Assessing Quality of Life in the Older Horse

An older horse no longer in ridden work should be checked just as frequently and sometimes more often than those in ridden work. The same careful attention should be paid to their overall demeanour and general behaviour.

Senior Horse Dentistry

It important to keep up with routine care such as dentistry and farriery for the retired horse. The senior might start to lose teeth or develop diastema (gaps between their teeth) and pack feed into these gaps. That can result in oral discomfort and difficulty chewing food adequately. Dropping of feed balls (quidding) and weight loss could follow as a result.

Regular dentistry can help identify and manage these conditions, and might be required more frequently than for younger animals. Adjusting the diet also might be necessary. For example, you might need to include shorter fibre length chaffs and more easily digestible feeds designed for the older horse.

Do They Need Shoes?

A retired horse might no longer need to wear shoes for the purpose of work, but it will certainly still require regular foot trimming.

Some horses with arthritis will benefit from continued wearing of front shoes, for example. The inclusion of rolled toes on front shoes can help reduce instances of tripping,and make the older horse less foot sore on hard ground.

Carers should take time to observe older horses from a distance. Pay attention to how and where they stand at different times of the day. Check out how well they move around in the environment. Note whether or not they make use of available shelter when conditions warrant. Can the older horse easily find and access water points and supplementary feeds?

Older horses will drop down in the pecking order at feeding time. Make sure to group animals accordingly. It is important to be sure the older animals are getting enough to eat.

Body Condition Scoring

Regularly body condition scoring an older horse will help you to be sure that they are receiving a correct plane of nutrition.

Take photographs of your horse from each side and from behind as well as recording weight measured with weight tapes. Compare these on every month or two to help you be more objective about changes in weight and condition. Plan adjustments to his diet accordingly.

There is no substitute for running your hands over your horse’s body without rugs/blankets. Take note of how prominent the ribs and back are. Conversely, determine whether or not there are any fat deposits within the crest of the neck, in front of the shoulder, or over the rump.

Cold Weather Care

Older horses are more likely to feel the cold. They also moult (shed) less efficiently, keeping their thick winter coats longer than needed. Those horses might require thorough grooming or even clipping in the warmer months to prevent them from overheating.

Older horses are also more likely to develop endocrine disorders such as PPID or equine Cushings disease. That requires additional management to keep affected horses as healthy as possible.

Making the Decision for Euthanasia

Sometimes an older horse progressively loses mobility. It drops weight in spite of dental care, dietary supplementation, and the use of rugs as appropriate for the time of year. In that case, it unfortunately might be time to consider euthanasia.

Discuss the animal’s condition with your equine veterinarian to determine care and make a plan for saying goodbye.