keeping senior horses healthy long term.
Nutrition: Preparation and Maintenance
It is important that senior horses come into winter with a healthy body condition.
Additional body fat serves as insulation and energy reserves in times when
temperatures become frigid. Once cold weather sets in, it is difficult to put weight on
senior horses. Thin horses get colder and use so much energy trying to stay warm,
that there aren’t enough calories left for weight gain.
Senior horses are often unable to chew hay completely due to poor teeth, and they
can suffer from less efficient digestion and absorption of nutrients in the GI tract.
Therefore, senior horses need a feed specifically designed for them, such as Purina
Equine Senior® horse feed, especially during winter months. Equine Senior contains enough roughage and added fat to ensure the older horse can meet its fiber and calorie requirements without depending on long-stemmed hay or grass.
Although active and energetic senior horses may seem less vulnerable to winter
weather conditions, their diets still need additional attention in winter months.
Purina® Equine Senior® Active Healthy Edge horse feed is formulated to maintain body condition for more active senior horses by providing high fat and
fiber with a controlled starch and sugar formula that delivers all the vitamins and
minerals needed to stay fit and active.
Consistent Intake of Water
Water should always be readily available to horses. Ideally, the water temperature
should be between 45 degrees and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. If the water is too cold, the
horse may drink less, thereby decreasing water and lubrication in the gut and
increasing the chance of impaction-induced colic. If the horse drinks less water, it
may also eat less feed, resulting in loss of body weight and condition. Providing a
heated water bucket is a simple solution to ensure that horses drink enough.
Providing Adequate Shelter
Another consideration in cold weather horse care is housing or shelter. Horses living
outside should have access to adequate shelter from wind, sleet and storms. Trees,
brush, or an open-sided shed or stable can provide adequate shelter. In severe cold,
horses will group together to share body heat. They may all take a brisk run to
increase heat production, and then come back together to share the increased warmth.
A long, thick coat of hair is an excellent insulator and is the horse's first line of
defense against cold temperatures. Horses that live outdoors during the winter should
be allowed to grow a natural, full winter coat. Horses that live indoors will need
adequate blankets in the cold weather to ensure that they do not get too cold. Blankets
should be removed frequently to monitor weight and check for sores and skin
conditions. Leaving blankets on for long periods of time can mean problems go
unnoticed so removing the blanket and grooming daily is crucial.
Maintaining Exercise
Snow, ice and frozen ground pose problems for mobility, so senior horses may
have difficulty navigating frozen ground. It is important to ensure they are turned
out in areas that offer sufficient traction. This way they are able to move around
safely and joints do not stiffen as easily. Keep in mind that horses with arthritis
may experience increased stiffness in the cold months. Keeping senior horses with
arthritis moving with turnout, hand‐walking and riding is one of the best and
easiest ways to decrease any joint inflammation.
With sufficient thought and care by the horse owner, even horses that live outside in
very cold climates will survive quite well during the cold winter months.
For more information about Purina
talk with your local equine specialist.
By Katie Young, Equine Nutritionist, Ph.D., Purina Animal Nutrition
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