Senior Horses & Senior Feed

Comet turns 18 (!) this year.  I really struggle with that number, because most of the time he does not act his age!  I've been watching him closely the past year or so to monitor his body condition, how well he is able to consume/digest his feed & hay, and keep track of his dental check ups & how his teeth look each year.

I've been doing some more research on what to watch for in horses that will help me determine if & when Comet is ready for senior feed.  When I switched Sam, it was obvious, as he couldn't chew normal feed anymore, or hay.  With Comet, I feel like I might have to watch a little more closely.  I don't like to assume that just because he is over 15 years old, he automatically needs to be switched to senior feed - I like to watch all aspects of his lifestyle and then make an educated choice from there.

The first main thing I watch for is how he is chewing his grain.  I watch to see how his jaw is working (if it's in a normal rhythm or if he seems to be chewing oddly), if grain is falling out of his mouth while he's chewing, and if he is finishing all of the grain in his bucket.

I have my horse's teeth done yearly.  I have asked my vet several times if Sam and Comet need to be seen more often, as Sam's teeth are almost worn away, and Comet develops ulcers in his mouth and sharp points on his teeth like no other.  So far, I've been told that once a year is just fine.  Comet is probably the one I have to watch closest for sharp points and ulcers.  When I first got him, he had a pretty nasty ulcer back by his molars, and that one can flare up if sharp points are not taken care of on time.

I keep a pretty close eye on my horse's manure, as it really can help you determine if your horse is not feeling well.  If you are finding that large pieces of forage (bigger than 1"), then his digestive tract may not be functioning as well as it could be.  This could be because his teeth need to be floated, or it could be that he simply cannot process long-stem forage any longer.  In this case, I offer my horses hay cubes/pellets and beet pulp shreds.  I have found that all three of my geldings enjoy these types of forage, and it puts my mind at ease that there are options for when senior horses need a different type of forage in their diets.  Furry-Friendz Cupboard offers plenty of different, customized forage options for horses of any life stage.

Do you use a senior feed?  If so, how did you determine when your horse was ready to switch over to senior feed?