Dental issues
There is a saying that horses survive as long as their teeth and this is certainly true in the wild! In a domestic situation, dental issues, which include lost or worn teeth, diastemas (gaps between the teeth), inflamed gums and even arthritis of the jaw, are one of the main reasons for weight loss in older horses. However, they can also lead to choke, loose droppings and colic. While some issues can be resolved, management of those that can’t often involves replacing some or all of the long fibre (hay, haylage and grazing) in the diet with a hay replacer.
Time for a check-up?
All horses should have their teeth checked regularly by a vet or equine dental technician, but older horses may need more frequent attention. Between visits, look out for signs of pain or difficult chewing including:
- Weight loss
- Quidding
- Digestive issues such as colic, choke and loose droppings
- Reluctance or refusal to eat
- Bad breath
- Obvious pain or discomfort when eating or always chewing on one side
- Facial swellings
- Long fibre, whole cereal grains or partially/ undigested feed in droppings
- Reluctance to accept the bit and/ or changes in ridden behaviour
Senior horses may have sensitive teeth!
If you suffer from sensitive teeth the last thing you want to do is tuck into an ice-cream! Sensitive teeth can make older horses reluctant to drink, increasing their risk of dehydration and colic. Try adding hot water to buckets to take the chill off and using warm water to soak cubes and mashes.
Tips for choosing a hay replacer
- Where possible, include at least some short chopped fibre or ‘chaff’ to help increase/ maintain chewing time – this helps to support gastric health and mental wellbeing.
- Short chopped fibres are often unsuitable for horses with diastemas.
- Horses and ponies with very poor teeth may need 100% of their diet replaced with a mash – this may mean feeding 11-12kg of hay replacer per day (unsoaked weight) to a 500kg horse, sometimes more!
- Choose feeds low in sugar and starch for those at risk of laminitis.
- Avoid grass-based products for laminitics as they may be high in water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) or ‘sugar’.
- Remember that not all short chopped fibres, ‘chaffs’, fibre cubes and mashes are suitable for feeding as a hay replacer (and some are only suitable for feeding as a partial hay replacer) – always read the feeding instructions carefully and contact the manufacturer or a nutrition advisor if you need advice.
Tips for feeding a hay replacer
- Remember to introduce your chosen hay replacer(s) gradually.
- In practice, 1kg (dry weight) of a hay replacer can be used to replace 1kg of unsoaked hay.
- Ideally hay replacers should be divided into a minimum of 4 meals for those without grazing.
- Weigh all new feeds at least once – remember horse’s should be fed by weight not volume!
- Some horses will learn to regulate their intake but small frequent meals and dividing rations between multiple buckets may help to encourage ‘grazing’.
- Consider separating horses fed hay replacers from their companions at mealtimes to prevent bullying or ‘sharing’.
- Check whether your chosen hay replacer(s) contains added vitamins and minerals as you may not need to feed a balancer (or supplement) on top.
Soaked feeds and mashes
Most cubes or pellets can be soaked to make a mash but quick-soaking feeds such as SPILLERS Senior Super-Mash or SPILLERS Speedy-Mash Fibre may be a more convenient option. Regardless of the feed you choose, remember to weigh it before soaking – the increase in volume after soaking can make it easy to over-estimate how much you are feeding! Avoid soaking feeds in advance, especially in hot weather when they can start to ferment quite quickly (quick soaking varieties are ideal in this situation). If you choose a mash that requires a longer soaking time, keep it covered and in warm weather, try to leave it in a cool dark place.