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Weight control
Obesity carries many risks for the older horse. The
primary aim is to ensure optimum nutrition without
overdoing calorific content. Weight control can be
difficult if exercise levels have reduced - try to
ensure a suitable level of regular exercise even if
your horse has retired. It can be helpful to use a
weight tape and body condition score chart,
recording measurements regularly.
Consider:
l
soaking hay for 12 hours to reduce the
calorific content;
l
using a muzzle when grazing to reduce intake
of calories;
l
reducing quality and quantity of grass available;
l
mixing hay with oat or barley straw if your
horse’s teeth can manage it;
l
a good vitamin and mineral supplement to
ensure that your horse does not become
malnourished if on limited feeding.
All equines should be fed a minimum of 1.5% of their
bodyweight daily to avoid hyperlipaemia developing
(fatty liver disease), which can be fatal.
Feeding the underweight
horse
Many equines lose weight as they get older,
especially large horses. It is essential to address
the underlying causes, such as dental disease,
worms, Cushing’s disease (PPID), liver disease or
other medical conditions. Once these have been
identified and treated appropriately, consider
changes in the diet:
l
access to good quality grass for as much
of the year as possible;
l
feeding an age-specific conditioning mix
with a high protein content;
l
add in oil (up to 1ml/kg bodyweight daily);
l
try haylage rather than hay as higher
calorific content;
l
use rugs so that less calories are expended
keeping warm.
06
...Best Friends
Remember
that older horses will lose
muscle, especially when retired or if Cushing’s
(PPID) is present, so changes in shape are
inevitable to some degree.