Senior Horse Care Resources — Footing & Hoof Care

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“ For the want of a nail, the shoe was lost; for the want of a shoe the horse was lost; and for the want of a horse the rider was lost, being overtaken and slain by the enemy, all for the want of care about a horseshoe nail.” — Benjamin Franklin
 

How this Section Works

Topics on This Page

Comfortable Non-Slip Surfaces Areas of Concern Footing Resources Obstacles Maintenance Resources  Caution!  Wet Spots that Freeze are Dangerous

 Linking Lameness and Back Pain  Rider Balance Affects Horse Balance

 Checking for Lameness  Trimming, Shoeing, Hoof Care

Wraps, Magnets, Massage, Stretches, Chiropractic, Facial Release, and Other Therapies

Other Resources

Topics on Their Own Pages (See Table of Contents on the Left)

Del Camino Honors Groups that Honor Senior Horses

NEWS FLASH - 2008 Best Humane Business Innovation Award National Black Farmers Association "Project Wanted Horse"

Del Camino has extensive experience caring for senior (age 15 and up) horses.  One of the rewards of operating a large riding academy was being able to offer well-trained horses the opportunity to retire from strenuous competition or other work, cease frequent travel, but continue to have plenty of appropriate exercise, social interaction, and affection.  Coupled with careful nutrition, farriery, and veterinary care, this environment enabled horses of many breeds trained in various disciplines to age gracefully and enjoy their golden years.

Nearly 4 Million Pleasure Horses in the U.S.A.

Today's American equine population includes an historically high percentage of seniors.  We can attribute this to many factors, but it is a trend that has created a growing demand for attention by feed manufacturers, veterinarians, equine dentists, farriers, barn managers, trainers, horse retirement facilities, and all the other service providers.

Of the 6.5 million horses in the United States today, 60% are pleasure horses, according to the American Horse Council.  As the role of the horse in America has changed dramatically from laborer to recreational partner, so has the viewpoint of his caregiver.

As the baby boomers look forward to decades of "senior" living, so, too, do our horses.  Today's pony doesn't teach a generation to ride, but two, or even three generations. [Ponies represent only 3% of the horses aged 15-19 are ponies, but 30% of the horses aged 30 and up.]  An adult couple begin riding as their teenagers empty the nest, and are still caring for their horses two decades later.  The horses have replaced the children for many never married and divorced adults, just as dogs and cats do.

Except for one teensy, weensy, problem.  A horse doesn't fit in your "senior living" apartment.  A horse doesn't fit in your car.  A horse has big feed requirements.  You can't take him to the groomer, the groomer has to come to him.

One of the missions of Del Camino is to help horse owners find timely information that guides them through this journey.  We want to keep our seniors as fit, as active, as contented as possible, as long as possible.  It can be done.

We dedicate our work to a few of many beloved Del Camino horses:  Freckles, who left us at age 43, Miss Cricket, who delighted children until age 38, Captain Oliver "Ollie" who fought Cushing's until age 32, and Brandy's Prince, and Smokey, both of whom had Cushing's which caused laminitis at age 26.

Thank you for having graced our lives, and taught so many people the joy of horsemanship.

We are still kicking ourselves for not taking videos of our wonderful seniors over the years.  But this one on YouTube of a 32 year old Tennessee Walker mare encountering a motorized wheelchair should inspire you!

How This Seniors Section Works                (Top of Page)

Please read the overviews of the topics before clicking on links.  We can't possibly list every reference available on the internet, and we do not accept any compensation for a listing.  None of these listings were solicited. 
The descriptive paragraphs at the start of a section are there because we believe they are important.

This site is meant to distill information from a variety of sources, as well as our own experience, before sending you off on your own quest.  

We update this section of our website fairly often, so we recommend you return regularly.  Why not add this page to your browser's Favorites list?  Doing so does not cause us to send you junk mail.

• Large sections acquire their own page, to keep it easy to read.

• As we find a broken link, we remove it if we cannot easily repair it.

• Visitors are encouraged to join discussions in the forum to share their knowledge or experiences.  There are no reviews on this page.

• Topics progress from those for people caring for their senior horse, to those wishing to place their senior horse in a new job, and finally, how to prepare for and make arrangements to euthanize a horse to prevent suffering.

Comfortable, Non-Slip, Surfaces                (Top of Page)

"Good footing everywhere my senior goes" should be the aim of horse owners who want their horses' to enjoy their golden years with minimal maintenance expense.  We can spend a fortune on supplements, therapies, and wraps as our horses age.  Or, we can minimize the environmental and activity causes of the typical infirmities, slips and falls, toe bumps, and scrapes that plague aging equines.  Many people realize they cannot work their horse in a soupy arena after a storm, or turn him out in a mushy paddock, because he might slip or pull a shoe.  Most who trail ride are aware that hard ground, rocky ground, and sandy stream beds all have their pitfalls.  But just how important the surface is to the delicate structures of the hoof and leg that absorbs so much concussion?

