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Expert
Posts: 1207
 
| If you have a Tractor Supply close you might try the Hydration Hay. My horses love it and I soak it in winter with hot or warm water plus it also gives them added water to make things move through. I have a 25 year old retired gelding and I feed him a senior feed with soak cubs or the hydration hay, Amplify and free choice hay. He can still chew although it is a bit slower. The Amplify made a huge difference and he is finally gaining weight for the winter. Plus he also gets THE Muscle Mass. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 851
 
Location: West Texas | Your question was made for a product like Omnis, fed dry. It is not currently available in Kansas.
I would look for Select Way alfalfa cubes and see if you can feed them Ok dry. If not, soak them. It doesn't take but about 10 minutes to soak alfalfa cubes. If you want, you can add any senior feed to that or even just a fat supplement of your choice. But mainly, stay away from baled hay, unless you are going looking for impaction colic or choke.
Replace the baled hay with a quality, soft hay cube. I personally would stay away from hay stretcher type feeds. Cubes are not the only route, but they are the healthiest one because of the longstem fiber and chew time they provide. If you must, I would split feed alfalfa cubes and Senior feed of your choice. I have not seen where Equine Senior is hard. Maybe it is a freshness issue.
Edited by Tdove 2015-12-18 9:00 AM
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Nut Case Expert
Posts: 9305
 
Location: Tulsa, Ok | My 34 yr old has the same issue. He chews up a lot of grass hay but consumes very little. We find spitballs in his wake. No interest in the Brome that the others will kill for. He HATES all senior feed and will not eat anything that has been soaked. Grain is a high fat all grqin mixed with crimped oats. For roughage he does well with alfalfa/oat cubes - either Omnis or Standlee. First choice is Omnis because they are smaller and softer. Standlee cubes are larger and not uniformly soft. When we use Standlee we break them up and kind of shred them before we give them to him.
Edited by SC Wrangler 2015-12-18 9:32 AM
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 669
Location: Central Texas | We feed our old guy a mix of sweet feed (go ahead and flame), alfalfa pellets, whole oats and cool calories twice a day and he does fine. He has very bad teeth due to age and poor prior care (not by us). We do put some hay in his pen so that he has something to just munch on. He gets some down but alot ends of in hay patties. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 393
| Our 31 year old horse won't eat hay any more so we put him on Omnis Cubes by Danco Forage and he has probably gained 300lbs on them and he loves them! He will sit and eat them all day and he wouldn't even touch hay any more! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 889
Location: Kansas | Again thank you for all the replies. I decided to start out simple. Since he loves his pelleted feed and eats it with gusto I am starting by adding the soaked alfalfa cubes. If needed I will add other suggestions, but for now I want to keep it simple. :-) I think my old boy approves of the soaked cubes addition.
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 Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | good decision.. I always add water to my grain at any age.. its good to get extra water in them to.. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 889
Location: Kansas | Bibliafarm - 2015-12-18 8:46 PM good decision.. I always add water to my grain at any age.. its good to get extra water in them to..
Absolutely agree with the extra water / moisture. He was never a horse to drink lots if he wasn't working / competeting. So now that he's been retired I've had to keep an eye on consumption. He sure was a happy boy tonight! |
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 Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | I have had the best luck keeping the old ones with no teeth on soaked alfalfa pellets and beet pellets twice a day. All have access to grass hay too, but some just chew it into balls and spit it out. The dun gelding (if I can get pics to upload) was I think 27 when he died. He had no front teeth by then and few back ones. He was on a full mush diet for 3 yrs I think. We added oats to his mush. The Appy mare is now 34 and looks pretty rough, looking like this might be her last winter. But in the picture she is 32 if I remember right. She has no teeth at all and on mush twice a day and my dad also puts Equine Senior in hers. IMO she needs fed a 3rd time, but she belongs to him so....and the pony is my son's beloved. He is every bit 40'ish and still as sound and ornery as can be. He has no teeth at all in back but the front are still ok. In the spring he can pick at the soft grass but otherwise is on mush in the am with Active Equine Senior soaked in, and a good dose of Active Equine Senior in the pm. He does eat from the hay bale and quids a lot of it, but still gets the softer stuff chewed. He stays very plump.
