Senior horse Q&As
Q: My old horse seems to just keep on going, but when do I draw the line and retire him? I never want to keep him going if it isn’t safe for him, but similarly, I don’t want him to have no ‘purpose’.
A: Many horses retire due to injury that dictates a poor or impossible working life post-diagnosis. Leg injuries, back injuries and disease are the leading causes for working and competitive horses being retired. However, some horses, like yours, tick on well into their golden years with no obvious signs of trouble – so how do we know when it’s time to retire these senior athletes?
The first thing you need to think about when considering golden oldies is that you don’t necessarily want to ride them until they’re broken. Ideally, you want to retire them sound, happy, and as healthy as can be relative to their age. If you push it during a horse’s senior years, the chances increase that he will succumb to injury eventually, and this could mean that he is uncomfortable or sore while he lives out his last years.
An additional point to note is that retirement doesn’t have to be ‘the end’ of his work with you. In fact, for most horses who have ‘worked’ their entire life, they crave some work and routine even in retirement, and without it will deteriorate rapidly, both mentally and physically. Retirement may, therefore, mean that you simply lower the intensity of the work, stop competing, or even try another, less demanding discipline or practice. Even towards the end of their lives, many horses will appreciate regular hand-walks or some other kind of low-level activity.
Know when he’s over it
Having said this, with an older horse we do need to be on the lookout for signs that he has had enough. There may not be anything wrong with him physically, but take a step back and evaluate his willingness to be ridden. Does he move to the corner of his stable when you arrive at the door with his tack? Does he seem reluctant to come out of the stable or stand at the mounting block? Does he nap for the gate when being ridden in an arena? Has he suddenly started displaying negative behaviour, like putting his ears back or swishing his tail? These can be signs of physical discomfort, or pure burnout – too much of the same thing for many years.
At this point, it’s time to consider if you should just stick to taking him on nice outrides and riding him for fun; try some new lower-intensity work that he might enjoy; or retire him completely, so that he can live out his days just ‘being a horse’. Again, the choice you make at this point should be guided by him, and if he is showing none of these signs and still seems to love his work, then you don’t need to stop – just be extra observant for the first signs of any issues.
Physical limitations
As you say, your horse has not suffered a ‘make or break’ injury, but you undoubtedly will need to become more aware of his physical capabilities as the years go on. Consult with your vet, farrier, stable manager and physiotherapist on a regular basis, and ask them their opinions on your horse’s quality of life. You should get your vet to come and do a physical exam at least twice a year, so that you can stay on top of things and detect any early signs of trouble. It can be hard for us to be objective when it’s our own horses, and sometimes external people can really help us to make the difficult choices about when our horses have had enough of the work we are doing with them.
Managing expectations
As a rule of thumb, whenever your horse reaches 10 to 13 years old, ask yourself where he fits in your riding future. Will this horse retire with you, or should you sell him on to his forever home where his next owner can enjoy a few years with him before retirement, or do different work with him that won’t necessitate retirement at all? Once the horse reaches 16, it can be difficult to find another good home for him, and we all owe our horses much more than difficult and uncertain senior years.
When it comes to a competition horse, consider the goals you would like to achieve with your horse – within reason – before you retire him. You may want to reach a certain level or complete the show season before it’s time to call it quits. Be reasonable about your expectations – don’t set out to push your horse beyond his limits. You want to retire him on a high!
Final thoughts
It is vital that we all remember that our horses’ retirement is about them, not us! If they need to keep going for their physical and mental wellbeing, then we owe them that. If they want to stop and become a paddock ornament, then that is what we should provide. If they need to do different work – then it’s time for us to investigate options. Our horses are entirely unselfish, and indulge our need to compete and engage in human activity for their entire lives.
There is nothing sadder than a horse cast aside once he has ‘no use’ for his rider. The fact that you are worried about your horse’s wellbeing and are asking this question, means that you almost certainly won’t be one of the people who do this, but we thought we’d use your question as a way to get on our soapbox and implore everyone out there to take care of their older horses. We owe it to them, and if we don’t have the patience, finances or desire to look after them, we shouldn’t have the privilege of being a horse owner in the first place.
Q: Where should you retire your horse?
A: We all want to keep our horses as close to us as possible, but is this always the best option for retired horses? Livery yards in the city don’t always make for the quality of life you imagined for your horse, who may have given you many wonderful riding years. During the golden years, your horse should be living a minimal life – mainly turned out all day to graze in big paddocks with other horses. You want your horse to be taken care of, but he doesn’t need all the bells and whistles that may have come with his life as a competition horse. Ask your equine practitioners and friends for recommendations for retirement yards where your horse will still be cared for, but can live out his days just being a horse.
Q: Should my horse be on a joint supplement?
A: When you make the decision to feed your horse a supplement, it’s important to stay committed to feeding it regularly so make sure that if you are considering a joint supplement that you can supply it long-term. Supplements are ineffective if you do not feed the recommended dose or if you feed them some months and then skip others.
Not all horses need to be on a supplement. Competitive riders and professionals will no doubt have their horses on a few things to help maintain their joints and keep them comfortable, but what about the average horse owner or amateur competitor? If you can afford to feed a supplement and your vet has given you the okay, then your horse can only benefit in the long term.
