How to Extend the Life of Your Senior Horse
Posted: Friday, January 22, 2010
by The Old Gray Mare
www.DressYourHorse.com
We live in a remarkable age of medical progress that generally allows humans to live longer and more active lives than ever before. Likewise, those advances have translated to extended life expectancy for our horses and ponies.
Quality nourishment, clean water, joint compounds and supplements are primary components in your horse’s overall good condition. Also, appropriate veterinary, routine farrier and proper dental care have greatly increased projected equine life expectancy.
Give your aging horse that extra attention and he may, predictably, enjoy a longer productive life.
The Old Gray Mare offers several suggestions:
Offer your older horse grain that has been specially formulated for aging horses. Most feed companies have representatives that are available for consultation – discuss your horse’s individual requirements and make a wise, knowledgeable decision.
Consider these and other questions during your consultations.
Has he ever experienced bouts of colic? - Can he eat hay? - Are you able to provide high quality hay (Be cautious about too much alfalfa content in hay)? - Is his daily grain ration a total feed (no extra hay)? How will you handle boredom? - Will he be exercised or ridden or used on trail rides? - Will he become a lesson horse? - Will he be retired and become a pasture companion? - etc.
2. Hay and Water
Hay - Give your horse plenty of fiber from good quality hay if he is able to chew and digest it. Timothy hay with little or no alfalfa content is probably your best choice. Be sure it is properly dried and as dust free as possible.
Water - Provide a clean water source at all times. Change buckets and water daily, preferably twice a day. If your horse has free access to a natural water source from a pond, be sure his access is unencumbered and the water is pure. In weather climates where water freezes, provide a water heater to be sure your horse gets his normal water supply.
3. Worming
Keep up with your horse’s worming schedule throughout his lifetime. If you notice some weight loss or coat scruffiness, review his worming schedule.
4. Joint Supplements
Help your senior horse maintain good joint, bone and hoof condition. Assure that your horse has freedom to move around and remain active. If he can walk and enjoy movement fluidity, he will be comfortable and more unstressed. Consult with your veterinarian about giving your horse Glucosamine and/or Chondroitin. Both are readily available supplements that are proven and helpful; their effectiveness generally takes from three to four weeks to show definitive results.
5. Vet Checkups, Injections, Vaccinations and Dental Checkups
Provide yearly veterinarian checkups and administer all appropriate vaccinations recommended for your geographic location. Follow his advice scrupulously.
Provide regular dental checkups for your senior horse by a veterinarian or a equine dental specialist. Float his teeth based on the equine dentist’s recommendation. The older horse may develop “points" on molars that rub against tongue or gums. Possibly he has lost one or more of his teeth. If he tilts his head or spills food when he chews, he is avoiding such a point. If his droppings include recognizable food, grass or hay, dental problems are likely the cause.
6. Exercise
Be sure to keep your older horse active and prevent boredom. Offer turnout in pasture or exercise ring and permit him as much liberty as possible. If you no longer ride your horse, perhaps you can long line or lunge him at a walk and slow trot. Any form of motion maintains flexible joints, works his brain, circulates his blood system, aids digestion and makes for a happier horse.
Ride your older horse as long as you can for his enjoyment and yours. Of course, hard riding, cantering/loping or taxing workouts must be avoided with a senior horse. Blow your horse out, keep him warm, and provide a brisk rubdown after the ride.
7. Companion Horses
Avoid stressing the old horse by running him with horse bullies. Horses are often antagonistic to each other with grain, hay or even a favorite pasture spot. Protect him from horses that “gang" together.
8. Temperatures
Protect your senior from direct sun or harsh cold or hot weather conditions. High wind gusts and biting pests are also frequent nuisances. Your trusted older horse should not get cold and wet because this can be a dangerous combination for some aged horses. Just like humans, a cold, wet horse will shiver and get very uncomfortable. Best practice is to provide at least a 3-sided shed, or stable your horse during inclement weather conditions. Add a warm blanket as the need arises.
9. Blacksmith
Trim your old horse’s hooves regularly. Keeping his hooves in well-cared condition is an excellent step toward keeping his mobility.
Your horse has served you well. Grant him peace, tranquility and loving attention for the rest of his life. Provide the best care for your old friend.
This article is written by The Old Gray Mare of DressYourHorse.com and FantasyKritters.com.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)Hi Heidi.Tired of hearing from me yet?My friend's daughter had a horse that almost made it to 38 years old. She was a chestnut mare, short in stature, but feisty as all get out. She had the lightest rear end you could imagine and it came off the ground with a good solid kick for any horse that even thought about getting in her space. Lord she was something. She did this past Christmas. But she was still ridden up to age 35. Guess my friend and her daughter did everything right.Then too, she had good herd mates and a run-in stall and lots of room to room around. She was barefoot and kept in good "wild horse" trim. She got mostly chaff hay and a little grain now and then. He teeth were mostly worn completely down, but she loved to eat grass hay from the ground like a "real" horse. I really miss her.I love to share my horse stories. Can you tell? I hope they don't bore you too much.I'll be adding this article to my list of favorites for easy future reference.Hugs,DianneI'll never get tired! I'm enjoying your articles and, hopefully, will find time to read more. We do have some parallels.Having a horse get to be 38 is amazing. Lots of good care, I'm sure. My welsh lived to be 34 and my first mini also got to 34. Riding a horse up to age 35 is even more astounding. I think horses fare much better when they have companions. It's as it should be - they are herd animals. Unfortunately, teeth tend to wear down and sometimes that does more to hasten the demise than anything else.I'll never tire of hearing horse stories. Are you kidding? Want to put you on something Dianne. Painted Ponies is seeking horse stories. They are publishing them on the website and in books called From The Trail. If you'd like to know more, let me know. Get an email to me and I'll give you all the info. I'll send my email to you via the Warp system.
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