Senior horses; just how much do we love our “oldies”?

A survey* recently revealed that today’s owners are increasingly attentive and loyal towards their elderly horses. At Unika, we want to believe in the validity of this research and these results, which would finally bear witness to a reversal of trends compared to even just a decade or so ago.

We know perfectly well that the equestrian universe is full of stories of horses (some happier, others quite sad, to say the least) being given away or sold for pennies due to the onset of old age. Without going into the merits of what fate may have in store for a horse sold or given away in old age (it is unfair to lump all horses together), we prefer to rejoice in the fact that this research has shown that today, more and more people seek to stay at their horse’s side until the very end, ensuring a peaceful and dignified old age.

The research was carried out in 2022 by a British feed company on a sample of over 12,000 people; of these, 32.7% owned a horse over 25 years old. This great loyalty towards older horses is confirmed by the fact that more than 58% have owned their horse for more than 11 years, while 5.7% own a horse older than 26 years of age. Finally, 99.3% of respondents declared that they want to keep their four-legged friends with them until the end.

Regarding the general state of health, 78% of owners define their “oldies” as being in good condition. A total of 25.8% of the horses surveyed do not present any major clinical problems; however, 44% suffer from some form of arthritis or stiffness, 15.2% suffer from Cushing’s syndrome and 15.2% have dental problems.

But, when does a horse become old? There’s no age threshold that’s the same for everyone: each horse is different. That said, the above-mentioned research revealed that 65.6% of the owners surveyed consider a horse to be old from the age of 20. A table based on veterinary research published in “Equine Resources International”, although somewhat dated (2003), can however give us an idea of how and when to consider a horse to be old. The table, which compares equine age to human age, should be interpreted with due caution, but can nevertheless provide some interesting food for thought.

Horse age	Human age
1	6,5
2	13
3	18
4	20,5
5	24,5
7	28
10	35,5
13	43,5
17	53
20	60
24	70,5
27	78
30	85,5
33	93
36	100,5

How long a horse lives and what the quality of its “second youth” will be like are not things that can be predicted, because there are so many variables that come into play and can affect its longevity; we can however state that correct management and nutritional choices can certainly help it stay healthy for longer and age better.

Arthritis and joint stiffness of various kinds, chewing problems, respiratory difficulties and Cushing’s disease are among the most common problems afflicting older horses. In each of these particular situations, management, nutrition and supplementation can vary greatly.

Let’s look at some practical examples.

MSM (methylsulphonylmethane), glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate can be valuable allies in the fight against joint problems: these elements are more difficult to pronounce than they are to find, as there are a wide variety of complete and complementary feeds based on these substances and specifically-formulated for the wellbeing of joints on the market. At the same time, we would also point out devil’s claw**: known for its beneficial properties and also easy to administer and find (in the form of a liquid supplement).

Diseases of the respiratory system, the most common symptom of which is coughing, afflict more and more elderly horses every year and with the onset of summer, owners of horses with these problems are always “on alert.” In these cases, careful and precise management can make a huge difference: for example, wetting or spraying the hay, avoiding access to bales or allowing horses to spend as much time as possible outdoors. Having done this, we can certainly supplement the horse’s diet with some products based on officinal plants and plant extracts (e.g., eucalyptus, mint, thyme, rosemary and propolis) that are important for safeguarding the natural physiological conditions of the horse’s respiratory system. There are numerous solutions on the market in powder and liquid form and even in “special” formats, such as Unika Balls Herbs.

The older a horse gets, the more advisable it is to administer a natural purifying treatment from time to time. This is a good habit that’s all the more useful for horses with swollen limbs. Did you know that artichokes are one of the main elements used in draining treatments? That’s right: artichokes (Cynara scolymus) are well-known and valuable for their beneficial properties, especially on the liver, as they improve digestion, purify the blood and fight water retention.

Many elderly horses are unable to effectively absorb all nutrients from food, which directly affects their appearance, their behaviour and how they feel. In general, we could say that to help our four-legged friends live a peaceful old age some useful tips could be to:

• devise a high-protein diet (around 16%) to keep muscle mass in as good a condition as possible;
• not reduce the daily ration, but rather increase the calorie intake, adding a fat portion, such as oil for example;
• administer the right pre- and pro-biotic agents to best support intestinal health;
• provide the right amounts of vitamins and trace elements;
• increase the amounts of calcium and phosphorus for bone health.
• in the case of horses with chewing problems (some horses do not even have any teeth left), choose high-quality, specially-formulated hay and feed to avoid dangerous situations (e.g., oesophageal obstructions).

Finally, remember to always seek advice from your trusted professionals, veterinarians and nutritionists, who will be able to give you useful pointers on how best to manage your elderly horse.

*(Main source: horsetalk.co.nz)

**Warning: devil’s claw is on the list of doping substances in FEI regulations, which is why the use of Unika’s “Claw” product must be discontinued at least 72 hours prior to participation in any competition.