What is the best horse feed for older horses?

What is the best horse feed for older horses?

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.

What should I feed my senior horse?

The total diet, hay and grain combined (dry matter basis), should contain 12-14% high quality protein, 03. – 0.4% phosphorous, 0.6 – 0.8% calcium and added Vitamin C. Aged horses that are healthy with a BCS of 5 to 7 require 1.5-2.0% of their BW DM/day of good quality grass or legume mix hay.

How much should I feed a senior horse?

Do not feed less than 0.6 pounds per 100 pounds body weight of Equine Senior® horse feed per day when fed with hay to meet minimum daily requirements of protein, vitamins and minerals.

What can I feed my older horse to gain weight?

Ultium® Competition, Omolene® #200 and Omolene® #500 are also calorie-dense feeds that may be helpful to help an older horse gain weight when fed with appropriate good quality hay and/or pasture.

How do you fatten up a senior horse?

Adding Weight on Thin Senior Horses

1. Feed 1% of a high-quality forage daily (based on body weight).
2. Offer a complete feed specifically designed for senior horses with higher digestible fiber at a minimum of 0.5% body weight.
3. Feed a senior horse more frequently, at least three times daily.

What is the best way to fatten up a horse?

Blending a flake or two of good-quality alfalfa in with a ration of grass hay is another way to add nutritional value to your forage. Alfalfa is higher in calories and protein than grass hays, which makes it an excellent choice to help to add weight to a thin horse.

Where do horses gain weight first?

Here’s what you should look for: Loin: A thin horse’s spine will stick up and he’ll have a ridge down his back. This is the first place you’ll notice weight gain or loss. Ribs: You should be able to feel — but not see — a healthy horse’s ribs.

What is a healthy weight for a horse?

An average horse weighs 900-2,000 pounds, depending on size and breed. A lean, racing fit Thoroughbred, for example, has an average weight of 900-1,100 pounds, while the average Clydesdale (think Budweiser) weighs in at 1,800-2,000 pounds.

What are the benefits of beet pulp for horses?

The remains of sugar beets used in the manufacture of sugar, beet pulp is high in digestible fiber and a good source of “safe” structural carbohydrate-based calories, making it a popular horse feed throughout the country and around the world.

Can you give a horse too much beet pulp?

Beet pulp in its dry form has been blamed for causing colic and choke. One myth is that eating dry beet pulp can cause the horse’s stomach to rupture. However, eating too much of any feed can cause colic, and pelleted feed of any kind can cause choke. But beet pulp is no less safe than any other feed.

Does shredded beet pulp need to be soaked?

It’s not necessary to soak it overnight. If you have extra water, don’t worry; you can always drain it off before you feed, or you can feed the beet pulp on the “sloppy” side. Although most horses will eat beet pulp on its own, its appeal will be improved if you stir it into your horse’s regular grain ration.