter

I use fast fibre for the youngsters too x

If he has such energy - then there is no need to feed him

If it becomes a necessity, I'm sure you'll both find a way to make it work - even if it means electric fencing a 'feeding pen' for him within the field.

 

[sarahann1]

My oldie has lost his two top front outside teeth. Doesn't seem to bother him at all, in fact he's got a grass mask on just now because he'd get to fat without!