Author Topic: Feed Again - senior feed  (Read 1039 times)

Offline Chanda

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Feed Again - senior feed
« on: December 27, 2017, 07:18:45 PM »
My old man is getting picky again, it's just him, he gets picky in winter, this year it was earlier than usual.  Usually, adding alfalfa pellets to his senior is enough to get him cleaning up his dish again, but not so much this time.   We are so cold, that soaked feed freezes before it can be finished off, so I am putting off soaking his feed for as long as possible.  He doesn't eat much baled hay.   I tried several combinations of hay cubes and pellets this year, nothing was  a hit for him.   He had his teeth floated this summer, he still has all his teeth, but they are old man teeth.
I have limited selection local, so he's been eating Equis senior, the only senior the local store carries (this store is a CoOp, so decent prices and chance for a yearly dividend check, so like to buy what I can there). It's a regional brand.   The vet in one town carries Nutrena safe choice senior, and the vet in another town carries Purina (last time I checked, product I looked at was out of date); I'm not a huge fan of either.  And, there is a farm/ranch store 6 hours away that delivers monthly; so I just ordered LMF Low Carb senior from them to try, my order arrived today.  The LMF Low Carb is almost double the price of the Equis at the CoOp (and it's $7 more per bag than the LMF regular senior).  Good thing Che` is a tiny stallion and doesn't eat that much (around a bag a month or a little more - I'll have to do the math on the new feed to see how much is recommended for his size).   I carried one bag into his stall, his feed container is behind a half-wall in the back of his stall; he followed me in, so I gave him a little handful, and he dove right in, so it looks promising as an option for him.   I'll take a week to 10 days to switch him over from the old senior to the new senior, and we'll see how he does on it.
Picture of the two senior feeds together.

So, what's your favorite senior?   Or what do you mix up for your senior horses that eat little hay for one reason or another?
Chanda
HC Minis

Stallions: Little Kings Cat on Top, Paper Mache`
Mares: Misty, Tana, Sophia, Bliss, Bonny, Dolly and Baybe
Geldings: Dakota, Monte and Manny, Spotty
Donkey: Tilly

Offline dcwolcott

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Re: Feed Again - senior feed
« Reply #1 on: December 28, 2017, 07:38:56 AM »
Well, I used the Purina products, and especially liked the Senior Feed for those of mine missing teeth or with the "old man" teeth, but I have a local Purina store with great turnover, so no stale food.
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Offline Rocklone

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Re: Feed Again - senior feed
« Reply #2 on: December 28, 2017, 06:53:44 PM »
I feed my 18yo hunter a mix called 16+ by dodsen an horrel:

Oatfeed, Barley, Alfalfa, Wheatfeed, Full Fat Soya, Distiller's Wheat Grains, Extracted Sunflower, Cane Molasses, Maize, Glucose Syrup, Nutritionally Improved Straw, Vegetable Oil, Peas, Calcium Carbonate, Mint, Dried Carrots, Salt, Unmolassed Sugar Beet, Vitamin/Trace Mineral Premix, Magnesium Oxide, Wheat, Garlic Granules, Dicalcium Phosphate, Glucosamine (0.2%), Prairie Meal, L-Lysine, Marjoram, Dandelion Leaves, Methyl Sulphonyl Methane - MSM (0.05%), Nettle Leaves, Blackcurrant, Kale, Spinach, Beetroot, Rosemary, Rosehip, Pomegranate (0.03%)

He gets that with a speedibeet and a cup of micronised linseed which help throw the weight on him.


There is a 31yo horse at my yard who has 5 "meals" a day all soaked. I think one is a grass nut, one is this 16+, one is a fibrebeet, one is a grass chaff that when soaked makes it like a chopped grass so easy to eat, and the other is his haylage all cut up into bite sizes. Takes them about an hour to prepare his meal before feeding, then he gets to decide which/when to eat as they are all in different buckets. The horse looks amazing for a 31yo exrace horse, and can still be ridden with great liveliness!

