Older Horses: Respecting Our Elders

If your horse is already a senior, there’s no reason to turn him out to pasture. Here’s a seasonal look at some factors to consider for the care of your equine elder.
Share
Favorite
Close

No account yet? Register

ADVERTISEMENT
Is 20 the new 10?

How horses age has a lot to do with their luck in the genetic lottery, but factors such as nutrition, medical and dental care, and lifestyle can enhance–and even extend–their years.

“Historically, horses were considered old when they reached their teens,” says Joe Pagan, PhD, president of Kentucky Equine Research in Versailles, Ky. “Now, with advances in parasite control, nutrition, and general care, horses are still working into their late teens and early 20s and can continue to be active well beyond what we previously thought. The term ‘geriatric’ is a misnomer. Aging is not an illness; it’s only when there are physical dysfunctions and illness that an older horse should be labeled geriatric.”

Robert Holland, DVM, PhD, Pfizer Equine Technical Service veterinarian and author of the book Understanding the Older Horse, published by Eclipse Press, agrees. “I had a horse that lived until age 42,” he says. “We competed in endurance riding into his late 20s, but it was because he was sound. Healthy older horses still need a job to do; they still need to feel they belong in order to provide them the motivation to go on.”

If your horse is a youngster, start now with a regimen of parasite control, suitable nutrition, annual wellness exams, vaccina-tions, and preventive dental care to pave the way for a long, healthy life

Create a free account with TheHorse.com to view this content.

TheHorse.com is home to thousands of free articles about horse health care. In order to access some of our exclusive free content, you must be signed into TheHorse.com.

Start your free account today!

Already have an account?
and continue reading.

Share

Written by:

Related Articles

Stay on top of the most recent Horse Health news with

FREE weekly newsletters from TheHorse.com

Sponsored Content

Weekly Poll

sponsored by:

How much time do you usually spend grooming your horse?
433 votes · 433 answers

Readers’ Most Popular

Sign In

Don’t have an account? Register for a FREE account here.

Need to update your account?

You need to be logged in to fill out this form

Create a free account with TheHorse.com!