Respect Your Elders

Caring for Your Senior Horse

Your elderly equine carried you for many seasons. How can you care for him in his golden years?

Horses may survive and thrive well into their 20s, and ponies may live past 30. Essentially, a horse ages three years for every human year, so a five-year-old horse is equivalent to a 15-year-old human; a 15-year-old horse is considered middle-aged (as a 45-year-old human), and a 25-year-old horse approximates a 75-year-old senior citizen.

By the time your beloved equine companion reaches these golden years, he has served as your friend, confidante, and riding partner for a good long while. How can you return the favor and care for him in his final days?

Keep Him Moving.

Just like us, our horses may become stiffer and sorer, as they age. Hand-walking or taking gentle trail rides together (if he can still carry you) are excellent exercise for the older equine. If you have obtained a younger horse for competition, why not pony your old friend along for warm-ups cool-downs?

Consistent turnout will be needed, so that the horse may move freely and soak up sunshine and the company of other horses. Freedom of movement is essential to proper digestion, circulation, respiration, and muscle condition.

Joint supplements containing glucosamine and chondriatin can help immeasurably. Veterinarians can inject hocks and other joints with hyaluronic acid (HA, i.e., Legend), if needed.

Protect His Teeth.

Proper dental care can add years to your horse's life and comfort for those years. Horses' teeth grow continuously. Dental checkups (once or twice a year) can identify sharp points, which must be filed to help your horse chew and swallow comfortably. This process is known as "floating."

Older horses may lose or break teeth, as well. Broken teeth must be extracted or filed.

If your horse is reluctant to eat, or he seems to be spilling and dropping more grain or hay than usual, then it is certainly time to call the equine dentist. (Many veterinarians also practice dental care.)

Maintain His Feet.