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | runnin hard - 2015-12-18 8:39 PM Again thank you for all the replies. I decided to start out simple. Since he loves his pelleted feed and eats it with gusto I am starting by adding the soaked alfalfa cubes. If needed I will add other suggestions, but for now I want to keep it simple. :-) I think my old boy approves of the soaked cubes addition.
He looks like hes asking when his next meal will be served, lol.. Glad that hes enjoying his new addition to his meals.  |
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 My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | runnin hard - 2015-12-18 8:39 PM
Again thank you for all the replies. I decided to start out simple. Since he loves his pelleted feed and eats it with gusto I am starting by adding the soaked alfalfa cubes. If needed I will add other suggestions, but for now I want to keep it simple. :-) I think my old boy approves of the soaked cubes addition.
I think that's a happy boy---hope this program works great for him |
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My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | wyoming barrel racer - 2015-12-18 8:51 PM
I have had the best luck keeping the old ones with no teeth on soaked alfalfa pellets and beet pellets twice a day. All have access to grass hay too, but some just chew it into balls and spit it out. The dun gelding (if I can get pics to upload) was I think 27 when he died. He had no front teeth by then and few back ones. He was on a full mush diet for 3 yrs I think. We added oats to his mush. The Appy mare is now 34 and looks pretty rough, looking like this might be her last winter. But in the picture she is 32 if I remember right. She has no teeth at all and on mush twice a day and my dad also puts Equine Senior in hers. IMO she needs fed a 3rd time, but she belongs to him so....and the pony is my son's beloved. He is every bit 40'ish and still as sound and ornery as can be. He has no teeth at all in back but the front are still ok. In the spring he can pick at the soft grass but otherwise is on mush in the am with Active Equine Senior soaked in, and a good dose of Active Equine Senior in the pm. He does eat from the hay bale and quids a lot of it, but still gets the softer stuff chewed. He stays very plump.
Your horses and mine as well as the way you feed/the way they can eat sound quite alike. My Dan is 36, and beet pulp has been a Godsend for him. He gets 12 lbs of Sr Active and 10 to 12 cups (before water added) beet pulp split in two feedings. At night feeding he gets 1/3 cup Healthy Weight oil and 2 scoops Platinum CJ. He will chew on the hay we put out for the other horses, but probably 95 percent he ends up quidding; I think it's just something he does for the chewing pleasure. When grass is long and tender he can still graze pretty good. I am picture-challenged, as I've said before! But everyone that sees him can't believe he's that old. I've researched and tried different things, and this is what works for me and him. I've had him over 16 years, and I owe him all this and more. . . .
Can't believe that pony is 40ish---wow!
