Is alfalfa good for older horses?

Therefore, the key to feeding older horses is to use high quality protein from sources like alfalfa, soybean meal and canola meal without oversupplying their requirements.

What should I feed my senior horse?

Good quality grass hay and corn or a complete pelleted ration for mature (not aged) horses are the feeds of choice. Avoid legumes (alfalfa and clover), wheat bran and beet pulp due to high calcium (legumes, beet pulp) or phosphorus (wheat bran) content.

What does too much alfalfa do to a horse?

Alfalfa hay can cause diarrhea in a horse that overeats it because the hay is rich and full of nutrients. Overeating alfalfa can also cause a horse to have excess gas, develop laminitis, and founder.

Are alfalfa pellets good for old horses?

Alfalfa pellets and cubes fed wet are good alternatives for horses with dental problems. Pellets are small and easy for older horses to consume once softened. What is this? Pellets are a tremendous forage-based source of calories and protein for older animals that cannot maintain a regular equine diet.

Does alfalfa cause inflammation in horses?

THREE RISKS OF FEEDING TOO MUCH ALFALFA TO HORSES:

Horses that are on high protein diets become overly acidic which can cause inflammation in various body systems including the joints and hooves. They may get “hot”, anxious or agitated, or show signs of liver or kidney stress.

Is Alfalfa Hay Good For Horses - When

Is alfalfa hard on horses kidneys?

Alfalfa (lucerne) products, whether hay, cubes, or pellets, are not known to cause kidney problems in horses.

How much alfalfa should a horse eat a day?

Horses can normally eat 1.5-2% of their body weight in hay, which equates to 18-24 lbs. of hay per day.

What can I feed my older horse to gain weight?

Ultium^® Competition, Omolene^® #200 and Omolene^® #500 are also calorie-dense feeds that may be helpful to help an older horse gain weight when fed with appropriate good quality hay and/or pasture.

Can alfalfa cause laminitis?

Because alfalfa hay is more nutrient dense than typical grass hay, more care needs to be taken when feeding alfalfa. Alfalfa hay can cause horses to founder and develop laminitis due to the excess nutrients provided by the high quality hay if too much is fed.

Does alfalfa make a horse hot?

Alfalfa hay will make a horse hot, or crazy.

Not so, if fed appropriately. Alfalfa provides a significant amount of calories; however, an excess of calories in any form, whether from alfalfa, grain or oil, without the exercise to burn them, can result in an excessively energetic horse.

Can alfalfa put weight on a horse?

Alfalfa is higher in calories and protein than grass hays, which makes it an excellent choice to help to add weight to a thin horse. If your horse tends to be wasteful with his hay, he may eat more when offered alfalfa hay cubes or pellets.

What is the most nutritious hay for horses?

Legume Hay for Horses

Alfalfa, white clover, red clover and birdsfoot trefoil are common types of legumes, with alfalfa being the most popular choice. Benefits: Legumes are higher in protein and calcium than grass hay, and may also provide more energy and a higher level of total digestible nutrients, such as vitamin A.

Does alfalfa make horses pee more?

Because alfalfa is high in protein and because excess protein will normally be converted to urea, a horse that gets more than its share will urinate more than usual.

How do you keep an old horse healthy?

Do retired horses need grain?

Unless your horse is a high performance athlete, grass and/or hay and an appropriate serving of a whole food supplement is plenty of nutrition for good health. The hardworking horse's diet should be less than 25% grain to prevent colic.

How much grain should a senior horse eat per day?

Because most senior feeds on the market today can be fed as a sole ration (ie 16-18 lbs. per day to a 1,200 lb. horse in light work) they have to be formulated in such a way that a horse eating this much of the feed won't be overdoing the concentration of vitamins/minerals, etc.

Can alfalfa make a horse lame?

Some people, though, just don't want to feed alfalfa — they believe it causes laminitis. After years of working with horses, it appears that it may, in fact, lead to laminitis in some horses. I found this to be very puzzling since alfalfa is low in sugar and starch, even lower than most grass hays.

What does alfalfa do for horses?

Alfalfa hay is an excellent source of energy, protein, calcium and some other nutrients for horses. Its concentrations of protein and calcium meet the nutrient needs of horses in high levels of production, such as growth and lactation, but exceed the nutrient requirements of horses in other life stages.

What hay is best for laminitic horses?

Generally, a mixture of grass hay and alfalfa is the best hay combination for horses prone to laminitis.

Why is my old horse so skinny?

Older horses don't have to become underweight horses. If senior equines begin to lose weight, there is usually a reason for the change such as dental inadequacy, gastrointestinal inefficiency, immune dysfunction, or the stresses associated with pain.

How do you build muscle on an old horse?

Regular aerobic exercise improves his circulation, which makes it easier for digested nutrients to reach his muscles. Muscles that are consistently well-fueled and regularly worked atrophy less as aging continues. You can use a round pen or longe line to begin your senior horse's warm-up.

Is timothy or alfalfa better for horses?

Alfalfa hay is typically higher in protein and essential nutrients than timothy hay, making Alfalfa a better option for more active animals that need a high protein diet. Alfalfa also has more calories per pound than timothy, so it's generally the preferred choice of sport horse owners.

Does alfalfa cause colic in horses?

Rich alfalfa hay can also cause colic, so we recommend feeding a grass hay or grass/alfalfa mix. Changes in management or a horse's routine can be stressful and contribute to colic risk as well. Water is also very important, as a horse with minimal exercise needs to drink 4-5 gallons a day to remain healthy.

Should I feed my horse alfalfa pellets?

Alfalfa pellets for horses usually come in fifty-pound bags and can be found at almost any feed store. When fed in conjunction with alfalfa cubes and beet pulp they are more beneficial. If you feed them with a long-stem fiber source, the pellets can replace calories lost when hay is unavailable or scarce.