Still, his show ring career wasn’t over. From there, we transitioned to a successful second career in dressage. After several good years, it was time to let this career go, too. By then in his early 30s but still not content to be fully retired, his final job was as a leadline mount for my then-young daughter. His full retirement, when it finally came a few years later, was something I felt we were both happy and comfortable with.

On the other hand, my half-Arabian mare, Sally, was an example of a difficult early retirement. A highly versatile horse, just one of her many talents was her performance in the hunter ring.

However, despite my best efforts, she has never truly been a healthy horse. Some of her health conditions we have been able to name and treat. Though these issues may have limited her, they never took her completely out of the game.

Other conditions have been mysterious and less well-managed due to their undefined nature; her treatments have been a roller coaster of successes and failures. Numerous tests have led to dead ends leading to more significant restrictions.

Though still in her early 20s, her most recent job change has been from a semi-retired trail horse to pasture-sound companion horse. By outward appearances, she looks amazing, but she is unable to tolerate a rider.

Soundness and Injuries

With so many possible retirement scenarios, what is considered an average age for retirement? What is considered an early retirement?

The decision to retire a horse is based on several different factors, according to Jud Easterwood, DVM, of Easterwood Equine Hospital in Calera, Ala.

“Most of these factors are health or soundness related,” he says. “I don’t think there is an average age. We have some horses that are able to perform well into their 20s. Other horses have had significant injuries that lead to chronic lameness or issues with pain. These horses have to retire much earlier.”

Easterwood says that he considers “early” retirement one that occurs before the age of 20. In his experience, these unfortunate early retirement scenarios are usually centered around tendon or suspensory ligament injuries. He says they can also be brought on by conditions such as arthritis or ringbone.

“Any serious injury could result in these conditions that a horse can’t overcome to get back into high-level performance work,” he says.

Metabolic & Back Problems

Sometimes, conditions such as PPID and the insulin resistance that sometimes accompanies it can necessitate early retirement, especially when it leads to other conditions, such as chronic laminitis and potentially founder. Easterwood says that while these issues are typically seen in horses over the age of 20, they do occasionally occur in younger horses, too.

Over the years, because imaging has improved, he notes that horses being diagnosed with back problems have also become much more common. Rather than undiagnosed pain, he says we are now able to pinpoint kissing spines and neck arthritis.

“These may not stand out to you like leg lameness, but they create an overall sour behavior or back soreness,” says Easterwood. Depending on their severity, these may also require retirement.

Signs That It’s Time to Retire

What are the signs that your horse may be ready to retire?

“Any sort of chronic lameness or pain issues would be the No. 1 condition that leads to retirement,” says Easterwood. “No. 2 is when the horse doesn’t enjoy his job anymore and has become sour.”

He also lists conditions such as liver disease; inflammatory bowel disease that leads to chronic diarrhea and weight loss; neurological diseases that cause ataxia, such as EPM or (less commonly) West Nile virus; or any condition that is difficult to treat and that leads to performance problems.

Semi or Full Retirement?

Regardless of age, when you decide to retire your horse, you’ll need to consider partial or full retirement. Easterwood says that he likes to use the words “serviceably sound” with owners considering partial retirement for their horses.

“You may have a horse that is not 100 percent sound and is no longer suitable for show jumping, barrel racing, or other types of intense performance sports,” he says. “But [semi-retirement is an option] if the horse is still able to get around fine and enjoy doing activities such as trail riding, flat work, ground work, or being ridden in lessons.”

He says some horses can do these things well and maintain a good exercise regimen, even though they are stepping back from their previous high-intensity careers.

However, there is one important caveat that Easterwood advises for owners considering semi-retirement. If you’re considering having a child take over the ride on your horse, he advises having the horse evaluated by a veterinarian to determine whether there are any issues the horse may have with tripping and falling in order to prevent potentially devastating accidents.

Whether or not semi or full retirement is a happy occasion for your horse depends on several factors.

Easterwood’s first recommendation for keeping retirees engaged is to exercise as tolerated. Keeping horses stabled or pastured near high-activity areas can also help keep retirees engaged, while stall or pasture toys can provide further enrichment.

Prolonging Soundness

While retirement may be inevitable for most horses, there are some steps you can take to extend your horse’s working career. Easterwood says that good veterinary care is a staple to keeping horses sound and happy in their job.

“It doesn’t have to be frequent,” he says. “I recommend annual to biannual X-rays and lameness evaluations to make sure you are keeping up with any changes to previous injuries and to make sure that nothing new has developed.”

If conditions such as arthritis, degenerative joint disease, or joint injuries exist, he recommends the use of prescription intramuscular injections for their treatment. He says that veterinarians also sometimes use intra-articular injections to relieve pain and keep horses comfortable.

Even if your horse is free of any condition requiring injections, Easterwood says that oral supplements can work to reduce wear and tear. He also says that therapies such as chiropractic adjustments, massage, acupuncture, and PEMF treatments can augment traditional veterinary care to the benefit of your horse.

Easterwood also advises screening for metabolic diseases as the horse ages, but also if your horse exhibits any signs any signs that warrant it.

