When is Your Horse Old?

Just like people, horse’s age in different ways and age sometimes is not the only reason why a horse is feeling old or lacking energy. Workload and stress can age horses just like people. It can also have a major impact on Oxidative Stress, Phase 1 & 2 Detox and can certainly have an influence on inflammation. It is essential to ensure that your older horse has the correct daily nutrient intake to manage is health on a long-term basis.

Finding the right balance is important and this is determined by the individual requirements of each horse.

Horses are rated as middle aged from the age of 13 years and most horses, like people are in the prime of their life at this age. We really must consider the consequences if our horses are not as healthy as they could be. Not being fully fit, having some degenerative joint changes, hard work, stress, and diet will play a huge role in management.

Just because a horse is older does not necessarily mean he requires a special diet; aging is not a disease; it is a normal process. However, many older horses with individual physical or nutritional needs might benefit from being fed a specific diet or feed modification(s) to maintain good health and body condition. Routine examinations, vaccination, de-worming, dental care, and farrier visits are integral parts of horse ownership and can potentially minimize the development of feeding-related issues as horse’s age. We now have a generation of horses that received this type of management on a regular basis and more horses are living and working until they are in their late 20s, 30s, and beyond.

A 15-year-old horse might have physical problems due to age (tooth loss, arthritis, metabolic problems) and require a special diet, but you might have a 25-year-old horse that needs no special nutritional care whatsoever, it is simply down to each horses genetic makeup and how their health has been managed.

All required nutrients must be always provided at the correct levels to maintain normal body function and health.

Naturally the optimum amount of any single nutrient will depend on the individual requirements this will vary depending on the attribute of each horse, genetic predisposition, temperament, environmental situations, stress, infection and even pregnant mares.

More recent studies have provided practitioners, especially nutritionists with further tools to assist in the treatment of various conditions and diseases, providing the correct levels are used for the right situation and that there is no compromising of the health and wellbeing of the horse.

This is certainly the case with any nutrients being used to assist with diseases, nutritionally related diseases or conditions etc.

There may be certain individuals who require higher levels of nutrients than others and there are other ways of providing more accurate testing being developed including Gene testing. Using amino acids with other nutrients is another way of assisting with a particular need of the animal, once this has been established. We must also remind ourselves that whilst there is a division of nutrients into categories, such as vitamins, amino acids, minerals etc. there is a very long sequence of activity involving these nutrients and that this sequence may break down or become ineffective. This means that nutrients may then not be available at optimum levels.

What may be normal requirements for one horse of amino acids may be bordering on deficient for another. This is where ROA’s (recommended optimal allowances) are becoming of high importance.

The bioavailability of the nutrient, the way it is transported, absorbed and utilized at the cellular level are all aspects that must be contemplated if there is a deficiency assumed.

I highly recommend for older horses using a preventative measure such as a joint product, but also look at a natural daily formula to support his/her health. A good diet will consist of plenty of roughage including pasture, hays, grains and oils if required (flax seed being the preferred oil). Perhaps some extra support with increasing weight may be necessary, I recommend the EquiSoy. Feeds such as Harrys Choice would also be ideal in my opinion as these feeds are steamed and compressed, but are a fibre based feed and a beautifully synergistic feed unlike any other.