Feeding Horses With Poor Teeth

Boo’s owner Emily contacted our northern feed adviser Sarah Rushby as Boo was really struggling to maintain weight due to her teeth being very worn.

The first thing Sarah did was find out how much forage she was actually eating by weighing the amount that she was offered & then weighing how much much was left the next day. She was only eating 3kg per day which means she wasn’t getting the minimum 1.5% bodyweight. This issue was addressed by offering her a partial hay replacement using, soaked Super Fibre Cubes, chaff & sugarbeet to make up the 3kg deficit in forage.

Boo is now living out 24/7 which makes a big difference to the dentally challenged horse as grass is easier than long fibres like hay/haylage for them to chew. Boo still has her soaked Super Fibre Cubes to add additional fibre as well providing the vitamins & minerals for a balanced diet.

The two photos were taken approximately a year apart, and alongside the bottom photo, there was a lovely message from Emily saying it’s the first winter she’s not already panicking about Boo’s weight. What a difference a year makes!

If you would like diet advice for your horse or pony to help maintain weight and condition please do not hesitate to get in contact with our nutritional team on 01622 718487 or fill out our Feed Advice Form.