03/03/2025
👀 Spotlight on looking after the older horse 👴🏻👵🏻🐴
Over the next few weeks, we’re going to share some posts all about how best to look after your older horse, along with some examples from our super clients who are doing fantastic jobs of caring for their wonderful golden oldies 💛
Horses now live longer than ever thanks to improvements in veterinary care, management and nutrition, with many staying healthy well into their 30s! However, horses actually start to show signs of ageing in their mid to late teens. It’s important to know what to look for and how best to look after them as they enter their twilight years.
First up, we’re going to categorise the most common signs of ageing in horses:
🦷 Dental Problems
Senior horses can develop a variety of dental problems including tooth loss, gaps (diastema) and gum disease. Signs of dental problems might include weight loss and dropping food when eating.
⚖️ Weight Loss
Not all older horses lose weight, but when they do it might be due to dental problems, metabolic diseases, parasites or inadequate nutrition for increasing requirements of the older horse. Keeping a close eye on the condition of your older horse will help to spot and address problems early
🦴Joint Pain
The majority of horses who reach their older years will develop some form of stiffness (much like us!) Osteoarthritis is the most common condition, which is joint inflammation causing soreness and reduced mobility.
👁️ Vision Changes
Although vision problems can affect horses at any age, they can be more common and potentially more serious when the horse is older. Vision changes can include cataracts, corneal ulcers, uveitis and glaucoma.
🤕 Health issues
Various other health issues can affect older horses, including Cushing’s disease and laminitis, melanomas (especially in older grey horses), respiratory conditions and liver/kidney issues.
🪞Appearance
Other signs of ageing in your horse that may be visible include a loss of muscle tone, a duller coat, dipping backs and the appearance of grey hair.
We’ll be sharing more information on each category over the coming weeks.
📸 Pictured is Treacle, one of our oldest clients at the grand age of almost 40! Looked after by our vet Lauren 💙