Senior feeds were first introduced more than two decades ago. They were intended to be fed to horses whose aging teeth made it difficult to chew long-stemmed forage. Developed as “complete” feeds, these products met all of a horse’s nutritional needs—no additional hay or forage was required.

Click here to learn how to safely switch your horse to a senior feed.

These early senior feeds proved to be very palatable and highly effective at keeping weight on hard keepers. They were so popular, in fact, that people began feeding them to horses who could still chew hay but needed an additional nutritional boost. This was understandable but led to overfeeding because horses received hay along with their complete feed. Feed companies responded by producing two types of senior feed. These were complete, meant to be fed without hay, and concentrated products, formulated to be fed in addition to hay.

The right choice

Keep this distinction in mind when choosing a senior feed for your horse. If your horse can still chew his hay, a concentrated senior product is probably the best choice. If he can’t manage hay, a complete feed will take care of his nutritional and forage needs.

[For horses “in between” senior stages—those who are still able to chew some hay, but not much—this decision can be complicated. Consult with your veterinarian to determine which senior feed—possibly combined with an alternative forage choice, such as chopped hay—is best for your horse’s needs.

This article was originally published in EQUUS 485

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