27 August 2008 10:24
My 27-year-old Welsh Cob’s teeth finally gave out this summer. He’s doing fine on soaked feed and a hay replacer, and can still eat grass, but how do I feed him this winter when there’s no grass?
Answer
By Your Horse
Nutritionist Clare Lockyer advises:
Losing some of the efficiency of his molar teeth will make chewing long fibre such as hay or haylage more difficult for him. Giving him high-fibre cubes and a hay replacer is good, although as the grass declines in quality and quantity, you will need to feed more.
I suggest you try:
● A high-fibre cube like Spillers High Fibre Cubes or Allen & Page Fibre Pencils. The cubes can be soaked down into a mash.
● These can be combined with a hay replacer like Spillers Happy Hoof or Dodson & Horrell Fibergy. You may need to go up to seven to nine kilogrammes if your horse weighs between 450kg and 550kg.
● Many older horses and ponies do very well on rations of soaked high-fibre cubes and hay replacers. If he can’t hold his weight even on large quantities of fibre-based replacers, add soaked conditioning cubes, unless he has had laminitis.
● To reduce the risk of impaction colic, make sure he’s getting enough water, and make sure he’s well rugged to keep him warm.