Though no guarantee, the above steps, along with maintaining a good diet and exercise plan—as well as updated vaccinations, deworming, and dental care—can go a long way toward ensuring that your horse enjoys a long career.

By and large, the decision to retire your horse can be one of the more difficult decisions that horse owners face. By watching for indications and taking the appropriate steps, you can rest assured that you are making the best decisions for your horse’s future.

This article about when to retire your horse appeared in the October 2024 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post When Is It Time to Retire Your Horse? appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

This is particularly important should you bring your horse home for retirement, versus keeping him at a boarding stable. We’ve gathered advice from a veterinarian and an equine retirement facility manager for tips to help you keep your elderly equine healthy, happy and comfortable in his twilight years.

What is Considered a “Senior Horse”?

In general, the bigger your horse, the sooner he’ll reach senior status, according to Julie Wilson, DVM, of Turner Wilson Equine Consulting in Minnesota and past president of the Equitarian Initiative, which provides philanthropic veterinary care for the working horses of the developing world. A horse can live to be in their 30s, but they’re considered senior at around age 20.

“Ponies don’t seem to become senior until they’re in their early 20s,” says Wilson. “Whereas some of the bigger horses I think are in that senior category as they get into their late teens.”

A horse’s riding career can also determine how quickly they age. A horse who had a strenuous job with many hours of riding can show musculoskeletal signs of age sooner than a horse ridden more moderately.

Deanna Chamberlin co-founded Shadowcreek Equine Retirement Ranch in Sanger, Texas, in 2011 along with her husband. The 73-acre facility only takes horses over age 20, providing end-of-life care for around 11 horses that are no longer being ridden.

“When a horse has reached 25 or 26, you’re not really trying to get them to perform at what they’ve enjoyed doing in their life—you’re starting to move into the mindset of just allowing them to be what they are, and making sure they’re comfortable,” says Chamberlin. “You’re medicating them for conditions that need intervention for stability or comfort, but you’re no longer trying to build them up.”

Age-Related Concerns

Much like humans as we age, horses experience a gradual deterioration of their bodily systems, according to Wilson.

The main issues that contribute to the eventual end-of-life decisions are related to your horse’s musculoskeletal system. Arthritis is often the sign that appears soonest.

“Arthritis, in particular, can reach the point where it’s hard to manage to make the horse comfortable,” says Wilson. “Joint injections or phenylbutazone [bute] get to where they aren’t worthwhile anymore.” Although other medications and supplements are available, this is the time when many horse owners may want to begin considering end-of-life decisions.

Endocrine issues, such as Cushing’s disease and equine metabolic syndrome, can necessitate retirement from riding or even euthanasia if you’re no longer able to effectively manage the symptoms.

Your horse’s immune system can become less capable, especially if your horse also has a disease like Cushing’s, says Wilson. This can lead to your horse contracting infectious diseases and viruses more easily, such as strangles, herpes or encephalitis—even if he’s vaccinated.

Dental issues can contribute to less efficient consumption of nutrients, injuries, and other problems. Luckily, good dental care and an appropriate senior diet can reduce these complications. Your senior horse may also pass more whole grains into his manure, so switching to a senior feed can help him maintain his weight by providing more readily available nutrients.

Digestive issues like fecal water syndrome can dehydrate your senior horse and cause other problems, according to Wilson.

“Sometimes these senior horses start to have a lot of water passed along with their manure, which may or may not start to soften, and it makes a mess of their hindquarters because it drips down the back of their legs,” she says. “This creates a management issue trying to keep them clean.”

Colic is a concern in older horses, especially when it’s a result of fatty tumors, such as lipomas.

“If an old horse presents with colic, fatty tumors would be higher on the list of causes than if they were younger,” says Wilson.

A loss of muscle tone and body structure also occurs. This can mean changes in the way your saddle fits, and Chamberlin says this change in appearance can be disconcerting to owners.

“Part of the natural decline in a body is that it tends to not be as muscular, showing more ribs,” she says. “You’re not going to see the same body structure as you would on a 10-year-old. You want to make sure your horse has everything but let him evolve as his body needs to.”

Care and Management of the Senior Horse

A senior horse needs conscientious care to enjoy his best retirement years, according to Wilson. Here are some ways to best care for your elderly partner.

Routine Medical Care for the Senior Horse

Don’t simply turn your horse out to pasture and forget about him, she says.

“Yearly exams are still really important, and you need to have an increased awareness that these issues are likely to crop up,” says Wilson. “[Senior horses] still need to be vaccinated and dewormed.”

Consider your horse’s lifestyle. Will he be around horses going to shows, or ever-rotating boarded horses? That may mean he needs to receive the full slate of recommended vaccines. But if he’s in a pasture where he doesn’t contact horses who travel, he may not.

“We may want to review [a senior horse’s] vaccination schedule and drop some of the ones for diseases he’s unlikely to get exposed to,” she says.

Deworming is still very important, even if your horse lives a relatively isolated lifestyle, according to Wilson.

“Particularly as their immune systems wane, deworming still needs to happen,” she says. “The usual advice of monitoring fecal egg counts and pasture management for parasites are all important.”

Your horse’s teeth need to be checked at least annually, and sometimes twice a year, says Wilson.

