Nutrition for Older Horses

Horses have relatively long life spans, as compared to other livestock and companion animals. Proper nutrition, maintenance, and veterinary care allow horses to have longer and more productive lives, but as horses age, their needs change and additional care may be required to keep them healthy. There is no set age for when a horse is deemed old because horses, like people, age at different rates.

When caring for an older horse, it is important to understand how the horse’s body changes as it ages and how these changes impact the horse’s health requirements. One important area to consider when caring for an older horse is nutrition.

Nutritional needs of aging horses can vary greatly between individuals. As horses age, meeting their nutritional requirements becomes more difficult. One reason for this is poor dentition. The natural circular chewing motion characteristic of horses leads to sharp points developing on the outside of the horse’s upper molars and the inside of the horse’s lower molars. Filing the horse’s teeth one to two times per year will improve his chewing ability and digestion. Some older horses may not have teeth due to them wearing away over time. This leaves horses with little ability to chew and digest foods they would normally eat. This problem can be addressed by changing the type of food the horse eats. Some feed companies make senior horse feeds that have a softer texture than ordinary horse feeds. Concentrates fed in pellet form can be wet down and softened to make it easier for the horse to chew. Forage in the form of hay cubes or pellets can also be wet down and softened.

As horses age, they may become less able to glean nutrients from food due to reduced nutrient absorption, lowered ability to digest fiber, and reduced gastrointestinal motility, which is caused by intestinal damage from parasites. Lifelong parasite control is an important part of maintaining a horse’s health.

Older horses that are having difficulty maintaining their body condition should be given highly digestible, high-energy feeds. Beet pulp is often used for this purpose because it is a highly digestible fiber source.

Digestibility can be improved by selecting commercial feeds containing grains that have been processed by crimping, cracking, rolling, or steam flaking. This breaks the grain’s seed coat, making it easier to digest. It is important to feed good quality grain and forage that is free of mold and dust, as moldy and dusty feeds can cause gastrointestinal tract problems and are not easily digestible.

           

Some older horses may hold their weight more easily and become too heavy as a result of less exercise. These horses may accumulate fat at an unhealthy rate, which could be harmful to their health. This makes it important to monitor the horse to ensure he is meeting his nutritional requirements without gaining excess weight.

For more information on this topic, see this bulletin from the University of Georgia Extension - Caring for the Older Horse: Common Problems and Solutions.

By Amber Long, Bladen County Summer Intern