Caring for an Older Horse or Pony

 
Here at Young Rider we often recommend that new riders buy older horses. Teenaged horses often make the best first mounts. They tend to be more sensible and far more experienced than young horses. Theyve seen more of the world and will help an inexperienced rider become a more confident and capable. Some senior citizen equines are worth their weight in gold!
But older horses require special care to keep them going into their 20s and sometimes 30s! They may need more attention from the vet than a younger horse. They may need special senior dietsand they may need more time to warm up than a five year old.

If youre the proud owner of an oldie you know that even though he or she might need more TLC than a younger horse all of the extra work is worth it. A welllooked after older horse will be your faithful friend for many years.
Lets look at some things you have to think about when you ride an oldie.
Dental Care
Older horses need regular visits from the equine dentist. He needs his teeth floated at least twice a year. The dentist will be able to tell you if your horses teeth are worn down to the gums or if any of his teeth have fallen out.
If his teeth are worn down it may be hard for him to eat coarse hay or hard pellets. You may have to soak pellets to make a mash and feed him by himself so he doesnt have to compete with younger stronger horses for his food.
Senior Feed
If your older horse seems to be losing weight as he ages switch him to a senior feed. Talk to your vet to see which feed she recommends. Senior feeds contain ingredients that are easy for older horses to digest including beet pulp soybean hulls and alfalfa.
Senior feeds contain lots of fiber. They also contain more fat then other types of feed because your oldie needs lots of calories in his diet. Senior feeds also include special minerals and vitamins that will help keep an older horse healthy.
If your horse is skinny feed him smaller feeds more frequently. Try to give