“They will begin to lose teeth and have uneven wear,” she says. “One of the more common issues in this age group is equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis [EOTRH], a disease that primarily affects the incisors, and some pretty drastic care may be needed.”

Check Saddle Fit

If your horse is still being ridden, you need to pay careful attention to the way the saddle fits.

“Some [senior horses] will get swaybacked, and then they really need some attention to saddle fit,” Wilson says.

Pay Attention to Herd Dynamics

When a horse is elderly, you don’t want him to have to fight for hierarchy in the herd out in the pasture, according to Chamberlin.

“You don’t want him to be with 10- and 12-year-old horses that are trying to prove themselves or move the herd around,” she says. “You want him to be with other horses similar in age, who fit well together temperament-wise.”

Adjust Your Senior Horse’s Diet

When your horse stops working due to retirement, you’ll want to adjust his diet, since his caloric needs will go down.

“That may mean dialing back on the amount of grain or concentrate he’s getting,” says Wilson. “Most of the time, he’ll still need that hay or grazing to maintain his body weight.”

If you do reduce or eliminate concentrate, consider adding a ration balancer to make sure your equine senior is getting enough protein, vitamins and minerals. Wilson says not making these adjustments can contribute to the horse becoming overweight and possible metabolic syndrome.

However, keeping weight on an older horse is often the bigger challenge. You don’t automatically need to switch to a senior diet, but it can be helpful in some situations.

“Watch [your senior’s] weight carefully, and depending on how well he’s eating, you can decide if you need to add an equine senior concentrate and still want to feed hay,” Julie says. “If he’s really not handling hay well anymore due to dental problems or bad absorption in the gut, you might consider putting him completely on senior feed [one containing fiber and meant to be fed as a complete diet] or a forage that is easier to eat, such as soaked hay cubes.”

Watch for Health Concerns

If your horse starts showing signs of Cushing’s disease, such as late shedding and a shaggy hair coat, of course you’ll have your vet test for the disease. But Wilson says that your horse’s veterinarian may recommend testing senior horses more routinely to get a jump on it.

“It is manageable with treatment,” she says.

You’ll also want to visually check your horse’s body regularly for issues such as melanomas and tumors, particularly on gray horses. Horses with white markings on their face and/or sheath may develop scabby areas that progress to squamous cell carcinoma, which warrants treatment as soon as possible.

Back to Nature

Your horse may enjoy going barefoot, although he should still get regular trims. Most will acclimate to being outdoors with appropriate shelter in all but the most extreme weather, according to Chamberlin. This allows for movement, which helps circulation, stiff joints and muscles.

“We want [our senior horses] to be out as much as possible—[preferably] 24/7, unless it’s really inclement weather,” Chamberlin says. “We bring in horses when there’s ice on the ground because we don’t want them slipping and falling. But for most of the year, they’re out a lot.”

Pasture shelters should be provided, and blanketing during turnout may be essential in northern states with freezing weather.

When the Time Comes

Ultimately, all horses will reach the end of their lives—often sooner than we’d like. Chamberlin recommends looking for a place to keep your horse where he won’t need to be moved much as he ages.

“By the time a horse is in his mid to late 20s, trailering around a lot and moving him can be a concern,” she says. “It’s hard on a horse. You need to find a place where you’ll be OK with him staying until the end.”

Before your horse’s final day is upon you, Wilson recommends planning with your vet ahead of time for euthanasia and/or disposal of your horse’s body. Laws in your area may prevent burial on your property, so you need to research what options are available.

Chamberlin says having a support person can help you figure out when you need to make the final decision about your horse’s care.

“You don’t ever want him to suffer, but you want him to live a life as full as possible,” she says. “For some people, that end is a little easier to see than others. I always encourage people to have another person that can look at your horse and say, ‘I think it may be time.’ Don’t be afraid of that, because modern veterinary care at the end of life really does provide a merciful way to say goodbye. It can be scary, but at the same time, it’s such a gift that we can make things comfortable for an animal so it’s not a traumatic end.”

Key Takeaway

After everything they’ve given us, older horses deserve some extra TLC in their golden days. While senior horses may require extra care and attention to detail, it is well worth watching them continue to thrive.

This article about senior horse care appeared in the October 2023 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Senior Horse Care 101 appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

“After age 15 is when we typically see senior dental changes; most senior horse dental problems we see in their 20s, but some are as early as age 15,” says Christine Staten, DVM, a large animal veterinarian and owner of Adobe Veterinary Center in Tucson, Ariz.

Dental conditions frequently found in senior horses include:

◆ Broken teeth
◆ Worn-down teeth
◆ Overgrown teeth
◆ Steps and waves
◆ Periodontal pockets
◆ Abscesses
◆ Infected spaces between teeth (“diastema”)
◆ Incisor disease (equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis, aka EOTRH)

Staten points out that studies show dental problems are more common in senior horses who didn’t have regular dental care when they were younger.

“Routine dental care can decrease or delay the onset of many of these malocclusions [misaligned teeth],” she notes. “Early dental care helps keep growth rate more consistent so the teeth can take that horse into his older years.”

