Walking On Volume 2, Issue 1, January 2015 | Page 4

Back to Basics

Helpful Tips to Care for
Your Senior Horse This Winter
Old Man Winter
There’s something special about the relationship you have
with your senior horse, a partnership that’s endured years,
tears, ups, and downs. You probably know your horse better
than you know your best friend.
While he may seem like the same old horse, his needs may
change as he ages. Even if your senior has weathered previous
winters without trouble, these tips can help you ensure he’s
getting the care he needs and deserves.

from warm and wet to frozen solid. These fluctuations can
wreak havoc on your horse’s hooves, so monitor his feet and
work closely with your farrier to keep his toes in tip-top shape.

How Old is a Senior?
We’ve all heard the saying “you’re only as old as you feel.”
Turns out it’s as true for our horses as it is for us. While some
horses may be starting to slow down at 15, others are still fresh
and frisky well into their 20s. No matter
what your horse’s chronological age,
if he’s starting to show signs of aging
such as stiffness, difficulty maintaining
weight, or decreased immune response,
it’s time to start thinking of him as a
senior.
Fortunately, senior horse care has
advanced significantly in recent years.
Just because your horse is getting older
doesn’t mean you need to “put him out
to pasture.” You can keep your golden
oldie going strong with smart care and
management, including the right supplements.

Joint Health
Years of travelling, training, and competing can really take
a toll on your horse’s joints, but luckily there are steps you can
take to help. A joint supplement tailored to the specific needs
of your senior horse can help keep him
comfortable. Look for ingredients like
glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, and
HA for joint tissue health and MSM,
devil’s claw, and yucca to support a
healthy inflammatory response and
help keep him moving freely.

Dental Care
It’s important to monitor your seni or’s teeth all year-round,
but in winter it is especially critical. If he can’t chew properly, he’s not going to receive the full benefit of the feed you’re
providing. That means wasted calories, wasted nutrients, and a
horse whose diet isn’t meeting his needs.
Nutritional Needs
Speaking of diets, now is a great time to re-evaluate your
horse’s program, ideally with the help of your veterinarian or
an equine nutritionist. His nutritional needs may change as he
ages, so a feeding program that worked five years ago might
not meet his needs now. As with any horse, the basis of your
senior’s diet should be high quality forage. Hindgut fermentation of long-stem forage is your horse’s primary heat source in
the colder months, so a steady supply of quality hay is critical.
Hoof Health
Ground conditions change daily throughout the winter,

4 • Walking On

Skin & Coat Health
Senior horses’ tend to be more susceptible to skin infections
and other problems caused by harsh winter conditions. Older
horses also have a lowered ability to regulate their body temperature, and therefore may need additional blanketing and
protection from the elements to keep them warm and cozy.

Weight Loss
Many senior horses may drop
weight and lose muscle tone over the
winter, so it’s important to monitor
your horse’s body condition score. To
make sure you have an accurate picture of his weight, remove
his blanket regularly and work your fingers through his coat to
feel the fat cover across his ribs, withers, behind his shoulder,
over his back, and his tail head, in addition to his neck. If your
senior is losing weight, talk to your veterinarian about possible
causes. If everything checks out, consider adding a supplement
with healthy fats and amino acids to support a healthy weight,
as well as prebiotics, probiotics, and enzymes for proper digestion. Want to learn more about body condition scoring? Visit
SmartPak.com/BodyConditionQuiz
Immune Function
As they age, seniors’ immune function starts to lose efficiency and efficacy, which means your horse may be more prone
to illness or slower to heal from injury. For these reasons, it is
especially important to have your vet examine and vaccinate
your senior once or twice annually, to help protect and keep
him healthy. Additionally, having your vet out regularly allows
him or her to keep a close eye on your horse and monitor for
common senior conditions such as Cushing’s. You may also