Aging is a fact of life for all living things, including horses. Breed differences, individual genetics, and environmental influences all affect how fast this aging process occurs. In this article we will talk about common changes that occur in older horses and the special concerns for their care.
There are several outward signs of aging in the older horse. Muscles and bones get weaker; consequently horses get more of a swayback. With the loss of muscle tone, the abdomen hangs down more, resulting in a more pot-bellied appearance. The hair coat typically becomes coarser and many will get more grey hair, especially in the face. Other facial changes occur with aging, such as deepening of the pockets above the eyes. The skin around the muzzle area often becomes more wrinkled and the lower lip may droop.
Aging results in changes internally as well. Wear and tear on the joints leads to arthritis, resulting in stiffness and soreness. Cold, wet weather tends to exacerbate the symptoms of arthritis. Teeth get uneven and wear out so food cannot be chewed properly. The food that is eaten enters a digestive system that is less efficient, especially with regard to digestion of protein, fiber and phosphorus. Studies have shown that the digestive abilities of horses over 20 years of age are comparable to younger horses that have had an extensive segment of their colon resection during colic surgery. The immune system is weaker, making older horses more vulnerable to infections and parasite infestations.
This all sounds as if aging is pretty awful. Indeed, the afflictions of old age create new challenges for horse owners. With the proper care, however, older horses can live healthier and better quality lives well into their 20’s and even 30’s. In fact, more and more horses are doing just that because of the superior care their owners provide. Let’s review a few of the special horse husbandry concerns for the older horse:
Exercise: Regular light exercise helps strengthen muscles and tendons and is even good for digestion. Confinement and inactivity leads to stiffness and more rapid decline. Browsing stimulates intestinal motility, which will help prevent impaction colic. Regular light riding if physically possible is beneficial mentally as well as physically. Passive stretching can be therapeutic, especially if riding is not possible. Regular daily turn out is preferable over strict confinement. It is preferable to get older horses outdoors for part of the day, even in poor weather. However, in extreme weather, like a frigid Northeaster or an ice storm where a slip could break a leg, keep them indoors to prevent injury.
Shelter: Older horses don’t tolerate weather extremes as well. They need more protection from intense heat and severe cold, wet and windy conditions. Run in sheds are useful but at night and in extreme weather, it’s nicer and safer to bring them into a stall. Old horses don’t lie down as much and when they do it’s harder for them to get back up again. Stalls should have level surfaces for better footing and deep bedding to provide more warmth when it’s cold out. Deep bedding provides more cushion, especially important for the elbows and hocks, which are common areas for abrasions if the horse has to struggle to get up. The bedding helps ensure surfaces don’t get too wet and slippery.
Blanketing: This practice helps keep the older horse warmer and drier. Because of their weaker immune systems, older horses are more susceptible to rain scald. Blanketing helps protect them from that too.
Grooming: Regular handling and grooming helps “keep you in touch” physically and socially with your horse. It is even more important with the geriatric horse. Grooming helps the owner keep track of the horse’s body condition. Because of the coarser and longer hair coat, the way an old horse looks can be misleading. Getting your hands on the horse enables you to feel whether the horse is getting too thin or fat. In fact, it is even better to regularly weigh and assign a body condition score. Another reason grooming is important is to help prevent and detect some of the common skin diseases older horses are susceptible to, such as rain scald, mud fever, and ringworm.
Water: Older horses are more prone to impaction colic for many reasons. Very cold weather is a time of exceptional vulnerability to impactions. Access to clean fresh water is important to help prevent impactions. Worn and diseased teeth may be more sensitive to cold water, whereas tepid water is more comforting. When the ground is hard and frozen into clumps, it is difficult and painful to get around, especially for old, weak, arthritic limbs. Having water available in multiple easily accessible places will help ensure your geriatric horse won’t wait until his/her thirst is extreme before drinking.
Feed: From the discussion so far, it is probably apparent that the geriatric horse requires feeds that are easy to chew, highly palatable (good tasting) and readily digested. Feeds should be higher in protein, digestible fiber, phosphorus, and vitamins C, B and E. They should be lower in starch and sugar. There are several commercially available senior feeds that meet these needs. Choose clean hay free of dust and mold with 12% - 16% protein. Beet pulp is a highly digestible fiber especially good for horses with more severe dental problems (that is, if they like it) but it should not make up more than 30% of the total ration. To increase calorie intake for thin horses, fat can be added in the form of commercially available rice bran supplements or simply by adding a quarter to half a cup of vegetable oil twice a day.
Deworming: With a weaker immune system and a less efficient digestive system, geriatric horses are easier targets to invade and they have less feed they can afford to share with intestinal parasites. Keeping up with a more intensive deworming program is critical.
Annual Veterinary Examination, Blood Work and Dental Work: The annual exam helps identify problems early. It provides an opportunity to discuss questions (write them down ahead of time if that helps). The dental work is, of course, vitally important in the geriatric horse. Equine dental equipment and techniques continue to improve to make the process quicker, safer, more effective and less painful for the horse (and the veterinarian too!)
In summary, old age results in a weaker and more worn body. The owner can, however, promote better health and comfort by applying good fundamental horse husbandry practices with greater diligence and with an understanding of the special needs of older horses.
Copyright © 2008 The NW Horse Source, LLC
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