Triple Crown Senior Gold Review: A Complete Feed for a Worn Mouth
A Triple Crown Senior Gold review covering the high-fat formula, gastric buffering, whey protein, soaking for poor teeth and what a senior feed cannot fix.
A high-specification senior feed for a horse whose teeth are past chewing hay, and the dental appointment that has to come first.
The verdict: A textured senior feed built around high fat from soy oil, rice bran and flaxseed, with added whey protein and seaweed-derived calcium for gastric buffering, aimed at older horses that need calories and cannot chew long-stem hay. Buy it if a vet or dental appointment has confirmed your senior cannot manage hay and needs condition. Do not buy it as a first response to weight loss, because weight loss in an old horse is a symptom and the cause needs finding.
Triple Crown Senior Gold Premium Horse Feed, EquiMix, textured
~$68
A premium textured senior feed with high fat from soy oil, rice bran and flaxseed, added whey protein and seaweed-derived calcium for gastric buffering.
Check price on AmazonSpecifications
| Type | Textured senior feed for active older horses |
|---|---|
| Fat sources | Soy oil, rice bran and flaxseed |
| Protein | Added whey protein for an expanded amino acid profile |
| Gastric support | Seaweed-derived calcium for buffering, per Triple Crown |
| Purpose | Weight gain and energy for mature horses |
| Formulation | EquiMix nutrition package |
Specifications above come from Triple Crown's published product information. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.
What it does well
- Calories from fat rather than starch, which is the right way to put condition on an older horse without the metabolic and behavioural problems of a high grain diet.
- Rice bran and flaxseed bring omega fatty acids alongside the calories, so coat condition usually improves too.
- Added whey protein matters more than owners expect. Older horses lose topline partly through reduced protein utilisation, and amino acid quality is what rebuilds it.
- A buffering ingredient is a sensible inclusion in a feed for a population where gastric ulcers are common.
- Formulated as a complete feed, so at full rates it can replace forage for a horse that genuinely cannot chew hay.
Where it falls short
- It is a textured feed, which means the horse still has to chew it unless it is soaked. For a horse with severely worn teeth, soaking to a mash is not optional, and a pelleted senior feed may be easier still.
- Weight loss in an older horse is a symptom. Before changing feed, get the teeth examined, run a faecal worm egg count, and ask your vet about PPID, which is common, treatable and frequently missed. A better feed on top of untreated PPID is money spent on the wrong problem.
- It is a higher calorie feed, so it is the wrong choice for an overweight or metabolic senior. Those horses need a ration balancer and controlled forage instead.
- Complete feeds only replace forage at full feeding rates, which are much larger than a normal scoop. Half a scoop of senior feed alongside hay the horse cannot eat is not a forage replacement.
- Feed changes need making over one to two weeks. Sudden changes are a recognised colic risk, and older horses are less tolerant of them.
What owners report
Owner reports on this feed follow a consistent pattern: horses that were dropping condition on hay and a basic feed gain it back over a couple of months, and the coat improves alongside. The high fat formulation is what people credit, which is consistent with what the label says.
The recurring practical note is soaking. Owners of horses with poor dentition repeatedly describe soaking a textured feed to a mash, and several mention moving to a pelleted senior product for horses that quid even soaked textured feed. That is a useful distinction to know before you buy several bags.
Who it suits
- Older horses that have lost condition and whose dental and health workup is already done.
- Seniors that cannot manage long-stem hay and need a complete feed at full rates.
- Horses needing calories without a high starch load.
Who should skip it
- Overweight or metabolic seniors, who need a balancer instead. Our senior feed versus ration balancer comparison explains the difference.
- Horses losing weight for reasons nobody has investigated.
- Horses that quid even soaked textured feed, who need a pelleted or cubed forage replacement.
Alternatives worth considering
Triple Crown Balancer, horse vitamins and minerals, low starch and low sugar
~$69
A low-starch, low-sugar pelleted balancer that supplies vitamins and minerals without the calories. The right product for an overweight or metabolic senior, where a high-fat senior feed would be exactly the wrong choice.
Check price on AmazonBritish Horse Feeds Speedi-Beet, 44lb, 95 percent sugar free
~$70
Quick-soaking beet pulp with no added molasses, which makes a sloppy mash that a horse with almost no grinding surface can still eat. Fed alongside a senior feed it adds fibre calories and water, which helps hydration and gut motility.
Check price on AmazonTriple Crown Senior Horse Feed, high fat and high fibre, 50lb
~$57
The standard Senior formulation at a lower price. Still high fat and high fibre and still usable as a complete feed, without the added whey protein and buffering package. A sensible starting point if Gold is beyond the budget.
Check price on AmazonKeep reading
- Senior feed vs ration balancer
- Soaked vs dry feed
- Feed weight calculator
- Best senior horse feed
- Speedi-Beet review
This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Editor's Pick ยท Affiliate link
Cosequin ASU for the Older Horse
The joint supplement with the most research behind it in horses, combining glucosamine and chondroitin with avocado and soybean unsaponifiables. Worth starting before an older horse is visibly stiff rather than after.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should a horse move to a senior feed?
When it needs one, not at a particular birthday. The triggers are losing condition on a normal diet, difficulty chewing hay, quidding, or a diagnosis such as PPID that changes nutritional needs. Plenty of horses in their twenties do perfectly well on ordinary feed. Our horse age calculator puts equine age in human terms, but the feed decision is about the individual horse.
Can senior feed replace hay completely?
Yes, at full feeding rates, which are much higher than most people feed. A complete senior feed used as a forage replacement has to supply the horse's whole fibre requirement, which typically means dividing a large daily quantity into several meals. Half a scoop alongside hay the horse cannot chew is not a forage replacement, and this is where owners most often go wrong.
Should I soak senior feed?
For a horse with worn teeth, a history of choke, or a habit of bolting feed, yes. Soaking makes it easier to chew, reduces choke risk and adds water to the diet, which helps hydration and gut motility, especially in winter. Our soaked versus dry feed comparison covers when soaking is essential rather than optional.
My old horse is losing weight. Is a senior feed the answer?
Not on its own, and not first. Weight loss in an older horse needs a dental examination, a worm egg count and a conversation with your vet about PPID, which is common in older horses and very often missed. Changing the feed without finding the cause treats the symptom while the problem continues.
Senior feed or a ration balancer?
A senior feed supplies calories and, at full rates, fibre. A balancer supplies vitamins, minerals and protein with very few calories, for a horse that maintains weight easily. Feeding a high-calorie senior feed to a fat metabolic pony is a common and harmful mistake. Our senior feed versus ration balancer comparison sets out which horse needs which.
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