Old Horses: Better With Age

Of Horses and Health Problems

2013-05-21T15:15:00Z

A little more than a year ago, I posted my very first "Old Horses: Better With Age" blog post and set out on what's proven to be a really fun adventure. I can't tell you how much fun I've had talking about my family's little herd of senior horses, digging through my past and remembering all the wonderful oldies, and reading your comments and experiences with your aging equines.

I realized, though, a few months ago that I've never really introduced you to the horses that I tell you about all the time. I've shared many stories, but I'd little take a minute to really introduce the real stars of this blog—my senior horses—and tell you a little about some of our main health and management concerns with each.

Taz

Photo: Keith Larson

Taz—Even though he's not with us anymore, our Appaloosa gelding Taz was a huge part of my life for 15 years, and he faced enough health problems throughout his life that I'll continue to feature his stories here from time to time. Our first horse, Taz was 27 when he died in March, and he was an incredibly versatile horse. In his younger days, he did a little bit of everything—trail and pleasure riding, English and Western pleasure and equitation, halter and showmanship, jumping, dressage, gymkhana, "pony rides," and even saddle seat equitation and patterns (which he brought home numerous top three placings from, by the way!).

Taz had a number of health problems over the years, and we learned so much about caring for injuries and illnesses from him. Our main concerns were arthritis, uveitis, somewhat poor-quality feet, keeping weight on as he aged, and some neurologic and balance problems. He was tested for EPM a while ago, although we never treated him for it. Our veterinarian believes the neurologic problems we noticed (and which prompted the EPM test) stemmed from internal damage accrued when he'd recently gotten cast in a stall at a show and struggled before we were able to help him up.

Jessie

Photo: Erica Larson

Jessie—With Taz gone, Jessie is our oldest horse at 26. She's a feisty little Appaloosa mare who arrived home a few days after Taz did, and they were inseparable for 15 years. Although she wasn't abused or neglected when we purchased her, Jessie's old owners had more horses than they could handle and our little mare was thrilled to receive one-on-one attention daily in her new home. Overall, Jessie's been an incredibly healthy little horse. As near as I can remember, she's had two vet calls that didn't involve vaccinations or annual exams: One for (what turned out to be) kissing spines that ultimately ended her career as my riding pony, and one in 2012 for when she took some debris to the head, resulting in a nasty, skull-deep and -denting gash. Our main health concern with her today? Ensuring she loses a few pounds.

Brandy

Photo: Erica Larson

Brandy—She's 24 now, but our Miniature Horse, Brandy, is firing on all cylinders…and then some. In her younger days, Brandy and I performed obstacle and jumping demonstrations at fairs and events with our former neighbors' Miniature Horse farm. She's even jumped in a specially designed arena at an event which took place at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. The highlight of that trip? Watching the elevator operator's face when she pooped in said elevator on the way up the floors to the demonstration arena!

Brandy has been healthy but not without her issues. We've always dealt with obesity, and I'm sure you recall stories about her struggles with laminitis and pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction. But thanks to some hard work and medical treatment, she's currently acting like she did in her prime athletic days, when jumping a 34" fence was no trouble for this 32" Mini.

Dorado

Photo: Adam Spradling

Dorado—To be completely honest and blunt, watching this horse age is painful for me. He turned 17 this year, and although his brain still tells him he's 5 (maybe 6 on a good day), his body is definitely aging. Dorado started racing when he was 2 and continued until he was 6. He made 55 starts. When I brought him home as a 12-year-old, I knew he had wear and tear but I also wanted to give him the chance to do something else with his life. He's an eventer now, and a darn good one at that, but I know he'll never be able to progress up the levels like he could if he was younger. My vet said last week, "He's one that would have been fun to get your hands on before he raced." Who knows what he could have accomplished.

His main health problems stem from his four years on the racetrack. He's got (at least) one healed sesamoid fracture and some arthritis, both of which require diligent care. Less related to racing, Dorado has less than ideal feet and a hard time keeping weight on unless carefully managed, but all-in-all he's a very healthy, well-built, strong horse with a solid mind who is an absolute joy to ride (most days…) and be around.

