title: Nutritional Management of the Older Horse.
abstract: Leisure animals now comprise the majority of working horses in industrialized nations; a shift that has decreased workloads yet improved veterinary care and lifetime health. Although many horses now progress well into their 20s without any requirement for dietary modification, age-related changes are insidious, and older animals benefit from regular veterinary monitoring to identify, address, and ameliorate the inevitable onset of age-related "disease." Basal metabolic rate decreases with age; older animals expend less energy on controlled exercise, and there can be an increased propensity toward the development of obesity, which needs to be recognized and managed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Main Building, Manor Park Campus, Daphne Jackson Road, Guildford GU2 7AL, UK. Electronic address: c.argo@surrey.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Caroline McG
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Argo
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D001823:Body Composition; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000178:diet therapy*; D006736:Horses; D009765:Obesity / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D014730:Veterinary Medicine; D015431:Weight Loss
keywords: Aged; Geriatric; Horse; Nutrition; Obesity; PPID; Weight loss