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.

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.