Senior feeds generally provide slightly higher crude protein and trace mineral levels than other feeds for adult horses due to the fact that some research suggests senior horses absorb these nutrients less efficiently. | Photo: Erica Larson/The Horse

Q: My Arabian/Quarter Horse trail horse is 20-plus years old. He got very skinny two winters ago, and it’s taken me until now to get his weight back to where it should be. He’s always been an easy keeper, and usually we’ve had to watch what he’s eaten so he didn’t get fat. We were very concerned when he lost weight. I’ve been lucky enough to have good hay and grass over the last 18 months, and I’ve been feeding him 10 pounds of a 10% fat beet-pulp-based senior feed each day, divided into two or three feedings.

Now that he’s gained weight, I’m wondering if I need to take him off the senior feed and offer him a low-carb performance feed that also has 10% fat, which is what I feed my horses that are in work. I’m concerned about the sugar causing problems for my senior horse, such as Cushing’s disease. Do I need to worry about that? I don’t want him to get skinny again!

He doesn’t quid or have other health problems we’re aware of. He hacks out maybe once or twice a week; he’s primarily a pasture ornament