Sadie

Photo: Keith Larson

Sadie and Lance—Our last two horses are as far away from "senior" as we get, but I couldn't not include at least a little about them. Full sister and brother Sadie and Lance turned 15 and 13, respectively, this year. We purchased both from their breeder, and Lance came a few years after we brought Sadie home and fell in love with the Thoroughbred/Percheron cross.

Sadie's had some little injuries and illnesses over the years, but her biggest obstacle has been her mental status. She could have been a killer dressage horse, but some mental problems we couldn't (and still can't) get her over stood in the way. Ninety percent of the time, her mind is in the right spot. Unfortunately, it's the 10% of the time when it's not that has really proved a hindrance for her. We're not sure what happened before she came home, but we've done the best we can to keep her happy. And the vast majority of the time, she's a very happy and health mare.

Lance

Photo: Erica Larson

Lance, although not a senior, has an interesting story. He fractured a splint bone when he was 5, and thanks to our veterinarian's great treatment and my father's dedication, his leg healed beautifully. Since then, he's done some local shows, fox hunted, and now loves running around and jumping anything and everything (well, almost everything) with my father.

So there you have it…a little insight into our herd. Now I'd like to hear a little about your seniors. Please, introduce us to your senior horses, and let us know what health problems you deal with. I'd love to learn more about the horses you interact with and the health problems you manage on a daily basis!

Why Ride Seniors?

2013-05-17T13:20:00Z

Last October and as my now 17-year-old Thoroughbred had just received the okay to start trotting under tack after recovering from an injury, I wrote a post in this blog about osteoarthritis in aging horses. I was thrilled to see that the post opened the door for some great discussions between readers in the comments section, but one comment stood out and stuck with me.

One reader asked, "Why would you want to compete with a horse that, in human terms, is over 65 years old?"

I thought about this very valid question for a long time, discussed it with my father and some other horsey friends, and pondered some more. And the answer I eventually settled on is multifactorial, but to put it simply, it's because I can.

When Dorado injured his right front leg on July 4 of last year while preparing for his next competition, I had no idea what his future would hold. He was 16 at the time and, in diagnosing the injury, our veterinarian uncovered an injury from his past that we had no idea was there. Of course, the initial goal was to rehabilitate the injury and get Dorado comfortable and sound as quickly as possible.

But I began to question whether a), he would be sound enough to compete anymore, and b), if he was sound enough, was it worth bringing a horse approaching his late teens back into full work to compete. On one hand, of course I wanted to keep competing him. He's not an easy horse to ride, but Dorado is so much fun to take around a cross-country or show jumping course. All in all, he's just a fun horse. But on the other hand, he'd given and taught me so much in the relatively short time I'd owned him and I fully believed he didn't owe me a thing. He still doesn't. In the end, all I could do was see how treatment went and let the horse tell me what he wanted to do.

Fast forward to March of this year: Dorado had his most follow-up examination for the injury. He'd been in full work all winter and had even started jumping again. Our veterinarian confirmed that he was as sound as he'd ever seen him and, much to my delight and relief, he gave us the all clear to resume competing this year.

Photo: Erica Larson

Why was I relieved? Because over the preceding eight months, Dorado had made it crystal clear to me that he was not—and still is not—ready to sit around and do nothing. He seemed to enjoy his "vacation" (which at first consisted of stall rest with short hand walks twice daily, and eventually confined turnout for a few hours per day) for about two weeks. Then he started getting bored. From making funny faces or gestures whenever a person was looking at him (see the video at left for just one example...and I'm sorry about the commentary!) and rekindling a fascination with holding sweatshirt and coat hoods in his mouth to deliberately tipping his water buckets out and finding new ways to play with (and ultimately waste) his hay, Dorado did everything he could to show me he was bored off his rocker. He's always been a playful horse, but he took "playful" to a new height when he was recovering.

Once we got the okay to start walking under tack, Dorado's excessive "bored behavior" slowly diminished. And eventually, as his veterinarian-prescribed workload increased in duration and intensity, he returned to his normal playful, but not obnoxious, self.