Edited by Chandler's Mom 2015-12-18 10:40 PM
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12838
| Many people do not continue dental care when horses are retired. As with performance horses, hoof care and dental care are the most important part of horse care. You have to have a horse's teeth floated regularly throughout their lives. Often older horses will need to have their teeth at least checked several times a year. Waiting several years to have horses' teeth checked will often result in problems that cannot be corrected. |
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Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | Chandler's Mom - 2015-12-18 9:38 PM wyoming barrel racer - 2015-12-18 8:51 PM I have had the best luck keeping the old ones with no teeth on soaked alfalfa pellets and beet pellets twice a day. All have access to grass hay too, but some just chew it into balls and spit it out. The dun gelding (if I can get pics to upload) was I think 27 when he died. He had no front teeth by then and few back ones. He was on a full mush diet for 3 yrs I think. We added oats to his mush. The Appy mare is now 34 and looks pretty rough, looking like this might be her last winter. But in the picture she is 32 if I remember right. She has no teeth at all and on mush twice a day and my dad also puts Equine Senior in hers. IMO she needs fed a 3rd time, but she belongs to him so....and the pony is my son's beloved. He is every bit 40'ish and still as sound and ornery as can be. He has no teeth at all in back but the front are still ok. In the spring he can pick at the soft grass but otherwise is on mush in the am with Active Equine Senior soaked in, and a good dose of Active Equine Senior in the pm. He does eat from the hay bale and quids a lot of it, but still gets the softer stuff chewed. He stays very plump. Your horses and mine as well as the way you feed/the way they can eat sound quite alike. My Dan is 36, and beet pulp has been a Godsend for him. He gets 12 lbs of Sr Active and 10 to 12 cups (before water added ) beet pulp split in two feedings. At night feeding he gets 1/3 cup Healthy Weight oil and 2 scoops Platinum CJ. He will chew on the hay we put out for the other horses, but probably 95 percent he ends up quidding; I think it's just something he does for the chewing pleasure. When grass is long and tender he can still graze pretty good. I am picture-challenged, as I've said before! But everyone that sees him can't believe he's that old. I've researched and tried different things, and this is what works for me and him. I've had him over 16 years, and I owe him all this and more. . . . Can't believe that pony is 40ish---wow!
Since he is a pony it is hard to prove it, but here is how we came to his age. He was given to us by the neighbor because he thought my son would enjoy him and he's just been sittin out in pasture for yrs. His daughter rode him and she is 30 or 31 now. I doubt she was younger than 3 or 4 when she rode him. The pony was first used by her cousins and he was around 5 when they had him. So add/subtract all that up and he is 40ish LOL. He is very spoiled since we got him. He went from fending for himself to being fed mush, brushed pretty much daily by my little guy, he has a fly sheet and a winter blanket. He has previously foundered so his feet are kept trimmed all the time. He was getting Pentosan injections last summer when my son was riding him more but he was moved up to an older full size horse this fall. I think Pony is more spoiled than anything else around here. Oh and he gets treats that are special for seniors. They disolve from saliva more than needing to be chewed. He has my heart since he has my son's. They won a buckle together last summer doing lead line. Wouldn't guess he was 1/2 his age with his sass, but he prefers to walk most of the time. I'm a big believer in the Active Senior vs the reg senior. It keeps this pony plump and happy. Here is a recent picture from fall. He rides him once and awhile because Remington says Pony gets lonely and sad.
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Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | streakysox - 2015-12-19 6:52 AM Many people do not continue dental care when horses are retired. As with performance horses, hoof care and dental care are the most important part of horse care. You have to have a horse's teeth floated regularly throughout their lives. Often older horses will need to have their teeth at least checked several times a year. Waiting several years to have horses' teeth checked will often result in problems that cannot be corrected. Dental care is very important but once they get really old, often there isn't much they can do. We took the pony in as soon as we got him and he already had loose back teeth. They evened out what they could and by the next year they refused to touch them because they were getting even more loose. They were afraid of causing more damage by floating than if they just leave them alone. He isn't the first I have been told that about. The Appy mare had never had her teeth done until she was in her late 20
s. We just never knew growing up, she never had any issues either. So when he looked in her mouth, they really didn't need much. A few sharper edges, but no hooks and no wave. Wish more horses were like her. I own her son that is 22 and he needs his teeth floated every yr. I started him at age 6 because he got to throwing his head a lot. He gets really sharp edges. We try to keep on a yearly schedule with everything around here unless they are young and need it sooner.