Inconsistent Growth

Horses have hypsodont teeth, which grow and erupt throughout their lives. One reason for senior mouth troubles is the fact that tooth eruption is not consistent.

As the horse ages, tooth eruption can slow down or stop completely as a tooth grows and falls out. Because growth rate is specific to each individual tooth, the mouth can end up unbalanced as each tooth “does its own thing” independent of other teeth.

“Where you get problems is when one tooth may be slowing down, while the tooth next to it is still growing,” says Staten. “Abnormalities like steps and waves develop specifically because of the unpredictable eruption rates of each individual tooth. No horse is going to get into their 20s and have all their teeth growing at the same rate.”

The inconsistency in eruption rate can also cause small spaces between the teeth, known as diastemata. When food gets caught in these gaps, it can be uncomfortable for the horse, but may also lead to periodontal disease. If abscesses develop, infection can spread to the tooth root and even the sinuses.

Regular exams by a qualified provider will catch these and other senior mouth problems and allow them to be corrected. In some cases, extraction (tooth removal) is required.

Equine Odontoclastic Tooth Resportion Hypercementosis (EOTRH)

Veterinarians are seeing more and more cases of equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis (EOTRH).

“This is very specific to senior horses,” says Staten. “It’s extremely frustrating because we don’t know what causes it or how to prevent it.”

She explains that, for unknown reasons, the tooth roots begin to get resorbed by the body, and the body reacts by building excess cementum on the roots of the tooth. As tooth roots become diseased, the front teeth become infected, unstable and very painful. Because the onset of EOTRH is gradual, most owners don’t notice until the horse is in obvious pain.

“The first signs are usually small red dots or ‘pimples’ on the gums above or below affected teeth,” Staten explains. “In later stages, gums start to recede on those incisors and because the roots are thickened, you can see bulging under the gums. It’s a slow process and we don’t know how invasive or painful it will get for a particular horse.”

Treatment of EOTRH requires extracting the affected teeth, which in some senior horses can include all 12 incisors and sometimes also the canine teeth. Radiographs are taken to determine which teeth need to be extracted.

After extraction of diseased teeth, the horse can immediately return to eating.

“Most horses weren’t using their front incisors anyway because it was so painful, so their transition to eating is instant,” notes Staten. “The day of surgery, the horse is eating better than the day before. It is a dramatic-appearing surgery, but the pain of keeping the diseased teeth in is much higher than the potential pain of the procedure.”

The “carrot test” is a simple way you can determine if your horse has painful incisors. If he can use those front teeth to bite and break a carrot, he’s likely not experiencing significant pain. But if he can’t, this is a sign those teeth are in some pain and require dental care and attention.

Nutrition’s Impact on Horse’s Dental Health

When the teeth can’t do their job—because they don’t meet properly, are worn down or perhaps even missing—nutrition is compromised, sometimes dramatically.

Feed must be chewed appropriately for the horse to absorb nutrients. In addition, horses have to go through the mechanics of chewing in order to produce saliva, which is crucial for proper digestion.

Over 23 years as a veterinarian, Staten has found that virtually all skinny horses have dental issues of some sort.

Remarkable Turnaround

Staten was called to a local rescue to determine whether euthanasia was needed for a 19-year-old horse who came in with a Henneke Body Condition Score (BCS) of 1 out of 9, with 9 being most obese.

“He was clearly starved,” Staten recalls. “When I first saw him, I didn’t think he could be saved, but then I looked in his mouth. A top molar had fallen out, and one of his bottom molars had grown into the space [left behind] and was embedded in the gum. He couldn’t even shut his mouth or chew normally because none of his top and bottom teeth touched.”

After Staten reduced the problematic bottom molar to normal size, the horse was able to eat and chew.

“Within four weeks, this horse was a BCS of 5,” says Staten. “He looked like a new horse.”

Staten has also had cases where owners assumed their horses needed to be retired, but their lack of performance was due to dental problems that could be corrected.

Importance of Dental Exams for Your Horse’s Care

The case of the rescue horse underscores the importance of the annual full oral exam. Problems such as this that are far back in the mouth can’t be caught without an oral exam done under sedation using a speculum to closely examine the entire mouth.

Older horses may require “floating” as often, or even more often, than younger horses. Because their teeth are growing differently, they can have sharper and larger points.

“Routine dental exams are going to catch problems when they’re small and they can be more easily corrected,” says Staten.

She recommends senior horses have a complete physical exam that includes an oral exam every six months. This can be scheduled at their wellness check-ups and vaccine appointments.

“At minimum, the senior horse needs a sedated oral exam every 12 months,” she notes. “Every single senior horse needs something corrected annually. We’re not talking about just ‘floating.’ That’s a very important part of it, but we’re looking for abnormalities and other disease processes in the mouth.”

In her practice, Staten has numerous owners who are still riding their horses into their late 20s and early 30s. But even fully retired horses need that annual dental exam.

Keeping up with your senior horse’s dental care can only enhance his golden years—and may even extend them.