Currently, Dorado is in better shape mentally and physically than I've seen him in a long time. I tell everyone who asks that he clearly doesn't know he's getting "up there" in age, and I'm not going to be the one to tell him. He'll tell me when he doesn't want to run and jump anymore, but until then, we'll keep doing what he loves to do.

So that's why I ride, train, and compete an aging horse. He's not ready to be old and retired, so I'll keep him going because I can.

Why do you keep your senior horses in work? I'd love to hear your experiences and stories…please share them below!

"At Least She's Feeling Good..."

2013-05-10T14:04:00Z

Earlier this year I attended a veterinary conference and listened intently as the speaker discussed pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID, or equine Cushing's disease). As you might remember, our 24-year-old Miniature Horse, Brandy, was diagnosed with the disease in late-2011, so I'm always eager to hear all the new tidbits researchers have learned about the disease.

The session was wonderful and very informative, but a conversation after the presentations concluded struck me as most interesting. While discussing PPID treatment, one attendee stood and shared a story from his practice, in which he initiated treatment on an old, quiet horse and soon, that old, quiet horse was feeling really good and had regained the energy and attitude he'd had as a younger horse. Other practitioners agreed they'd had similar experiences. It brought a smile to my face that simple medical treatment can make such a difference in a horse's life and comfort level. Three cheers for veterinary advancement!

I share this anecdote with you because not long ago it came to the forefront of my mind as I listened to my mother relay her experience earlier that day with Brandy and her spring shots.

We purchased Brandy from owners who weren't well-versed in horse care and didn't provide ideal care for her. She came to us extremely obese and with some behavioral issues due to improper handling. For instance, we couldn't lift her tail for years because her former owners had used it in a restraint technique. So it didn't necessarily surprise us when Brandy went ballistic—rearing, kicking, bolting, etc.—when our veterinarian tried to administer vaccines for the first time. Clearly there were some issues from her past that we'd have to deal with, and our veterinarian was very understanding and helpful as we tried to help our new addition adopt a normal (and well-behaved lifestyle).

Over the years, we tried several different options to help keep Brandy quiet when she got a shot. By the time we moved from Massachusetts to Michigan, our veterinarian had a routine down by which to administer all Brandy's vaccines, and while it wasn't the most graceful production, it was effective. Eventually, Brandy "quieted" from utterly horrible with shots to just extremely uncooperative (trust me…there's a difference).

For several years after we moved to Michigan, Brandy's uncooperative antics continued. Our veterinarian in Michigan was also successful in vaccinating her, although like in Massachusetts, it wasn't the prettiest picture for several years.

Eventually, Brandy's vaccination antics waned. She stood relatively quietly and maybe shook her head a few times in objection to the needles in her neck. We were all relieved that she'd apparently grown out of her objection to vaccines.

So this year when the vet came to give spring shots, we were expecting Brandy to stand quietly like she'd been doing for the past few years. And of course, Brandy did the exact opposite. Akin to her first vaccination experience with us, she reared, bucked, bolted, etc. Eventually, and after a struggle the vaccines were administered. But of course, we were left wondering why Brandy's bad behavior had suddenly returned.

Looking back, a few points emerged. Brandy's bad vaccination behavior began subsiding around the time she started suffering from laminitic episodes, which later were determined to be side effect of her PPID. Could her good behavior actually have been the result of her not feeling as good as she used to? Maybe.

Since she started treatment for PPID in late 2011, her physical condition has continually improved. After being treated for a full year, and then some, could her comfort level and mental state finally have finally returned to where they were before PPID set in? Maybe.

Could the two just be coincidences? Maybe.

We don't know for sure what caused the sudden change in Brandy's behavior. But thinking back to the discussion at the veterinary conference, I can't help but wonder if her treatment has improved her comfort level to the point that she's "back to the old Brandy," bad vaccination behavior and all. I'm not sure we'll ever know, but we do know that day to day, Brandy hasn't looked or felt this good in years. She loves running around the pasture with her friends, taking a good roll, and popping up with a buck to run around some more. She's a very happy and—at this point—healthy little creature.

