28/07/2026
D & M stock a selection of Kohnke's Own products to keep your horses healthy & happy no matter their age.
🐴 Feeding the Aged Horse – Nutrition for Healthy Senior Years
As horses age, their nutritional requirements change, even if their workload has decreased. While many owners expect an older horse to need less feed because it is no longer in regular work, the opposite is often true.
One of the biggest challenges facing the senior horse is reduced digestive efficiency.
As horses age, the digestive tract becomes less efficient at extracting nutrients from pasture, hay and hard feeds. The hindgut microbial population also changes, reducing fibre digestion and the amount of energy that can be obtained from forage. At the same time, older horses often require more energy simply to maintain body temperature, body condition and everyday activity, particularly during winter.
This is why an aged horse may begin to lose weight, muscle and vitality despite eating the same diet it has always received.
🦷 Start with the basics
Before changing the diet, always look for the underlying cause of weight loss.
Poor dental health is one of the most common reasons older horses lose condition. Worn or missing teeth reduce chewing efficiency, making it difficult to process hay and grain properly. Horses that quidding feed, chew slowly or pass long fibres in their manure should have their teeth examined by a veterinarian. Regular dental care remains one of the most important investments in an older horse's health.
Regular worm control, hoof care and general health checks are equally important, as older horses often have reduced immunity and may struggle to compete with younger horses for feed.
🌾 Quality nutrition becomes even more important
Senior horses don't simply need more feed—they need better nutrition.
Older horses generally require:
✔ Higher quality protein to maintain topline and muscle mass.
✔ Increased levels of calcium and phosphorus to support skeletal health.
✔ Highly available vitamins and trace minerals because nutrient absorption declines with age.
✔ More digestible energy to maintain body condition and warmth.
Simply feeding extra hay is not always the answer. Excessive amounts of coarse hay can fill the digestive tract without providing enough digestible energy and may actually reduce digestive efficiency. Good quality leafy roughage remains essential, but many aged horses also benefit from an appropriate hard feed to increase energy intake without excessive bulk.
💪 Don't overlook muscle loss
One of the earliest signs of ageing is a gradual loss of topline.
This is not always "just old age."
As protein digestion becomes less efficient, older horses often struggle to absorb sufficient essential amino acids needed to maintain muscle. Providing a concentrated source of high-quality protein and essential amino acids can help support topline, muscle tone and recovery, particularly in senior horses that remain in work or are beginning to lose muscle condition.
🌱 Support digestive health
Digestive efficiency doesn't only influence weight—it also affects manure quality and nutrient absorption.
Many senior horses develop loose manure or reduced hindgut function as they age. Supporting the hindgut microbiome with appropriate digestive support can help improve feed utilisation, maintain body condition and promote healthier manure consistency.
⭐ Healthy ageing starts with good nutrition
Age alone should not determine a horse's quality of life.
With appropriate management, regular dental care, thoughtful feeding and a balanced diet that provides quality protein, digestible energy and highly available vitamins and minerals, many horses continue to enjoy active, comfortable lives well into their twenties and beyond.
A healthy senior horse isn't simply one that survives old age—it's one that maintains condition, mobility, vitality and enjoys a comfortable retirement.