Signs to Watch For

Not every horse with dental problems shows obvious signs, but many will show that something is amiss if you’re paying attention. Any of the following can indicate a problem in the mouth:

◆ Dropping feed (“quidding”)
◆ Salivating more than normal
◆ Bad odor from mouth or nostril
◆ Tilting or tossing the head
◆ Mouthing/chewing the bit more than usual
◆ Red spots on gum directly above or below teeth
◆ Failing the “carrot test”

This article about senior horse dental care appeared in the October 2022 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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Keeping weight on a senior horse can be difficult any time of year, but with the challenges of cold weather right around the corner, dental issues requiring soaked feed can create twice the headache. However, with a little planning and these feeding and nutrition tips, your senior horse can sail through the winter months in good weight and glowing health.

Focus on Forage

Grass hay, cubes or pellets help maintain weight and keep your horse warm by raising his internal body temperature. This means he can use the calories to maintain (or add) weight, rather than burning calories to stay warm in cold weather.

Aim to feed at least 1.5 to 3 percent of your horse’s body weight per day in forage, or work with your veterinarian on the right amount for your senior horse.

Using a slow feeder or small-hole hay net will help prevent hay wastage as mud and snow pile up. These have the added benefit of mimicking grazing, which decreases stress and helps keep the horse’s digestive system working well.

Soaking Feed for Your Senior in the Winter

If your senior has lost teeth or has other dental issues that prevent him from eating hay (you’ll start to see wet wads of partially chewed hay near the feeder), feeding a soaked diet will provide the right nutrition and calories to keep weight on your senior through the winter. However, wet feed can freeze, making winter feeding doubly challenging. Here are a few tips.

One of the best hay replacements is unsweetened beet pulp. With a similar protein content to grass hay (8 to 12 percent), it also has a high level of digestible fiber. Many horses like it plain, or you can make it more palatable by adding hay pellets, cubes, or a quality senior feed, and soaking them along with the beet pulp.

Even if a horse can eat hay, supplementing with soaked beet pulp is a great way to increase calories and help maintain weight.

Beet pulp pellets need to be soaked for several hours before feeding, and a common ratio is using twice as much water as pellets. To keep the soaking pellets from freezing, it’s ideal to soak them in your house or other warm place. One easy way to do this is to have one bucket soaking overnight for the morning feeding, then let the evening feeding soak during the day.

An easier, quicker solution is to feed shredded beet pulp instead of pellets. Shreds need minimal soaking time, and less water depending on your horse’s preference. These are also big benefits if your horse is boarded.

NOTE: Straight beet pulp is high in calcium and low in phosphorus, so work with your veterinarian to balance the minerals. Adding a fat source, like stabilized flax meal, increases the calorie density of each meal.

Winter Feeders

Placing a feeder of soaked food on the ground will lead to freezing more quickly, so try to find a way to elevate the feeder off the ground. An easy solution is nesting a smaller feeder into a larger feeder, or building an insulated feed box that holds the bucket.

It’s also good to rotate feed buckets so frozen feed doesn’t accumulate in the feeder.

As with feeding extra hay in the winter, try to feed only the amount that your senior can eat in 30 minutes or so. Adding smaller, more frequent feedings during the day can help your senior get the calories he needs without the feed freezing before he can eat it all.

If your barn has electricity, you can try using a heated bucket for soaked feed. Like with a water heater, be sure the cord is horse-proof.

Helping your senior horse maintain a good weight during the winter can be challenging. The good news is that with some planning and simple horsekeeping and feeding tweaks, you can laugh at old man winter and your senior horse can welcome spring in good weight and maybe even a spring in his step

This article about feeding senior horses in the winter appeared in the October 2022 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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When she was a girl, Joni Miller would save her lunch money to afford to ride at a local barn. Back then, she had no idea that she would credit her current horse, a 20-year-old Appaloosa named Spud, with helping her live out her girlhood dream and with inspiring her to do more at an age when many women are doing less.

“I don’t ride as much anymore, but I’m active,” says Miller, who adopted the registered Appaloosa from the Maryland Equine Transition Service (METS), an organization that helps adopt out potentially at-risk horses, like seniors. “I’m out at the barn bathing, grooming. I’m problem solving every day. What would my retirement have been without him?”

A Natural Fit

Since 2010, surveys conducted by American Horse Publications (AHP) that were prepared by Jill Stowe, Ph.D., of the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of Kentucky, have revealed that women 45 to 65 years of age and older represent the fastest growing segment of those most likely to own horses.

Miller is squarely within that demographic, and according to gerontologist Nancy Schier Anzelmo, M.S., one reason why women like her are becoming horse owners is purely economic.

“Older women are retired and have more time and money to spend on keeping horses than they did when they were working and raising families,” says Anzelmo, who is the co-founder of The Connected Horse, a non-profit organization that sponsors therapeutic workshops that match horses to people coping with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.

Another reason has to do with a woman’s basic nature.

“Women have been caregivers all their lives, and they need this,” she says. “Horses give women a sense of purpose, especially after they have retired and their children are grown. It’s a symbiotic relationship.”

There is a physical component, too. While younger women are more likely to adopt hotter, younger horses rather than a senior horse because of the physical riding, training, and performance challenges they represent, older women are more mindful of their physical limitations.

“It’s a different dynamic,” Anzelmo says. “The older horse might not perform the way he did when he was younger—he may be stiff, might have arthritis, and older women can relate to this.”

