Veterinarian offers advice on caring for senior horses

Caring for aging horses is a commitment for any horse owner, but one that is well worth it for many. With proper planning, it’s possible to help horses thrive well into their golden years.

Dr. Travis Van Anne has been a veterinarian for 26 years. He has taught classes and delivered talks on animal health and ag economics and currently consults in a five-state area with his veterinary practice Van Anne Vet Services.

Van Anne says helping horses as they age starts with good dental care and proper nutrition, as well as proper management of environment and keeping up with routine exams. 

Teeth

Quality dental care is essential to keeping horses of all ages healthy, but monitoring for signs of disease and decay becomes especially pertinent as animals age. As teeth wear down from years of use, chewing can become difficult or painful. 

Van Anne notes floating and filing are useful and essential parts of routine dental care throughout a horse’s life, but as they age, attention should turn to monitoring for signs of tooth loss and adjusting feed as necessary.

“Old horses have a harder time chewing,” says Van Anne. “Filing down teeth is very helpful as long as they have teeth to file, but old horses often lose a significant amount of teeth so this dental practice becomes of less value.”

Additionally, Van Anne says older age brings increased potential for choking due to dental issues, as well as decreased saliva production. To combat this, he recommends watering down dry feed and adding supplements to feeding routines.

“As horses age, it’s very common for them to choke because they don’t have enough saliva to swallow properly,” Van Anne says. “Often, they need an alfalfa pellet or equine senior supplement to provide moisture so they don’t choke.” 

“Teeth and weight are the number one priority when it comes to senior horses,” Van Anne continues. 

Weight

Monitoring and maintaining a healthy weight in aging horses goes hand in hand with dental care and feed management and is crucial to ensuring health. In addition to making sure feed is readily available, soft and palatable, Van Anne recommends feeding a high-fiber diet supplemented by products like beet pulp. 

Horses maintain their energy by eating, so it’s vital to make sure their ability to consume food is not hindered. This becomes especially important during the winter when horses rely on food intake to keep warm.

“With older horses, we sometimes reach a point where it gets so cold outside the horse can’t consume enough feed to maintain weight,” says Van Anne. “If they can’t maintain weight, they can’t maintain heat and they can’t produce enough energy to stay warm.”

Environment

When caring for elderly equines, environment matters. 

Van Anne recommends keeping aging horses out of drylots and dusty conditions to reduce the risk of equine asthma and other respiratory conditions. Green grass and good hay are ideal forage options for older horses, which means grass pastures are ideal turnout conditions when possible. 

Because horses are herd animals, Van Anne also recommends turning out older horses with a companion to limit stress. 

“Horses are very gregarious animals, which means they need a buddy,” Van Anne says. “Sometimes it’s a goat, sometimes it’s another horse, but they absolutely need a buddy.”

Exams

Keeping up with routine vet checks and farrier work are also important components of caring for senior horses.

“The very young and very old are always the most susceptible to illness, whether it be horses or people,” says Van Anne. “Being current on vaccinations and maintaining proper foot health is imperative.”  

According to Practical Horseman, senior horses are more susceptible to lameness, colic, dental issues, cataracts and Cushing’s disease. Wellness exams can help diagnose, monitor and treat issues arising from a variety of conditions which pose threats to aging immune systems.

Routine exams are good opportunities for gelding owners to schedule sheath cleanings, Van Anne says, in order to prevent infections and urinary issues in male horses.

Additionally, Van Anne notes increased age can lead to decreased cognitive function in horses, resulting in complications with foot placement and balance issues. These signs often appear after the age of 25 and can pose health risks to horses and riders alike. 

Van Anne recommends retiring horses who exhibit these signs and emphasizes farrier work should not be neglected just because a horse is no longer being ridden.

Final considerations

Prolonging an aging horse’s life is possible with proper management, but the final step in responsible care is knowing when to say goodbye. 

According to Van Anne, euthanasia should enter the conversation when a horse is not able to maintain weight or is suffering from a chronic condition which significantly diminishes their quality of life. 

A veterinarian can help provide support, advice and options during this stage.  

Grace Skavdahl is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.