At the end of the day, my parents and I agree that whatever the reason for the change, at least she feels good!

By the way, I'm not condoning Brandy's bad behavior during shots. It's something that we've dealt with for years and it's something that will continue to be addressed. We're just glad Brandy feels good enough to play, considering her ups and downs with laminitic episodes and PPID in recent years.

Have you had a senior horse become young again after treating a medical condition? I'd love to hear your experiences. Share them below!

Spring Training for Seniors

2013-05-01T21:19:00Z

Conditioning horses is a popular topic this time of year. As the weather gets nicer for riding, many equestrians face the challenge of reconditioning horses who might have lost a step over the winter. For senior horse owners and riders, this task can prove more daunting than for riders with younger horses. It's no secret that older horses take longer to get in shape than their youthful counterparts, and unfortunately, they might not be able to reach the same level of fitness they could in their younger days simply due to their increasing age.

Over the years, I've conditioned a lot of older horses. I'm used to starting slow, seeing how they handle work, and slowly moving forward until they gain the condition they need, be it for participating in riding lessons or simply hacking around the field.

Even though it's taken longer than it used to, Dorado is finally nearing the good athletic condition we've been working towards.

Photo: Adam Spradling

But this year I experienced a conditioning conundrum with my now 17-year-old off-the-track Thoroughbred, Dorado. No, he's not really a senior horse, but our experience this spring gave me the first real sign that he's not as young as he used to be.

When I brought then 13-year-old Dorado home on March 1, 2009, he wasn't in any sort of athletic condition whatsoever. He was a scrawny little Thoroughbred with a long, curly mane who looked more like he'd excel as a pasture pet than as a riding horse. I knew I had a long road to bringing him back into work since it didn't appear that he'd done much of anything—besides hack around a little and sit in a pasture with his "harem"—since he was retired from racing at age 6.

It took several months of relatively slow conditioning, but by mid-2009, Dorado had packed on some muscle and was actually in pretty good condition. By late fall (and the end of the "riding season" in Michigan), I was quite pleased with what good condition he was in. For a horse with a spotty history who—as near as we could tell—had been relatively sedentary for several years, he'd popped back into shape beautifully.

For the next few years, Dorado stayed in work pretty consistently. He never really lost the condition he'd gained and was quick to get back into shape if he had any sort of short vacation if my schedule got busy. Unfortunately, that changed last year.

As you might remember, an old sesamoid bone injury flared up last July and for several months, Dorado was either on stall rest or turned out for a few hours each day. I tried to keep some of his muscles working and his brain occupied with some stretching exercises, but not surprisingly, by the time we got the okay to start walking under saddle late last year, the vast majority of Dorado's conditioning had dissipated.

Due to a combination of bad weather and a very busy schedule, I didn't have as much time to ride this winter. So when spring finally arrived in Lexington, I found myself with a very out of shape, now 17-year-old horse to condition. It was also here that Dorado really showed me the first signs that he's not as young as he used to be.

For the first few weeks, although he would have willingly kept bouncing around the arena like a wild man for much longer, I kept our rides short and not too strenuous. Much to my ever-energetic horse's distaste, we did a lot of walking and trotting for 15 to 20 minutes and he was always pretty out of breath by the end. Even though his mind said he wanted to keep going, his body couldn't keep up yet. This was new for me; even when we started conditioning back in 2009, his body caught up with his mind much quicker than this year.

While we were still slowly building up Dorado's stamina, many of my barn friends started showing, hauling out to ride, or ramping up their horses' exercise routines. And even though I was a little envious that they got to go galloping and jumping around on their fit horses, I knew that the only way to get my aging horse back into shape without risking his health was go to slow. So I watched them jump, knowing that Dorado and I would get there eventually.

Much to my delight, our slow and steady conditioning program seems to be paying off. Dorado is feeling better than he has in a long time, and he's recovering from exercise as quickly and easily as he has since he got hurt last year. Even though it makes me a little sad to have concrete proof that Dorado isn't as young as he used to be, he hasn't felt this good—both mentally and physically—in a long time and I'm really excited to compete him again this year.