Also read- Horse Adoption Drive: Take Home a Senior

Finding Love After Loss

That’s why older horsewomen are unwilling to give up their animals despite their own limitations, says 68-year-old Debbie Murphy Drake. When she relocated to Florida from New Jersey, Drake had second thoughts about taking her 29-year-old Appaloosa gelding, Gus, with her.

“But I couldn’t bear to leave him behind,” recalls Drake. “I wanted to be sure about the kind of care that he would get at his age.”

Just before the move, Drake was diagnosed with melanoma, and even though she and Gus had long given up trail riding and performance, she credits him with helping her through the illness.

“Gus gave me a reason to get out of bed in the morning,” Drake says.

But the pair were not to be together long. Three years after their move, Gus was euthanized at the age of 32 due to age-related health issues.

“I was devastated,” Drake recalls. “I swore I would never have another horse.”

But it was missing that horse-human bond that finally prompted her to form a new relationship with another horse.

“I kept wanting to give my trainer my saddle, but she kept refusing, and said, ‘Keep it for four months,’” Drake recalls. “Finally, I missed having a horse so much that I said, ‘I have to at least sit on a horse.’”

A few months later, Drake leased Red, a 23-year-old Quarter Horse, from a boarder at her barn. Now she and Red are regulars on her trainer’s lesson schedule.

‘When I’m riding, the years just disappear,” Drake says. “I smile like a kid.”

A Win-Win Relationship

The fear that a beloved horse might outlive you is a main reason that older women adopt older horses in the first place, according to Gabriela Rodriguez Quinn, 63, program director and founder of Blixx Horses, a non-profit organization that provides therapeutic riding and interactive education programs. Blixx Horses also advocates for the welfare of non-ridden horses, regardless of their age.

“The truth is that [older] women are not looking for a young horse that is going to outlive them,” says Quinn, owner of a 21-year-old Arabian mare named Lexxi and Fritzie, a 26-year-old warmblood. “People who know the horse industry know that there are all kinds of things that can happen to a horse that is left behind by an owner, so they have a plan for their horses when they can no longer take care of them.”

Additionally, older women tend to be more aware that if they don’t provide older horses with caring homes, nobody else will.

“Horses have no choice when they get older and are no longer useful as riding or racing horses,” Quinn says, adding that they are less desirable to potential homes.

“People don’t realize that there’s a lot you can still do with an older horse, even if you don’t ride him,” she says. “Spud and I walk, I bathe and groom him, I talk to him, and he makes me laugh every day. It’s our buddy time.”

That’s the same feeling Miller wants other older horsewomen to experience as well.

“What would I say to an older woman interested in adopting a senior horse? Just do it,” she says. “You’re not getting any younger, so give yourself this experience. It will open up a new world for you.”

This article about adopting senior horses appeared in the November/December 2021 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Forming Bonds with Adopted Senior Horses appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Whether you’ve been partners for years or you’re both turning a new page together, you want to give your senior horse the care and support he deserves. Horses are living longer and longer, so caring for seniors brings some special considerations. One of those considerations is winter weather, and as the seasons begin to shift from warmer to colder months, there are ways to help support your senior with the right preparation and care.

To start, you may be wondering—how old is a senior? Nowadays, chronological age may not be the best indicator of when a horse is senior, but rather his physiological age. It’s important to work alongside your veterinarian to best understand your horse’s physiological functions, like digestive efficiency and immune status, to help determine his status and put the right plan in place for your horse’s individual needs.

Once you have discussed your horse’s health with your vet, there are other things you can do to support him. First, help your senior start winter off right by making sure he’s at a healthy weight this fall. Experts recommend that senior horses get two physical exams each year, so your horse’s fall physical is a great time to ask your veterinarian to show you how to evaluate his body condition. Once you know his body condition score, consider whether you need to make any adjustments to his diet now.

Next, it’s important to monitor your senior horse’s teeth all year round, but it is especially critical during winter. If your horse can’t chew properly, he’s not going to receive the full benefit of the food you’re providing. Every horse needs an annual dental exam, and seniors may need one twice a year. Schedule a dental exam with your vet to ensure that your horse’s teeth are in top shape before winter arrives.

In addition to general care, many senior horses may benefit from the daily, ongoing support that supplements provide, especially during the winter months. Key areas to support—such as weight, joint, and immune health—are important to consider for your senior.

SmartPak is pleased to offer a variety of formulas designed with the senior horse’s health in mind. We’ve formulated top-rated joint support with tried-and-true ingredients, like glucosamine and innovative support from turmeric and resveratrol. We’ve also designed supplements specifically with your horse’s weight and pituitary health in mind. However, if you’re looking for multiple areas of support all in one convenient supplement, we’ve got you and your horse covered with the SmartPak SmartCombo Senior line.

