Care of the geriatric horse or pony
This article covers aspects of the general care of older horses and ponies. For specific problems you should always consult your
veterinary surgeon.
Vaccinations
Older horses still need to be considered when your annual vaccinations are
being performed, particularly ‘flu and tetanus vaccinations. The consequences of influenza on an ageing respiratory tract can be very damaging
as it is in elderly people, and may be the precursor to pneumonia. Equine
‘flu is spread through the air and is highly infectious. Therefore, the fact
that your horse never leaves the premises is no protection.
Elderly horses should also have tetanus cover as this usually fatal disease is
so easily preventable by vaccination.
22 year old thoroughbred looking fit and well due
to good management.
Teeth
The aging mouth needs as much if not more attention than that of a normal horse. Regular dental examination is required to ascertain if there is any oral pain developing. Equines are very good at hiding their dental problems so simply watching for signs
of quidding may be watching for a sign too far. If teeth are causing a problem, horses do not chew properly and may become
predisposed to choke or colic. Pockets of impacted food and sharp tooth overgrowths also cause problems, such as causing large
ulcers to form. Loose and wobbly teeth are probably some of the less important worries.
Skin
Older horses are much more likely to show problems with skin and hair.
Lice and mites can be a problem but look out also for coat quality and thickness as well as patchy sweating as these can all be a sign of underlying metabolic problems.
Body condition
Checking the bite to see if the teeth are still
meeting.
Too fat or too thin are both problems seen in elderly horses. Trying to maintain a constant body weight in all equines is a struggle but in older horses, where standing in and exercise are problematic, it can
be even more difficult. To monitor your horse’s weight it is helpful to use a weigh tape regularly. It can be useful to check your
Avonvale Veterinary Practice Ltd
01295 670501
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JM 2012
weigh tape for accuracy against a weighbridge and this can easily be done at Ratley if you let us know in advance. If you are
concerned about your horse’s weight, it is a good idea to seek advice from one of our vets when we are out performing routine
vaccination or tooth examinations. We also offer an annual ‘MOT’ which includes vaccinations, and an all round assessment
of your horse’s health.
Obesity is a growing concern for all of us, and there are more obese horses in the UK now than ever before. It is important to
make a special effort with our elderly equines that need to lose a few pounds if we are to do our best by them. Being overweight impacts on old age conditions such as osteoarthritis and metabolic dysfunctions and contributes hugely to a negative
outcome long term.
Cushing’s disease and laminitis
Over the last few years a vast amount of research has been carried out on
the relationship between laminitis and the amount of ACTH hormone in
the blood. In recent years we have been performing ‘Cushing’s blood tests’
on many horses over fifteen years old as part of our strategy to prevent
laminitis. If the blood test demonstrates a high level of ACTH then we
know the horse has Cushing’s disease. By giving a drug called pergolide
we can control the release of this hormone into the blood and the effect it
has on the metabolic system.
Laminitis in older horses is a major reason for euthanasia, as the ability to
control pain and aid recovery is limited. Older horses can suffer a low
Pockets of food in the interdental spaces. Watch
grade laminitis for a long time before becoming severely lame. In these
out for gum disease.
cases, feet may already be severely damaged and unlikely to recover. If
you notice excessive heel growth or a short pottery gait then please seek veterinary advice as soon as possible.
Exercise and osteoarthritis
Older horses generally benefit from gentle exercise just like older people. It aids mobility and encourages weight loss. Exercise
needs to be given careful consideration and it is safe to say that most horses would benefit from low grade exercise such as
walking and trotting on a soft surface with not too many tight turns. It might also be advisable for old horses to be on a low
dose of pain relief and anti-inflammatories to aid mobility and ease recovery from excessive exercise.
Worming
There are several types of worms affecting adult horses and these can become more of a problem with old age as the immune
system grows weaker. At Avonvale, we like to work on ‘a test and treat’ program where only the horses with high worm egg
counts are wormed. This reduces the parasite load on the pasture but the low number of parasites remaining help to maintain
some level of immunity without the risk of clinical disease. Control is most effective when combined with good pasture management and ‘poo picking’.
Feet
Regular trimming is essential as foot balance has a large impact on the loading of the joints and therefore the comfort levels of
the horse. Toe length can also have a big impact on tripping and stumbling during exercise. There are many ways to manage
foot problems and a selection of ways to monitor them. For problem cases, Chris Colles, our consultant specialist in orthopaedics works alongside farriers to get the best out of each shoeing or trim. We have a forge on site at Ratley for specialist farriery.
Avonvale Veterinary Practice Ltd
01295 670501
[email protected]
JM 2012
Husbandry and feeding
Management is critical for horses and ponies as they increase in years.
Herd size is very important as older weaker horses are often pushed to the
bottom of the pecking order. If they spend all day being herded around
and bullied, they will lose weight and their joints will stiffen.
Make sure there is plenty of food in the field and several different areas
for horses to graze and get supplementary feeding. Shelter is also important as wet weather in the middle of winter can lead to a horse getting
a chill. Stabling is beneficial, but there must be good ventilation and room
to move around.
When feeding the elderly horse the main thing to consider is weight and
condition. If there is a problem with excess weight gain, using high oil
feeds can help reduce weight. If there is a dental health problem, soft wet
feeds will help in chewing and swallowing. Also consider using a good
multivitamin supplement as most essential vitamins and minerals are included in these preparations.
When it is time to say goodbye
27 and still staying the correct weight. Head on
and hands on is very important in monitoring
weight gain.
It is the owner’s responsibility to consider when it is time to say goodbye
and it is never an easy decision to make when your horse is an old friend.
There are many factors to take into account in terms of quality of life over quantity of life. How is your horse coping with the
changing seasons? Is weight loss becoming an increasing concern? Is mobility becoming an issue? Is he standing unresponsively in a corner, or is he still pleased to see you?
There are two methods of euthanizing a horse; an injection of strong anaesthetic, or a free bullet fired from a gun. Both have
advantages and disadvantages and you might like to discuss these with your vet in advance. Make sure you have made arrangements for collection of the horse afterwards, whether it is for group incineration or individual cremation from one of the
more specialist companies. You should prepare yourself as disposal costs have to be paid at the time and range from £100 £600 excluding the collection charge. If you want to bury your horse in a corner of your field, you should be aware that you do
need prior permission from the council/environment agency.
When the time has come, find a suitable quiet area where the horse will be calm and won’t be disturbed. It is important to
choose an area where no member of the public will be caught off guard and be caused upset. It is also worth considering if you
have an old rug to cover the horse once it has passed away. You may want to ask your farrier for a shoe to keep as a memento
or cut a piece of hair from the tail and have it made into a bracelet or other keepsake.
Avonvale Veterinary Practice Ltd
01295 670501
[email protected]
JM 2012