Old horses and how to deal with them...

[shewasmyshadow]

As many of you know my gelding is living with Farmers_wife. He's 27 yrs old and is in decent shape. Recently we have both been wondering how much riding he should be doing at his age. He did drop weight a bit recently, but farmers is dealing with it. I added a fat supplement to his supplement shipment and she's upping feed. I'm buying him a fall blanket and he has a nice warm winter blanket. So, we're making sure he doesn't have to burn calories to stay warm.

Anyway, he's been in good light/medium work all through they summer. He's even done some longer rides with Faith, but since he's in shape he did great.

He did trip and go down 2 times over the summer, but each time it was in extreme conditions. Like any horse would have tripped-kind of situation. I just know that Rashad doesn't trip very often and this is the first time he's gone down.

So here's our questions...

1. What kinds of things can we do to improve his body condition?

2. How much riding should a 27 yr old horse be doing?

3. What could be causing the tripping? Is that a bad sign?

4. Are there any other things that others do for elderly horses that we may not be doing?

[lisakaye]

Brutus is an older retired NYPD horse in his mid 20s. We do normal riding with him but nothing strenous like barrels and poles and jumps. He seems to be doing good with that. I am starting to blanket him at night with a light sheet to keep him watm. I have him on MSM and Glucosamine for his joints. He had started to lose some weight also so we upped his grain and hay, which seems to be helping. Other than possibly adding a joint supplement I think you are doing fine. I have been told that some older horses are harder to keep and that is why I blanket him at night now. I am overprotective I know. Good luck and happy riding.. My trainer has 2 older horses in their late 20s that still do gymkhana competitions weekly... I think it may depend on the horse. Brutus could never do that due to being on the concrete everyday for 13 years he has bad joints but he loves the trails..

[Happy Horselover]

Sounds like you're right on target really, but I'll try to give my two cents as the owner of a 22 year old pony!

1. What kinds of things can we do to improve his body condition?
Do you mean muscle or weight? I try to keep my boy in good shape by long trotting him at least once a week in addition to my rides. Keeps that booty strong!

2. How much riding should a 27 yr old horse be doing?
As much as he is physically able to! Does he have arthritis? My boy does, but he works out of it in a good warm up. He's good to be ridden every day if I want to! It depneds on the type of riding you want to do and the horse's physical condition

3. What could be causing the tripping? Is that a bad sign?
Maybe his feet are uneven? Had he been trimmed recently? Sometimes that is the issue

4. Are there any other things that others do for elderly horses that we may not be doing?
Sounds like you are a perfect Mommy!

[WashingtonBay]

If he's tripping frequently, there's something wrong, even if he doesn't go down those times. If the two times he tripped and went down were the only times he's tripped, then I might tend to think it was a fluke or something about that day and I'd just be alert.

My advice is just learn how to be real observant of how he's feeling each day. I know as my Bay has gotten older there are days when he's still "ON", and days where he's a little less so... When he's on, we're still on top of the world. On those days when he's a little less so, we go easier, or we don't go at all. At his stage in life, he deserves a little bit of say-so in what he's feeling up to.

Rashad may benefit from a tab of Bute before a ride, maybe after. I know I do better if I take an IB before a long ride... helps with the old bones. They don't bounce back as well as they did when they were young. You may find that he'll do real well one day but might not be as ready to go again the next day.

[MileHighOlli]

I've found with my senior citizens over the years that they enjoy and require the same activites as when they were younger. The key, like other stated about is really reading Rashad's moods and feelings for that day so he doesn't get pushed beyond his capabilities.

If you have a mount you can pony Rashad from, I have found it a really good way to maintain muscle build and get those old joints from getting too stiff. Plus, on the days they are more sore then others it takes the pressure off their joints from the added weight of a rider. Keep riding him as long as he feels like it, just be prepaired to key it down a bit if needed. I also used Bute with no ill effects on my older gal. She was pretty arthritic in her hocks and a bute before a longer ride or one one of her stiff days really seemed to help her out.

Keep an eye on the tripping. That could be a sign of something else if it becomes more frequent.

[Gypsy Rose]

So far as body condition, exercise and good diet(which I know is being tweaked from the other thread).

Sounds like everyone's pretty much got everything covered.

The main thing to remember with the tripping is that an older horse may have a harder time on uneven terrain, especially if he's dealing with arthritis issues. The reaction time isn't as fast if he does happen to trip.

It never hurts to have trimming and other possibilities ruled out, however.

[farmers_wife]

I will get some pictures of him.
Just wanted to add that this is what I feed him
Morning - 1big scoop cleaned oats, 1 cup progressive feed and all the hay he can eat
Night - same thing but his supplement.