Further Reading

• September 2020 SmartPak SmartTip of the Month: Supplements for Equine Respiratory Health
• August 2020 SmartPak SmartTip of the Month: Supporting the Horse’s GI Tract
• July 2020 SmartPak SmartTip of the Month: SmartSalt and SmartLytes for Salt and Electrolyte Loss
• June 2020 SmartPak SmartTip of the Month: Important Ingredients for Joint Support for Horses
• May 2020 SmartPak SmartTip of the Month: How to Help a Nervous Horse
• All SmartPak SmartTips

The post October 2020 SmartPak SmartTip of the Month: Senior SmartSupplements appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Giving your senior horse the extra-special care he deserves

Your love for your senior horse never ends. That’s why whether you’ve been partners for years or you’re both turning a new page together, you want him to look and feel his best. Here is the May SmartTip of the Month Presented by SmartPak on Senior Horse Care.

Because years of work and the health challenges that come with aging can really take a toll on your senior, it’s important to develop a diet and management plan that provides the care he needs to be at his best. To learn how to make your senior’s golden years truly golden with the right care and support, visit SmartPak.com/SeniorHorseResourceCenter.

Thumbs Down:

Staying in the dark about how your senior horse’s needs can change

Though we wish our senior horses could stay both young at heart and young in body forever, their bodies do change and function less efficiently as they age. Their skin becomes less resilient, their digestive tract doesn’t break down and absorb things as well, and their immune response begins to decline. They are also more prone to certain health conditions, such as Cushing’s/Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID).

Fortunately, you can help compensate for your horse’s aging body through diet, preventive care, and other management changes. To learn more about the different health challenges your horse faces as he ages, visit SmartPak.com/SeniorHorseResourceCenter.

The post May SmartTip of the Month Presented by SmartPak: Senior Horse Care appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

There’s no set age that qualifies a horse as “old.” In general, a horse is considered a senior once he’s in his late teens to 20. As with humans, some horses age better than others. Continuity of care over a lifetime and how a horse is used greatly influence how well—or poorly—he ages.

“Consistency is the main thing as your horse ages,” says Sam Crosby, DVM, whose equine practice is based in Arcadia, Okla. “An annual exam is important so you can catch issues. You also want to pay close attention to an older horse’s body condition.”

Old Horse Health Care Concerns

Also known as Cushing’s disease, pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) is a chronic, progressive disease of the endocrine system that is more common in older horses. A characteristic sign is a long, shaggy coat that doesn’t shed out in the spring like winter hair. Other signs include excessive thirst, frequent urination, weight loss and muscle wasting. Laminitis occurs frequently in PPID horses, and blood tests may also show elevated glucose levels.

“There’s not really a way to predict if a horse will develop PPID, so be observant,” says Crosby. “If your horse starts showing any of the symptoms, call your vet promptly for treatment. Because PPID predisposes a horse to laminitis, you don’t want to ignore symptoms. Treatment with the drug pergolide really can help, but it’s a management issue, not a cure.”

For a horse with PPID, you’ll want to be aware of the non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) value of any grain ration you’re feeding.

“This value is not printed on the feed label—you’ll generally have to call the feed company to obtain the number,” says Lisa Kivett, DVM, MS, DACVIM, whose Foundation Equine Clinic is based in Southern Pines, N.C. “If your horse has PPID, equine metabolic syndrome, or has had laminitis in the past, lower NSC is better. In general, I like a value less than 12 to 13 percent.”

Insulin dysregulation, also known as equine metabolic syndrome (EMS), occurs when the body is unable to respond properly to insulin. Affected horses tend to be easy keepers and overweight, often with a history of obesity their entire lives. Common signs include a cresty neck, noticeable fat deposits, and laminitis. Some horses have both PPID and EMS.

As with PPID, there is no cure for EMS, only management of symptoms.

Respiratory issues can also be a problem in older horses. Often called “heaves,” recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) is the result of an allergic reaction to inhaled particles. If not successfully treated, the disease, which was formerly known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), can progress over time to the point that the lung tissue suffers permanent loss of function, hence the “heaving” effort of the horse’s breathing.

Corticosteroids and bronchodilators are the drugs of choice for managing chronic airway conditions like RAO, but environmental management is crucial in order to improve the air quality where the horse is stabled and to reduce exposure to allergens.
Older horses can also be more vulnerable to certain types of colic.

“Some causes, such as small, fatty tumors that wrap around sections of intestine, aren’t in any way preventable,” says Kivett. “Others, like impactions from reduced ability to grind feed due to dental disease, may be prevented. Good dietary management is as critical, or more critical, for older horses as it is for their younger counterparts.” To help avoid impaction colic, Kivett recommends adding some electrolytes to a horse’s feed. “Electrolytes can help keep the horse hydrated in hot weather when he’s sweating,” she says. “They also encourage drinking in cold weather when horses might otherwise reduce their intake.”

Old Horse Health Care: Soundness

Older horses have this in common with older people: the less they move around, the less mobile they become.

“Many people with geriatric horses just want to turn them out, but continued exercise in a tolerable form will help the horse stay mobile and flexible,” says Crosby. “Even going for an easy walking ride is better than just standing in a corral or pasture.”

Of course, a horse with a debilitating condition may need to be retired from any kind of use. This should be determined on an individual basis, not when a horse reaches a certain age. Discuss concerns with your veterinarian, who can help determine if your horse is no longer comfortable being ridden.

Crosby finds that nutritional joint supplements and joint injections can be helpful in extending a horse’s mobility and soundness into his later years.

