Is Timothy Hay Good For Older Horses?

The horse needs to be able to chew and break down the hay, so select good-quality, soft hay that isn’t overly mature; it shouldn’t have thick, fibrous stalks. Coleman has found that mixed grass-legume hay, such as orchard-alfalfa or timothy-alfalfa, is often a good choice.

What hay is best for older horses?

Alfalfa hay and good quality grass hays are preferable to stemmy and mature hays that have tougher fiber to ferment. The small intestine loses some function – Older horses find it harder to digest protein in the small intestine.

Is timothy or alfalfa better for horses?

Alfalfa hay is typically higher in protein and essential nutrients than timothy hay, making Alfalfa a better option for more active animals that need a high-protein diet. Alfalfa also has more calories per pound than timothy, so it’s generally the preferred choice of sport horse owners.

What is the healthiest hay for horses?

Alfalfa, white clover, red clover and birdsfoot trefoil are common types of legumes, with alfalfa being the most popular choice. Benefits: Legumes are higher in protein and calcium than grass hay, and may also provide more energy and a higher level of total digestible nutrients, such as vitamin A.

What is the most digestible hay for horses?

Timothy hay is a popular choice because of its easy digestibility and may be more suitable for certain life stages. However, alfalfa hay has a higher calcium-to-phosphorus ratio, which makes it unsuitable for younger horses. Timothy hay has a balanced calcium-to-phosphorus ratio.

Is a 20 year old horse too old?

Most experts agree a horse can be considered geriatric when he reaches 18 to 20 years of age.

What age is considered a senior horse?

By age definition “senior” horse has been defined as 15+ years of age. Due to improvements in veterinary care and nutrition, horse routinely live 25-30 years of age, some into their 40’s. It is not uncommon to see horses in late teens and twenties performing at high levels.

What hay should horses not eat?

Types of Hay for Horses—What to Avoid

• Perennial ryegrass and rye.
• Dallisgrass.
• Argentine bahiagrass.
• Johnsongrass, Sorghum grasses/Sudangrass.
• Switchgrass, which causes photosensitivity, peeling skin, mouth ulcers and liver disease.
• Foxtail Millet (aka German Millet) and Meadow foxtail.

What does timothy hay do for horses?

Benefits for Horses
Horse owners have found that Timothy hay promotes a shiny coat, good digestion, bowel regularity, and a healthy weight. It is also excellent for colic prone, protein-sensitive, and obese horses.

Can horses eat straight timothy?

Timothy Grass is the traditional favorite among horse owners. Much of this tradition is due to the fact that Timothy was one of the first grasses cultivated for horse hay. Therefore, feeding Timothy Grass has a well-established comfort level with horse people.

Is timothy hay high in sugar?

Most cool-season grasses, like orchardgrass and fescue, can have high sugar content. Timothy and crested wheatgrass tend to be medium in sugar content, as are most warm season (native) grasses.

What horse hay has the least amount of sugar?

If you are looking for low-sugar hay for a metabolic horse, it’s all about how the hay is grown and managed. Teff can be as low as 5% sugar and the only other hay that’s this low in sugar is bluegrass straw—which is also used a lot for metabolic horses.”

Which hay is lowest in sugar?

What is this? In addition Timothy hay is higher in fiber and lower in sugar and calories than most other types of horse hay, making it a great choice for overweight horses.

What hay causes colic in horses?

A change in the type of hay may cause colic for many reasons. Hay of poor quality is often less digestible, predisposing to impaction. Changing types of hay as in alfalfa and bermuda, may be related to colonic pH changes resulting from calcium differences in the two hays.

Can a horse overeat grass hay?

Horses can overeat grass, especially if the pasture is lush, but it is also easy to let a horse get too fat from eating hay. And, sometimes too little hay can mean a horse will lose weight.

Can horses colic from eating too much hay?

For example, if the hay contained mold there is some chance the horse ingested enough to cause digestive upset. Other problems can occur when grass is extremely mature at baling. There is some evidence that the long-term intake of extremely indigestible fiber fractions can lead to impaction colic.

Is it OK to ride a 25 year old horse?

Some horses have physical conditions or diseases that require an early retirement. Other horses can be ridden late into their life without issues. As a general rule, most horses should stop being ridden between 20 to 25 years old. Any horse, no matter their age, still requires a decent amount of exercise.

How often should I ride my 20 year old horse?

However, if you just want to keep your horse in a healthy physical condition, riding your horse three times a week for at least 20 minutes at a time can help maintain a good level of health.

How often should an older horse be ridden?

Generally, older horses benefit from exercising at least two to three times a week. Exercise should be in addition to turnout time. Declining muscle mass and a lifetime of wear and tear on joints, ligaments, and tendons can cause pain and stiffness and increase the risk of injury.

What should old horses eat?

Lucerne/alfalfa hay and good quality, soft meadow/pasture hays are preferable to stemmy and mature hays that have tougher fibre to ferment. High energy ‘super fibres’ like sugarbeet pulp and soybean hulls are also excellent sources of fibre for older horses as they are very easy to ferment in the hindgut.

What supplements do senior horses need?

Aged horses can benefit from the addition of a comprehensive omega-3 fatty acid, antioxidant, vitamin and trace mineral supplement that complements a forage-based diet and can help a senior horse to both meet all nutrient requirements and maintain a healthy level of inflammation.