Offline Carly Rae

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Re: Feed Again - senior feed
« Reply #3 on: December 29, 2017, 07:35:04 PM »
Willow is 18 and I feed her a mix of 2 laminitis safe feeds, Maxi Soy, which has protein and Easi Sport which gives her energy. I add a vitamin and mineral supplement, along with Rhodes grass hay which the vet said is low sugar. I also give her a bit of time out on the grass with a grazing muzzle. I did start her off with plain maxi soy which she didn't enjoy much, adding the easi sport is a bit more appealing to her.  :) Willow also has problems with her teeth, the dentist said it may limit her life by 5 years, as she will begin to find it harder to eat, although these feeds are recommended for older horses with teeth issues as well  :)
Willow, Kevin, Piper, Specter, Spider & Dashaspring

Offline dcwolcott

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Re: Feed Again - senior feed
« Reply #4 on: December 29, 2017, 07:39:15 PM »
Carly,

Don't forget that as she ages, you can always take a good feed and make it easy to eat by making more of a "slop" of it.  I had 2 oldsters who came to me in their retirement years, and both had very few teeth.  But I took a Senior feed and alfalfa cubes and soaked them in warm water.  They both lived into their late 20's.  It was so funny listening to them "slurp" their feed.   :D   But, it got them through and they lived longer than I expected by just making things easier to eat.

'Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.'

Offline Carly Rae

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Re: Feed Again - senior feed
« Reply #5 on: January 03, 2018, 11:46:05 PM »
The feed I give her is really good as it is suitable for foals right through to seniors. It can be fed dry in its pellet form, or it can be wet and it goes to a really soft mush, or you can add more water and make it a 'slop' like you said  :) I think it will be a good feed for her for the rest of her life, as long as she doesn't get sick of the taste that is haha.

This is what it looks like. 1st pic, Maxi soy pellet form. 2nd pic, mush- how I feed it to her. 3rd pic, Easi sport, which when wet goes soft too. 4th pic, EVM supplement that I mix in.  ;D
Willow, Kevin, Piper, Specter, Spider & Dashaspring

Offline Ryan

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Re: Feed Again - senior feed
« Reply #6 on: January 10, 2018, 07:13:36 PM »
I feed my senior biggie a feed very similar to what Hayley is feeding , though Ill say the one I'm using isn't as sweet. I mix it with Lucerne Chaff ( alfalfa chaff).

Chanda It must drive you crazy trying to get hold of good feed (being so far out). And then trying to find something to change too for a picky eater..............  ahhhhhhhhhhhhh

Have you thought of or considered making some Molasses based horse treats. Maybe something you could crumble into his feed ? I have my fingers crossed for you that hes still diving into his feed bin and polishing it off :)

I did have success a few years back with a friends aged pony. We grated a few carrots and put them into a container and into the fridge. Come feedtime, she would sprinkle a tiny amount through the feed and it did help.   

Carly the Feed your using "easi Sport"  does "Prydes" make that one ?  I agree with Diane re the "slop" feed.  Ive NEVER had a horse refuse a slop meal , they love it :)






