Feeding a senior horse

[paint_girl]

Ok so I have a boader that just purchased a senior horse. She is a little bony, mainly on the topline and a little ribby. Ill take some pics soon and post them, its kinda hard to tell because she is furry. I wondered if they should put her on senior feed. But I didn't know if there was something cheaper or a household method that would work better. I have a blanket on her too. She still eates good all her hay etc. doesnt have a problem with chewing.

[WashingtonBay]

When to switch to Senior Feed and in what amounts depends on how well they eat hay, and how much, in addition to hay, they need.

Keep in mind Senior is intended to be a complete feed, i.e., all a horse eats, when they can no longer make good use of hay, so it's mostly forage, fairly high in fat, medium on protein, and the vitamin supplement package in it is designed to be spread over a few to several pounds a day, depending on the feed. Read the bag or the website to know for sure, I think Purina the minimum is about 3 pounds to get the RDA of the vitamin/mineral supplement package.

[cyb]

If the owner does decide to feed a Senior feed I've found the best one I've fed is Triple Crown Senior compared to Purina and Nutrena Senior

[paint_girl]

I just took these pics. the previous owner said they fed her sweet feed, hay and pasture.
http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=1209&pictureid=16873&thumb=1 (http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/album.php?albumid=1209&pictureid=16873)

http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=1209&pictureid=16872&thumb=1 (http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/album.php?albumid=1209&pictureid=16872)

http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=1209&pictureid=16871&thumb=1 (http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/album.php?albumid=1209&pictureid=16871)

[farmers_wife]

I have a 28yr old and last year he was kind of on the skinny side. So we switched his feed to purnina senior with amplfy, plus I mix it with progressive. And he gets all the hay he wants because he is by himself. I this horse needs to be by itself or with other senior horses so he does not get pushed away from the food. My horse was not getting much hay because of the other horses.
Now this winter my gelding has gained over 100pounds. Rashad looks really good. Good luck.
Oh for feed I give one big scoop of purina and 1 scoop of progressive two times a day.

[WashingtonBay]

I just took these pics. the previous owner said they fed her sweet feed, hay and pasture.
http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=1209&pictureid=16873&thumb=1 (http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/album.php?albumid=1209&pictureid=16873)

http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=1209&pictureid=16872&thumb=1 (http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/album.php?albumid=1209&pictureid=16872)

http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=1209&pictureid=16871&thumb=1 (http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/album.php?albumid=1209&pictureid=16871)
Detail on the treatment the last 4 months is key here.

If the horse has been fed a fair portion of any feed, provided shelter/blanket/warmth, wormed and had her teeth done, and she still looks like this, then it's time to do a blood panel and see what's up.

But if the horse has been unprotected from the weather, not fed enough or had too much competition, not been vetted or dewormed, or getting any of the pampering that might have helped her keep her condition over the winter, she may bloom with even half those niceties added.

[Gypsy Rose]

WB, Purina Senior has to be fed at the rate of 6 lbs. a day for an average adult horse to get the minimum daily requirements of vitamins and minerals.:)

Purina Senior feeding instructions:
http://horse.purinamills.com/products/EquineSenior.pdf

Another alternative would be soaked, shredded beet pulp, and/or soaked hay cubes, along with possibly ruce bran, and definitely an appropriate vitamin/mineral supplement.

[WashingtonBay]

Is it? I thought the rep told me at the feed night thingy that I was complete if I was feeding at least 3 pounds.

I know I'm feeding less than that to Cyn... And they're still doing just fine :) Maybe I'll add a vitamin.

[paint_girl]

I do not know what the previous situation was. But the boarder purchased her and in the past month has blanketed her, wormed, vaccs, teeth, hooves done etc. the whole nine yards. she is fed in her stall by herself so there is no challenge with food.

[natisha]

She looks sweet. I've got a soft spot for the older gals. How old is she?

[offgridgirl]

If she can still eat hay, then get some with Alfalfa mix.


I wish you luck getting weight on the gal...she looks like good cookie!!!

[Gypsy Rose]

Is it? I thought the rep told me at the feed night thingy that I was complete if I was feeding at least 3 pounds.

