From YourSITE.com
A Guide to Feeding the Veteran Horse
By Saracen Horse Feeds
May 20, 2005 - 7:33:00 AM
A Guide to Feeding the Veteran Horse
There are three primary considerations that you should take in to account this winter when feeding your veteran horse.
a) Ease of chewing
b) Improved digestibility of nutrients
c) Increased palatability
The list below is designed to highlight how these considerations can be achieved.
* Dental problems are common in old horses and frequently result in loss of body condition. Regular six monthly checks from your vet or equine dentist are essential.
* Maintain regular worming programmes. Some older horses are more difficult to keep condition on, not because of their age but perhaps as a result of parasite damage over the years.
* If you do not have one already invest in a weigh tape and use it on a fortnightly basis to monitor your horse or ponies condition. Using a weigh tape allows you to be able to pick up any changes in your veterans condition much quicker than by the eye alone.
* Remember that horses loose up to 80% of their feed energy just to keep warm. Make sure that your horse is adequately rugged and if he is living out that he has shelter from the wind and rain.
* Fibre is ESSENTIAL to maintain a healthy digestive system in any horse old or young. If your horse is unable to cope with chewing hay you need to offer a more easily chewed form of fibre. Signs that may indicate that your veteran is having problems chewing hay will include ‘quidding’. This is when lumps of partially chewed hay will be spat out and left on the floor, and if the length of fibre in his droppings is getting longer this is another indication that he is not digesting his fibre properly. Haylage is one alternative as this is usually softer but if even this is difficult, soaked high fibre cubes e.g. Super Fibre Pencils, mixed with chaff and sugar beet can be offered as an alternative to a haynet.
* The decreased efficiency of the digestive tract means that your horse may require a specifically formulated hard feed for the veteran e.g. Saracen Veteran Mix or Pencils to help him maintain condition. Veteran Mix contains quality protein sources required for protein synthesis, cell renewal, tissue and muscle repair. The inclusion of micronised cereals provides a ‘pre-chewed’ source of energy to help provide calories for weight gain. Veteran Mix also contains elevated levels of vitamins and minerals and added herbs to help keep the veteran horse healthy. Remember to feed on a little and often basis and any one meal should be no more than 3Ibs for a pony and 5Ibs for a horse. This reduces the risk of undigested starch material reaching the hindgut where it is then rapidly fermented by the micro organisms, thus increasing the risk of digestive upsets e.g. Colic and laminitis.
* Soya oil or vegetable oil is an excellent choice for older horses except those with liver damage. Fat contains up to 2.5 times more energy than carbohydrates, so it is an excellent method of increasing the energy density of your horse’s diet without increasing its volume. A less messy alternative to this would be to use a product like Equi-Jewel.
* Yea-Sacc added to his diet will help him to digest and utilize the forage part of his diet more effectively thus helping to maintain his condition.
Lizzie Drury BSc (Hons)
Nutritionist for Saracen Horse Feeds;
For a free Feedcheck to be done on your horse, to make sure that you are feeding a well balanced diet, please contact Saracen Horse Feeds on: (01892) 863236 or E-Mail us at info@saracen-horse-feeds.co.uk or write to us at Bradleys Mill, Speldhurst, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN3 ONG.
© Copyright 2004 by YourSITE.com