# How is my old girl??



## apachewhitesox (Dec 9, 2010)

Ok I'm not sure how old horses work with their weight. My little girl seems to me to look a little pathetic next to the boys. From what I have been told older horses have more trouble keeping on the weight and everything. It also wouldn't help that Pepper is the lowest member of the herd. I have only had her for just over a year. During summer she looked pretty good but during winter it just seems to go. I am going to keep a light rug on her just because she is older nothing too thick because last year she grew a pretty thick winter coat. She has 24/7 access to grass, I feed her hay and a mix of grain/chaff/supplement stuff (her teeth are a bit worn) at night. I stand guard over her while she eats the grain mix because the boys are bullies about food to her. In the last month she has only been ridden 3 times the last 2 mainly walking around. People say she looks good for her age but her old owner has mentioned to me that she looks like she has lost weight. By the way she is 27 yrs old this year. What do you guys think of her weight?? I don't think she seems too bad overall but she seems a bit ribby to me. :?

Also she wasn't very happy about standing still for pictures so I added a picture of her grumpy face lol.


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## RedTree (Jan 20, 2010)

She does look a tad skinny, but we are going into winter and they do tend to loose a little weight changing weather.

Would you be able to give her 24/7 access to hay?
It may not be possible with your other two though.... hmm do you have seperate paddocks?
Maybe put her in one by herself for the night and give her lots of hay and then you could leave her be while she ate as well.
So that can be her sleeping paddock then let her out with the boys for the day

ETA I am extremly jealous of your grass lol were Buzz is it's still like a desert


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## apachewhitesox (Dec 9, 2010)

I can separate her into a different paddock though the lot would go psycho from being separated. I can't unforunately give her more access to hay.


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## apachewhitesox (Dec 9, 2010)

Just for a sort of reference here is a pic of her during summer a couple of months ago. She didn't really have a topline but you couldn't see her ribs, just feel them.


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## apachewhitesox (Dec 9, 2010)

Haha thanks the grass is starting to go though due to the winter morning frost and everything. During winter it ends up all dead looking and short not much green. During summer its awesome though


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## apachewhitesox (Dec 9, 2010)

bump ...


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## PintoTess (Aug 18, 2010)

She is a bit ribby. Bulk her up a bit and she should be fine. Also she is lacking in topline so a little of that building up will not go astray either.


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## mbender (Jul 22, 2009)

I was told that it is extremely hard to put weight on a older horse. My opinion is, she looks good for her age, maybe a bit thin but nothing terrible. A question. What is your climate like whete you live? It helps older horses to blanket them during the cold. They loose a lot of weight trying to stay warm.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

I do not fall for the saying that old horses are skinny because they are old. Yes, they take extra care to keep their weight were it should be. And no, we do not expect them to have wonderful muscle tone. But there is no reason for a senior to be skinny just because they are old.

It looks like it is time to reevaluate her feed program to accommodate her advanced age.
If her teeth are bad I can not see her having free choice hay as helping her weight.

She is a pretty old girl.


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## jyuukai (Apr 19, 2011)

She is a little thin, and it is hard to keep weight on an older horse. I agree that if her teeth are getting bad, free choice hay will only help a tiny bit. It's quite hard for a horse to chew hay with not-so-great teeth (my mini was in that same situation as a weanling, poor thing lol)
Do you have access to a feed store that sells a Senior Complete feed? Senior feeds are higher in fat and easier to digest/chew for older horses, and Complete feeds can take the place of some of the forage that she may be unable to get with her teeth starting to go. If you are able to, I would definitely switch her to this sort of feed.
If not, maybe just soaking her grain and adding a weight-gain or high-fat supplement will help a bit. You can soak her hay as well, but you will be letting go of alot of the sugar in it as well as making it softer, and you will need to compromise for that by adding more calories to the grain.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

jyuukai said:


> She is a little thin, and it is hard to keep weight on an older horse.


Not really, unless the horse has always been a hard keeper or there's something physically wrong.

If you keep their teeth and vaccinations up to date, older horses have no more trouble putting on weight than younger ones.

OP, you don't say how old your girl is, but I'd venture a guess at middle 20s. I have a 25 y/o gelding whose ribs, spine, and hips are fully fleshed. He has no problem keeping his weight, even in the winter.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

Speed Racer said:


> OP, you don't say how old your girl is, but I'd venture a guess at middle 20s..


From the OP.



apachewhitesox said:


> By the way she is 27 yrs old this year.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Thanks, Always. Didn't see that.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

Your guess was right on.....


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## apachewhitesox (Dec 9, 2010)

Thanks.
I am starting to rug her as the cold weather comes. I'm not sure if I have already said so but it will only be a lighter rug because with something thick she would sweat easily. She seems to always have quite a thick coat especially during winter. I have just switched feeds recently because the one we normally get wan't available I have a feeling that might have something to do with it because I felt she was doing really well on the other one. Also the supplement I just started giving her is one that helps with weight gain.


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

jyuukai said:


> She is a little thin, and it is hard to keep weight on an older horse.





