As horses get older, their capacity for exercise and performing reduces. While there are several factors that affect fitness, age plays a major role. With that in mind, we’re exploring how you can keep your senior horse fit and finding out if there’s a cutoff point for competing the older horse.
If they’re fit, happy, healthy and sound, then there’s no reason why they can’t compete, even as they reach old age. You have a role to play in maintaining their health and helping them get back to competing if they’ve had time off.
Read on to find out how to give them the best chance. Plus, we answer questions, such as what counts as a senior horse, supplementation for older horses and at what age should a horse no longer be ridden.
What Counts as an Older Horse?
Horses are considered old at the ages of 15 - 20 years and over. They can be classed as veterans once they are older than 15 years; however many owners would only consider their horse as being old once they are well into their twenties. According to research carried out via an anonymous survey in the US, most owners considered their horses old at the ages of 20 and 25. A survey by the Gluck Equine Research Centre indicates that 61.5% of respondents’ horses retired between the ages of 15 and 24 due to health issues.The most common reason for considering a horse old is a reduced ability to exercise or work.
Tips for Maintaining Fitness for Competition
Watching for change in your horse is one of the best ways to identify the need for additional support while they’re aging. You’ll want to follow different steps when it comes to caring for veteran horses, taking into account the common issues, such as stiffness and diseases. With this comprehensive guide, we look at combining exercise, diet and health checks to boost potential when competing the older horse.
Diet
Adapting a horse’s diet as it ages is essential for fitness and preparing for a competition.
1. Anticipate an Increase in Nutritional Needs
As horses get older, their metabolism and digestive systems change. Age-related diseases also affect the nutritional needs of horses as they age. As the ability to digest and absorb nutrients declines, it’s essential to adapt to increase the intake of highly digestible fibre. You can also consider supplementing amino acids, which have been shown to help maintain muscle mass.
2. Consider Quality, Water and Salt
To aid digestion issues and avoid impaction, which is common in older horses, allow them to drink plenty of water. Ensure that fresh water is available to your horse and consider salt supplementation, especially in warmer weather. On top of that, choosing high-quality forage will help to ensure that they get the proper nutrients. Keep in mind that senior horses with dental issues will need feeds that are easy to chew, so consider feeding a good quality commercial mash.
Health Checks
As your horse gets older, you’ll need to monitor them for age-related diseases.
3. Schedule Checks Proactively
Check for soundness and you’ll be able to adapt to any specific needs to target during preparation and recovery for a competition, such as joint care. Keep up with your other health maintenance routines, such as your worming programme and routine vet health checks.
Speaking with your vet about your horse’s physical capabilities is an excellent starting point. They’ll be able to help you identify any key areas to keep an eye on in your specific case. They could range from regular teeth checks and implementing solutions to prevent soreness to checking for endocrine diseases that cause laminitis.
Exercise
For a horse to stay fit, it needs to exercise. However, you should adapt your programme for age and health conditions.
4. Regular Turnout and Daily Movement
Stabling can impact health, including affecting respiratory and gastric conditions. Crucially, in older horses, the lack of movement can affect stiffness and osteoarthritis. Regular turnout is essential for gentle and natural joint movement. When competing the older horse, you’ll need to build and maintain fitness. Regular exercise is the ideal route. To avoid fatigue or overexertion, try alternating the type of work, length of session and intensity.
5. Include a Low-Intensity Warmup
Older horses can experience stiffness. This doesn’t necessarily mean they’re in pain and can’t exercise. They might just need a little longer to get moving. Before starting your exercise, set aside some time for some slow movement, walking and a low-intensity warmup.
As stated in the guide, it is possible to carry on competing a horse well into their twilight years. Nonetheless all horses will have their limits and you must be prepared to retire them from their ridden careers when the time comes, as their owner you are best placed to make that decision based on your horse’s willingness for continued work and any clinical signs. If you are unsure when to make the decision, it would be useful to seek advice from your vet and/or trainer.
Older horses can stay fit and compete. However, it’s important for owners to understand what to expect and the physiological changes that occur.
Can a horse be too old to train?
A horse’s ability to train is more likely to come down to its health and history rather than its age. For example, a healthy 20-year-old horse that has been competing for years is likely to have a level of fitness and endurance that allows it to train for many years to come. On the other hand, a slightly younger horse with no competition experience and very little fitness may not be able to cope with a competition schedule and should live a quieter life.
