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  Discussion on Vitamin supplementation for the aged horse
Author Message
Member:
chrism

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 10, 2010 - 8:27 am:

I recently read (perhaps in the on line mag, The Horse) that vitamin c and e supplementation helps the older horse's immune system.

I am wondering if there is any commercially available vitamin supplements targeted for "the older horse" that might be useful for my 27 yo.

She can be a bit stiff (more so as temperatures fall) and sometimes gets rain rot/scratches in the summer. Her eyes are a bit cloudy from old age. Otherwise she is spunky and opinionated and you wouldn't see her age to look at her.

She has a daily glucosamine cookie - a Majesty's Flex Wafer that she seems to miss if she is off of it after a period of time.

TIA.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 10, 2010 - 2:06 pm:

Purina's Senior feed is supplemented with antioxidants like C and E but I do not know of a specific equine supplement of these two. The idea these may be helpful remains speculative but if I was going to supplement these two vitamins I would use human products and use the dosages in the vitamin article. It would also include other vitamins we could speculate may need supplementation in the older horse.
DrO
Member:
chrism

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 11, 2010 - 10:09 am:

Because she is a bit of an air fern these days, her feed has been reduced to about 2 cups of senior feed a day - the rest is decent hay (seldom alfalfa - mostly timothy) and grazing.

Which is why I was wondering if she needed a bit of something to "complete" her needed vitamins.

I see there are a number of "senior" things on smartpak - I'll do a bit more research.

Thanks!
Member:
vickiann

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 11, 2010 - 12:22 pm:

My horses are all getting up in years with most being very easy keepers. They get 1 1/2 cups of Triple Crown Lite twice daily, which I may increase slightly in the winter months. It is very rich in vitamins and minerals (also contains probiotics) and the manufacturer doesn't want you to feed too much of it.

One of my horses who is ridden more needs more than just the Lite to maintain his weight properly, but I also cannot feed him quite enough of the Senior feed or Low Starch feed to maintain proper nutrition or he would get too fat, so he presently is fed (twice daily) 1 1/2 cups of Triple Crown Low Starch and 1 1/2 cups of the Lite for the extra nutrition. During the winter I will have to increase the Low Starch to maintain his weight because I do more camping and riding then. I adjust the Lite accordingly when appropriate.

My horses also have access to some free choice Dynamite minerals that they ignore sometimes and eat at other times. They are eating a lot of loose salt right now due to the hot weather and I also have one of those Himalayan salt licks hanging where they can use it as they wish.
New Member:
twhgirl

Posted on Tuesday, Oct 25, 2011 - 9:19 pm:

Sorry to jump on this so late...I have used Accel (VitaFlex) with great success and also Meg Cell. Both are available on Smartpak and they also have special senior multivitamins too. Currently, I am using Sho Glo (Manna Pro) due to the cost and ease of purchasing locally, and I supplement with Cosequin Optimized for joints.

VitaFlex also makes Accel Lifetime for older horses or performance horses too. I always thought it was a great product. Only stopped using due to cost constraints.
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