Edited by wyoming barrel racer 2015-12-19 12:12 PM
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Take a Picture
Posts: 12838
| wyoming barrel racer - 2015-12-19 12:11 PM
streakysox - 2015-12-19 6:52 AM Many people do not continue dental care when horses are retired. As with performance horses, hoof care and dental care are the most important part of horse care. You have to have a horse's teeth floated regularly throughout their lives. Often older horses will need to have their teeth at least checked several times a year. Waiting several years to have horses' teeth checked will often result in problems that cannot be corrected. Dental care is very important but once they get really old, often there isn't much they can do. We took the pony in as soon as we got him and he already had loose back teeth. They evened out what they could and by the next year they refused to touch them because they were getting even more loose. They were afraid of causing more damage by floating than if they just leave them alone. He isn't the first I have been told that about. The Appy mare had never had her teeth done until she was in her late 20
s. We just never knew growing up, she never had any issues either. So when he looked in her mouth, they really didn't need much. A few sharper edges, but no hooks and no wave. Wish more horses were like her. I own her son that is 22 and he needs his teeth floated every yr. I started him at age 6 because he got to throwing his head a lot. He gets really sharp edges. We try to keep on a yearly schedule with everything around here unless they are young and need it sooner.
I read an article 40 tears ago about the importance of equine dental work. My horses have had their teeth floated since then. There is a girl that lives near me that I have known at least that long who told me that her horse has only needed to have his teeth floated once when he was 16. (She has onwned hm for years.). That poor horse is impossible to get in the arena. As I mentioned, consistent care is essential. If I were buying a horse, I would make a dental exam a part of the prepurchase exam. It is that important. |
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Veteran
Posts: 278
Location: Whitney, NE | I am feeding 2 old barrel horses that we still use for my kids to ride. One is 31 the other 27. We feed them 5 coffee cans apiece per day of Bomgaars brand senior feed, plus 2-3 flakes of dairy quality alfalfa. We split it into two feedings. They also have access to pasture turnout. They are both fat and happy. They don't have trouble with the hay wads with the high quality alfalfa like they do with grass or grass mix hay. |
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 Living on the edge of common sense
Posts: 24138
Location: Carpenter, WY | Teehaha will be 32 in the spring and other than being sway backed is holding her weight well. She gets soaked beet pulp twice a day and a scoop of Total Equine on top of it. She doesn't like any of the other pelleted feed we've tried but hunts the TE. It's really a challenge when it's super cold so I mix in a bucket in my bath tub and get it nice and warm for her and Dan will run it out and hang on the panel before it freezes. She has free choice grass but mostly just pees in it  Winter is definitely alot easier on her than the hot summer temps and she doesn't get a blanket unless the temps are in the minus degrees.
Edited by teehaha 2015-12-19 4:39 PM
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My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | wyoming barrel racer - 2015-12-19 12:11 PM
streakysox - 2015-12-19 6:52 AM Many people do not continue dental care when horses are retired. As with performance horses, hoof care and dental care are the most important part of horse care. You have to have a horse's teeth floated regularly throughout their lives. Often older horses will need to have their teeth at least checked several times a year. Waiting several years to have horses' teeth checked will often result in problems that cannot be corrected. Dental care is very important but once they get really old, often there isn't much they can do. We took the pony in as soon as we got him and he already had loose back teeth. They evened out what they could and by the next year they refused to touch them because they were getting even more loose. They were afraid of causing more damage by floating than if they just leave them alone. He isn't the first I have been told that about. The Appy mare had never had her teeth done until she was in her late 20
s. We just never knew growing up, she never had any issues either. So when he looked in her mouth, they really didn't need much. A few sharper edges, but no hooks and no wave. Wish more horses were like her. I own her son that is 22 and he needs his teeth floated every yr. I started him at age 6 because he got to throwing his head a lot. He gets really sharp edges. We try to keep on a yearly schedule with everything around here unless they are young and need it sooner.
My gosh, again, same thing with Dan!! His front teeth were almost completely kicked out when he was a foal, and he has hardly any back teeth left. We do all the horses' teeth in the spring, Dan included. However, there is just not much they can do with what's left. So I know exactly what you're talking about
Love that Remington still has that connection with Pony even if he's not the main mount anymore. He thinks he's found the promised land with your family!! |
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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6437
Location: Montana | My friend had one of those...he lived to be 34, and she had him on senior feed for quite a few years. Alfalfa will work too, as long as it isn't stemmy...this old guy would pick through and eat the leaves, LOL. |
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