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As winter sets in, now is the time to take extra care of your veteran horse as they can be affected more than other horses by this change of season. Cold weather, fluctuating grass quality and longer periods of stabling may lead to a drop in condition and joint discomfort; issues that are a concern if we are to keep our veterans happy and healthy this winter. To help your horse or pony to stay sound and happy this winter, take note of Blue Chip’s top winter feeding tips to help them thrive during the cold snap.
Feed Fantastic Fibre
Horses can use up to 80% of their energy obtained from feeding to keep warm, which can be one of the main contributing factors to weight loss during the winter. Fibre is the most ‘warming’ component of the diet, in the sense that more heat is produced during its digestion, so feeding a diet rich in fibre will prove beneficial to your veteran and provide the additional calories they require for that extra winter warmth.
If your horse’s teeth are compromised, as they often are in old age, fibre can be incorporated in to the diet in the form of a chopped chaff or sugar beet, which can be used as full or partial forage replacers. Blue Chip Senior Balancer contains a triple action digestive supplement that combines a probiotic and nucleotides to increase fibre digestibility by up to 100% – perfect when helping your veteran gain extra nutritional value from his feed this winter!
Provide Vital Joint Care
Extended periods of stabling can lead to a reduction in mobility and discomfort for many veteran horses so it is important to keep them comfortable and maintain joint motility all year round in preparation for the winter.
The Blue Chip Super Concentrated Senior Balancer contains not only glucosamine, MSM and hyaluronic acid to aid cartilage regeneration and maintain the correct viscosity of synovial joint fluid, but Rosa Canina as well, which has proven to be a powerful natural supplement for joint comfort and mobility and is widely recognised as a major breakthrough in drug-free joint support. Senior Balancer also benefits from the inclusion of selenium, a key antioxidant that assists the immune response within the joint and can help to maintain the integral ligaments and tissues that surround it.
Meet His Changing Nutritional Needs
As your horse increases in age, he may be at risk of developing a number of conditions due to the weakening of his immune systems and reduced metabolic capability. PPID, or Cushing’s disease as it is better known, is increasingly prevalent in older horses, and it is thought that many horses and ponies over 14 years of age will show signs of the disease. Super Concentrated Senior Balancer is the only balancer to contain Chaste Tree Berry extract as part of the antioxidant and omega oil-based CushinCombo supplement, as it has been used by many veteran horse owners to help to maintain the function of the pituitary gland.
Super Concentrated Senior Balancer also boasts, in one highly nutrient dense pellet, specifically formulated levels of vitamins, minerals and nutrients that your veteran needs on a daily basis to thrive, which can be fed in as little as 100g per day for the average 16hh horse – perfect when feeding a horse who may suffer from a diminished appetite.
Senior Balancer also contains SoundHoof, a zinc, methionine and biotin based hoof supplement that promotes strong, pliable horn growth alongside menthol and eucalyptus based PrimoVento, which helps to maintain clear airways and lung integrity – a vital consideration for the stabled veteran this winter.
As Blue Chip Feed always strives to be at the forefront of equine nutrition Senior Balancer benefits from Nucleotides; the building blocks of DNA and RNA, which are present to improve nutrient absorption by increasing the length of intestinal villi, aid the immune response by boosting the number of white blood cells in the body to fight infection. They also improve recovery rates as they increase red blood cell turnover which is vital for carrying oxygen to working or damaged muscles and tissues, a highly beneficial, modern ingredient to include into your veteran’s diet to keep him thriving into the spring months that lie ahead.
For more information on any of the Blue Chip products, visit www.bluechipfeed.com or call 0114 266 6200 for dedicated nutritional advice.
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