Areas of Concern                                                         (Top of Page)                

• Stalls and pens with hard packed uneven ground punctuated by wet spots of water and urine.  Horses cannot comfortably lie down and completely stretch out for necessary deep sleep in these conditions.

• Aisles, wash racks, and ramps with too steep an incline, poor lighting, and hard, cracked, or uneven surfaces.  Cracks can catch shoes and trip a horse, steep surfaces can cause slips and falls, uneven surfaces, especially in poor lighting, are difficult for horses to see properly, especially older horses with failing vision.

• Dusty arenas, hot walkers, or turnout paddocks are hard on respiration and irritate eyes.

• Footing to work on that is either too thin, uneven, hard packed, too slippery or too deep.  Extra concussion on hard footing can cause bruised soles or early arthritis, uneven or deep footing can caused bowed tendons or pulled suspensories, slippery footing can cause falls.

• Arena footing or crushed granite stall flooring that is too hot in warm weather.  On a hot day in bright sunlight, this material absorbs heat that radiates up into the metal shoes and hooves of our horses.  When the ambient air temperature is 100 degrees in the shade, it is higher in direct sun, and, after a few hours of "baking" the arena sand can be 130 degrees or more, even after sprinkling for dust control.  Check it out sometime with a thermometer.

Footing Resources                                                                             (Top of Page)

Priorities in choosing footing for indoor arenas, aisleways, enclosed or covered round pens:

1. Long lasting - will not degrade into stone dust that damages horse and human airways.

2. Cushions against concussive injuries

3. Provides traction and flexibility; sometimes referred to as "bounce" to minimize slipping.

4. Low-maintenance - prevents surface "deadness" but retains dampness

Additional priorities for choosing outdoor footing for arenas, paddocks, bridle paths, common traffic areas:

1. Drainage and integrity.

2. Mud prevention

Abacus Surfaces

Surefoot Arena Footing  rubber mulch, choice of colors.

Hoof-Grid™ for paddocks and arenas solves drainage problems as well as surface shock.

Eco-Grid from Equestrian Solutions is similar to Hoof-Grid.

RiataRake  arena drag for Gators, Quads, Small Tractors, Tractors

Obstacles                                                                                         (Top of Page)

Use the best obstacles for gymnastics that keep your senior fit and flexible.  Jumps do not need to be high to help with balance, rhythm, timing, suppleness, and aerobic conditioning, and to keep work in the arena or school interesting and fun.  That goes for both the rider and the senior horse!

Maintenance Resources                                                                       (Top of Page)

TIP:  Resist the temptation to drag your arena too soon after a rainstorm or over-watering episode.  Allow time for gentle drainage to remove puddles you cannot see in the base, not just the surface footing.  If you drag when the base is still soggy, you can mix the base and surface materials. 

A few such "rush" jobs and you can ruin the carefully graded and layered workspace so critical to seniors and other horses - not to mention the thousands of dollars many stables have invested in arena materials that should last a decade or more.

Facility managers are often pressured into dragging their arena too soon by clients who want to ride, trainers who need to school in preparation for a show, or instructors who do not get paid if they don't give lessons.  Some alternatives:

	Provide a covered round pen if you cannot offer a covered arena.  The round pen enables lungeing and equitation lessons on the lunge line when the arena is still draining.
	Provide a covered hot walker.  Horses trained to exercise on the walker are not stuck in their stalls waiting for the arena to drain.
	Develop interesting and useful dismounted hands-on horsemanship lessons for instructors to do with the students and horses.  For example, learning to take TPR (vital sign) readings, or how to give a hot towel "bath."
	Develop interesting and useful dismounted balance board lessons for the instructors to do with the students. We purchased one several years ago and used it, along with vaulting exercises on the ground with vaulting equipment, and traditional gymnastic balance boards like the IndoFLO® Balance Stimulator, to teach our campers balance and skills quickly before putting the children on lesson horses.  These boards are used by physical education instructors for children and adults, and by licensed physical therapists and sports chiropractors for therapeutic purposes. Many come with instructional video, exercises, and student assessment tools. The child's first ride on the bareback pad for even the most timid with the poorest posture improved dramatically.  We also used it to get adult beginners back in touch with their own balance and posture before their first ride.  ( Note: Be sure to use a board of the proper size and strength for children or adults. ).
	Do barn aisle leading and flexion training with your horse.  Here's a well-illustrated  booklet of activities from a champion AQHA trainer that pay off nicely in both showmanship and mounted work once the weather clears.

