Tips on How to Care for Your Aged Horse

Horses just like us humans age at different rates, chronological age doesn't always match the aging process. With careful management and a little insight the veteran horse can live a longer and more productive life.

Protect your veteran horse with good nutrition, older horses, need much more protein and fat than a middle-aged horse, they also need access to good-quality fibre. Make sure the hay they have is of good quality and not too mature, older horses cannot chew their food efficiently. 

Good quality beet pulp, alfalfa pellets or complete pellets for the older horse, add oil and make into a mash, it's easier to eat and digest. Keep a vigilant eye on your horse's weight, obese horses are at risk from all kinds of disorders, as is the horse that is underweight. The effects that diet has on our own health is indisputable, it is much the same for the horse.

Keep an eye on your horses teeth, any kind of pain associated with the mouth, will discourage a horse from eating. They should have regular check-ups with a qualified veterinarian, or horse dentist. Twice a year is recommended for the aged horse. Add more water to their feed to prevent choke.

Have the farrier check your horse's hooves on a regular basis; poor hoof care is a risk in the aged horse, so your farrier should be able to alert you to any changes.

If your aged horse is still able, and happy to go for a short ride, then exercise helps keep them toned, and interested. Turning an aged horse out is highly recommended, you will increase their interest in life and help keep them mobile. If they suffer from any of the degenerative joint disease, then small doses of Bute can be added to their feed, check with your vet if you are uncertain.

A regular worming and vaccination programme is as essential to the aged horse, as it is to the younger horse. Be pro-active; plan your dates in advance.

Comfort is key in maintaining and managing the older horse. Keep your eye on the weather, older horses' soon lose condition if they are turned out in poor weather, a decent rug and access to a field shelter is a must for the older horse. The same rules apply for warmer weather, access to shade and clean water is essential, a summer rug can help to keep horse fly bites at bay.

If you see any changes in your horse, for example, rapid weight loss, diarrhea, depressed appetite, or he just doesn't seem right to you, then call the vet. There is no reason why your horse cannot live to a ripe old age, be vigilant, use your intuition and watch his behaviour, keep him/her comfortable and enjoy your time together.

Are You a Horse Rider?

Riding a horse is not just about sitting there and hanging on. Many people are surprised to learn that it's not just the horse getting a work out. Proper riding takes balance and skill to properly communicate with the animal.

Position is the most important and will directly affect not only your security, but the comfort of the horse as well. Too many would-be riders think that sitting deep on their seats and rounding their backs will keep them in the saddle. However, this slouched position puts unnecessary pressure on the lumbar region of the horse's spine, gives no clear direction, and will soon fatigue the rider. 

Rather you should sit up on your ' sitting bones' located in your pelvis and straighten your back. Your shoulders should be relaxed and slightly back and your hands should be just above the front of the saddle. Your legs hang down either side of the horse and your heels must be down. Only the ball of your foot should be on the stirrup tread, and there should be an invisible straight line between your ear, shoulder and heel. 

Be very conscious of your leg position! It is very common for beginners to revert to a hunched toe-down position when they are frightened. Unfortunately this position will do nothing for your balance and also frightens the horse since it is similar to the stance of an attacking animal.

When communicating with the horse you will use your legs, hands, balance and voice. All of these aids should be subtle and light. Don't get into the habit of constantly squeezing or kicking with your legs! These signals tell the horse to go, but once he's moving it is not necessary to keep reminding him! If your heels are down with balanced pressure in the stirrups, you won't fall off. Likewise, don't constantly pull and fiddle with the reins. If the horse is wearing a bit, this can be painful and aggravating. The reins are for communicating directions, not something to hold you on the horse.

When riding your horse, try to move your hips in rhythm with his stride. Bouncing or swaying in the saddle will be uncomfortable for both of you. English riders learn to "post" the trot, which involves a controlled rising and sitting in tune with the horse's movements. Western riders don't normally post, but are expected to 'sit the trot' without bouncing in the saddle.

Riding a horse properly takes time and a lot of practice.  Just because you can stay on doesn't necessarily make you a rider. Proper use of the aids, complete control at all times, and considering the comfort of the horse are all part of the equation. Start slow and don't be in too much of a hurry to excel. In the meantime, enjoy your horse according to your current abilities and both you and he will be safe and happy.

High Tech Advances in Horse Health - Equine Thermography

Man versus machine

Using military-derived technology and techniques perfected over 30 years, the physiology of your horse can be objectively assessed, identifying those brewing problems. All animals are thermally symmetrical, so deviation from this indicates altered physiological processes which overlay the site of an injury or disease. Graphically mapping the temperature across the skin's surface with Veterinary Thermal Imaging instantly pinpoints problem areas.

