A confluence of factors can conspire to thwart the health and happiness of a horse as it trots into its vintage years. Horse owners that employ a proactive approach to managing these concerns can delay their onset, or even halt their influence on their beloved equine’s well-being.
A tired older horse resting in a pasture.
You need to address six main horse health challenges through the coming vintage years of your Equus.
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There is a lot of confusing advice out there in the big wide horse world but in reality making your horse’s vintage years his best is not as convoluted and complicated a task as it might initially appear.
Just like us our horses all age up at different rates, and vintage years do not necessarily correlate to the number of years your horse’s hooves have been walking around on this temporal plane.
Horses that have been subjected to harsh training methods, had their health and wellness care abandoned at some point in their lives, or suffered a major injury or illness can all age up into so called ‘vintage’ territory earlier than others. There are 9 signs that you have a Senior Horse.
As horse owners we often feel that just like the dogs many of us own, that are perfectly trained companions at the tail end of their lives, and sadly then suffer demise in stamina and ability to handle medical issues when they are seemingly in their prime, our horses seem to run out of steam just when we have them trained and working well just the way we want them.
First Strides To Success
Here are the six main horse health challenges that you need to address through the coming vintage years of your Equus.
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Keep An Eye On The Eyes
Just like humans horse can suffer eyes issues with cataracts and retinas. Unlike us cataract alleviation with a lens replacement is not a likely option, but horses rarely go blind due to either issue.
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The Endocrine Seesaw
Metabolic diseases such as Cushing’s Disease (caused by benign pituitary tumor), are not uncommon in senior horses. Learn the basic equine metabolic challenges to look out for and their symptoms here.
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A Weighty Subject
As a horse gets older its ability to digest food and to properly absorb its nutrients is diminished. A healthy intestine and microbiome can help avert issues such as diarrhea, weight loss, and constipation. Help in the form of Postbiotic care is making great strides in management of everything from ulcers to leaky gut syndrome. Take a look.
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Joint Soreness and Stiffness Goes With The Territory
Joint health issues are a constant for horses of any age, and for senior horses, joint health needs to be a top priority. Unfortunately, most senior horses do have some type of age-related joint condition, such as arthritis. Understanding horse joint supplements, what they are and what they ideally include as ingredients can be an overwhelming topic. Enjoy this straightforward chat on the subject with Grand Meadows owner Nick Hartog, who explains the basics you should know to make your best decision in how to aid in your horse’s comfort.
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Help The Hoof
As your horse ages, their body composition changes, including muscle loss, weight fluctuations, and bone health. These changes can impact the health of your horse’s hooves and feet. Talk to your farrier about signs of hoof and foot concerns.
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Chow Down On Dental Issues
The years of constant chewing and grinding put a lot of stress on your horse’s teeth. This can cause teeth to wear down unevenly, create sharp jagged edges, and may cause teeth to loosen. This might create cuts and tears inside your horse’s mouth.
Get Ahead Of The Game
Managing their animal’s health care needs should always be the primary concern and activity for any person lucky enough to own a miniature horse, donkey, mule or horse. The rewards for being proactive in doing so, reaps more than emotional rewards and satisfaction. It can also save a lot of money and most importantly, elevate the animal’s contentment, comfort and quality of life as well as add years to their lives.
This Grand Meadows Cares Series was conceived and designed to aid every Equus owner, (regardless of their level or expertise in health care and horse safety) in their journey taking care of their animals to help ensure a productive and happy life for the wee beasties.
If you have any questions on any topic, don’t be shy to reach out to owner Nick Hartog directly, either by phone or email. He gladly shares his wealth of experience in the horse feed supplement business without prejudice and is a great resource for equine owners from professionals to the neophyte beginner.
About Grand Meadows: Founded in 1989 by visionary Angela Slater, Grand Meadows is a leading horse health product and equine supplement manufacturer driven by the guiding principle of providing affordable, extremely high-quality science-backed horse products to help ensure horses look and feel their best.
For the past 35 years the company’s mission has been honored and developed further, by President Nick Hartog, who among other accomplishments is one of the founding members and current board member of the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC), an organization that has a profound impact on the safety, transparency, and legitimacy of the animal supplement industry.
Grand Meadow products are widely used and trusted across the entire horse community from Olympic medal winning competitors and successful horse racing trainers to backyard horse owners. Their equine supplements are highly regarded for their excellent quality resourced ingredients and completely accurate labelling and effective formulations. Learn more at https://www.grandmeadows.com/
About Nikki Alvin-Smith:
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Please visit https://www.horseinakiltmedia.com/ and https://nikkialvinsmithstudio.com/ to learn more about her affordable services.