Feed Needs of Older Horses
Michelle Anderson
June 1, 2005
As our horses age and their bodies start to fail, we have to meet their changing nutritional needs.
As our horses age and their bodies start to fail, we have to meet their changing nutritional needs.
Some horses present special challenges, such as being too thin, too fat, or sick. Some horses are finicky and are hard to keep weight on, especially when working.
With more and more horses reaching geriatric status (over 20 years of age), it?s important to understand how their nutritional needs might change. Diets should be adjusted if necessary to help old-timers live long and healthy lives. David Pugh,
Technology and advances in medicine have given us tools to keep our horses alive longer.
What are the effects of advancing years on athletic performance?
Old age treats some horses better than others. Many continue to lead happy, healthy lives well into their 30s–a little slower, maybe, with some loss of muscle tone or a bit of a swayback, but otherwise in good flesh and good spirits until
Fortunately for our nation’s horse population, interest in equine geriatrics among veterinarians and researchers has been increasing. As a result, it has been found that not only do senior horses have different preventive care
Horses which have been correctly fed all their lives are far more likely to live to a ripe old age.
Rusty’s been your faithful companion for many years, and he never seemed to show any signs of getting older…until this past winter, that is. One morning, you looked at him and noticed that he had dropped some weight, and that he didn’t
The aging process takes its toll on all working horses, but the rate of attrition can vary significantly. In this, horses are similar to humans. We all have met the person who is barely past middle age and because of mental, emotional, or physical
The average lifespan of a horse is said to be about 24 years; but as with humans, a horse’s chronological age isn’t always a good indicator of how old he really is. Some horses still are active at the age of 35, while others suffer significant signs
Traveling cross-country with a horse can be an ordeal under the best of circumstances.
So, rather than gauging a horse’s age by years, Ralston recommends horse owners base an animal’s retirement and/or health care management on the horse’s physical fitness.
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