I know I'm feeding less than that to Cyn... And they're still doing just fine :) Maybe I'll add a vitamin.


The 6 lb minimum is because of the roughage content in the senior feed. So far, every complete feed I've seen, you need to feed more to get the minimal nutrient requirements.

[Sundays Man]

My girl Mira is 19. Not ancient, but senior none the less. She is the epitome of an "easy keeper". In the summer she swells up like a baloon. I'm not going to call her fat, but at 15 1/2 hands, she gets a little short for her weight during the summer. I'm going to use a grazing muzzle on her this coming summer. In the winter it's easier for me to get some of the weight off by watching her weight and feeding accordingly. She generally looses 75 or so pounds during the winter. I've worried about her age and if I should give her joint supplements and all that, but she is still one very active girl. She can outrun the other two in the herd, she is still quick and agile. Well agile might not be the word here, she does get clumsy on the trail some times. I guess I'm blessed to have such a healthy senior. I hope she stays that way for years to come. I am interested to know what others do for their senior horses in case Mira gets to that stage.

[paint_girl]

If I was to get beet pulp(I've heard a lot of good things about it) where would I find it, how much would it cost and how much or how should I feed it. Does this mixture sound ok for her? I was thinking a scoop of Senior feed or mix some with sweet feed. And then to add corn oil too. and maybe beet pulp. but i didn't know if I should do one thing or the other.

[Gypsy Rose]

You can use beet pulp for up to 40% of the forage ration. What's nice about it, is when you soak it, it more than doubles in volume, so is very economical.

Wherever you buy your feed, ask them if they carry beet pulp. I pay 18.50 for a 40 lb. bag, but prices vary around the country.

What kind of hay is the horse getting? any supplements? That would help determine exactly what and how much to feed.

[Beausgirl]

I have a senior gelding who has trouble keeping weight on over the winter. He is eating hay, he just isn't digesting like he used to. I started him on a regimen of soaked beet pulp every night, and hay twice a day, which he is doing well on this winter. It would be better to have him on an alfalfa hay, but mixed grass/timothy hay is what I have....Anyway - the beet pulp in this part of the country is cheap - I pay about $9 for a 50 pound bag. I put about 2 1/2 cups of beet pulp pellets in a 1 gallon Ice cream tub, and fill it 3/4s or 5/8 (?) full of water, and let it soak all day. Then I feed it with his evening hay ration. It's waaaaay cheaper than a complete feed, and works just as well, for my old guy anyway. Maybe when he gets older, I'll have to go to something more "designed" for older horses, but for now, it's perfect. If this old gal doesn't pick up within a few months, your boarder may want to get a vet to look at her - she could have a hyperactive thyroid, or any number of other age related issues going on that are counteracting your efforts to put some weight on.

[Dakota Sunrise]

If I was to get beet pulp(I've heard a lot of good things about it) where would I find it, how much would it cost and how much or how should I feed it.


My QH/Saddlebred will be 21 in May and is a very hard keeper. I'm a big fan of beet pulp and corn oil for weight gain/maintance. He gets both in the grain concotion I've thought up for him.:)

I get my beet pulp from the local feed store. A 40 pound bag costs me around $15.00, I don't remember the exact price. Like Gypsy Rose said, it is very economical because whatever you soak pretty much doubles so it lasts a while.

I use coffee cans to measure my feed, don't know why, I just always have. Dakota gets 1/4 of a coffee can of beet pulp (measured dry, fed soaked) in the morning along with his grain mixture. At night he gets a little over a 1/2 a coffee can of beet pulp along with that same grain concoction. I also put 1/2 a cup of corn oil in his feed. And he gets a freaking ton of hay. It's a good thing I get my hay cheap or I would go completely broke feeding that horse, lol.:p

[OffGridGuy]

If you are trying to put weight on her, then skip the senior diet. I would look for feed that has a high fat count and in pellet form. I agree with Dakota Sunrise, Corn oil and beet pulp are really good. For the beet pulp, use warm/hot water (it expands a lot), and let it sit 1/2 hour before you feed it.