Vets and owners have been feeling and palpating legs for centuries to gauge differences in temperature linked to injury. With the advent and application of technology, the degree of accuracy and objectivity that can be attained is far superior. The human hand can detect a difference of 2 degrees Celsius, whereas the Thermal Imaging camera used in Veterinary Thermal Imaging is 40 times more sensitive. When you consider that only a 1 degree Celsius increase may result from some sympathetic dysfunctions, without Veterinary Thermal Imaging, problems could be overlooked rather than promptly treated, which saves money, time, distress and gives better prognoses.

The camera is the size of a camcorder, silent in operation, non-contact, emits no radiation and Imaging can be repeated as often as required. This is ideal for owners, as it removes the hassle of travelling, the need for sedation, stress in the animal, and cost; a full anatomical report costs about the same as one x-ray.

Early Warning System

During a two-year study it was shown that Equine Thermography could effectively and accurately pick up subtle changes in temperature prior to major injury occurring in 95% of cases, and 2-3 weeks before the trainer or Vet became aware. Of those horses that underwent clinical examination for lameness, Thermal Imaging again correctly predicted the site of the injury in 95% of cases.

Most horses don't have just one problem associated with lameness or a bad back. Often there are other secondary causes which may be overlooked, and cause the primary problem to reoccur unless they're also treated. Thermal Imaging is an excellent tool to identify these secondary problems so they can be managed too.

Complete MOT

Whilst Equine Thermography is excellent for detecting leg problems, this is only the tip of the iceberg. Further uses include identifying and assessing;

- bad backs; 

- joint damage; 

- muscular problems; 

- dental pain; 

- skin conditions; 

- nerve dysfunction; 

- foot balance; 

- saddle fitting;

all of which could be picked up within one hour-long Imaging session. As thermal images are objective, and graphically map the extent of an injury and healing progress, owners can review and assess treatments together with their Vet and physiotherapist, getting the horse back into work as soon as possible.

Is Your Horse Sore?

Does your horse work off its front end? Is your horse experiencing flight pattern problems? How about the ride of your horse, have they become less comfortable to ride? Does your horse interfere with its feet? Has your horse started to or has been stumbling for no apparent reason? Let's talk attitude, has there been a noticeable change in the attitude of your horse? And, let's talk about the big one; does your horse have back problems?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need to read on and find out what will help your horse.

Throughout my many years of experience I have found that many different problems that I have been asked to address have not always been in the area that is suspected. It may be a contributing factor, often referred to as a "side effect", but more often than not there is a greater underlying problem that is the true root of the entire problem. It is my contention that you have to fix the problem, rather than treat the "side-effect"; for once that the problem is located and fixed the "side-effect" will also disappear.

It has also been many people's experiences that most of the so-called common faults and or lamenesses that too many horses have to suffer through are the results of improper balance of the skeletal structure somewhere within the horse. It has also been seen that most lameness problems start at the ground; or within the feet of the horse and work their way up the body of the horse until the entire structure of the horse is effected and the horse either cannot or will not perform to its greatest ability due to the pain that is being experienced.

If the horse is comfortable, the horse has a better time and is more attentive to what is happening around them. This tends to make their life, and yours, more enjoyable; after all a comfortable horse has a better learning curve and just all around works better.

What is true for us is also true for the horse; pain is pain and comfort is comfort, it works for you so why shouldn't it work for your horse?

Most Problems Can Be Helped

In recent years it has been noticed that there has been a longing and a desire by horse owners and professionals alike to help chronically sore-footed horses.

After correct and balanced hoof care, your horse may be sore, stiff or at least behave differently. This is due to the body readjusting to the changes which have taken place. Additional information may be needed in the areas of feed, saddle fitting or other areas that may be pertinent to the specific needs of your horse as part of preventative care to aid the rehabilitation of your horse.

In Closing... 

We have all asked questions about a horse's condition and wondered if the problem could be fixed. And, in most cases we were most likely told that it was the way that the horse was and that it could not be fixed. You just had to leave it alone. Many farriers today don't know or they chose to ignore that they are the reason that the problem in the horse exists.

What needs to be done is to look for the answers to the same questions that you might have. Make your concern the well-being and comfort of the horse. Look to learning and adapting many techniques that are normally outside of the farrier trade, but do pertain to the comfort of the horse. The integration of these techniques into the farrier process has allowed many horses that were designed for chronic pain to be relieved and are able to do what they do best.

Become that special person who is truly looking for the answers and wants to understand their horse, following this path does not take a great deal of intelligence; what it does take is dedication. And, dedication means that you want to learn what you need to learn, you are aware that results don't happen overnight - you have to allow time for the information to be absorbed, it then has to be digested and finally you need to be able to redefine that same information into what you are comfortable with.

Until next time "Ride for the Brand".