“In my practice, I see many horses in their late teens and 20s that are still really active,” he says. “Many of my geriatric patients are ‘cream of the crop’ horses that can no longer keep up in the professional ranks, but some are still used for [youth rider events] into their late 20s.”

Even horses with a degree of osteoarthritis (OA) can continue to be ridden, provided they are managed well. Crosby notes that you may have to try several options before finding a management program of joint injections and a joint supplement that’s most effective for your particular horse. Your veterinarian will help you come up with a plan targeted to your individual horse’s needs.

Old Horse Health Care: Senior Horse Nutrition

Throughout his life, your horse’s nutrition program should be based on what’s best for him as an individual. This is even more important as he ages, so don’t hesitate to talk with your veterinarian and equine dental care provider about your particular horse’s needs.

“It’s important to remember that each horse is an individual. When formulating a diet for a senior horse, the first thing to consider is whether he has any medical issues (PPID, EMS, et cetera) that might change his nutritional needs,” says Kivett.

“Some older horses may have a decreased ability to absorb protein and other nutrients like phosphorous,” she adds. “As a general recommendation, I prefer grains with 10 to 15 percent protein, 5 to 12 percent fat, 15 to 18 percent fiber, added vitamin E, and potentially vitamin C.”

Many people don’t realize that you need to feed at least the minimum recommended amount (this is printed on the bag/label) in order for the horse to receive the correct balance of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. This holds true whether you’re feeding a complete “senior” feed or other type of grain ration.

If you have an easy keeper that tends to gain weight, even the minimum recommended amount may be too much. For those horses, a ration balancer may be a good choice, as these feeds are formulated to be fed in much smaller quantities (typically 1 to 2 pounds per day), but still provide the necessary vitamins and minerals.

Quality forage should form the basis for your horse’s nutritional program, no matter his age, but this can present a challenge since many old horses outlive their teeth.

“Once a horse no longer has sufficient tooth surface to grind hay, we have to find another source of calories and fiber to keep him healthy,” says Kivett. “This is most easily accomplished with commercial senior feeds. These feeds are formulated as a complete diet, meaning they meet all the horse’s nutritional needs, and have forage added as a hay replacement.” They’re also easy for the horse to chew, digest and absorb.

Since a horse must eat at least 1 to 2 percent of his body weight daily, this means the average horse needs about 12 to 25 pounds of a commercial complete feed daily to meet his needs.

“Many horse owners are shocked by the amount, but when we consider that this is replacing all the hay they eat, it doesn’t seem so far-fetched,” says Kivett. “It’s important to keep in mind that this can only be safely done with complete senior feeds. Other grains are not designed to be fed this way, and would result in health problems if fed in these quantities.”

Other forage replacement options include chopped, bagged forage; hay pellets; and hay cubes. Soaking cubes or pellets to form a mash works well for a senior that can’t chew hay.

“No matter which option is chosen, it’s still critical that the horse receives 1 to 2 percent of his body weight per day,” says Kivett. “This is measured dry, before any water is added.”

Be careful not to feed an older horse in an environment where he has to compete for food. Separate him at feeding time so he can eat at his own pace and not fret over other horses trying to steal his food. This will also allow you to monitor his consumption and notice if he’s not cleaning up or has trouble eating.

Old Horse Health Care: Dental Details

Some owners mistakenly think an old horse with worn-down or missing teeth doesn’t need dental care.

“It’s pretty rare to see an older horse with absolutely no teeth and no risk of periodontal disease,” says Kivett. “While older horses are less likely to need a float, they are more likely to have periodontal disease and other painful oral conditions that require treatment.

“Dental abnormalities and periodontal disease are very common in older horses,” she adds. “I routinely see horses with periodontal pockets, infected spaces (diastemata) between the teeth, cavities, broken teeth, and large overgrowths of teeth. Incisor disease becomes more common in older horses as well. We are recognizing more cases of a very painful incisor disease called equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis (EOTRH), particularly in aged geldings. This causes the tooth roots to become diseased and the front teeth to become unstable, infected and painful.”

Kivett finds dental problems are more common in older horses that received inconsistent dental care when they were younger. Most horses need a complete dental examination once yearly. Some horses with dental problems or periodontal disease require more frequent exams, at least until the problems are under control.

Horse to Human Age Comparison

For about the first three years of life, a horse ages approximately 6½ years for every human year, so a 1-year-old horse is about the equivalent of a 6- to 7-year-old child, and a 3-year-old horse is roughly comparable an 18-year-old human.

After the first three to four years, aging slows in comparison. A 10-year-old horse is similar to a 35-year-old person, while a 20-year-old horse is about the same as a 60-year-old person. A horse that makes it to the ripe old age of 36 would be comparable to a 100-year-old human.

Remember the Basics

If you have a healthy senior horse, good management helped him get to that point, so don’t neglect it just because he’s older and less active.

This includes regular visits by a hoof care professional, annual veterinary examinations and routine vaccinations, regular dental visits, and a deworming program created with your veterinarian that includes fecal exams and is based on your horse’s risk, exposure, and region of the country.

This article originally appeared in the November 2018 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Super Senior Horse Care appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.