Grid-It  subsurface grid eliminates dips in your pathways and driveways that just keep coming back no matter how much dirt you pack into them.

StabiliGrid™ subsurface grid eliminates depressions in your pathways, driveways, holes around water troughs, and prevents erosion of slopes from run-off or around tree roots.

Eco-Grid is another resource for equine applications.

Caution!  Wet Spots that Freeze are Dangerous                      (Top of Page)

Any horse can slip on ice that forms in freezing temperatures.  Arthritic horses, and horses with poor vision, are at higher risk.  A fall can sadly result in a broken leg, hip, shoulder, or pelvis.  One of the saddest stories I've ever heard was about a farmer whose beloved Percheron slipped on ice while pulling a wagon up a hill one winter and went down.  If you could slip on the ice, a horse whether or not he's wearing metal shoes could too.

Avoid walking an older horse on slick footing if at all possible.  Try to prevent puddles from forming in areas they must walk, such as near their water source, in their paddock, just outside the barn door, on the path to the arena from the barn, etc.

If you must walk your horse over a slippery spot, sprinkle it first with salt or sand to provide traction, give your horse his head and neck to balance, and let him pick his way as slowly as he likes.  Do not use cat litter for traction if it is clay-based.  The clay becomes gummy when it absorbs water. 

A few references for good footing to add to your library:

Older horses are more likely to suffer physical conditions that lead to behavioral problems or decreasing usefulness and higher veterinary bills than they are to succumb to diseases.  Learning how to spot even mild lameness or back trouble early is an important skill for owners of senior horses. 

The relationship between back pain and lameness has long been debated. Some studies have shown an association between the two problems and other studies have suggested there is no link. With recent developments in methods used to analyze kinematics (movement), researchers in the Netherlands have been able to accurately study changes in the movement of the horses back when mild lameness is present.

Mild lameness was induced using a modified shoe that had a small nut welded to the inner surface of the toe region. A bolt could be tightened in the nut to exert pressure on the sole. The degree of lameness induced was so subtle that it could not easily be judged by the human eye but was confirmed using high tech equipment that calculated the amount of weight that the horse put on each limb as it moved.

Light reflecting markers were placed at a number of points on the head, neck, along the spine, on the hips and hooves of the horses. The horses were videoed at the walk and trot and movement data was analyzed.

Not surprisingly the researchers found significant movement of the head and neck in lame horses at the trot. It is well established that lameness results in an increased up and down movement of the head and neck. It has been a commonly held belief by some, that apart from an increased movement of the head and neck, the effect of subtle lameness would be absorbed by the limbs and would not be transferred to the upper body and spine.

This study established that with mild lameness there is a significant change in the movement of the entire back when the horse is walking and trotting. This finding has implications for the management and investigation of back problems and lameness in horses.

The changes in back movement with mild lameness could affect muscle tension and normal back function, leading to back pain and associated problems. This raises a question of whether some horses with back pain should also be investigated for subtle lameness issues as an underlying cause. Also, horses with known chronic lameness, that does not otherwise impede their training, should be monitored for the development of back pain.

Reference:
Alvarez, CB, Wennerstrand, J, Bobbert, MF, Lamers, L, Johnston, C, Back, W and van Weeren, PR, 2007, 'The effect of induced forelimb lameness on thoracolumbar kinematics during treadmill locomotion' Equine Veterinary Journal, 39(3), 197-201.

Reprinted from the RIRDC Equine Research News with the permission of the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation.

Rider Balance Affects Horse Balance                      (Top of Page)

The horse balances under the weight of the rider. Seniors are more likely to stumble due to poor vision, slower reflexes, arthritis, and other age-related conditions in poor footing or poor lighting, even with a perfectly balanced rider to carry.  Yet, riders, like other adults who do not actively develop balancing skills with specific exercises, can lose their balance over time.  One of the best ways to help your senior horse stay fit, is for you as a rider to actively work on your balance with regular exercises, both on and off your horse.  Both of these books offer excellent methods for improving the position and balance of the rider for improved security, safety, and comfort of both partners.  Make it easy for your horse to do the right thing, by becoming a balanced, comfortable weight to balance beneath and listen to.

Using a balance board like the IndoFLO® Balance Stimulator a couple of times a week is also smart for riders age 30 and up.  It gently tones core body strength at the same time it improves balance, rhythm and timing skills.  People who do not actively work on their balance from this age forward lose a small percentage of their balance annually.  This is a major contributor to falls among senior people.  Developing balance off your senior enables you to balance well on your senior horse.

