Feeding the older horse

[wondergirl]

Looking for some advice really.

I have a 16yr old 15.2 cob x who is a good doer. In winter she can become fizzy and very strong to ride, and in the summer she is the complete opposite - very chilled out and a pleasure to ride.

In summer she doesnt get any hard feed, but in winter Ive been giving her HiFi light with a vitamin suppliment and chopped apples and carrots.

However, obviously with her getting older, I want to make sure her joints are in good working order and she's getting all the vitamins and minerals she needs, and was looking at changing her feed coming into this winter.

I was looking for suggestions into what to give her and how it will benefit her, without it making her fizzy or strong. :help:

 

[learningcurve]

Micronised linseed is good for condition, skin, coat, general joint mobility.

It is suitable for good doers , shouldn't make her fizzy.

I get a 25kg sack from charwood millings for about £30 incl delivery, it lasts for months.

 

[Libbylou]

I have an older TB who is a poor do-er but fizzy on certain food, Ive been looking at mollichaff calmer it contains vits and mins inc mag unlike dengie. Not sure how you would find sugar at 7% as I dont know what hi-fi lite is like ?? and I cant find it on the dengie website

You could consider the dengie balancer as it contains vits and min but again no sugar.

It could be the apples and carrots that are making her fizzy, I would cut them out and see if she changes.

Could it be a lack of turnout over the winter ?

For a joint supplement I use equine answers premier flex plus HA as its higher in a lot of ingredients and a LOT cheaper than ones such as america equine and feedmark

http://www.equineanswers.co.uk/prodpage.asp?ProdID=4

 

[popularfurball]

I have an older TB who is a poor do-er but fizzy on certain food, Ive been looking at mollichaff calmer it contains vits and mins inc mag unlike dengie. Not sure how you would find sugar at 7% as I dont know what hi-fi lite is like ?? and I cant find it on the dengie website

Hifi lite is 5%

What vit supp are you currently feeding? And what are you trying to improve/support? (Ie. joints, feet, circulation, coat...)

 

[Libbylou]

Hifi lite is 5%

What vit supp are you currently feeding? And what are you trying to improve/support? (Ie. joints, feet, circulation, coat...)

Lol I was waiting for you as I thought you would know.

is that the lowest dengie do - do they have an analysis page ??? Molichaff have HIGH FIBRE ALFALFA which is 2.5% sugar and 8% protein

equine answers also do a very good prices vit and min.

 

[popularfurball]

Its the combined figure for lamis that is important LL - starch and sugar - ut must be low protein.

Hifi lite is lowest that dengie do - molichaff high fibre the only chaff lower that I can find than hifi and it has no mollases and mint for taste. But alfalfa can make them footy (its different for each my two re both fine on it), and others it can fizz up.

eta no to analysis page, I phone them :nerd:

 

[laceyfreckle]

On another note when looking for joint supplements to be effective the ratio should be 10mg MSM, 10mg Glucosamine and 4mg chronditin (sp?) a lot of the joint supplements out there don't supply these amounts on their mantenance dosages.

 

[DollysMum]

Does her routine change in the winter? If she's stabled more, what's she eating when stabled (hay or haylage)? How long does she stay in when she's stabled? Does she get more/less exercise than in the summer? All these things could be contributing to the fizziness rather than just the bucket food she gets.

Does she need a bucket feed at all in the winter or do you just feed her because all the others get a feed?

 

[wondergirl]

She gets a bucket feed just to put the supplements in really. She us a very good doer and doesn't really need that much feed.
In winter we are stabled over night and she is given hay and hifi light with her supplement in. In summer she is out 24/7 and only gets grass.
Would a feed balancer help her get her required bits and mins?

 

[DollysMum]

When she's in overnight, how much time in the field does she get each day? How many days a week is she ridden?

I'd be inclined not to feed a bucket feed at all unless she's dropping weight, but rather to keep her warmly rugged when stabled to keep her joints comfy (they can move about in the field to warm up but can't to such an extent when stabled).

You can get mineral licks for horses and one of those hung up in the stable would help reduce boredom as well as providing some trace minerals. And she'd only take what she needed rather than whatever's provided in a bucket.

 

[wondergirl]

She's ridden normally everyday in summer and winter. In winter she normally gets about 9hrs turnout.
I've tried a mineral lick before and she's not interested in them

 

[DollysMum]

I'd be inclined to assume then that she's getting what she needs from hay and grass and be a cheapskate and not feed her But that's me - I'm mean to my ponies.

 

[laceyfreckle]

Some horses just don't like mineral licks.. if you wanted to make sure she was getting all the vits and mins then yes a balancer could work well.

I feed my two balancers (one is a good doer, one is not). My good doer gets a lite version. Some that might be suitable include topspec Lite or Baileys Lo Cal. I like the topspec as it doesn't have cereal grains in. If you do feed a balancer I would be inclined not to bother with the Hi-Fi/chaff. Any supplements could be mixed with the balancer and a little water.

You normally feed balancers at about 100gram per 100kg bodyweight. A average mug holds about 200grams.

 

[popularfurball]

OR use a simple chaff (hifi lite) or a sugar free beet and add a general supplement like naf pink powder or slimline.

Naf also do a veteran supplement - Ive just emailed them about it.

 

[Snowyboy]

we use baileys lo cal balancer and a scoop of joint supplement (nowt wrong with his joints but I give it to him to support his joints rather than cover anything up!) a handfuful of chaff just to make the supplement stick! thrown in a few carrots for yummyness

he does very well at showing so must be working!

 

[wondergirl]

I've tried that low cal beet too but found that made her fizzy too.
Might try a balancer this winter.

 

[Libbylou]

I found that BHF beet made mine fizzy too.

If she is a good-doer I would be inclined to go with snowy boy and give just a handfull to chaff to make the powder stick.

 

[J Leahy]

Hi I have a 20 year old cob and a 24 year old fjord the cob is very spritely but I was concerned about the fjords clicky joints the vet recommended new market equine joint supplement apparently contains the most glucosamine of the supplements its a little bit pricey but lasts ages. I also give them the solivatine with cod liver oil and added epa and omega 3

 

[Ruskii]

On another note when looking for joint supplements to be effective the ratio should be 10mg MSM, 10mg Glucosamine and 4mg chronditin (sp?) a lot of the joint supplements out there don't supply these amounts on their mantenance dosages.

That's interesting - where abouts did you find that out ?

 

[volcy]

On another note when looking for joint supplements to be effective the ratio should be 10mg MSM, 10mg Glucosamine and 4mg chronditin (sp?) a lot of the joint supplements out there don't supply these amounts on their mantenance dosages.

I didn't know that - I have been using NAF Superflex and having just checked their website (not being close to my horse or the pots of supplements at the moment..) their 13g standard level is actually half this? Should I be giving double?!