Q: My older horse is starting to have problems with his teeth, which means he’s losing weight. How can I improve his condition?

A: Chewing is essential as the start of the digestive process and influences the whole chain reaction of processes that follow it. Chewing not only breaks down fibre and releases other nutrients, but it also causes the production of saliva, which is vital for maintaining gut function, balancing acid production and allowing food to pass smoothly through the digestive system. Older horses with dental issues have difficulty chewing food, especially forage and high-fibre feeds, which reduces the amount of food they can digest. This ultimately affects hindgut fermentation, resulting in poor nutrient absorption and loss of condition. Older horses may therefore eat the same amount but lose weight as they are unable to digest the food they are receiving to the same extent as previously and thus cannot extract the nutrients for their bodies to use.

As fibre needs to make up the bulk of your horse’s diet, you need to supply senior horses with sources of fibre that are easier to chew and digest. Soaked feeds are best for this because they are much easier to break down and infuse with saliva. Choosing feeds that include super-fibres, which are more easily fermented in the hindgut, can also help, as these feeds allow more nutrients to be absorbed. You can also look for feeds that include micronised ingredients, which are already partially broken down during the manufacturing process, thus reducing the need for your horse to chew them to break them down for absorption.

If you are looking to make changes to your horse’s diet, it is advised that you discuss these with an equine nutritionist or vet.