Integrity Adult/Senior: More Than Just A Senior Feed
What to Feed your Senior Horse
Many horseowners are under the false impression that senior horses require specific nutrients.
Nutritional requirements for adult horses are actually categorized by working or non-working, not by their age. Horse owners should not assume that a horse becomes a senior at some specific age and requires extra nutrition.
I have fed 14-18 year old show horses similar to a 6 year old; ridden horses in the High Sierras that were 18 & 19 years old and packed with mules that were 25-28 years of age.
Then why does Integrity have a product called Adult/Senior?
The nutrition provided by senior and adult pleasure horse feeds are very similar. A formula for senior and adult pleasure horses should contain a modest amount of fat and protein, higher fiber, low or no grains, and vitamins & minerals that are balanced for the required nutrients and soluble fiber. That’s exactly what Integrity Adult/Senior offers.
Take a look at the two columns in the table comparing the similarities of an ideal senior formula and adult pleasure formula. Then review the column of Integrity Adult/Senior that shows how the attributes are near identical to the senior and adult please horse. The protein, fat, energy, and fiber specifications are similar.
Comparison of a Senior & Adult Pleasure Feed Relative to Attributes of Integrity Adult/Senior
| Ideal Senior Horse Feed Profile | Ideal Adult Pleasure Horse Feed Profile | Integrity Adult/Senior without molasses | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mcal Digestible Energy /lb. | ~1.10 – 1.20 | ~1.20 | 1.18 (modest energy) |
| % Crude Protein | 12 – 13 | 12 – 13 | 13.0 (modest protein) |
| % Crude Fat | 4 – 7 | 6 – 7 | 6.5 (modest fat) |
| % Crude Fiber | 15 – 18 | 12 – 16 | 16 (high fiber) |
| % Starch | < 10 | < 12 | 1.6 (very low starch) |
| % ESC (Ethanol Soluble Carbohydrate) | < 8 | < 8 | 5.9 (low sugar) |
| Key Ingredients | This feed should contain sources of soluble fiber, fat, protein, yeast culture & probiotics, and balanced vitamins & minerals. | This feed should contain sources of soluble fiber, fat, protein, yeast culture & probiotics, and balanced vitamins & minerals. | A balanced formula. Soluble fiber sources are beet pulp & soy hulls; fat sources are rice bran & canola oil; protein sources are soybean meal & flaxseed meal; contains yeast culture, probiotics & prebiotic. |
~ Approximate
Well, senior and adult horses do not need a high fat formula. Fat level should be modest (around 6%). If a horse requires more energy, just feed more Integrity Adult/Senior or add Integrity Rice Bran. You can pick some up at a feed store near you.