Alwaysbehind said:


> I do not fall for the saying that old horses are skinny because they are old. Yes, they take extra care to keep their weight were it should be. And no, we do not expect them to have wonderful muscle tone. But there is no reason for a senior to be skinny just because they are old.


I agree with AB. My 28 yr old pony has no issues keeping weight on him, infact his problem is keeping the weight OFF him, he also has very good muscle tone for his age.

My 30yr old is more difficult to keep weight on him but he he has no teeth at all (he had half his front ones kicked out as a 5 yr old and the rest of his front ones fell out due to old age, his backs are worn completely smooth) and is currently fed alfabeet soup as a grass/hay replacer.

Your horse is looking poor and ribby, she needs something added to her feeding regime.
You need to separate her and put her in a field with good grass and one quiet companion, give her free choice, good quality hay if your grass is poor. Top it up with alfabeet to put the extra pounds on

i'll get photos of my two tommorow (after I've finnished pulling prides mane as it is only half done right now and looks rediculas)

Edited because I foound photos of pride last year (when he was 27!!) that show very well just how easy he keeps the weight on!
(he is the one at the front of the pic (the one at the back was 20yrs old in the pics)


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

oh and this lad who is on a permanat Diet is 20 yrs old


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## apachewhitesox (Dec 9, 2010)

Thats one thing thats getting at me the fact that I see all these other oldies that look really good. I can only put her in a smaller paddock by herself or leave her out in the larger paddock with Sammy. In the larger one she would be able to get to the nicer grass down by the dam. I am not able to feed her in the morning but should I try giving her more in the afternoon. I am also planning on switching her back to the grain she was getting before because it seemed to be easier for her to eat and she seemed to be doing better on it.


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## apachewhitesox (Dec 9, 2010)

Also forgot to add at the moment she is getting Nutri Rice Veteran but what I am planning on changing her back to is EasiFeed Four Old Timer. I have been advised to add a bit of Copra Meal to her feed as well.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

I would find a way to get her fed in the morning. 
Why is it that you can not feed her in the AM now? 

How is the weight of your other horse? How about giving her free access to the grass alone half the time and then both of them have it the rest of the time. (In other words, your other horse is closed in the paddock for half the time, not this mare.)

I assume she is current on deworming.


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## apachewhitesox (Dec 9, 2010)

Yes she up to date with her worming. I leave the house before five every morning on a week day because it is the only way i can get to school. My other horses Apache is like her but not as bad I think he is a good weight but I wouldn't want him to lose any and Sammy just about everyone calls him fat, though he isn't. I could try closing the others off for awhile.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

Get up 10 minutes earlier. Go put her inside to eat her morning feed alone. Right before you leave put her back out for the day.

(Coming from another person who gets up crazy early to fit her chores in before she leaves for work.)


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## apachewhitesox (Dec 9, 2010)

I guess this means I'm getting up at 4:15 in the morning good by sleep lol.


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

or alternativly get someone else to feed her in the morning. Thats what I do!


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## apachewhitesox (Dec 9, 2010)

I would love to, the only person who would sometimes be home after we leave wouldn't do it. He's a bit annoying like that.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

apachewhitesox said:


> I guess this means I'm getting up at 4:15 in the morning good by sleep lol.


I get up at 3:50 so I can take proper care of my animals before work. :wink:


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## apachewhitesox (Dec 9, 2010)

haha lucky you. Hopefully i can get my license soon so I don't have to keep this ridiculous sleep pattern up.


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

Make up the feed the night before, take it with you on the out, it litteraly takes 10 mins and if you are careful you can do it in your school uniform no problems (boiler suit over the top if it is muddy).

Alternativly What time do you finnish school? is there any way you could get someone to feed him at lunch time? and then again at about 8pm?

My old toothless pony is currently Fed 4 times a day, once by me before I go to work (about 6am), by my neighbour at midday, by my brother when he gets home from school at about 4pm and then again by me at about 10pm.

I make up all the feeds for the next day every evening so that all anyone has to do is get him in, pick the top bucket and feed it to him then put him back out.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

Impressed at your system, Faye!


I too make up all the breakfast meals when I am out doing my night chores. It makes morning chores go much smoother.


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## apachewhitesox (Dec 9, 2010)

Ok well I leave the house at the latest 4:55 in the morning. I get hom at the earliest in the afternoon about 3:30. I also have to be in bed by 8:30 to get any decent amount of sleep. So tonight i'm going to bed a bit late. I could tyr feeding her twice in the afternoon though I'm not sure how that would work.

That is a good system faye


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

Harvey is so used to it he is normaly waiting by the gate, they just open the gate and he puts himself in his stable. chuck the feed at him, come back 10 mins later and rope round his neck to chuck him back out in the field.

Very very easy and the system has worked wonders for nearly 2 years now!


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

4:00PM and 8:00PM are better than nothing. It would be even better if you added in breakfast and then did the 4:00PM and 8:00PM feedings.

You are talking about your mare's health and you are going into winter. I am sure if you think about it, you CAN do it instead of just trying to do it.


