🚀 Quick Summary
- The Problem: Senior horses (20+) suffer from Dental Attrition (Smooth teeth), Reduced Absorption (Gut aging), and PPID (Cushing’s).
- The Sign: Picking at hay, “quidding” (spitting out balls of grass), or weight loss despite eating.
- The Fix: You must become the chewer. Switch to Complete Feed Mashes (Senior Feed + Beet Pulp).
- The Risk: Impaction Colic from poorly chewed long-stem hay.
Table of Contents
Open Table of Contents
1. The Aging Gut: Why They Get Skinny
It’s not just teeth.
- Villous Atrophy: The microscopic fingers in the small intestine that absorb nutrients shrink with age.
- Result: A senior horse might only absorb 60% of the protein/fat from the same scoop of grain compared to a 10-year-old.
- Action: You need Higher Quality (Pre-cooked/Extruded) feed and More Of It.
2. Dental Reality: When to Stop Feeding Hay
Quidding (Spitting out cigar-shaped wads of hay) is the red flag.
- Risk: If they swallow that un-chewed hay, it causes Impaction Colic or Choke.
- Decision: You must eventually remove long-stem hay (Grass/Alfalfa) entirely.
- Replacement: Chopped Hay (Chaff), Hay Cubes (Soaked), or Complete Pellets.
3. The “Soup Kitchen” Diet Protocol
Goal: Provide 1.5 - 2% of body weight in fiber that requires zero chewing. The Recipe:
- Triple Crown Senior (or similar “Complete Feed” with beet pulp base).
- Dose: 12-15 lbs per day (Yes, that much). Split into 3-4 meals.
- Soak: Add usage warm water to make a Mash.
- Oil: Add 1 Cup Camelina Oil (or Rice Bran) for calories.
- Hay Pellets: Add 2-5 lbs Alfalfa/Timothy Pellets to the soup for variety.
4. Cushing’s (PPID) & The Gut
PPID (Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction) causes high Cortisol levels.
- Muscle Wasting: Cortisol breaks down muscle (Topline fades).
- Immune Suppression: Higher risk of worm burdens/infections.
- Ulcer Risk: Cortisol thins the stomach lining.
- Action: Test ACTH levels. Medicate with Prascend. Feed a low-starch diet (NSC < 12%) to prevent Insulin Resistance.
5. Supplements: Yeasts & Oils
1. Yea-Sacc (Yeast)
- Why: Helps the aging hindgut ferment fiber more efficiently.
- Benefit: Reduces gas colic and improves phosphorus absorption. 2. Vitamin E
- Why: Immune support. Seniors have weaker immune systems.
- Type: Natural d-alpha-tocopherol (Liquid).
6. FAQ: Can I just feed Alfalfa Cubes?
Q: Can I replace hay with straight Alfalfa Cubes? A: Be careful. Alfalfa is high in Calcium. A 100% Alfalfa diet can cause kidney stones (Enteroliths) or imbalances. Better: Use a “Complete Feed” which is balanced with vitamins/minerals, or mix Timothy Cubes with Alfalfa Cubes (50/50). ALWAYS SOAK THEM. Choke is the enemy.
🏆 Final Verdict
Old age is not a disease. But starvation is. If your senior horse looks like a skeleton, stop feeding him hay. He can’t chew it. He’s starving with a full belly. Switch to the Mash Diet. He will gain 50 lbs in a month.