Have you ever conditioned an older horse off a lay-off? What were your experiences, and what advice would you give to other riders?

Celebrate Life

2013-04-25T13:45:00Z

Since we got our first horses 15 years ago, I'd avoided thinking about the day I'd have to say good bye to them as much as I could. Sure, it had come up in conversation from time to time, but it's not the kind of thought that I—or most horse owners, for that matter—relish thinking about.

But about a month ago, I had to start thinking about it for real. Our first horse Taz, the handsome 27-year-old Appaloosa who's made many appearances in this blog over the past year, wasn't doing well. Old age and some complications with medical conditions had caught up with him, and after discussing several factors with our wonderful veterinarian, we decided that it was time. We wanted him to still be the same horse we knew and loved when he left, so we made the decision to put him to sleep before his infirmities took a more drastic toll than they already had.

Rest in Peace, Taz

Photo: Keith Larson

On March 23, we gave him a big breakfast, filled him with treats, showered him with love, and said a final good bye to our beloved Taz.

In the week preceding and for several weeks following, I started crying at the smallest thought of never being able to pat, ride, or even see Taz again. My very patient fiancé sat by my side, telling me it was okay and I needed to grieve. And grieve I did. I miss him terribly and I know my parents do too, but we all take comfort in the fact that he left us peacefully and while he wasn't in a lot of pain.

As the weeks have gone by, it's gotten easier to deal with. But a few days ago, I started thinking about all the wonderful times Taz gave us and all the priceless lessons he taught us. I smiled as I drove to work one morning, just thinking about him. It gave me comfort that I could still celebrate his life and our times together, even though he's gone.

A few memories stuck out as my favorites, and they're making me smile, even as I write this:

Within the first week he arrived at our home, then in Massachuetts, Taz taught my parents and I just how talented horses can be at opening barn doors that lead to pastures, and just how quickly they can eat substantial amounts of grain when they gain access to said barn from said pasture. He would be fine, the vet said after a check up and a tubing, but we sure beefed up the door latches pretty quickly after that.

One of my favorite things Taz taught us was that horses can be comedians—he was the funniest horse I've known. He repeatedly nudged barn cats off walls and made funny faces when he wanted a treat. On more than one occasion he planted a hoof on your foot before looking you straight in the eye and clearly saying, "Look at that! What are you going to do now?" And, perhaps his most famous stunt, he always repeatedly reached for the bit while being groomed and tacked up, but clamped his mouth shut with a smile when it was actually time to put on the bridle. He always had a comedic plan up his sleeve…we loved it.

Taz taught me to ride. I'd been taking lessons for years before we got him and am still taking lessons now. But I learned the most when I was just riding him through the fields, in arenas, at shows, and down roads and trails. I'll miss those rides.

But most of all, Taz taught me and my parents what it means to be horse owners: Early mornings and late nights, vet calls planned and unplanned, excitement and disappointment, good rides and bad, successful shows and not, and everything in between. He taught us that if we did right by the horse, he'd give us his trust, loyalty, devotion, and—if you believe they can—love.

Since Taz has been gone, the remaining four horses in Michigan have been sorting out a new pecking order and getting used to life in one big group, as opposed to the pairs they were in before. And my parents (while carrying on with caring for our Jessie, Brandy, Sadie, and Lance) and I, with Dorado, have noticed a little bit of Taz's personality and quirks—that we knew backwards and forwards for years—showing up in each of our five horses.

When dealing with the loss of a beloved senior horse—or any horse for that matter—it's a time to grieve. But it's also a time to celebrate that horse's life. Reminiscing of the good times has brought tears to my eyes, but it's also brought a smile to my face. I'll always miss him, but we were so incredibly lucky to have 15 wonderful years with him that can never be taken away...and that's what I'm celebrating.

