Every fall it's the same story at a lot of barns. The pasture browns off, the horses come in to a round bale or a hay net, and within a few weeks the old guy in the back field doesn't look quite right. His hip bones are a little sharper. His topline has slipped. He's slower to walk out of his stall on a cold morning, and he's the last one to the hay.
Older horses can lose ground fast once the grass is gone, and it's a lot easier to hold condition going into winter than to put it back on in February. Here's where we start with a senior horse every fall: the vet, the teeth and the bloodwork first, then hay, blankets and water, and then how ImmuBiome Lean Muscle and Joint & Recovery fit into his everyday routine.
Why older horses lose ground in winter
Cold weather costs calories. A horse keeps himself warm largely by fermenting fiber in his hindgut, so when temperatures drop he needs more forage just to stay even. A young horse usually handles that fine. An older horse often has a few things working against him:
- Worn or missing teeth, so he can't break hay down the way he used to.
- Some older horses seem to get less out of their fiber and protein than they did at ten.
- Stiff joints make standing out at the hay in the wind less appealing, and he may simply eat less.
- Herd mates push him off the good spot at the bale.
- Hormone changes, especially PPID, can affect his coat, his muscle and his weight.
Any one of those can show up as weight loss, which is why the first stop is your vet.
Start with the vet: teeth, bloodwork and a body score
A fall checkup pays for itself. Ask your vet to cover three things.
Teeth. Dental trouble is one of the most common reasons an older horse drops weight. Watch for quidding (dropping wads of half-chewed hay), balls of hay around the feeder, slow eating, long stems in his manure or a sour smell from his mouth. Plenty of vets like to see horses in their late teens and twenties twice a year rather than once. Our post on horse dentition covers how the teeth change with age.
Bloodwork. PPID, often called equine Cushing's, is common in horses in their late teens and older. A long or curly coat that's slow to shed, a dropping topline and a potbelly are the classic signs, but early cases can be subtle. Your vet can test with a simple blood draw, and fall is a good time to do it because labs use seasonal reference ranges. A fecal egg count while the vet is out is worth adding, since parasites can quietly take condition off an older horse.
A body condition score. Most vets use the Henneke scale from 1 (emaciated) to 9 (obese), with 5 as moderate. Run your hands over his ribs, behind his shoulder, along his withers and at his tailhead, and take a photo from the side on the same day each month. A lot of owners like their seniors to head into winter at a 5 or 6 so there's a little in reserve.
When to call your vet sooner
Don't wait for the fall visit if your older horse stops eating, drops weight quickly, shows signs of colic, drinks a lot more or a lot less than usual, or seems painful when he moves. Diagnosis and medication are your vet's job, and a senior horse can go downhill faster than a young one.
Hay, blankets and water
Once the vet has had a look, the rest is plain good management.
Hay first. Hay is what keeps him warm, so make sure he gets his share and give him more on cold, wet nights. If his teeth make long-stem hay hard work, ask your vet about soaked hay cubes or pellets. If he's getting pushed around at the bale, give him his own pen or a second hay station. Store hay so it stays dry; our fall hay storage post covers mold and what it means for horses.
Blankets and shelter. Wet and wind take more out of an older horse than dry cold does. A run-in shed or a good windbreak makes a big difference, and a blanket helps the hard keeper and the clipped horse. Just take the blanket off at least once a week and look at him properly. Blankets hide weight loss, and they need refitting if he's lost topline.
Water. Horses tend to drink less when the water is icy, and less water can mean a sluggish gut. A heated bucket or tank heater keeps water open and easier to drink, and loose salt where he can reach it helps keep him drinking.
How ImmuBiome supports the older horse
Everything ImmuBiome makes starts in the gut. We've spent over a decade working with mushrooms and performance horses, and every formula is veterinarian formulated around one idea: a horse can only use what his gut takes in, and a well-fed microbiome supports the whole horse.
Our technology pairs organic mushroom mycelium with human-grade bovine colostrum and probiotics. For an older horse coming into winter, two formulas do most of the work.
Lean Muscle for holding topline and condition
ImmuBiome Lean Muscle is built around bovine colostrum, and it carries more colostrum than any other formula we make. Colostrum is naturally rich in the specialized proteins that support lean muscle development and maintenance, which is exactly what tends to slip on a senior horse first.
Alongside the colostrum are organic Reishi mushroom, eight probiotic strains and prebiotics. Reishi supports overall muscle function and a balanced immune system, and the probiotics support digestion and nutrient absorption so he gets more from his hay. Together they support a stronger topline, healthy muscle maintenance and overall condition through the months when the grass can't help.
It's a favorite with owners of easy keepers and seniors alike, with nearly 900 owner reviews on our site. Lean Muscle works alongside good hay and your vet's plan, not in place of them.
Shop the post
From $134
Bovine colostrum, Reishi and probiotics to support topline, lean muscle and condition through the winter.
Shop Lean MuscleJoint & Recovery for stiff winter mornings
If your older horse comes out of his stall like he's walking on eggshells for the first few minutes, ImmuBiome Joint & Recovery is the other half of the pair. Its blend of King Trumpet, Antrodia camphorata, Lion's Mane, Reishi, Cordyceps sinensis and Cordyceps militaris (you can read about each one on our mushroom species page) comes with bovine colostrum, fungi-derived polysaccharides with at least 25% beta-glucans, and probiotics and prebiotics.
It's formulated to support joint mobility and flexibility, healthy bone and connective tissue, and normal recovery after work or time off, which makes it a good fit for seniors who need a little extra support to stay comfortable. A horse who moves easily walks out to the hay and the water, and that matters in winter. Our pages on stifle support and tendons and ligaments go deeper on the structures it supports.
From $69
Six mushrooms, colostrum and beta-glucans to support joints and comfortable movement on cold mornings.
Who this pairing is for
Lean Muscle and Joint & Recovery suit the senior horse who drops condition every winter, the retired horse who's started to look his age, and the older horse still in light work who needs support for his topline and his joints. You'll find Lean Muscle in our Muscle Building collection and Joint & Recovery in our Bone Support collection, and US subscriptions ship free.
If his gut has been off as well, our post on signs of ulcers in horses covers the changes worth mentioning to your vet, and our fall horse care post covers the rest of the seasonal checklist.
Owner questions about older horses in winter
Why is my older horse losing weight when he has plenty of hay?
Teeth, PPID, parasites, sore joints and being pushed off the hay by other horses are the usual suspects, and it's often more than one. Have your vet check his teeth, run bloodwork and do a fecal egg count before you change anything else.
How often should a senior horse have his teeth checked?
At least once a year, and plenty of vets prefer twice a year for horses in their late teens and twenties. Quidding, slow eating and long stems in the manure are good reasons to book sooner.
Should my older horse be tested for PPID?
It's worth asking your vet, especially if he's in his late teens or older, slow to shed, or losing topline. It's a simple blood test, and fall is a good time for it because labs use seasonal reference ranges.
Where does Lean Muscle fit for an older horse?
Lean Muscle is daily nutritional support for lean muscle, topline and overall condition, built around bovine colostrum with Reishi and probiotics. It works alongside good hay and your vet's plan, not in place of them.
Can I use Lean Muscle and Joint & Recovery together?
Yes. They do different jobs, with Lean Muscle supporting muscle and condition and Joint & Recovery supporting joints and comfortable movement, and a lot of owners of older horses use both. If your horse is on any medication, run it by your vet first.
These statements are about nutritional support only. ImmuBiome supplements are not drugs and don't take the place of veterinary care. Talk with your veterinarian about your horse's specific needs.
