Senior Horse Care

Five important features to consider when shopping for weatherproof equine outerwear. Cold weather is upon us and your first instinct might be to bundle your horse up like a child—in so many layers that he can barely move, with only his eyes visible. Resist that urge! Go instead for a blanketing system that is waterproof, breathable and light, with a rip-stop outer shell (think 1,200-denier, ideally with Teflon™ Shield finish) and at least three insulation options (such as 0 gram, 300 gram and 500 gram) for varying weather conditions.

Arthritis typically begins to appear in middle-aged horses. However, you can take steps to protect your horse's joints throughout his life.

To keep your horse healthy and comfortable as the years pass, focus on the five areas of equine health most affected by aging.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a tablet form of the COX-2 selective firocoxib, sold under the name Equioxx.

Although it may seem counterintuitive to make a horse work despite his stiff, painful joints, exercise has several benefits.

How you care for your horse today— whether he is 2, 7, 15 or anywhere in between— can have a significant impact on his health when he reaches old age. Here are the five essentials for longevity.

Growing old may be inevitable, but age-related infirmities do not have to be. Here are four major areas where researchers are opening new doors to healthier, stronger senior years for horses.

Here are five ways to make sure your aged horses are ready for the cold weather months.

When is the best time to begin a specialized feeding regimen for your older horse? These tips can help you determine how to best meet his needs.

Here are ways to keep an older horse with creaky joints more comfortable in cold weather.

Now that winter is behind us, spring is a great time to do a quick evaluation to ensure your senior horse is healthy and happy.

Working with an older but still inexperienced horse poses special challenges but also promises unique rewards.

The Henneke Body Condition Score system provides an accurate, objective measure of the body fat a horse has accumulated. The 9-point scale is relied on by veterinarians, researchers and horse owners to describe the body condition of a horse in a consisten

Putting an old horse "out to pasture" is unnecessary and even unwise. Instead, consider his needs as well as your own and craft a customized retirement plan that keeps him active and content.

If you are as mindful of your aging horse's lungs as you are of his legs, teeth, eyes and other organs, you'll increase the likelihood that he will continue to breathe easily well into old age.

Frigid winter weather can be particularly hard on older horses. In this article from the January 2010 issue of EQUUS, David Trachtenberg, DVM, owner of Ledgewood Veterinary Equine Clinic in Ontario, New York, recommends focusing on the two areas of winter

An otherwise healthy horse "put out to pasture" for retirement can be called back into duty with just a bit of preparation.

Researchers study the benefits of avocado in treating arthritis in horses. By Christine Barakat for EQUUS magazine.

NSAID cream offers targeted treatment.

Follow these five simple rules to increase your horse's chance of living to a ripe old age.