EHV-1: A Senior Perspective

2013-04-19T19:10:00Z

In my role as news editor of The Horse and TheHorse.com, it's my job to seek out current horse health happenings, find the details, and report back to you—our readers—as quickly and accurately as I can. That's not always easy—in some cases details from reliable sources are few and far between, or sometimes we really just don't know exactly what's happening yet—but something I've gotten plenty of practice at reporting on over the past few years is equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1).

In covering what feels like countless EHV-1 cases and chatting with numerous veterinarians, I've learned a fair amount about this potentially deadly disease. I know how horses contract the disease, and I know what biosecurity protocol I should follow to best protect my four-legged charges. But sometimes it takes a real life example for things to sink in. For instance, in early April animal health authorities said that a 22-year-old Thoroughbred mare from New Jersey who reportedly hadn't left her home farm in years was euthanized after she exhibited rapidly progressing neurologic signs; she later was confirmed to be EHV-1 positive.

Owners can take some simple steps to help protect their senior horses from contracting EHV-1, especially in animals such as Dorado that still regularly travel.

Photo: Erica Larson

Being a senior horse fanatic, I was saddened to hear that this old girl met such a devastating end; but being a (mildly neurotic) senior horse owner, I wondered if my parents and I are doing everything possible to protect our aging equids from contracting neurologic EHV-1 or developing signs of disease. So I caught up with a regular The Horse contributor and veterinarian Stacey Oke, DVM, MSc, to learn a little more about EHV-1 in senior horses.

First, yes, our older horses—specifically those ages 20 and up—are at an increased risk for developing neurologic EHV-1, she said, citing the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine's Equine Herpesvirus-1 Consensus Statement. Yes, our seniors could be neurologic EHV-1 carriers (possibly for years without an owner having the slightest clue) and, yes, "herpesviruses can … spontaneously manifest to cause clinical disease and be spread to other horses without any warning," Dr. Oke said.

Next, she said, any horse—not just seniors—is at a higher risk of contracting the virus when they comingle with other horses at shows, trail rides, and other equine events.

"Sure, showing is fun, but it can be like taking a newborn baby to the local mom and tot play group with tons of runny-nosed kids running around, shoving toys in their mouths before sticking it in your baby's face," Dr. Oke explained. In short, you never know what other equids have been exposed to before they come in close contact with your horse.

This doesn't mean you shouldn't take older horses out and about; rather, just be smart when taking them out for adventures. Avoid letting them come in contact with other horses; don't share equipment (like buckets, brushes, or tack); and monitor horses' temperatures before, during, and after trips. Veterinarians also recommend isolating horses returning from travels in case they picked up a virus or disease while away from home and practicing good on-farm biosecurity during that time frame (disinfecting hands with soap or hand sanitizer after handling the horse, handling that animal last, and monitoring the horse for any signs of disease, among others).

And finally, Dr. Oke strongly recommended discussing EHV-1 vaccination with your veterinarian and vaccinating if he or she deems a certain horse at-risk. The currently available vaccines aren't labeled for protection against neurologic EHV-1, but they're labeled to provide protection against some forms of the virus. When considering vaccines, remember that each horse's situation should be carefully analyzed by a veterinarian before the decision to vaccinate or not is made; my 17-year-old OTTB Dorado gets vaccinated per his vet's orders because he travels to competitions and off-site schoolings several times throughout the year at which he could be exposed to the virus. However a veterinarian might determine that a senior horse in a closed herd might not require vaccination. Talk vaccinations over with your vet before making a decision either way.

I left the conversation with Dr. Oke more informed about EHV-1 and how it relates to senior horses, and better prepared to take steps to reduce my horses' risk of disease contraction.

Have you ever dealt with EHV-1 in a senior horse? What advice would you give to other horse owners about the disease?

Senior Horse Health Concerns

2013-04-12T19:16:00Z

This week on TheHorse.com, our poll question asks readers what senior horse health condition they're most concerned about: PPID (or equine Cushing's disease), arthritic joints, weight loss, dental problems, or other issues. I considered this question for a long time before choosing my answer because, in reality, all of those health conditions are on my radar for different reasons.