Offline Chanda

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Re: Feed Again - senior feed
« Reply #7 on: January 10, 2018, 10:16:53 PM »
I've broke down, and I'm soaking his pellets.  He didn't have great dental work before I got him, and while I've had him we've taken care of a bad ramp and a slab fractured tooth (they were nipped off at gum level, 7 years ago this coming summer); so it's quite possible these issues are rearing their ugly head again, so will have the dentist address them when she comes this year.  He was floated summer 2017.
Last night, he ate all his soaked pellets, this morning, not all.  He's anxious to get out of his stall in the morning, so will only eat a small meal, I just have to find the right amount once soaked.   He gets 2 quarts daily, and goes out with the girls in the pen during the day, in a stall at night.  I know I have to feed him the majority of his meal at night.  I don't think he'd be all that agreeable to being put in his stall mid day for another meal, and my days are too short this time of year to try to fit in another meal.  [I don't have power in my barns, and I really don't want to have to go out after dark.]
I'm contemplating ordering some Chaffhaye to try on him.  Their trial size shipment, isn't cheap (10# for $28 inc s/h, it's eight 20oz bags), but it would beat buying and shipping a ton of the 50# bags.  I've heard good things, the closest dealer is 200 miles, so not practical, but I need to get him eating and keep him eating. 
I've gotten chopped hay from the neighbor in the past for him, but this drought year hay is really sucky quality, so don't know if he'd eat it or if it would do any good (he's not a huge fan of the bagged, chopped hay).
Chanda
HC Minis

Stallions: Little Kings Cat on Top, Paper Mache`
Mares: Misty, Tana, Sophia, Bliss, Bonny, Dolly and Baybe
Geldings: Dakota, Monte and Manny, Spotty
Donkey: Tilly

Offline Ryan

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Re: Feed Again - senior feed
« Reply #8 on: January 10, 2018, 10:47:32 PM »
I usually feed it in alfalfa chaff and mine love it , understandably it is a little more expensive though. Where do you have to have it shipped from ?

Hope you get some much needed rain Chanda  ;pray

Offline Chanda

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Re: Feed Again - senior feed
« Reply #9 on: January 10, 2018, 11:43:08 PM »
I usually feed it in alfalfa chaff and mine love it , understandably it is a little more expensive though. Where do you have to have it shipped from ?

Hope you get some much needed rain Chanda  ;pray
The Chaffhaye company is down in Texas. [I'm in Montana.]  There closest dealer is over 200 miles one-way, not very practical.
I've tried the chopped bagged forages from Tractor supply, but he's not fond of them. 
We'll figure out something that works for him, but boy is he picky.  I wish I could find alfalfa meal, so I wouldn't necessarily have to soak to soften, since it's already in meal form.
Chanda
HC Minis

Stallions: Little Kings Cat on Top, Paper Mache`
Mares: Misty, Tana, Sophia, Bliss, Bonny, Dolly and Baybe
Geldings: Dakota, Monte and Manny, Spotty
Donkey: Tilly

Offline Carly Rae

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Re: Feed Again - senior feed
« Reply #10 on: January 11, 2018, 04:45:47 AM »
Yes Ryan, its Prydes Easi Sport  :)

Willow dropped a HEAP of weight after having Moo, she became very weak and tired, which is exactly the kind of thing we were worried about with her foaling. I added the easi sport to her meal which gave her a bit more energy, however shes still very thin with ribs and hips visible.
 
She is unbelievably fussy and I'm finding it very hard to get her to eat a full meal. I've tried dry feeds and slops and different types, she generally just picks at it. However I find putting a tiny bit of molasses in a cup with water, mixing it then tipping over the food makes it a bit more interesting for her, just giving it a smell. I just have to compromise and try change it up a bit to keep her interest in the food and ideally get Moo off her as soon as shes ready. We will get there eventually, I'm just so glad we dont have a stallion here to breed her again!  :)
Willow, Kevin, Piper, Specter, Spider & Dashaspring

Offline Ryan

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Re: Feed Again - senior feed
« Reply #11 on: January 11, 2018, 04:17:16 PM »
Carly have you tried "gumnuts" by Mitavite ?  Its specifically designed for older horses. Jump on google and have a read. A friend of mine uses it for her seniors and she swears by it.  Hope she is gaining some weight..


Offline Carly Rae

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Re: Feed Again - senior feed
« Reply #12 on: January 12, 2018, 06:29:10 AM »
I have come across Gumnuts in the feed store. I'll definitely have a look at it, from memory its pretty well priced too.
Willow, Kevin, Piper, Specter, Spider & Dashaspring