Do Retired Horses Need Grain?

Senior horses who are barely ridden (if ever) shouldn’t have grain, as it will introduce too many carbohydrates into their systems and cause digestive health issues, weight gain, etc. Horses on high quality pasture for most of the day will not need extra grain.

Do senior horses need grain?

Typically, no grain is required but if desired or needed, choose one with restricted starch/sugar and contains added fat (4-7%). In these horses, forage based pellets or cubes could replace 10 to 50% of the long stem/chopped forages.

What should I feed my retired horse?

Good quality grass hay and corn or a complete pelleted ration for mature (not aged) horses are the feeds of choice. Avoid legumes (alfalfa and clover), wheat bran and beet pulp due to high calcium (legumes, beet pulp) or phosphorus (wheat bran) content.

Why horses should not be fed grain?

It is recommended that the diet contain no less than 1 percent of body weight of roughage such as hay, pasture, etc. For example, a 1,100 pound horse requires at least 11 pounds of roughage. It also is important not to over feed grain to horses because this can cause digestive upset such as colic.

When should I feed my senior horse feed?

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As a general rule, senior feeds usually become appropriate for horses when they reach the age of 15. That said, however, it’s possible that a much younger horse with digestive and nutritional challenges will benefit from senior feed.

How do you know if your horse needs grain?

Horses typically don’t need grain, but they do need to consume hay or pasture grass. Horses have a unique digestive system that relies on roughage to operate correctly and efficiently. Oats are an excellent source of calories, and although barley provides protein, it lacks in other areas.

How much grain should I feed a senior horse?

Because most senior feeds on the market today can be fed as a sole ration (ie 16-18 lbs. per day to a 1,200 lb. horse in light work) they have to be formulated in such a way that a horse eating this much of the feed won’t be overdoing the concentration of vitamins/minerals, etc.

What should I feed my veteran horse?

It is recommended that 1.5% of the fibre intake of the horse should equate to 1.5% of its ideal bodyweight. This is usually provided as long fibre i.e. either hay (dry or soaked) or haylage. As dental problems in the aged horse are rife this can make chewing these long fibres quite difficult.

How do I keep my retired horse happy?

“The best routine we’ve found is to keep him entertained, keep weight on him and give him a big corral—by California standards,” she adds.

Do horses enjoy retirement?

Deciding whether it is the right time to retire your horse is a tricky one and just like people, horses adapt to retirement in different ways. “Some enjoy a good quality of life out in the field, while others never really settle,” says Liane Preshaw, welfare development manager at the Horse Trust.

Can a horse live without grain?

Many pleasure and trail horses don’t need grain: good-quality hay or pasture is sufficient. If hay isn’t enough, grain can be added, but the bulk of a horse’s calories should always come from roughage. Horses are meant to eat roughage, and their digestive system is designed to use the nutrition in grassy stalks.

What are 3 things horses should not eat?

Here are eight foods you should never feed your horse:

• Chocolate. ©russellstreet/Flickr CC.
• Persimmons.
• Avocado.
• Lawn clippings.
• Pitted fruits.
• Bread.
• Potatoes and other nightshades.
• Yogurt or other milk products.

What must you not feed to horses?

8 Foods You Should Never Feed to Your Horse

• Chocolate. Just like dogs, horses are sensitive to the chemical theobromine which is found in the cocoa which is used to make chocolate.
• Persimmons.
• Avocado.
• Lawn Clippings.
• Fruit with Pips and Stones.
• Bread.
• Potatoes and Other Nightshades.
• Yogurt and Other Dairy Products.

How long does a 50 lb bag of feed last a horse?

A 50 lb bag will last 25 days. Feed 2 Scoops/day. For maintenance or continuing a stressed horse after it has shown marked progress. A 50 lb bag will last 40 days.

Is beet pulp good for older horses?

Beet pulp is an excellent ingredient for complete horse feeds, where no hay or a limited amount of hay or pasture is fed, such as feeds for older horses or horses with respiratory problems such as heaves.

Are alfalfa pellets good for senior horses?

Alfalfa is a high protein forage, so it makes an excellent supplement for horses that are protein deficient or for horses that have higher protein requirements such as senior horses or pregnant or lactating mares.

Can horses live on grass alone?

The simple answer is yes. A pasture can potentially be the sole source of nutrition for a horse. Given the variability of a horse’s own metabolism and needs, though, pasture alone may not be sufficient for your horse. This is why keeping a careful watch over your horse’s condition is essential.

Is it OK to feed horse grain once a day?

Feeding a horse grain once a day is fine, but horses need a steady supply of forage throughout the day to maintain their health. If your horse is kept in a stall, it’s best to feed it hay twice a day in a slow feeder.

What age is a horse considered a senior horse?

Surveys show 54% of all horse owners own at least 1 “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.

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.

Should horses have hay all time?

Because we like to think our horses follow the same schedule that we do, many people think that horses need less hay at night because they’re asleep (and therefore, not eating). However, that’s a myth. Horses need access to forage at all times of the day.