For instance, Brandy, our 24-year-old Miniature Horse, is affected by PPID. Before our veterinarian diagnosed the disease, she went through multiple bouts of laminitis (some were pretty nasty) and periods of generalized ill-thrift, although she never lost her spark or the ability to scream at whoever exited the house at a given time, reminding them that she'd like some more food, please. Although Brandy's PPID is well managed now, the disease certainly remains a concern for me.

Although weight loss hasn't been a concern for every senior horse I've managed, some of my elder equines have had an extremely hard time maintaining their body condition. And in my experience, dental problems often seem to accompany weight loss issues in senior horses. Both of these conditions concern me as my family's horses continue to age. The farm I used to work at housed several seniors that, despite regular dental care and specialized diets, always seemed to be just a few pounds lighter than I'd wanted them. Keeping my aging horses' in good dental health and ensuring they maintain a healthy body weight is, of course, a continued concern.

It almost makes me a little jittery to think of all the 'other' ailments that could harm my senior horses...there's just so many other things to worry about. From respiratory problems and eye issues to colic and other musculoskeletal changes, the entire 'other' category is concerning to me.

But I ended up choosing arthritic joints as my current most concerning senior horse health problem. Although Dorado turned 17 this year and recovered from an injury last year, he's showing no signs of slowing down (or the desire to slow down, for that matter). He's jumping beautifully and his flat work—always a challenge for him—is improving. But I'm always concerned that his joints—which have been through five rigorous years of racing and four years of eventing—will ultimately be the reason he has to retire from either jumping or, eventually, riding.

What senior horse health conditions are you most concerned about and why? I'd love to hear your thoughts. And if you haven't done so already, please check out the archived poll to see what other readers chose as their most concerning senior horse health problems.

Shedding Seniors

2013-04-01T13:18:00Z

Here in Lexington, spring is (finally) in the air. The sun is shining, the temperatures are rising, and the horses are shedding…and, boy, are they shedding! For the past few weeks it's been a rarity to enter the barn when owners are grooming their fuzzy charges and not have to dodge tumbleweed-like-structures composed of horse hair rolling down the barn aisle; one of my barnmates has even taken to grooming her very furry horse outside, hoping a breeze will help shedded hair vacate the area. But most horse owners—myself included—tend not to mind going home each night covered in horse hair; after all, it means winter is behind us and great horse weather is either here or right around the corner.

This much leftover hair after a good curry can mean only one thing: spring is here!

Photo: Erica Larson

For the past few years, Dorado has had a blanket clip during the winter so I can keep him in consistent work (or, as consistent as possible without an indoor arena) but won't be faced with the issues that accompany a sweaty horse in cold weather (and Dorado's a really good sweater!). But as the spring temperatures rise and our sessions gradually intensify, he starts sweating under his hairy patches. Ergo, spring "shedding" for him has involved a set of clippers to remove the hair from his legs, face, and haunches; I choose to leave a small patch of full-length hair under his saddle, which generally sheds out completely in a few weeks' time with some help from a curry comb. So far this spring I've removed the hair from Dorado's front legs, but alas, I forgot how dull the clipper blade was when finished body clipping him in November. Oh well…off to the tack shop for me!

The rest of our horses retain their winter coats, so shedding time is much "hairier" for my parents in Michigan than it is for me. For example, Jessie, our 26-year-old Appaloosa mare, grows a great winter coat each year. Although we give her some help via frequent scrubbings, she sheds out beautifully each year. Many of the other senior horses I've cared for over the years have been similar, although I think a few seem to take a little longer than their younger counterparts to fully lose their winter coats.

But the one "shedding problem child" in our family is our 24-year-old Miniature Horse, Brandy. Every Miniature Horse I've ever cared for or worked with (and I need you to take my word on this…there's been a whole lot of different Minis over the years!) has been a very hairy little critter and, as you might remember, Brandy has pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID, or equine Cushing's disease; of course, one of the side effects of PPID is abnormal hair growth). As a result, she grows a really (really) great winter coat, but consistently has a hard time shedding it out when the warmer weather comes around. Her shedding difficulties have improved a bit since our veterinarian prescribed the FDA-approved pergolide product when it was released on the market; but she's still a Mini and, as mentioned, a very hairy critter by nature. As a result, we've started body clipping Brandy each year when the temperatures rise and we're quite happy with how that plan has worked out.