However, a horse only really needs to go on a supplement when he is starting to compete in the medium classes, if he is training intensively at home or he is more senior.
It is, however, important that we also realise the limitations of these supplements – if your horse has had a past injury or his conformation doesn’t work in his favour, your vet may well tell you that no amount of supplements will fix your horse completely. Joint supplements can be very effective – but they can’t fix major problems!
Always consult with your vet about your horse’s current work and your future goals. They will be best placed to advise you if your horse may benefit from joint supplements.
Q: What ingredients should I be looking for in my joint supplement?
Glucosamine
Glucosamine is one of the most well-studied ingredients in equine joint supplements, and it is either present in a supplement as glucosamine sulphate or glucosamine hydrochloride. The ingredient is considered the ‘building block’ of all connective tissues, including cartilage. Glucosamine is often used in joint supplements as it aids in relieving pain, and it slows down the process of cartilage breakdown. It also encourages healing and can therefore be fed to horses recovering from an injury. Glucosamine is often seen in combination with chondroitin, as these ingredients tend to work better together than separately.
Chondroitin
Chondroitin sulphate is a structural component of cartilage, bone and tougher connective tissues. Chondroitin is used as a pain-relieving agent; however, the effects are not as obvious as those of glucosamine. Some horse owners have reported that horses move more fluidly in general if they’re on a supplement with chondroitin. Studies have reported mixed results about the ingredient’s effectiveness, but the common agreement is that chondroitin prevents further cartilage breakdown and is therefore used in supplements that promote longevity.
Glucosamine and chondroitin
As previously mentioned, the majority of joint supplements will use glucosamine and chondroitin together. Recent research shows superior results when these ingredients are combined in comparison to when isolated. You may find that a product that features both ingredients will include them at a lower dose than what would be recommended for the ingredients in isolation. The combination of ingredients cares for existing cartilage and connective tissues, prevents breakdown and assists with relieving pain in joints.
Hyaluronic acid
As previously mentioned, the majority of joint supplements will use glucosamine and chondroitin together. Recent research shows superior results when these ingredients are combined in comparison to when isolated. You may find that a product that features both ingredients will include them at a lower dose than what would be recommended for the ingredients in isolation. The combination of ingredients cares for existing cartilage and connective tissues, prevents breakdown and assists with relieving pain in joints.
MSM
Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is an effective anti-inflammatory ingredient that has far-reaching effects on the ability of muscle tissue to rebound from exercise stress. MSM is a source of dietary sulphur, a mineral involved in the production and functioning of collagen, cartilage, hooves, hair, joint fluid, and important enzymes. MSM works to reduce swelling, improve muscle recovery after exercise, and protect and maintain connective tissues and cartilage in joints.
Collagen
Collagen is the name of a protein behind the structure of connective tissues, including bone and cartilage. The collagen ingredient in supplements is often in the form of hydrolysed collagen, meaning that it has been purified and broken down into smaller protein units for easier digestion and absorption. Collagen is used to promote wound and ulcer healing, and has most recently been used in arthritis treatments, as it has naturally occurring amounts of glucosamine, chondroitin and hyaluronic acid.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is essential for healthy cartilage and connective tissues; however, owners need to be extremely cautious and aware of dosage amounts. Too much vitamin C can actually damage the cartilage. Horses should already be receiving a healthy vitamin C intake through sufficient grazing and perhaps fortified concentrate feeds, and therefore adding a supplement on top of that could be potentially dangerous. It is best to ask your vet for their advice on whether additional supplementation is going to be beneficial.
Q: How do I keep my golden oldie in good condition?
Answered by Farryn Day
In order to keep your veteran horse happy, sound and healthy there are a few important things to look out for:
- Contact your vet to do a full examination and check for illness or disease as well as any pain which your horse may be experiencing. Illness or pain can affect your horse’s condition and cause weight loss extremely quickly. Older horses can be prone to liver and kidney problems, so ask your vet to rule that out as well.
- Ask your vet to examine their legs, to check for any injuries or deterioration of the joints which can cause pain and discomfort. There are many supplements on the market which can help to keep your horse comfortable.
- Ask an equine nutritionist or your feed supplier about the nutritional needs of an older horse. As horses age, they are not able to digest food as well as they used to, and therefore need a feed which is designed for seniors. Senior food is generally higher in fat and fibre and is easier to digest.
- A horse maintains their body temperature, in part, by the heat produced through the digestive process. As such, it is very important that your horse has access to ad-lib grass, both for their digestion and overall condition.
- Grinding and chewing are the first part of the digestive process, so if your horse is struggling chew their food, they will not be able to digest it efficiently. Horse’s teeth also continue to ‘grow’ throughout their lifetime. If a horses teeth are not checked, they may develop painful hooks or be unable to grind food down correctly. Check your horse’s teeth every six month or at least once a year to ensure that they are pain free, and able to chew their food.
- Depending on the horse (soundness issues etc.), it is a good idea to try and keep the horse in light work. Outrides, ground work or walks in-hand are all great ways to keep your older horse moving and their minds stimulated.