I really think Rashad loves to be ridden. He has not tripped in a while. The first time was uneven ground and the second was almost the same thing but a little wet. His feet is in great shape.

He does however take a long time to eat his grain and drops quite a bit of it. But shadow said she had his teeth checked last year.

I have also been putting him in a grass/alfalfa field for about 2-3 hrs. He will have hay in front of him and still not eat it. Don't know if he is full or not.

I can see his ribs a little and I can feel them. But it is not like his backbone is showing. I think he looks ok for an older horse.
I really like riding him and he seems like he never gets tired.
But like I said I will try and get some pictures.

[lisakaye]

When was the lst time he was wormed and/ or vet checked?

[farmers_wife]

When was the lst time he was wormed and/ or vet checked?

I worm every 8 weeks and he was just wormed on sept 22nd. Not sure about the vet check, you will have to ask shadow.

[farmers_wife]

Here is some pictures. NOt sure how to make bigger. The first 3 is when I got him in June/july.
The last two are of today. Sorry so dark. It is raining outside. not that good but he would not go out of the shed.
Here is a short video of him.
http://s261.photobucket.com/albums/ii45/farmerdolly/?action=view&current=100_2218.flv

Tell me what you think.
And how do I make pictures bigger?

[lisakaye]

I think he looks fine and happy.....

[WashingtonBay]

And how do I make pictures bigger?

If you do the direct quick upload like that, I think they'll always post as thumbnails (hubby would know for sure) Click them and they'll show full size.

If you want to embed pictures in your posts full size, you can upload them to an album here (find this in your User CP) or host them somewhere like photobucket of course.

[farmers_wife]

Thanks WB and wonderful site I might add.

[shewasmyshadow]

Just for the reference compare these two pictures. The outdoor one is of Rashad last September and the dark on is of him today.

Notice weight and muscle tone...What do you think?

I do think he's gain weight from the time we originally noticed he has dropped weight! So, I think he's on the right track.

[farmers_wife]

Shadow,
So do you think he is gaining some weight? Did you see the video? He is dirty because it is raining and he was rolling.

[shewasmyshadow]

Yes, I think he's gain a little bit. The main thing I find scary is he appears to have lost muscle along with fat. That tells me his system isn't working efficiently.

[farmers_wife]

I just put Rashad on senior feed and I am going to buy this oil. I think it is vit E for horses. I hope in 2 weeks he will look a little better. I will keep you updated. I am also going to bring him to the vet and get his teeth checked out.
As far as the muscle tone, I have not been riding him because he is skinny and I dont want to make him even more skinny.

[Country Girl 43]

Shadow, if he is tripping you might want to have a GOOD Chiropractor come out. Our Ole Ladybird was tripping quite a bit. I finally had a chiropractor come out and I could see the difference right away when she was done! Turned out Ladybird had some off issues in her hind quarters and ribs out on both sides....that is why she was so cinchy! After the chiropractor, she wasn't cinchy.....well until my daughter rode her in the crappy fitting saddle. Now I am waiting for the chiropractor to come back out to AZ. She travels all over and might even make stops in Minn.

Geez....I wish I could remember her web site. It is something like bioenergentics.com or something like that. Anyway, this lady is awesome and does not "crank" on the horses. She is so gentle!

[shewasmyshadow]

Yes, I may consider trying a chiro...maybe next spring. He seems to be the most trippy in the springtime.

[Peggy Sue]

you said in th other thread he is getting the progressive pro grass correct?? if so you are not feeding enough of it ... 2 3/4 cups is about 1lb adn seniors actually need about 2lbs of it

if you switch to a senior feed make sure he is getting the min

have his hooves checked and may need to do some tweaking there to get his breakover better for his joints ..

[shewasmyshadow]

I think she's taking him off the progressive. It's like $30 a bag!! I think the senior feed will be better. That's what he was on at my house. He always held weight fine on it, so I think she'll be okay putting him on that. Plus, she's going to have the Feed Rep come and check him, then tell us exactly how much of her senior feed product to feed. That with that oil stuff and I just added a fat supplement to his supplement shipment. I think we may end up with a bit of a chubby guy here come November. :D But, that's certainly not a bad thing. He's rarely been chubby in his lifetime and he's earned it.

[SedonaThunder]

He looks great for a 27 year old and I think you are doing all the right things... and I agree with WB on the Bute before and/or after a ride. The only thing I was going to mention (but I see Faith is going to address it) was his teeth since it says they were checked last year and it is my understanding that horses in their upper years (my vet says 16+) should at least be looked at every six months.