Blog | Taylor Farm

Quidding and Teeth Dysfunction in Old Horses

I have a lot of older horses who exhibit signs of quidding. Some have weight issues associated with this, some have teeth issues. Sometimes dentistry can help the issue, but not always or not completely. I often change the feed they eat or how they eat it (e.g., wetting food) to try to mitigate it as much as possible. Owners of younger horses rarely see quidding, so if a senior in my care exhibits this, the owner is unfamiliar and often very concerned. The following article from KER is very helpful in explaining the phenomenon and ways to manage it so the senior horse is happy and satisfied! When their teeth are sound, horses are able to nip, tear, and grind feedstuffs with incredible effici

Nutrient Digestibility in Horses: Does It Change with Age?

I receive emails from Kentucky Equine Research (KER) with articles on feeding issues in the senior horse. The following was in an email dated August 9, 2017. I have attached it below as a point of information (mine and yours!) I overwhelmingly deal with seniors, so I see more than most owners see in their experience with horses. Nevertheless, I am always learning! For the most part, I don't have a great many issues keeping weight on the senior horses in my care; I monitor them closely, feed them as individuals, adjust their feed if they seem to be gaining or losing, obtain special feeds or feeding protocols if necessary (e.g., wetting feed), and consult with the vet. If there's an intractab