So as the temperatures rise, how are your aged horses doing in the shedding department? Do they shed well naturally? Or do you provide substantial assistance? I'd love to hear your experiences…please share them below!

Deworming Equine Seniors

2013-03-20T14:03:00Z

I could myself very lucky that Dorado has always been very agreeable to deworming—the most objection he ever gives is simple flipped lip and a post-deworming stare-down, as if to say, "Look what you made me do…look at my lip!" But last night, as I wiped globs of dewormer off my jacket and pants before picking some more up off the barn aisle floor and stuffing it back in his mouth, I remembered that our aging horses—even the seemingly cooperative ones like my dear Thoroughbred—have had a lifetime to learn how to avoid deworming.

Dorado is cooperative when it comes to deworming...usually.

Photo: Kristen Janicki

Even if they object to it, there's a reason we deworm our horses (although they don't tend to listen and understand if we try to explain it to them). But with the deworming tides changing, some owners might be rethinking their deworming strategies for their equine seniors.

I was raised on rotation deworming. The protocol was actually very easy for me to follow: each year I asked Santa for the deworming bundle that many horse supply stores sell and was thrilled to find it under the tree on Christmas morning. Then, every other month, I'd grab the appropriate anthelmintic, bribe Dorado with a few treats, wiggle the tube between his tightly sealed lips, and my horse was protected from worms for the foreseeable future.

Unfortunately, we're now facing problems with anthelmintic resistant parasites. Many veterinarians and researchers are now suggesting fecal egg count tests and fecal egg count reduction tests to identify which horses need deworming and which product should be used to effectively fight the worms present in each animal. Some owners have happily switched over to this method while others remain resistant to change.

With all the options, recommendations, and research out there, it might not be easy to make a decision on how to best manage parasites without asking a veterinarian—it wasn't for me, anyways. After consultation, I think we've finally got a good (and hopefully effective) program in place for Dorado. If we're not happy with the results, we'll adjust accordingly.

With all the different management options out there, I'm curious about what tactics other older horse owners employ. What deworming regimen do you use on your equine seniors, and why?

Farewell Shayne: World's Oldest Horse Passes

2013-03-15T12:04:00Z

In the very first "Old Horses: Better with Age" blog post, I introduced you to a senior gelding named Shayne. A handsome liver chestnut gelding who loved to play in his pasture at the Remus Memorial Horse Sanctuary near Ingatestone, Essex, England, Shayne was believed to be the world's oldest living horse at 51 years old.

But as we know, all good things must come to an end--according to a report published last week by the Daily Mail, Shayne was euthanized at his longtime home last month. Shayne collapsed Feb. 22, the report said, and the staff at the sanctuary made the always difficult decision to put him to sleep when he was unable to rise. The Daily Mail reported that a British Horse Society representative said, in human years, Shayne would have been over 100. Talk about a good, long life!

While Shayne was believed to have held the title as the oldest living horse, the oldest horse on record is Old Billy, a British barge horse born in 1760. Old Billy was 62 years old when he died in 1822. And here's a fun fact: if you ever want to visit Old Billy, you can find his skull on display at the Manchester Museum in England.

Shayne and Old Billy got me thinking about the oldest equids I've known. The eldest horses in our family right now are Taz and Jessie, the Appaloosas who turned 27 and 26 years old, respectively, this year. But the oldest horse I've worked with and cared for was an old Thoroughbred named Dodger. When I left the Girl Scout farm several years ago, Dodger was 35 and still happily and comfortably teaching young equine enthusiasts how to ride. In fact, the only ways one could tell his age was to take a good look at his teeth and to listen to him talk—we all said he sounded like a grandpa.

I'd love to hear about the oldest horses you've had the pleasure of being around or working with. Share your experiences below!