What nutritional needs does my older horse have?

As your horse ages, its nutritional needs can change. But how do you know when to change its ration? At what age does it start? And what should you feed it? In this article, we give you tips on feeding your older horse.

13 January '25 - 8 min reading time

Some horses show signs of old age from the age of 15, while other horses are still very active and healthy well into their twenties. The individual differences are therefore large, which is why you should always look carefully at your own 'older' horse before deciding what he should eat.

An older horse is just a horse too

In principle, older horses do not always need to be fed a different diet than younger horses, but if your horse has ailments or weight problems, it may be wise. Older horses can suffer from stiffness and arthrosis, a somewhat more worn teeth and/or weaker chewing muscles, more difficult thermoregulation (which makes them feel cold or hot more quickly), insulin resistance (PPID and/or Cushing's) and inflammation. Even if they are otherwise healthy and still working, these kinds of things can arise. You should therefore keep an eye on these ailments when determining the feeding policy for your older horse. It is also important to remember that, just like with people, a healthy lifestyle keeps your 'oldie' fit the longest. This means not only the right food, but also sufficient (free) exercise and contact with other horses. Also good to know: Older horses need the same amount of vitamins and minerals as younger horses. A balancer is therefore always a good idea.

Too thin or too fat?

Research in Great Britain has shown that around eight percent of old horses are too thin. On the other hand, more than 10 percent are too heavy. Overweight is therefore also a relevant problem in older horses. It can lead to lameness, laminitis and insulin resistance or EMD. The inflammation values ​​of older horses that are too fat are often increased. Losing weight is a good solution in this case. However, if your older horse is (sometimes) too thin, factors such as kidney problems, liver diseases and pain complaints due to, for example, neck osteoarthritis must also be ruled out. A painful neck can make it uncomfortable to eat from the ground, for example. Diarrhoea and infections and inflammations are also indications that weight loss is not only due to the feeding policy. There are indications that worm infestations earlier in the horse's life can cause scar tissue in the intestines. In some cases, this can reduce absorption by the intestines, causing horses to lose weight more quickly.

Cold and heat

Especially in cold winters and hot summers, weight loss can occur, partly as a result of poorer heat regulation in older horses. It can therefore be smart to pay extra attention to the ration of your older horse, especially in the winter months. For example, many people feed their older horse a soaked roughage substitute in the cold months. This also costs less energy to absorb because your horse does not have to chew on it endlessly. Roughage is very important because heat production takes place in the large and blind intestine, where the fibers from roughage are converted into energy by the intestinal bacteria. Special products for older horses are usually only useful for horses that are or have been really underweight. For horses that have not yet become too thin in the winter, a special senior product is often not necessary to maintain weight. Again, it is therefore important to look at the individual.

Check the teeth!

If a horse has very bad teeth or, for example, the gum disease periodontitis, this can also be a reason to give more liquid food. Some horses also get arthrosis in the joint at the hyoid bone, which can lead to more difficult chewing and swallowing. For all older animals (and people), muscle mass decreases. This also applies to the chewing muscles! Older horses therefore take longer than younger horses to chew the same amount of hay.

Management

What should you pay attention to with the older horse?

• Horse must be able to stand and lie down dry, but not in a box for long periods of time to ensure sufficient freedom of movement;

• Horses must be able to protect themselves against strong winds, rain or snow, for example; shade is important in summer;

• Good dental care and an appropriate deworming schedule are essential;

• Horses with extra hair growth can be shaved in the summer if they are too hot;

• Horses need to drink enough all year round, so make sure there are enough water points at the right height (especially in the case of neck osteoarthritis);

• Pay attention to your horse and check the body condition score regularly, adjust your feeding schedule to what you see in your horse, especially if the weather is extreme;

• A stable herd in which the older horse is not bullied is beneficial;

• Regular hoof maintenance is very important;

• Checks by the veterinarian if necessary or if there is a suspicion of, for example, PPID or insulin resistance.

  
  

Nutrition: Four groups of older horses

In a British study of the nutritional needs of older horses, four groups of older horses were distinguished. Each group has a different nutritional need. Which group does your horse fall into?

Group 1: Healthy, active, horses of normal weight These are older horses that are still healthy, have a good weight and are still used for activities or breeding. These horses have enough with a normal diet, which takes into account the work or breeding, just like with normal adult horses. So you don't have to change anything.

Group 2: Horses that are still active but tend to be overweight Older horses that are still active in work or breeding, but tend to gain weight, form the second group. With these horses, it is important to prevent overweight. The trick is to balance this with the risk of weight loss, especially in the winter and certainly if the horse already has some dental problems. For many older horses, especially if they are not familiar with laminitis, it is wise to let them go into the winter a little rounder. However, if a horse comes OUT of the winter too fat, it is wise to let them lose some weight.

Group 3: Clinically healthy horses that tend to be underweight Older horses that are healthy, but can no longer maintain their healthy weight on a normal diet for adult horses. In any case, make sure that these horses have their teeth checked and that there is no worm infestation. It is also best to have the kidney and liver values ​​checked by the vet. If everything is in order, you can slowly but surely start feeding a little more, preferably types of feed that do not cause an insulin peak. For example, think of more grass hay, softenable grass pellets, sugar-free beet pulp or soya husks. In this way, you do not add too much extra starch or sugar to the diet. This is especially important if horses are prone to laminitis! You can also add oil as an extra source of energy. Many horse owners use linseed oil, but salmon oil has a better fatty acid profile and is found very tasty by many horses. Do not give more than 1 ml of oil per kg of body weight without consulting your vet or nutritionist. Certainly do not give too many grains or regular 'biks'. If there are grains in the feed, make sure they are unlocked. This is done by heating and is indicated on the packaging. In general, pasture with sufficient grass is the best way to get and keep horses at weight in late summer and autumn. This provides the best preparation for winter.

Group 4: Elderly horses with one or more conditions Horses with medical complaints must of course be treated for this. As far as feed is concerned, it is often especially important that the horse can and wants to eat what is in front of it. If that also reasonably meets the required nutrients, you have already come a long way. For horses with PPID - especially if they have had laminitis - hay that is low in sugars is very important. You can also soak the hay (3 hours) to rinse out sugars, but it is best when the sugar content is already low. The tricky thing about rinsing hay is that with the sugars, part of the energy is also rinsed out of the hay, which can mean that the horse will lose weight. In addition to a good balancer with vitamins and minerals, these horses also have an extra need for amino acids and omega 3 fatty acids. Adding magnesium is often recommended for these types of horses. If your older horse has dental problems, it can be a good idea to offer somewhat softer and shorter hay. Thick, long-stemmed hay is sometimes no longer good to eat for some older horses. Pasture is again best here, if this is possible due to laminitis. Otherwise, soaked grass pellets, beet pulp or another roughage substitute is an option. Be careful with horses that choke easily or show signs of oesophageal obstruction. For these horses, the roughage may need to be made more liquid and 'supple'.

Supplements

In addition to the previously mentioned omega 3 fatty acids from salmon oil and the mineral magnesium, vitamin C is also important for older horses. The sensitivity to respiratory diseases increases in older horses and the vitamin C status decreases. Younger horses produce vitamin C themselves, but this is more difficult for older horses. Vitamin C is important for resistance. If you do notice a cough, a herbal extract can help to support the respiratory tract. If there is little or no fresh grass in the ration, supplementing with vitamin E is also a sensible choice for older horses. Vitamin E plays an important role in keeping the muscles supple and the immune system strong.