Feeding your Sport & Leisure Horses

SLOWING THE HANDS OF TIME - Feeding Aged Horses

Many horses continue to be ridden, compete and reproduce well into their twenties. In horses, as with humans, there is no set age at which horses become ‘old’. For disciplines requiring years of training and physical development, peak performance often occurs in the mid to late teens. Many showjumpers and dressage horses don’t reach their prime until they are 12-14 years old. However, from around 15 years of age, the athletic ability and needs of horses begin to change. The reserve capacity of many organ systems narrows and the safety margin of many common practices is reduced – however, certain dietary inclusions can smooth the passage and slow the hands of time.