As horses grow older, their bodies start to show the effects of age, gray hairs begin to intermingle with their once-solid coats, and maintaining their weight can become a chore in itself.

Older horses can also develop different health conditions that require additional care and management.  In last week’s poll, we asked our readers to tell us about their biggest senior horse health concerns. More than 500 people responded, and we’ve tallied the results!

Of the 517 respondents, 157 (30%) said they are most concerned about nutrition and digestibility for senior horses, while another 154   (30%) who are most concerned about soft tissue and joint health. Another 138 individuals (27%) said they worry most about endocrine disorders such as pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID, or Cushing’s disease) affecting their older horses. Some 23 respondents (4%) expressed the most concern about immune status and vaccination response in senior horses, and the remaining 45 respondents (9%) indicated they are most concerned about other older horse health issues