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Discussion on Should Old horses be treated differently?
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Saturday, Nov 20, 2010 - 3:29 pm:
Hi Dr.O. and those of you with "old" horses. I read through this article again and some of the threads, I always wonder and regularly worry about Flash for no apparent reason I guess other than she is old, and has some old lady things going on. Flash is 31 YO, in good weight, has all her teeth...the vet says they are as good as a teenagers Good appetite, swayed backed, and arthritic.
My concern with her is I treat her like the rest of the herd, don't baby her or feed her anything special, no blankets (tho I have one for JIC ) She tries and succeeds to keep up with the gelding, she is slower, but determined, she is fed with them also.
Is it unfair to her to expect her to be one of the herd??? She has her twice bowed tendon, she will limp (VERY slight) once in a great while, then seem to snap out of it shortly after it starts. I don't lock her up or anything when she limps, it isn't a horrible limp, hardly noticable actually. I do give her bute on the rare occasion this happens. Her hocks are arthritic and don't bend as they should. She goes up and down our huge hills at her discretion. She takes pretty good care of herself and I depend on her old mare smarts for that. The boys can get a little pushy with her, they don't do anything mean, but tell her to get moving once in awhile (maybe that's good???) She gets up and down OK, not like a 2 yr. old by any means, but good enough.
I DO lock her in when it is muddy or icy. Other than that she is on her own.
Is it time I started managing her differently?? She does seem to tire more easily, but the old girl has determination, she wants to keep up. Is that bad??? Should I be limiting her??? She loves being with the geldings, they do take care of her when it comes right down to it and are very affectionate. They eat together with not many problems and she is FAR from thin. She is on no meds except the thyroid supp (which has seemed to energize her a bit) and only a hoof supplement.
I guess what brings on this concern more than anything is twofold, my vet always tells me when he sees her her sway back is going to "break her down" and it is getting worse. I think it is about the same, and have read that lordosis really doesn't affect horses much?? I don't want to "break her down" any faster than need be.
She does seem to tire a little easier, not bad, isn't it normal for a 31yo to tire a little easier. Should I start "micro managing" her more??
Thoughts from those of you with older horses?
Thanks
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Member:
sross
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Posted on Saturday, Nov 20, 2010 - 5:07 pm:
My friend's horse (boarded at the same barn as my horse) just turned 30, and he is still ridden regularly and looks fantastic. I think your excellent care and her being able to be so active is what is keeping her so young. I think she'll let you know when it's time to change something.
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Member:
rtrotter
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Posted on Saturday, Nov 20, 2010 - 6:13 pm:
Diane,
She's happy and healthy and loves her boys. I think that if you tried to manage her differently it might become a quality of life issue. I think she likes being a horse and sometimes we humans try to overdo it when trying to care for them. Protect her as much as you can but like Sandra says. I think she'll tell you when she's ready to do something else.
My husbands favorite racehorse was healthy until the day before she died at 28. We still have her son who is now 22 and looks and acts like a two year old. I think with older horses the less they are pampered the more they like it. They are horses after all.
Rachelle
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Member:
hpyhaulr
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Posted on Saturday, Nov 20, 2010 - 6:30 pm:
Oh DianE,
I guess, no, I HOPE it's like us... I am 61, have Most of my teeth,TOO good an appetite which is why I am a bit sway back and arthritic, but I still can keep up with the herd in my own way, although I DO tend to tire faster than I used to. If I do too much, I will limp a little, but it always goes away. I need a bit more medical attention than I did at 31, but I hope to never again need as much as I did at 39.
