I have come across an elderly thoroughbred and her owner in need of assistance. I have gained the woman’s trust. Current temps and pasture board preclude immediate farrier or dental work that are needed. Horse maybe weighs 1000 lbs? Body score may be a 2. How much soaked beet pulp and alpha cube mix should I feed if mare is really unable to chew hay. There is adequate shelter, abundant hay, working waterer, salt block, spacious pasture and the horse is very much loved. Thanks in advance.
The problem with this and other web articles is that they all reference the horse eating hay/forage. This mare is 31 years old, teeth have not been attended to, and looking at the poor occlusion of her incisors I doubt she could grab anything. So really, I am looking for how much of this mixture to feed a horse that is for all intents and purpose toothless until I can get an equine dentist out here.
Try a “complete feed” like TC Senior. Also, I find the oldies with no teeth eat soaked hay pellets much easier than cubes. I would not use beet pulp because per pound it does not have many calories at all and these older horses often have a hard time eating a ton of bulk.
5 Likes
Not an answer to your question but like fordtractor, I have found the oldies with no teeth don’t do well on hay cubes, even when soaked. If you can get the Semican timothy pellets they soak into a mash very quickly.
I also used a Blue Seal complete feed that soaked into a mash, I think it was Sentinel Senior. It kept my two old ponies going forever. And Lucerne Totally timothy they could chew fairly well.
I would do a mix of alfalfa and timothy pellets in small meals multiple times a day. Then increase over the course of a week. You can’t just throw food at them. I would start at 1/2 lb of soaked pellets 5-6 times a day spread out as much as possible. Then increase the amount every 3-4 days. After a 2-3 weeks I would start adding Sr. feed slowly at just a 1/2 lb a day. After 3 weeks I would see where I was at and decide how much weight horse has gained, does horse seem brighter, and go from there feed wise.
Make sure you take pictures so you can tell the difference in weight gain. Its hard to tell when you see them every day.
2 Likes
I would do a mix of soaked hay pellets along with a soaked senior feed like Triple Crown Senior. Start with a pound of each per feeding, and if possible do at least 3 meals per day. Over time you can work her up to 3 pounds of hay pellets plus 3 pounds of complete senor feed per feeding three times per day. If you need to adjust the mixture to suit her palate you can. I find some horses have to get weaned onto hay pellets as they seem to not like them at first. Others will happily eat as many hay pellets as you put in front of them from the first meal.
2 Likes
Body score 2? I’d get the vet out pronto. She sounds like she is starving to death.
Get some Buckeye ultimate finish to add to any food you feed her.
Get alfalfa hay.
Thanks for trying to help her.
I hope she’s got a heavy blanket in turnout.
TC senior and alfalfa pellets. Alfalfa hay is also good if you can find really good quality leafy hay. I find Beet pulp isn’t very well liked, and horses will stop eating it. Alfalfa chaffhaye works well for senior horses,better than Beet pulp in my opinion.
OP, onthebit is quite literally an expert on maintaining elderly hard keepers. I’d heed her advice.
3 Likes
I recommend feeding Speedibeet or Fibrebeet …start with small amounts more frequently then once eating gradually increase the amount …I also highly recommend Body Builder …it’s a liquid supplement-dose a full 30cc syringe orally once daily …you can also make a nice mash with Triple Crown Senior or Tribute Kalm Ultra …it took my extremely thin tb mare from same body score to now fat and muscled better topline …also Triple Crown makes various chopped hay blends that are very tasty and easily digested and indicated for ones that have trouble consuming long stem hay
When my old pony could no longer eat hay or even chopped forage, he lived on moistened TC Senior (wouldn’t eat it soaked), along with soaked hay pellets and beet pulp. I fed him 3 times per day, or 4 if I was home during the day. He thrived on this quite well for his last few years.
You might consider adding some ration ballancer such as Seminole equalizer. It’s just added nutrients, not really any calories - but older horses often cannot absorb nutrients effectively. ALso, consider adding a pelleted fat source. BOth those additions made a difference in my 30yo gal.
Please be careful throwing a bunch of food the mare can actually eat all at one time. Especially if she really is a body score of 2. Go slow and be patient with her gaining the weight back.
2 Likes
We’ve always maintained the geriatrics on well soaked alfalfa cubes and TC Senior in about 4 meals per day.
I’ve done this. I got a 29 yo with a BCS of 2 to a BCS of 5 in 6 months. He’s now a healthy 33 yo.
TC Senior. No more than 5lbs per feeding, but do 4 feedings per day. Add soaked alfalfa cubes or pellets to add more if he’ll eat more.
GrayCat, just let me know if I can be of local assistance!
1 Like
Wean her onto food she can eat, but once she’s leveled off you’ll want to shoot for 15-20 lbs a day of forage.
I also add in fat supplement along with the SR feed (or the TC complete which is higher in fat than the SR is). Alfalfa is always the go to for my hard to keep horses, some will not eat the soaked cubed but will eat soaked pellets. Start slowly and build up over time. Frequent small feedings.
I have had the owner add some soy oil to her morning feed of soaked senior feed, and I show up in the late afternoon with a 2 lb (dry) mixture of beet pulp and alfalfa pellets soaked until it is just a mash. Am taking it slow and upping feed on a weekly basis in increments. Unfortunately, it is not possible to do 4 feelings a day, and I am being careful to limit the amount in any one feeding as suggested above. She has weathered a lot, and I don’t want to overwhelm her digestive system. She now waits for me by the feed bucket in the afternoon. Her demeanor seems brighter. I am falling in love with her, she has the cutest ears and a lovely eye.
HH - will get in touch if I need assistance. Thanks for the offer!
2 Likes
