When is a horse considered ‘old’?

Consider their physiological age as opposed to their chronological age – different horses will ‘age’ at different rates, depending on how they have been cared for through their lives, genetics, breed and any health problems. Old age has been defined as the point at which you only have 25% of the population still alive. In the late 1990s, one study found this to be around 15 years – however nowadays horses are generally living longer, so 20+ years is more likely to be the age at which a horse may be considered old. However, all horses are individuals, so just because a horse is older, it doesn’t automatically mean they need a specific senior feed.

Why do older horses lose weight?

Physiological ageing – the digestive system may become less efficient as a result of cumulative effects of life, particularly if the horse was not well cared for when they were younger. Poor dentition – conserved forage makes up at least 50% of most horses’ rations, so if they can’t chew and digest it, it is unsurprising that weight loss can occur. In a Dengie funded study, horses with poor dentition consumed around two-thirds less hay than horses with normal dentition and, on 44% of occasions, horses with poor teeth refused hay completely. Reduced fibre intake – over time, this can alter the microbial population in the gut and have an impact on gut health. Fibre fermentation in the gut provides energy for the cells in the gut wall (colonocytes). If these aren’t getting the fibre that they need to stay healthy, they can become less efficient and problems such as ‘leaky gut’ may occur which can also cause weight loss as pathogens or germs may get through the gut wall.

How do we know if there is a problem with Poor Dentition?

Signs that might indicate that the horse is struggling to chew their forage could include: Taking longer to eat Reduced appetite Repeated episodes of choke Longer pieces of fibre in the droppings Weight loss Quidding (where forage is partially chewed and balled up and then dropped on the floor) Recurrent colic episodes Loose droppings Free faecal water

Feeding the Veteran Horse | Dengie Horse Feeds

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Feeding the Veteran Horse

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