Nutritional Considerations for Senior Horses

As the colder weather approaches, I have an influx of inquiries for senior horse consultations. Owners always want to do what is best for their horse, so it can be concerning when your beloved horse is under-conditioned as we head into the winter months.

Defining a Senior Horse

At what age is a horse considered senior? Mid-teens, not until 20? Well, it depends on a few different factors. In many research studies, the age of 20 is generally used, however, there is no set age that a horse becomes considered a senior. In the NRC, 2007 (Nutrient Requirements of Horses), it is suggested that old age is a combination of the chronological age and the physiological signs of aging.

As horses get older, just like humans, there are physiological changes. Dental disease and loss of teeth, reduction in gastrointestinal function, increased risk of pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID; equine Cushing’s disease), loss of mobility and decrease in muscle mass are a few of the common changes.

Nutritional Considerations

The goal of a nutrition plan for a senior horse is one that is balanced (meets their basic nutrient requirements) and supports their changing physiological status. When I work with senior horses, there are two broad categories that dictate how we approach their nutritional management and that is their ability to eat hay.

There are many horses that I work with through the Personal Nutritionist Package that can no longer consume any hay at all! Additional considerations are if the horse has any health conditions that are interfering with nutrient absorption or metabolic function.

If the horse can still consume their hay, we of course need to be testing it (if you have read other Balanced Bay articles you will realize that this is a critical step!), then ensure everything that is not provided by the hay is provided by their supplemental feeds.

If the horse is needing to gain weight a higher fat product that is readily digestible (e.g., extruded or pelleted products), can be relied on. I also like incorporating a digestible fibre source such as hay cubes, beet pulp or hay pellets.

A lot of the 2024 Ontario hay I have tested so far this year has been overly mature due to the challenging weather farmers have had to deal with which affects their ability to harvest it on time. With the hay being more mature, it has greater indigestible fibre content and is lower in calories. I suspect that this is part of the reason that I am seeing so many under-conditioned seniors this fall.

Often, even when the hay is lower in nutritional value, it is not able to be changed. The hay that is available at the boarding facility, or that you have purchased for the year is the hay that you have. But we can supplement it! So, I highly encourage testing so that you are aware of the nutritional value and can adjust their supplemental feeds to compliment it.

The senior horses that can be a bit more challenging to manage are those that are no longer able to consume hay, or if they are quidding their hay. These horses need to have that fibre intake replaced in their daily ration with high-quality digestible products. This is often in the form of a complete feed.

Complete feeds are fibre based that are designed to replace part or all of the hay in a ration. If you are wondering if a product is a complete feed, the distinguishing factor is when you read the feeding instructions there will be a recommended feeding rate for when hay is not being consumed.

There are a plethora of products on the market that are great options for older horses, from the senior feeds to complete feeds, digestible fibre sources and fat supplements – the options are plentiful! If you have a senior horse that is on the lean side, I encourage you to reach out to a nutritionist sooner rather than later as it is much easier to get them on the right track now as opposed to in the middle of January.

Understanding Senior Feeds

I recently worked with a lovely pair of light riding horses that were both in their mid-teens. These horses were maintaining their weight well on hay, so just required a ration balancer. In that client’s follow-up call they asked when the horses should be switched over to a senior feed. This sparked a great conversation about the chronological age vs. physiological age and how to recognize signs of aging.

Many horses live well into their late teens and 20s without needing a senior feed. So, just because your horse has reached a certain age, does not mean you need to be changing them over to a senior product.

Senior feeds are formulated to be easily digestible and typically have higher contents of some nutrients such as protein. If your horse has lost some condition and needs supplemental calories above and beyond hay to maintain their weight and muscle mass, then a senior feed could be a good option! But don’t feel that just because your horse has reached a certain age means their feed needs to change to a senior product.  

Client Story

One client story that is a great example of this is a horse I recently worked with named Lady. Her owner has had her for over 15 years, and she noted that she had always been an easy keeper but had suddenly begun losing significant amounts of weight.

When any health concerns arise, your veterinarian should always be your first call. Once health issues beyond regular aging had been ruled out, we began nutritional changes to elicit weight gain. his included adding significant amounts of digestible fibre in the form of beet pulp and alfalfa cubes. One challenge with Lady was that she did not tolerate the addition of oils well, and PPID was suspected, so her diet had to remain low in both starch and sugar. A powdered fat supplement was incorporated, and she was monitored closely by her owner. These diet changes made a difference in a matter of weeks – and instead of just trying to get her healthy to get through the summer months, she is now thriving as we enter the winter.

Take Home

Senior horses are among my favourite clients to work with. With improvements in both medical and feed technology, many horses are thriving well into their 20s and even 30s! Nutritionally, there are multiple considerations to make as horses age, and as an owner, keenly monitor their physiological health status so that signs of aging can be recognized in a timely manner. If your senior horse is presenting with any of the discussed health changes, consider consulting with a qualified equine nutritionist to ensure they are being optimally supported.