Tuesday, Walt is picking up 2 horses whose owner is making a HUGE sacrifice for love. I wonder if she knows yet just how HUGE this will be...Moving from SOCAL to northern Ohio.Right off the Lake.. These kids have lived in SOCALs gentle breezes and terminal sunshine for their entire lives...16 and(drumroll plz)31. Their mom rides both of them just about every day (boy is SHE in for a surprise!)On the phone about 3 weeks ago when we were first discussing this trip, she told me she wanted to get them moved before the weather turned up there. I had to break it to her that Walt had been in Ohio 2 weeks prior and driving through snow showers. I could almost hear her knees go weak. They are surely headed for not only cultural but climate whiplash. We are bringing the horses here to our place in South Carolina for gradual acclimation. Not as warm and lovely as SanDiego,but surely not as harsh as Ohio either. They need time to get used to cold, some mornings we have a thin layer of ice on the water troughs now. I am willing to bet they never saw such a thing. Time to grow their winter coats, and time for Mom to adjust to hernew realities before she takes them up there and deals with them as well. God bless her. She has never in her life done winter. At least not in a climate that actually DOES winter instead of Santas elves in bikinis! I bet Flash could teach these kids a thing or three. I read you northern folks posts through winter and I truly don't know how you do it. It may look so pretty for 20 minutes or so, but lets face it, to me, snow is a 4 letter word. UP Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska and all those "I" states, I truly don't know how you do it. You guys are TOUGH!! and I say that with an abundance of admiration.
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Saturday, Nov 20, 2010 - 8:27 pm:
I guess that is probably right, I KNOW she hates lock up. At this point I lock all 3 of them up together, instead of her alone when needed. She does like her group. Winter always puts the fear in me for her, and so far every winter she has thrived and done well. Guess I'm looking for trouble as always . She is doing very well I guess, considering everything. Sometimes I just get a feeling I should do something different.
Cyndy that woman is in for the shock of her life if she has never lived through a REAL winter. I can't stand it already and it isn't even winter!!! Wonder if she'll become a fair weather rider LOL...I know I am
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Saturday, Nov 20, 2010 - 8:49 pm:
LOL Diane, quitchurwhining already, you are sooo much farther south than me! I was just saying in another email how I wish I would have married me a SOUTHERN BOY, lol!! I am soo cold every night, want to hibernate with a bag of chocolate as soon as the sun sets. I try to avoid feeding the horses at night if I can con, er, um, ask someone else to put that hay out!
And snow IS a four letter word here, haven't seen more than a light dusting so far. That's enough for the winter IMO.
I wonder if there is such a thing as a heated keyboard?? My fingers are cold just sitting here and typing!
To give you a serious answer though, my Willow is 21 and I wish I could give her a joint supplement. And a good multi vitamin. But by the time I compare products, and add up the costs, I end up throwing my hands up and don't order anything. I think prevention is the key, and lifetime of good nutrition keeps them comfortable in their old age. I think if horses have been kept as horses their entire lives; meaning not being stalled, blanketed, and supplemented to the extreme, they are pretty darn hardy. One mare we bought at 18, sold, and kept tabs on, lived to 38! And I know she had a hard life before we bought her.
Oh boy Cyndy, I hope you keep us up to date on how the horses and mom adjust to the new climate. Poor things!
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Saturday, Nov 20, 2010 - 8:57 pm:
I'm trying big bales this winter again, I hope the pigs don't blimp up, I actually had very good luck with it 2 years ago with them, as long as I quit around mid Feb. Makes life MUCH easier Angie and it is quite a bit cheaper then squares. My horses first bale is going in next weekend. 20's for highs. I can stand the cold, I can't take that blasted wind and dark at 4pm. Hubby gave the heifers one of my round bales I have for the horses, the heifers didn't clean it up before hubby moved them so I let the horses at it...they don't love it much so it is PERFECT!
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Sunday, Nov 21, 2010 - 9:16 am:
Ah, ya, you live in the Central Time Zone. The only time I like this EST is in the winter when it is NOT dark at 4! I grew up going to school in the dark and coming home in the dark. HATED IT.
I have been putting out corn for the deer at 3ish, and with the slow feeders, I don't feel bad putting out hay at that time either. By the time I put the corn out, sweep and clean the barn/stalls, check water, it's closer to 4. Doing it that way I can then make supper and stay in the house. Sure, they are probably out of hay by midnight, but they are eating longer than in the past years withOUT the SLOW FEEDERS.
