Senior Horse Winter Care

By Lisa Skylis | Email: skylisli@msu.edu

Thanks to advancements in equine nutrition and veterinary care, more horses than ever are making it well into their golden years. While any horse aged 18 to 20 is considered to be a part of the senior category, the physiological changes that come with aging can happen earlier or later than these general guidelines. An unavoidable reality, the colder weather impacts your senior horse far more than it does their younger pasture mates. A more comprehensive cold months care plan can help keep your older horse comfortable and rideable for many winters to come.

A Little Work Goes a Long Way

The more the older horse can move about freely, the less stiff it will be. Ideally, there should be free access to turnout, preferably with another compatible horse or pony for company

Just as in humans, years of injuries, stress and general wear and tear commonly results in painful arthritic changes in older horses. Arthritis is a combination of inflammation and degeneration of the tissues associated with a joint which make flexion and/or weight bearing painful. However, once assessed by a veterinarian, your senior horse will find significant relief from their mild to moderate stiffness fairly quickly when regularly exercised.

If left to their own devices, your older horse with an arthritic joint will not move around much and may become protective of the sore area. Similar to humans, this would likely weaken the muscles around the joint and exaggerate the problem.

While it seems counterintuitive, your senior horse's joints would benefit from moderate exercise in the following ways:

· Maintains flexibility of the joints

· Stimulates circulation and keeps joint fluids moving

· Increases stability of the joint by increasing muscle strength

· Maintain conditioning and help prevent excess weight gain

Does this mean you should take your geriatric horse on a five hour trail ride or suddenly take up eventing with your senior horse?

Absolutely not! Your aging horse would not appreciate or benefit from strenuous or high-impact exercise, like jumping. Exercise for your senior and/or arthritic horse can mean many different things and it depends on their previous level of activity and age. The exercise program for your aging, nonperformance horse might be to hand walk them for ten minutes a day for two weeks, increase to twenty minutes daily for two weeks, and gradually build up to ten minutes of light longeing after a few weeks.

One thing is for sure, when beginning an exercise routine with your aging horse you should always consult your vet, listen to your horse's body language, and start slowly Create an exercise program that's appropriate for your horse's age/current fitness level.

Do not exercise your senior horse in the following situations:

· Your vet has told you not to exercise the horse

· Your horse's joints are hot to the touch and swollen

· Your horse exhibits significantly increased pain during or after light exercise

· Your horse is on any anti-inflammatory drugs, because they mask pain and could lead you to over-exercise

Feeding for Warmth

As the pasture dies down and the winter winds begin blowing, it's time to turn up the heat on creating a balanced nutritional plan for the colder months. Your senior horse's feeding requirements will always be dependent on their specific age and activity level, but here are some general rules of thumb when it comes to feeding your aging horse in the coming months:

· Feeding forage first will result in more heat for your horse than feeding grain. This is because roughage contains more fiber which is then fermented in your horse's large intestine and produces much more heat than grain, which is fermented in the small intestine. Feed forage first!

· Check the weather forecast for any upcoming, long-lasting winter storms and be prepared with enough hay and grain to last until the weather calms down.

· Always make your grain feeding changes gradually to avoid causing colic or other GI maladies.

· Do not overfeed your horse, as this increases their risk for developing a variety of health conditions such as excessive weight gain and laminitis.

Generally, most of your senior horse's nutritional needs do not need to be dramatically altered for the winter season. Your aging horse will still require the same amount of vitamins, minerals, protein, and water as they did in the fall and feeding high-quality forage should keep them warm and at the same BCS (body condition score). However, if your horse's teeth are not in good condition, feeding only hay throughout the winter months may result in nutrient deficiencies. An older horse with poor teeth will likely struggle to properly grind the forage and, additionally, they are at an advanced risk for choke when eating forage. Thankfully, there are many alternative fiber sources and safety-minded feeding methods for these senior horses, including: hay cubes, beet pulp, hay pellets, chopped and bagged forage, senior formula feeds, feeding smaller more frequent meals, and feeding soaked forage and/or feed spread out in a larger feeding pan. Older horses, especially those known to have missing molars, should always have their teeth checked at least twice a year

Supporting a Strong Immune System

Incredibly intricate, the equine immune system is their biological defense against infection and disease and can be hindered by stress, nutritional imbalance, age, and underlying health conditions. Without it, they would be extremely vulnerable to every parasite, bacteria, or virus on the farm!

It is an unavoidable truth all horse owners will eventually face: your

Senior Horse Winter Care, cont. horse will age and their immune system will decline as they do so. The decreased immune function means older horses are more likely to suffer from chronic health conditions such as Cushing's Disease, colic (due to decreased digestive ability), osteoarthritis, and heaves. To support a strong immune system, you could ask your vet about feeding your older horse omega-3 fatty acids, curcumin (similar to ginger), and beta-carotene (found in carrots) to decrease inflammation. Some studies have shown these substances to be as effective as NSAIDs, although research is still ongoing

Even in their older age, your horse's immune system is constantly adapting to change and will benefit from remaining up-to-date on vaccinations. Despite their pre-existing immunity from previous vaccination and infections, senior horses are more susceptible to deadly, infectious disease. Unfortunately, they also have a reduced immune response from vaccinations, which is known as immunosenescence. Maintain a regular vaccination program for your aging horse, including core vaccines and risk-based vaccines, and follow the guidelines set by the American Association of Equine Practitioners. Ask your veterinarian if your senior horse may need twice yearly vaccinations against diseases such as influenza, strangles, or West Nile Virus.

Above all, preventative care is especially important for your aging horse and significant changes to their behavior or the addition of any supplements should be reported to your vet. If not in peak condition, your horse's immune system may fail to recognize the invading pathogens, not mount any attack against them, and result in a more serious illness.

Lisa Skylis graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in Animal Science. She is a professional freelance writer and Lisa's work largely focuses on the equine industry. When she is not writing, Lisa can be found doting on the horses at her local therapeutic riding barn or entertaining her mischievous Golden Retriever, Roy. Freelance inquiries can be sent to skylisli@msu.edu

Sources for this article include an article from University of Kentucky Ag. Equine Programs authored by Erica Larson titled “Vaccines, Dewormers, and Nutrition for Senior Horses”, a fact sheet from Rutgers University Extension authored by Sarah L Ralston VMD, DACVN in 2004 titled “Care for the Older Horse: Diet and Health”, an article from Kentucky Equine Research authored by Dr Kathleen Crandell in 2000 titled “Taking Care of the Senior Horse”, a 2014 Pennsylvania State University Extension article authored by Ann M. Swinker titled “Winter Care for Your Horse.”

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