The Older Horse

Special Considerations

Jim Hamilton, DVM

Often a first-time horse buyer is attracted to a mount that is older, more mature and less flighty. If the rider is not very experienced, then the older horse allows him to gain some confidence in the saddle. It is important to realize that owning a senior equine has some special considerations.

Once a horse gets into his mid to late teens several changes occur within the body, and if we are to get the most and best use out of the animal we must compensate for those changes. The first change is in his ability to chew his food. As the teeth grow in later years the chewing process suffers. Teeth are lost and growth direction of the incisors (front teeth) makes eating harder and less efficient. The solution is floating (filing) the teeth on a regular basis and inspecting the mouth for lost or infected teeth. It is also very helpful to change the feed to a more easily chewed and digested type. Complete feeds high in beet pulp such as Equine Senior and Respond are good because they give the animal nutrients they need in a form they can easily consume. This allows the owner to reduce the long stem hay they feed which is hard for the older horse to chew. Chopped hay such as Denge accomplishes the same goal.

The second consideration with an older horse is digestion. Several organs within the body do not work as well and the result is that more of what the horse eats goes straight through the system and out on the ground with the body being able to extract much nutrition. As a result, older horses tend to have poor hair and hoof quality, are more susceptible to colic and have less energy (Not unlike what humans do as they age!) All this does not mean that people should only have young horses. One must simply tailor the diet and maintenance to fit the animal. When this is done correctly, you can extend the useful years of your animal dramatically.

e-mail Dr. Jim Hamilton, DVM
Southern Pines Equine Associates