Checking for Lameness                                                      (Top of Page)

If you can tell your horse is "off", but not which leg(s) are affected, here's a short video that can help you check his movement.  You can then give your veterinarian good information when you first call.  It is always best to get a professional diagnosis.  Seek the advice of a qualified veterinarian before proceeding with any diagnosis, treatment, or therapy.                                         

Trimming, Shoeing, Hoof Care                                      (Top of Page)

The old adage, "no hoof, no horse" is true.  Benjamin Franklin's admonition about attention to detail "for want of a nail, the shoe was lost, for want of a shoe ..." is as well.  Proper trimming and shoeing is critical to maintaining your horse's balance, and thus overall safety and health.  If you have owned your mature horse, or other horses, for many years, you already know these basics.  Our objective here is to provide information about how aging can affect your horse's hooves, and vice versa, and any steps you can take as an owner to adjust hoof care to assist your horse as he or she grows older.

As our horses age, their conformation may change in various ways:  more or less body weight, a swayback, stronger and larger muscles on one side of the body to compensate for arthritis they are favoring on the other, and so on.  Many of these changes that can affect balance are subtle to the eye of an owner, but noticeable to your horse's farrier, who can see the way his shoes are worn and his hooves have grown since the last trim.

TIP:  Be present at least occasionally when your farrier trims and shoes your senior.  Ask your farrier what he or she notices about your aging horse and its hooves.  If there is something new, your question may help bring it to his attention.  Also, if there is something he recommends you do to help maintain your horse's hooves, this may cause him to mention it.  Many trainers and barn managers do this consistently as part of managing shoeing in their stables.

If you have one or more senior horses or horses going through rehabilitation, we suggest you invest in a good book about farriery.  The diagrams and definitions of technical terms are worth it for understanding what your veterinarian and blacksmith tell you.  It is important for you to help them collaborate as a team to treat a condition or maintain good health and soundness.  You can do a much better job if you learn more about the subject of horses' hooves from this practical perspective.

Some people want to save money trimming the hooves of their barefoot horses themselves, or even want to shoe their own horses.  Others prefer to leave this back-breaking work to experts who can spot trouble as they work, but want to be able to take care of emergencies safely until their farrier can visit.  For those people, a great reference tool about farriery is indispensable, and the limited information in veterinary guides for lay people is insuficient for practical application.

In this brief video, blacksmith Steve Norman explains the importance of balance:

Wraps, Magnets, Massage, Stretches, Chiropractic, Facial Release, and Other Therapies                                                          (Top of Page)

Supportive wraps and protective wraps have been shown to work when applied properly and used for the correct length of time.  It is also important to use a wrap in an appropriate environment.  For example, polo wraps on a horse in turnout can come undone easily, just by snagging on a small rock while rolling.  Geriatric horses are more prone to breaking a bone, or dislocating a hip or shoulder if they trip and fall than younger horses.  Use splint boots that are likely to be flung aside if the velcro comes loose, rather than tangling among the horse's legs.

The two books offered here are the best selling authoritative works on safely and gradually rehabilitating a horse of any age that has been injured, or that has been allowed to get out of shape due to a long lay off.  Be sure to bring your aged equine back into work slowly after a vacation of a month or more to tone muscles, aerobic conditioning, stamina, balance and flexibility. 

Massage and stretches have both been proven beneficial both for humans and horses when done properly.  This section will be expanded in the future with our own very positive experiences guiding us to select those treatments most helpful to seniors. We had the good fortune of working with an excellent equine massage therapist and a skilled experienced equine chiropractor who both regularly visited our horses, and learned what to do between visits to maintain the benefits of their sessions.  Most owners on tight budgets today cannot afford regular treatments by equine massage therapists and chiropractors.  So,  here are a few books that we found helpful and that were extremely popular among our clients for checkout from our barn's lending library.

Many people rely heavily on magnets, and use them for a variety of ailments and conditions that can benefit by increased circulation.  Magnets did not appear to help specific problem areas for our horses when recommended by therapists who used them for the same condition.   We had one encounter with a full body magnetic sheet on an arthritic senior Arabian gelding where he was uncharacteristically rambunctious in turnout after the treatment.  He popped a rib and needed chiropractic adjustment.

Other Resources                                                              (Top of Page)

The Del Camino Products and Services catalog offers some horse products of interest to owners of senior horses.

Here's an easy online calendar from Intervet for tracking health records.  It can be an excellent tool to collaborate with your boarding or retirement farm, a good link to include in a packet for others who may horse-sit while you are on vacation, and is certainly a cost-free way to get started with good records on your horses from the beginning. Even though to focus is on broodmares and foals, there are excellent tools for keeping adult horse records on vaccinations, worming, trimming and other maintenance:

The AAEP has issued updated vaccination guidelines as of January 2008. 

UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine Center for Equine Health

Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue

Horse Welfare Statistics

Equinezone Horse Supply

Equine Now

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