Nutrition and feeding of the geriatric horse.

This research article explores the little-known area of nutritional requirements for aging horses. It suggests the need for specific dietary measures and a conducive environment to enhance feed consumption, assessing body condition to determine the effectiveness of the diet and overall equine health.

Nutrient Requirements and Feeding for Geriatric Horses

• The research begins with an acknowledgment of the lack of extensive knowledge regarding optimal feeding and nutrient requirements for geriatric or aged horses. The authors call for more effort in this sphere of equine nutritional research.
• They revealed that some older horses may not have different requirements compared to healthy mature horses. However, others suffering from ailments or poor dental health may demand specific dietary care.

Suggested Dietary Options and Techniques

• In general, the research recommends dietary plans for older horses based on high-quality roughage, supplemented by necessary minerals and vitamins.
• For additional energy needs beyond their forage intake, geriatric horses could benefit from energy concentrates, such as cereal grains or fats. These should be added to the standard ration to supplement them.
• When cereal grains are included in the diet, heat-based processing techniques like pelleting and extruding are advisable. This practice enhances starch digestibility within the small intestine and prevents the risk of overwhelming the hindgut with starch – a condition that could have unfavorable consequences such as colic and laminitis (hoof inflammation).

Feeding Environment and Monitoring for Geriatric Horses

• The study emphasizes the importance of the feeding environment for geriatric horses. A conducive environment would be one that fosters effortless ration consumption and mitigates factors that inhibit feed consumption.
• Such factors might include competition with other horses for feed or the necessity to traverse greater distances for foraging, such as in marginal pasturelands.
• The paper concludes by underlining the importance of regular close monitoring of the body condition of older horses. Such assessments serve to ascertain whether the feed ration is appropriate and reflect the general health status of the horse.