Forage supplements and/or replacements:

• Senior Feed

  • Useful in horses that can no longer eat hay/pasture

  • Most feed companies carry a version of this – be sure it is a complete feed if you are replacing all of the horses diet

    • Complete diets are formulated to contain all of the nutrients a horse needs including forage

  • Good levels of energy, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals.

  • Since each formulation is different, feed according to the manufacturers instructions

 

• Alfalfa pellets

  • Most useful for horses that still retain some ability to eat hay/pasture

  • Good levels of protein and fiber

  • Can be made into a mash using 3 parts water to 1 part pellet

  • Found at your local feed mill or farm supply

  • Very palatable

 

• Beet pulp

  • An alternative source of forage similar to alfalfa pellets, but containing less protein

  • A disadvantage is that un-soaked beet pulp can expand in the gastrointestinal tract causing an impaction or choke

  • Should be made into a mash using 4 parts water and 1 part beet pulp to minimize expansion in the GI tract

    • Purchase the processed form (shredded, pelleted or crumbled)

    • Soak in water for ½ hour before feeding

  • Found at your local feed mill or farm supply

  • This is not a complete feed and your horse will need another source of vitamin, mineral, protein and possibly fat

  • Will need additional phosphorous  source to balance the diet

 

• Hay cubes

  • Soak in water to make it easier for horses with little/no teeth to eat

  • 1-2 inch length - may be too long for horses with no functional teeth

    • 4-5 mm long (3/20 of an inch) is long enough to get the long stem benefits of forage in the GI tract

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• Rice Bran

  • High in fiber/bulk

  • Can be used as a partial replacement

  • Needs to be stabilized rice bran to prevent rancidity

  • Many feed companies carry a stabilized rice bran product

  • Good levels of fat and fiber

  • May need calcium supplement to balance the phosphorous

 

For weight gain:

• Add fat

  • First be sure your horse is getting enough water, forage and protein

  • Extruded pellets are usually more palatable and can be soaked into a mash

  • Fat is 2.5 times as calorie dense as carbohydrates or protein

  • Fat is easily digested (but high levels will cause a decrease in intake as it is not very palatable)

  • Each company has their own pelleted product, usually requiring 1-3 pounds per day

  • Oil (vegetable) 1-2 cups per day. It needs to take 3 weeks to get to this level of feeding, as oil is not very palatable.