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

If you feed her immediatly at 3.30pm and then again just before you go to bed at 8.30pm that would be better then nothing. If she is still ridden then If you leave an hour after feeding her (so do your home work!!!!!) and ride at around 4.30pm to 5pm ish then you can still feed twice a day and ride.


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## apachewhitesox (Dec 9, 2010)

Don't get me wrong I'm not trying to make excuses I will do it thanks for the help. 

She rarely gets ridden I barely have time to ride both of the boys when I have school and its winter not enough daylight.


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

If you are putting hay out in the field then to prevent the others bullying your oldy you need to put it out in equal sized piles, Always have 1 more pile then the number of horses and put them a decent distance apart. That will mean your old mare will get a decent amount of hay because she cant be driven away from all of the piles.


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## apachewhitesox (Dec 9, 2010)

They all get decent sized piles and I shake every biscuit out thoroughly. My paddocks are separated into three so they are fed in separate paddocks because they simply keep switching between piles. I kind of hide pepper behind the shed so the boys dont see her at first glance and that normally puts them off until they finish. Sammy only pushes her out if he is already finished. Apache pushes anyone and everyone out as aggessively as possible because he is a bully like that, even if he has the exact same thing and he has barely started his own dinner.


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## kazziexx (May 17, 2011)

sorry if this has already been answerd but i couldnt read through all them answers lol ! --

And got to say shes looking fab for her age 
just have a think if shes been in the same home for 20 plus 
years maybe shes was pining for her old home and lost a bit of weight
through stress ! But obviously it will take a little longer to put back on
due to her age , I would also recommend putting her on a specialist
feed for older horses and an extra rug on winter nights as they feel the cold
more than younger ones ! The old owner is probly going to notice every tiny detail being as she owned her for a long time and has a special place in her 
heart , also is she quidding her food atall ? maybe another visit form the dentist will do her good i know with our 31yrold shetty had to have regular check ups every six months towards the end and we could never get her back in top condition after a certain age no matter how much grub we pumped into her ! , Hope you found your answer and wish you all the best


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

kazziexx said:


> And got to say shes looking fab for her age


Sorry but she is not looking Fab for her age, she is looking thin and in need of more feed.

My lad is looking fab and in those photos he was the same age as that mare!
Heck my 30 yr old is looking better then that and he has no teeth.


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## kazziexx (May 17, 2011)

depends on the horse really some age better and worse than others our mare at 27 was thin and she was on 3 feeds of specialist feed every day and ad lib hay - looking at the mare maybe some linseed oils and things would be good for her its cheap and effective would do her coat a lot of good to ! - but if you say shes like a 3 year old i wouldnt be to worried aslong as shes happy <3


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

Aging better or not means more sway backed, less muscle, more arthritis, etc. Not too thin.


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## kazziexx (May 17, 2011)

woah sorry for offering my opinion xD ! only trying to help ! to me the mare dont look to bad and i havent looked through the other posts so just posted somthing at the end - hope she improves for you =) !


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

No reason to be sorry for your opinion.

Old school thought is old horses get thin, that is just all there is to it.

Current thought, with the increased knowledge of feeds and medical care, is that older horses should maintain their weight and there is no reason for them to get thin and unthrifty.


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

Agree with AB, Old horses loose muscle tone, top line and get atheritic, aging better just means that those dont happen as quickly. Weight is a feeding issue not an aging issue. Yes you have to feed them different feeds as they get older and yes you have to feed them more but there is no reason for an old horse to be THIN!

ETA perhaps infuture it would be worth reading the whole thread before posting a response.


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## kazziexx (May 17, 2011)

very true always ! depending on budget maybe you could get a vet to maybe to some blood tests to make sure everything is in order xD ! -im kinda wishing i read through the posts now so i could see what people offerd maybe a good 5day wormer would do her good ? if shes got a good apetite get the grub into her as much as poss =)


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## SocietyJoe (Jan 21, 2011)

She isnt skinny skinny, and in the summer picture she does have a gut.
All she needs is muscle around topline and rump, but if she isnt in work anymore, thats pretty impossible to get. I think she looks ok, and winter is the hardest season to keep weight on.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

SocietyJoe said:


> and winter is the hardest season to keep weight on.


Exactly, and you guys are just going into winter so she needs to not go into winter needing weight.


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

Ok so I have photos Of my lads today (as in taken 5 mins ago) we are just coming out of winter. They both wintered out this year.

1st pony is Harvey, he is 30, he has no teeth, he has cushings disease and is prone to lammi I think it has been 6 years since anyone has sat on him and over 8 years since he did any proper ridden work. This pony has not wintered well and to me has not aged well. I concider him too thin for my liking hence why he is being fed 4 times a day











This pony (or should I say Blimp) is Pride. he is 28, he hasnt done any ridden work in over 6 months and then it was only the occassional tootle out for 20 mins. He has occassionaly been taken out to shows inhand as a security blanket for my youngster. This pony has been on a diet since january, he is still far too fat going into spring for my liking. He has IMO aged well and wintered well


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