Caring for the Older Horse

Caring for the Older Horse

Caring for any older animal comes with its challenges, but large animals like horses can be a bit trickier in comparison to your standard house cat. If your horse has unique complications, please seek veterinary care as this article is for general senior horse care. Of course, even with a horse enduring a specific medical condition, these tips within this article can still help provide comfort! As we can all assume, routine physical and dental exams are very important to ensure there are no issues we can’t see, such as cancer or Cushing’s syndrome. So, what can we do outside of relying on a veterinarian's expertise and skill?

First and foremost, we can feed our senior horse a high quality diet. Nutrition is so important for overall well-being, and not just for us but our animals too! A horse being of healthy weight is important, especially for a senior horse, and being of a healthy weight is a symptom of a nutritious diet. A horse having more pounds than needed to be healthy is putting more weight on their joints, and stress on their body. With age comes arthritis, and inflammation, thus being of a healthy weight will help ease the pain and stress on the body. Maintaining your horse’s healthy weight, and following a supplement routine recommended by a veterinarian will help manage the discomfort associated with arthritis.

Furthermore, weight loss can easily occur as a senior horse’s gut has a more difficult time absorbing nutrients in its older age. Colic and intestinal obstructions are also more likely to occur as a horse ages. If you suspect Colic or an intestinal blockage, contacting a veterinarian is of top priority. While waiting for the vet to arrive, a tool like Scratch Me Silly is not only enjoyable, but also can relieve significant discomfort as the Scratch Me Silly will help to stimulate the gut and restore motility.

It’s very important to keep a senior horse moving, not just for healthy weight, but to also prevent muscles from experiencing atrophy. With that, be mindful of the cold and heat as a senior may struggle with regulating its body temperature. For the summer time, a shade and fan will help with keeping the senior cool. During the winter, be mindful of your horse’s weight in case they are shedding too many pounds burning calories to keep warm. If their coat is thin, and they look thinner than usual, a blanket can help in the cold weather. A very important task to remember is to pay attention to your horse’s water bucket, and how much water they are drinking. Drinking less increases the risk for colic, to which a senior’s risk is already elevated. In the cold, adding warm water may encourage your senior horse to drink more!

The list can go on, and on, but at the end of the day simply pay attention! Pay attention to how your horse is acting and what they look like, and whether or not it is something out of the ordinary. Make sure you follow a veterinarian’s protocol, and routine check ups. If you are reading this article and searching how to provide care to your senior horse, without a doubt you are a great horse owner that cares! Please check out our main page to view our Scratch Me Silly Products, as they can provide comfort and care to your beloved horse and large animals.

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Hello, I met you the other day at the horse expo in PA and just wanted to say my horse, Yuri, absolutely LOVES the scratch-me-silly. In fact, every time that I would stop scratching him, he would actually take the tool and hold it himself. If that's not an endorsement, I don't know what is! Thank you so much!