By Suzy, Heart of Gold Sanctuary
Most of the horses in our herd are senior rescues, and many of them have very few teeth left. Winter is the hardest season for them, so every fall I go over the same checklist to get them through the cold, wet months comfortably. If you're caring for an older horse, here's what works for us, plus the supplies we trust.
1. Forage first: hay is their furnace
Horses stay warm from the inside out. Digesting hay and other forage produces body heat, which is why extra hay (not extra grain) is the first thing to add when temperatures drop. Most horses eat about 2% of their body weight in hay each day, and many need more in winter. Feeding a good portion in the evening helps keep that internal furnace going overnight.
For horses who can't chew hay well anymore, soaked hay cubes, chopped bagged forage or a complete senior feed can replace some or all of their hay. Our crew is in their 30s and nearly toothless, so most of their calories come from the feed bucket below.
2. Water: the most overlooked winter need
Horses drink less when water is ice cold, and too little water raises the risk of impaction colic. Keep troughs ice-free, offer warm water when you can, and add warm water to feed for horses who don't drink much on their own.
3. Shelter from wind and rain
Snow isn't usually the biggest problem. Wind and soaking rain are, because a wet coat loses its insulating loft. Every horse needs a place to get out of the weather, and in a herd it's worth watching that a timid senior isn't being pushed out of the shelter. Keep the path to it clear of deep mud and ice.
4. Blankets: helpful for some, not all
A senior in good weight with a full winter coat may not need a blanket at all. Thin horses, horses with health problems, clipped horses and those who shiver do benefit from a well-fitted waterproof blanket. Take blankets off regularly to check for rubs, skin problems and weight loss hiding underneath, and avoid overheating, since a sweaty horse under a blanket can get chilled.
Where we buy blankets and barn gear: Dover Saddlery has a huge range of turnout blankets in every weight and size, and Horse.com is our go-to for stable supplies, buckets and heated water options.
5. Teeth, weight and supplements
Older horses carry less body fat and use calories less efficiently, so keep a close eye on body condition all winter. A dental exam before the cold sets in makes a big difference, because a horse that can't chew properly can't keep weight on.
What's in our senior feed bucket
This is the mix that keeps weight on our nearly toothless 30-plus-year-olds all year round. Each horse gets:
1 scoop (3 qt) Elk Grove Milling Stable Mix. We love it for horses who tend toward loose manure.
1 scoop Triple Crown Senior Gold. Great nutrition. It does contain soy. The only soy-free senior feed we've found is out of our rescue's budget, so this is our next best.
1 scoop Triple Crown Natural Pellets. Soy-free, and one of the ingredients is fenugreek.
1 scoop unstabilized rice bran pellets for extra calories. Unstabilized bran can go rancid, so buy only what you'll use quickly. Our two 50 lb bags never last more than about a week, and we store all our grain in big metal cans that each hold over 100 lbs.
Then the toppers:
½ cup organic chia seeds. A great source of fiber and omega-3s, and we find it keeps things moving. We buy 3 lb bags at Costco.
2 tablespoons organic cinnamon, also from Costco. Many horse owners add cinnamon to support healthy blood sugar. Research in horses is still limited, so if your horse is insulin resistant or prone to laminitis, work with your vet on the whole diet first.
A scoop of Redmond Real Salt garlic salt. Salt replaces the minerals horses sweat out and encourages drinking, and we like the garlic for fly season. Keep it to a small amount: research shows large amounts of garlic can cause anemia in horses.
A scoop of Equerry's probiotic for digestion. Our horses think it's a treat.
Our super seniors have arthritis from years of hard work under people, so they also get a daily anti-inflammatory prescribed by our vet, hidden inside a German Horse Muffin. It's a happy little cookie to start their day.
Where to buy: SmartPak Equine and Chewy carry many senior feeds, probiotics and horse treats, delivered to your door. For blankets and barn gear, see Dover Saddlery and Horse.com above.
Our winter checklist
Extra hay, or soaked forage for horses with poor teeth
Ice-free water, warm when possible
A dry, wind-protected shelter that every horse can reach
Blankets only for the horses who need them, checked often
A pre-winter dental and veterinary check
Regular weight checks through the season
Every horse is different, and this is what works for our herd. Please work with your veterinarian before changing your own horse's diet, supplements or medications.
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Sources: Sallie S. Hyman, VMD, "Caring for Senior Horses in Cold Weather," The Horse, 2024 · Garlic intake and Heinz body anemia in horses, American Journal of Veterinary Research, 2005Most of the horses in our herd are senior rescues, and many of them have very few teeth left. Winter is the hardest season for them, so every fall I go over the same checklist to get them through the cold, wet months comfortably. If you're caring for an older horse, here's what works for us, plus the supplies we trust.
