Do you have a veteran horse or pony? We want to celebrate our veteran equine friends by launching a search to find a special ‘golden oldie’.
Fibre-Beet is a major hit amongst the older horse and pony population, with owners relying on the feed to maintain condition.
Why is this? As horses and ponies get older they tend to start having dental issues. Generally veterans don’t have a full set of gnashers that are vital for tearing and breaking down forage which can be tough to eat with missing or worn down teeth.
This means it can be quite hard to get all the nutrients the older horse will need if they struggle to eat. This is where Fibre-Beet comes in to the mix.
Fibre-Beet is a soaked feed formulated with Speedi-Beet, alfalfa and oat fibre that has been supplemented with biotin, sodium and calcium. It can be soaked in just 45 minutes with cold water or 15 minutes with warm water.
With this soft mash consistency it is easier for veterans to eat the feed. It can also be made with a wetter/sloppier consistency in summer to help with hydration on those warmer days.
Another major risk with veterans is they can lose their condition as they become less efficient at absorbing nutrients as they get older. Fibre-Beet is a high fibre, conditioning feed that can be fed in larger quantities that helps horses gain or manage condition.
Cushing’s syndrome, also known as pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), is a condition where the pituitary gland, which produces hormones in response to brain signals, is damaged. It produces excessive amounts of the normal hormones which affects the body.
This condition is frequently seen in veteran horses and ponies and common clinical signs are increased coat length and delayed shedding of the winter coat, laminitis, lethargy, increased sweating, weight loss and excessive drinking and urinating.
Nutritional management of this condition is very similar to feeding a laminitic, a low sugar and low structural carbohydrate, high fibre-based diet (as part of a balanced diet and veterinary treatment), so again Fibre-Beet can play a key role in the diet.
The Biotin included will help with hoof and coat condition and peppermint is supplemented to make it extremely palatable to equines.
To celebrate our veterans, we would love to hear from you. Tell us what you feed from the British Horse Feeds range, give them information on your veteran horse or pony and why you believe they should be the Veteran Horse or Pony of the Year.
The chosen veteran will win a bag of feed of their choice from the British Horse Feeds range, a tub of TurmerAid from The Golden Paste Company and a branded rug. Email your veteran story to the British Horse Feeds Team enquiries@britishhorsefeeds.com with the Subject: BHF Veteran Search. Don’t forget to include a photo! Good luck. Winner will be announced May 1st, 2021.
