Senior horses gradually require additional care as they age. Whether its handling heat and humidity, flies, or changes in diet requirements and exercise, youll want to adjust your management to fit your old buddy.Photo by Abigail BoatwrightThis is particularly important should you bring your horse home for retirement, versus keeping him at a boarding stable. Weve 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 hell 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 theyre considered senior at around age 20.Ponies dont seem to become senior until theyre 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 horses 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, youre not really trying to get them to perform at what theyve enjoyed doing in their lifeyoure starting to move into the mindset of just allowing them to be what they are, and making sure theyre comfortable, says Chamberlin. Youre medicating them for conditions that need intervention for stability or comfort, but youre no longer trying to build them up.Age-Related ConcernsMuch 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 horses musculoskeletal system. Arthritis is often the sign that appears soonest.Arthritis, in particular, can reach the point where its hard to manage to make the horse comfortable, says Wilson. Joint injections or phenylbutazone [bute] get to where they arent 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 Cushings disease and equine metabolic syndrome, can necessitate retirement from riding or even euthanasia if youre no longer able to effectively manage the symptoms.Your horses immune system can become less capable, especially if your horse also has a disease like Cushings, says Wilson. This can lead to your horse contracting infectious diseases and viruses more easily, such as strangles, herpes or encephalitiseven if hes 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.Dental issues can lead to less efficient digestion, so regular dental exams are important, and possibly a change in diet. Photo courtesy Deanna ChamberlinDigestive 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 its 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. Youre 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.A loss of muscle tone and structure frequently accompanies the aging process, making the topline and ribs more prominent. Photo by Mani/Adobe StockCare and Management of the Senior HorseA 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 HorseDont 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 horses 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 hes in a pasture where he doesnt contact horses who travel, he may not.We may want to review [a senior horses] vaccination schedule and drop some of the ones for diseases hes 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 horses 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 FitIf 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 DynamicsWhen a horse is elderly, you dont want him to have to fight for hierarchy in the herd out in the pasture, according to Chamberlin.You dont 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.Matching up horses so herd dynamics dont result in bullying or injuries becomes especially important the older a horse gets. Photo courtesy Deanna ChamberlinAdjust Your Senior Horses DietWhen your horse stops working due to retirement, youll want to adjust his diet, since his caloric needs will go down.That may mean dialing back on the amount of grain or concentrate hes getting, says Wilson. Most of the time, hell still need that hay or grazing to maintain his body weight.Caloric needs of senior horses go down when their riding days end, but healthy forage and a balanced diet are as important as ever. Photo by JackF/Adobe StockIf 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 dont automatically need to switch to a senior diet, but it can be helpful in some situations.Watch [your seniors] weight carefully, and depending on how well hes eating, you can decide if you need to add an equine senior concentrate and still want to feed hay, Julie says. If hes 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 ConcernsIf your horse starts showing signs of Cushings disease, such as late shedding and a shaggy hair coat, of course youll have your vet test for the disease. But Wilson says that your horses veterinarian may recommend testing senior horses more routinely to get a jump on it.Watch for signs of Cushings disease, such as a coat that doesnt shed out in spring. Your veterinarian should test your older horse at the earliest signs to allow for treatment. Photo courtesy Deanna ChamberlinIt is manageable with treatment, she says.Youll also want to visually check your horses 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 NatureYour 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 its really inclement weather, Chamberlin says. We bring in horses when theres ice on the ground because we dont want them slipping and falling. But for most of the year, theyre out a lot.Pasture shelters should be provided, and blanketing during turnout may be essential in northern states with freezing weather.When the Time ComesUltimately, all horses will reach the end of their livesoften sooner than wed like. Chamberlin recommends looking for a place to keep your horse where he wont 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. Its hard on a horse. You need to find a place where youll be OK with him staying until the end.Before your horses final day is upon you, Wilson recommends planning with your vet ahead of time for euthanasia and/or disposal of your horses 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 horses care.You dont 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. Dont 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, its such a gift that we can make things comfortable for an animal so its not a traumatic end.Key TakeawayAfter everything theyve 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 Illustratedmagazine.Click here to subscribe!The post Senior Horse Care 101 appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.