Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition
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All the best,
Dr. Getty
Hi Roseann,
Older horses can develop a sway back due to loss of muscle tone. Exercise and the proper diet will certainly help. In terms of protein, it's the overall quality of protein that is important, not the percentage that is written on a feed bag. I do not like feeding Calf Manna to horses because is is very high in grain, and this can be problematic for many horses, especially older ones.
Since you like feeding a hay based diet (which is the best thing for them), I would suggest that you follow through with your plan to feed alfalfa (as hay or pellet). But, instead of Calf Manna, give your horse a combination of items that will provide the omega 3 fatty acids he needs, along with the correct amount of vitamins and minerals. The hays will provide all the protein he needs, and it will be high quality because you'll be mixing grass with a legume (alfalfa).
So, I would suggest Accel as a comprehensive vitamin/mineral supplement and Nutra Flax, as a flaxseed meal addition to his diet to help his joints, immune function, and overall body condition.
Please keep me posted on his progress.
All the best,
Dr. Getty 
Thank you for your quick reply. If I decide to feed a complete feed, such as LMF "Primetime" or their "TACO" how much flax should I add/what is a safe amount? I have heard that too much flax can by toxic.
Do you think the alfalfa pellets alone with the nutraflax is sufficient? (with hay of course)
Thanks again
Roseann
Where are you from? oregon
How did you locate this forum? searching equine nutrition
Hi Roseann,
I looked at the LMF feeds you mentioned and I don't care for either one. The Primetime has very little fiber. And, the TACO is made with corn -- the least digestible of grains.
I like your idea of feeding grass hay along with alfalfa pellets and flaxseed meal (along with a multiple like Accel to fill in the gaps). You can very safely feed a pound of flaxseed meal each day. And, if your horse needs more calories, I would also add stabilized rice bran to the mixture.
All the best,
Dr. Getty
Thank you so much! Roseann
Where are you from? oregon
How did you locate this forum? searching equine nutrition