Q: Does keeping a senior horse on pasture 24/7 help reduce joint pain and is stalling your horse for more than a few hours per day detrimental?

A: I encourage clients to keep their senior horse on pasture 24/7 if appropriate. My philosophy is that we should treat these guys just like humans. I think the older they get, the more activity they need to be to keep their strength, so I’m a huge proponent of keeping senior horses on pasture 24/7 to help reduce joint pain.

I do not believe stalling your horse for periods of time is a detriment. I think if you want to have the horse out moving around during the day and then bring him in at night, that would be just fine. But the more motion, the more strength, and the more muscle we can keep on a horse, the healthier his joints can be long-term. I’d recommend leaving the horse out as much as possible. If he enjoys having some time in the stall, balance his time out versus in the stall to keep him happy but also moving around.

Related Content: Maintaining Senior Horse Joints (Podcast)