Geriatric Horse Care

Many of us have had horses since we were young, and as we grew up, our equine companions aged as well. It is difficult to watch our horses age and become troubled with arthritis, dental problems, and other metabolic issues. But, with the veterinary capabilities of today, we can easily keep our seniors comfortable, happy, and in good body condition. This is an overview of the increased requirements that our older horses have.

Diet:  Feed producers have spent lots of time and money with veterinarians, nutritionalists, and scientists to develop feeds that specifically meet the needs of senior horses. These diets are developed to be easy to chew or dissolve into a mash, have a high calorie level, and a good source of fiber. These are important qualities because older horses lose muscle mass and have dental issues that make chewing tiresome. Furthermore, older horses requiring weight gain, will need to be fed multiple (3-5) times a day in order to get the calories they need.

Dentition:  Horses’ teeth continually grow and as they chew the teeth grind off on each other. Senior horses have very little (or none at all) “reserve crown” left. When a tooth is missing, the opposing tooth is allowed to grow unchecked, developing a tall spike in the mouth. This makes proper mastication impossible and very painful.

“Powerfloating” the teeth allows the veterinarian to work on each tooth individually to give the horse a comfortable mouth. A horse is never too old to have his teeth floated. In fact, the older a horse is, the more likely he needs his teeth done.

Vaccinations:  Just as our MDs recommend that children and the elderly be the first to be vaccinated, the same is true for horses. Older horses may have a compromised immune system and regular vaccination is critical to good health.

Having your veterinarian out at least twice a year to evaluate your horse’s health is important. They can check teeth, evaluate body condition score, make diet recommendations, and keep your senior horse happy and healthy.