Question
I have a 15-year-old Arabian gelding with a history of being overweight. When I purchased him in the fall, he had lost just enough condition to be in perfect riding weight. During the winter, though, he lost more and is just now getting back to a decent weight. He is sucked up at the flanks, and his topline is showing its age, but elsewhere he’s fine. I had his teeth floated twice, but he still loses grain when chewing. I use high-fat feed and senior feed, and he has had free-choice hay all winter and now on grass and grain.
Answer
Although no dental problems have been identified, the loss of condition and dropping of grain might warrant a change in forage and feed type. The fact that he has gained some condition since you noticed the weight loss in winter makes me think you’re on the right track. Here are some thoughts about weight gain in middle-aged horses.
When possible, provide high-quality forage in sufficient quantities. Some older horses are not able to chew long-stem forage, such as hay, as well as other forage forms, like hay cubes or pellets. When hay is needed again you could try offering some cubes, pellets, or chopped hay along with high-quality long-stem hay. Cubes and pellets might have to be dampened or soaked for some horses to chew comfortably. Depending upon the quality of grass in the pasture, he may need some supplemental forage now, even in warm weather.
Though you did not mention your gelding’s weight, it is best if he has access to free-choice forage until he has achieved moderate body condition, and then it can be scaled back to about 1-1.5% of his body weight. As an example, a 1,000-b (450-kg) horse in moderate body condition should be fed 10-15 lb (4.5-6.8 kg) of forage daily.
In regards to an appropriate feed, you are offering a high-fat, high-fiber feed to provide nutrients and added calories. Not knowing the type of feed or the amount you are feeding, I recommend double-checking the feeding directions outlined by the manufacturer to make sure he is getting the recommended amount. Most fortified feeds are designed to be fed at a minimum of 5 lb (2.3 kg) per day. If you find you are providing less than the recommended amount, he may be deprived of important nutrients, such as protein, which is essential for developing muscle.
Though most feeds are typically designed with a 5-lb (2.3-kg) minimum, many feeds, especially those intended for senior horses, have a much higher feeding rate. For instance, it would not be unusual for some senior feeds to have feeding rates of 12-15 lb (5.5-6.8 kg) per day if horses have poor dentition or other frailties of old age. This amount of feed would be split into three or more meals a day.
If you’re already feeding according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, you can add calories by feeding stabilized rice bran (usually 1-2 lb {0.45-0.9 kg} per day} or vegetable oil (soy or canola, usually 1-2 cups {8-16 oz; 250-500 ml} per day).
Again, because your gelding’s condition seems to be improving, you are likely satisfactorily addressing the weight problem. One other important point: be sure your horse is dewormed regularly, or as often as a fecal egg count demands it. Your veterinarian can help determine what is best for your horse in terms of vaccinations and deworming.
Finally, monitoring body condition is a year-round exercise. Thick winter coats often make horses appear fatter than they really are, so the best way to judge weight is to familiarize yourself thoroughly with fat cover over certain points of the body. For example, ribs should be felt but not seen; a padding of fat should be easily palpated between the skin and ribs. Once you’ve practiced this sufficiently, you will be able to tell your horse’s condition, regardless of season or coat density.
