Mudd

Question
Hi Corlena,
I have an 29 yo quarter horse gelding.. He has Drop some SERIOUS weight in the past month..  I have an reg vet.. but I don't know whats going on..  Mudd (my horse) eats like a pig. we feed him a 14 % feed with an weight gainer and he has all the grass an horse will ever need he has access to fresh water he has also been wormed he teeth doesn't need to be floated.. Why is he droppin weight? He breaths really really hard and loud. he had an dust cough but we got that under control.. I know he is old but he still has his stubborn was .. He is not alone he has lots of playmates..  I haven't rode him in a good while cause of healthy.. any information is appreciated thanks

Answer
Hi Jennifer,

Thank you for your question.  Feeding older horses can become a challenge as the efficiency of their digestive systems seems to wain with age.  You're on the right track with his teeth and worming schedule so neither of those is likely to be his problem. The cough he had may have started the weight loss, especially if it was related to more than just dust.  And once an older horse starts to lose weight, it's hard to get them back on track.

You may want to look into what type of grain you are feeding him.  At his age, his ability to digest starch is decreasing...and the undigested starch could be causing digestive upset that leads to weight loss.  I recommend feeding 'senior' feeds to older horses as they are designed to work with and support the older digestive system.  A well made senior feed with have little to no starch in it, be rich in fiber (from superior fiber sources like beet pulp, contain moderate amounts of fat and use superior protein sources.  The customary high fat and high fiber feeds designed for inactive or performance horses may be too rich in fat for the senior horse as they are also less efficient at digesting fat. I would caution against feeding the weight gainer as it too may be too high in fat for an older horse, although that depends on which one you are feeding. You could also consider adding beet pulp to his diet.  Beet pulp is an excellent energy source for older horses because it is safe and easily digested, working like a very high quality hay.

As in any case where a horse is having trouble maintaining weight, I urge you to try feeding a good quality pre- or probiotic.  They are not all created equally so I often recommend LifeForce Formula from Alltech.  I simply love the formulation and the results it provides.  The pre/probiotic helps support digestive function and improve feed efficiency, helping your horse gain and maintain body weight.

Thanks, Corlena