In the morning I put some in one feeder, (4 flakes), and also spread some around my track. Keeps them busy for hours and I am feeding less.
I don't have a place for round bales, or a way of moving them. It is tempting though this time of year! Been then I'd probably never go outside if I didn't have to put hay out, lol!
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Member:
canter
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Posted on Sunday, Nov 21, 2010 - 10:28 am:
Diane, when the vet was out on Friday to see Sparkles, he and I had this conversation. Granted, Sparkles is not near as old as Flash, but she is getting up there. In general, he said that if the horse is still happy, thriving, eating well, etc, keep them to their usual routine. He mentioned several horses in his practice that were retired for no other reason than their age, and he said that they quickly went down hill from there.
I saw this myself years ago when I first started. There was an older schoolhorse named Vinnie. They decided to stop all lesson on him and just let him be. Within weeks, he started weaving when he was brought in at night, became mean and lost all condition. He looked and acted horrible. So, they put him back to light work - just the youngest kids for walk/trot lessons, and his attitude improved in a big way.
So if Flash is content out there with the boys - and I think she will let you know when she's not - then I recommend keeping an extra eye on her (and I know you already do) and let her be.
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Member:
lhenning
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Posted on Sunday, Nov 21, 2010 - 2:31 pm:
You know, if someone was saying this about YOU, well I think you would have something to say. Here we are, a bunch of us "aging" horsewomen, and we often talk about not wanting to spend our senior years sitting on a couch making sweaters. We want to have our horses for as long as we possibly can get ourselves out to the barn.
I see it no different from their point of view. All the research shows that an active mind and body slows the aging process. If you start telling her she is "old", she will stop believing she is young. Even young at heart.
31 for a horse is like 93 in human years. When I am 93 I hope I'm still playing with the boys too. 
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Sunday, Nov 21, 2010 - 3:33 pm:
Good point, Linda! All I've ever done for older horses is feed them differently when I see weigher dripping, worm more often, and be more protective of them weather wise, like either putting a weather proof, breAthable blanket on them or making sure they had shelter when it was cold and wet. Depending on their coats I've shut them in and out a stable blanket on when it's been really cold ( around zero, or warmer if the horse seemed cold.). I also add supplements, msm, glucosamine when they start getting a little creaky. Like Linda said, I pretty much treat them the way I treat myself, since I'm getting a little old and creaky also.
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Member:
lilo
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Posted on Sunday, Nov 21, 2010 - 9:07 pm:
My mare, Moonlight, is 24 years old and IR to some degree. I have started riding her more often, alternating with the gelding. It seems to do her a world of good to get out.
I am also wondering if I can still ride in 10 years - when I am 78 years old. My husband did, until he had to have rotator cuff surgery which was not entirely successful.
Staying active is the key, just like Linda said. And Sara and everyone else seem to agree also. Keeping up with the boys keeps Flash young.
Lilo
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Sunday, Nov 21, 2010 - 9:27 pm:
Coincidently there is an article in the latest MyHorse.com magazine about how old is too old to ride. As some of you might suspect, EVERY person that commented felt no one should/ could tell them to quit as long ad they were physically able to crawl up on a horse! Type of riding might change, but all intended to keep riding. I bet horses feel the same ad their riders.
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Monday, Nov 22, 2010 - 7:11 am:
OK I will let her be an old lady in the herd, It is her instinct to stay with the herd, whether she wants to or not. I guess I just have to be able to separate instinct from want I'm not sure what she's operating on right now
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Member:
paardex
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Posted on Monday, Nov 22, 2010 - 10:28 pm:
As most of you know, I've done the Holland to SOCAL move although I adjusted in Normandy and not Southern Carolina. Not as harsh as Ohio I know but long wet winters. Funny is that imo heat bothers horses more then cold, given adjusted food and blankets according to coat/temp.
I wonder if Mickey will make Flash's age and in her health. Ca. is nice but a not to adequate owner/feedregime puts him I think behind Flash!
HE now seems to prefer sheep above horses so Diane I guess you need a second herd: Flash and sheep!
Jos
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