EquineFeeding Older Horses: A Complete Guide to Senior Horse Nutrition
Horses are living longer than ever, with many staying active well into their twenties and thirties. Their nutritional needs change along the way, usually because of teeth, digestion and age-related conditions. This guide covers how to feed an older horse well and what to discuss with your vet.
- "Senior" depends on how the horse is doing, not just age; many show changes in their late teens or twenties.
- Dental problems are the most common reason older horses lose weight.
- Senior feeds are usually complete feeds that can replace some or all hay and can be soaked into a mash.
- PPID (Cushing's) is common in older horses and affects feed choices.
- Regular body condition checks, dental care and vet visits catch problems early.
When is a horse a "senior"?
There's no single age. Many sources consider horses senior somewhere in their mid-to-late teens or around 20, but the better question is how the horse is doing. Signs a horse may need senior-focused care include:
- Weight loss, or trouble holding weight through winter
- Dropping feed or slow chewing
- Muscle loss along the topline
- A long or curly coat that sheds late or not at all
- Stiffness, or lower energy
Some 25-year-olds still do fine on hay and a balancer. Others need major diet changes at 18.
Teeth come first
Horses' teeth erupt continuously throughout life and eventually wear down, loosen or fall out. Older horses commonly develop sharp points, wave mouth, gaps, loose teeth and gum disease. When chewing gets harder, horses can't break hay down properly, which leads to weight loss and a higher risk of choke and impaction colic.
Signs of dental trouble
- Quidding: dropping wads of partly chewed hay
- Long fiber pieces or whole grains in manure
- Eating slowly, or tilting the head while chewing
- Bad breath, or swelling along the jaw
- Weight loss despite plenty of food
Ask your vet or equine dentist how often your older horse should be examined. Many seniors benefit from checks at least once a year, and sometimes more often.
What makes a senior feed different
Most senior feeds are complete feeds: they contain enough fiber (often from beet pulp, soy hulls and forage meal) to replace some or all of the hay for a horse that can't chew it well. Typical features include:
- Easy to chew, usually pelleted or extruded, and often softened by soaking
- Higher fiber (often 15–20% crude fiber)
- Added fat for calories
- Quality protein with lysine to help maintain muscle
- Fortified vitamins and minerals, including vitamin E
- Some are formulated with controlled sugar and starch, which matters for horses with PPID or insulin issues
Because complete feeds are meant to supply fiber, they're fed in larger amounts than regular concentrates. A horse eating little or no hay may need a lot of senior feed each day, split into several meals. Always check the bag's feeding directions and ask your vet.
See ration balancer vs. complete feed for how the types compare.
Replacing hay for horses that can't chew
When a horse can no longer manage long-stem hay, owners often use:
| Option | Notes |
|---|---|
| Complete senior feed | Designed to replace hay; soaked into a mash if needed |
| Hay cubes or pellets | Soak until soft; timothy, alfalfa or blends |
| Chopped forage | Shorter fibers; some horses manage it when long hay is too hard |
| Soaked beet pulp | Digestible fiber; check for added molasses |
Soaking softens feed and adds water to the diet, which can help reduce choke risk. Make soaked feed fresh, since it can spoil in warm weather. Ask your vet how to transition safely and how much fiber your horse needs.
PPID (Cushing's) in older horses
Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), often called equine Cushing's disease, is very common in older horses. Signs include a long or curly coat that doesn't shed (hypertrichosis), muscle loss, a pot belly, increased drinking and urination, repeated infections and laminitis.
Many horses with PPID also have insulin dysregulation, so vets often recommend lower sugar and starch feeds. Your vet can test for PPID and discuss treatment, which may include medication. Feeding is part of management, not a replacement for veterinary care.
Weight, muscle and body condition
Older horses can lose weight from dental problems, parasites, PPID, poor digestion, pain or other illness, and some gain weight easily. Check body condition monthly and watch the topline, since muscle loss can hide under a fluffy winter coat.
If your senior is losing weight, ask your vet to look for a cause before adding calories. Once health issues are addressed, extra calories often come from more senior feed, soaked beet pulp, or added fat, as your vet advises.
Other things that help older horses
- Water: some seniors drink less in cold weather. Ask your vet about offering slightly warmed water and soaked feeds.
- Feeding position: seniors may get pushed off feed by herd mates. Feed separately if needed.
- Several smaller meals are often easier to manage than one or two large ones.
- Vitamin E: horses without fresh grass may run low; ask your vet whether to test or supplement.
- Kidney or liver issues may change protein, calcium or other recommendations; your vet will advise.
Questions to ask your vet
- When should the teeth be checked or floated next?
- Should we test for PPID?
- Can my horse still chew hay, or should part of it be replaced?
- Is a senior feed right, and how much per day?
- How many meals a day, and should feed be soaked?
- Is the body condition where it should be?
- Does my horse need extra vitamin E?
In the Equine Feed Guide, tick "Older or bad teeth" to see senior feeds side by side, including their published sugar and starch.
Frequently asked questions
What age is a senior horse?
Many sources say mid-to-late teens or around 20, but it depends on the individual. How the horse is holding weight, chewing and moving matters more than the number.
Can senior horses still eat hay?
Many can, as long as their teeth allow them to chew it properly. If you see quidding, long fibers in manure or weight loss, ask your vet about replacing some hay with senior feed, cubes or pellets.
How much senior feed should I feed?
It depends on whether the feed is replacing hay. Complete senior feeds are fed in larger amounts when they replace forage. Follow the bag's directions and ask your vet.
Should I soak senior feed?
Soaking can make feed easier to chew and add water, which may reduce choke risk for horses with poor teeth. Ask your vet whether your horse needs it.
Why is my older horse losing weight?
Common causes include dental problems, parasites, PPID, pain and other illness. Ask your vet to check before increasing feed.
Sources and further reading
- American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP): senior horse care resources.
- Equine Endocrinology Group (EEG). Recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of PPID.
- National Research Council. Nutrient Requirements of Horses, 6th revised edition (2007).
- University extension horse programs on caring for older horses.
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