Care of The Veteran Horse in Winter by Dr. Stephanie Barnett BVMedSci BVM BVS (hons) MRCVS
intervention. Managing these older horses is multifactorial and comprises several key areas; management, feeding, veterinary care, dental maintenance and appropriate exercise.
I Feeding:
The most important part of any horse’s diet is water. The average horse should take in approximately 50 litres of water per day but much of this can be from forage and feed. In cold winter weather owners must ensure water intake is monitored closely to prevent impaction colic and dehydration. The saying ‘you can take a horse to water but you can’t make it drink’ stands true. However there are a few ways to try and increase intake; offering warmed water, adding apple juice to entice reluctant drinkers or placing an apple in the trough/bucket to encourage both water and food intake (apple bobbing!).
It is important to provide the older horse with easily digestible fibre over the winter months; hay/haylage is great but we cannot forget that some older horses may struggle with dental issues and so alternatives such as high fibre mashes can be given instead. Adequate digestion of fibre in the hind gut produces energy and heat which in turn should reduce weight loss through the cold winter months. Another important dietary component is fat, usually in the form of oils, as they can provide further energy without feeding sugars. Winter grazing is also significantly lower in vitamins and minerals and therefore older horses will oſten benefit from a comprehensive multi-vitamin supplement during the winter months.
Dental Management:
Dental disease and oral pain can be a significant welfare issue. Unfortunately our horses are very good at hiding dental disease!
Figure 1
n general, horses and ponies over the age of 15 are described as veterans. Equine life expectancy has increased exponentially over the last decade due to specialised nutrition and veterinary
As the teeth begin to wear and chewing becomes less efficient many veteran horses have an inability to intake enough nutrients and fibre, leading to weight loss. It is very common for older horses to begin to have multiple dental issues as they progress into their late teens and onwards. It is recommended that all horses have a dental check up by a Vet or a qualified Equine Dental Technician (EDT) every 12 months but as horses get older this should be decreased to every 6 months. This allows your Vet to ensure any dental issues are resolved or prevented from progressing and your horse can continue to enjoy their older years in comfort. This is especially important in winter when your horse will be eating more rough fibre and less grass. The above picture shows the huge improvement in ability to chew hay/grass properly aſter a routine dental rasp. Figure 1 shows a faecal sample containing lots of very long fibres which haven’t been chewed properly, Figure 2 shows a sample from the same horse post dental treatment. You can see that the fibres have now been broken down into much smaller pieces and the horse will have gained much more nutrition from the feed.
Farriery:
This should continue to be a priority for older horses and ponies, especially if your horse is showing any signs of Cushings or EMS. Routine trimming also allows your farrier to swiſtly identify any abnormalities and work with your vet to prevent
Figure 2
12
September/October 2020
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