30 Is The New 20

ADVANCES IN EQUINE HEALTH CARE HAVE EXTENDED YOUR HORSE’S POTENTIAL LIFESPAN. WHAT SHOULD YOU EXPECT AS HE GROWS OLDER?

- Barb Crabbe

“TRIGGER’S 32 THIS YEAR!

Doesn’t he look great?” my client proclaims. “He does seem to be slowing down just a little bit though— especially on long trail rides. Sometimes he even seems a little sore. What can I do to keep him going?”

“Wow,” I think. “Age 32 and slowing down? I remember when we thought 20 was old. Now my clients want to know how to keep a 30-year-old horse moving down the trail.”

With advances in equine medical care, your horse has a much better chance of leading a happy and productive life well into his third (or even fourth) decade than his predecessors did 20 years ago. That’s right: 30 really is the new 20. 

In this article, I’ll tell you about five major factors that have revolutionized your horse’s potential to live a healthy and productive life as a super-senior. Along the way, I’ll identify signs he might need help. Finally, I’ll give you the tools to determine when enough is enough when it comes to your efforts to keep him going.

FIVE LONGEVITY BOOSTERS 

Why are horses living longer, healthier lives than ever before? The following five factors have each clearly played a role.

Nutrition

Then: Decades ago, your horse’s daily ration consisted of hay and grain, with a multivitamin thrown in for good measure. Hay was chosen based on availability and outward appearance. If it was green and clean, it was probably good enough. Grain typically consisted of oats, corn, and barley— either plain or mixed with molasses in a sweet feed or a livestock blend. As horses aged and chewing became diffcult, the best available options might’ve included beet pulp, a bran mash, or soaked alfalfa pellets.