# Do you have a senior horse?



## big brown horse (Oct 17, 2009)

I do.  Share your senior horse stories.  How old are they, what do you do differently for them, do they still work?  How much do you love  them?

My senior horse is 26 years old.  She was an ex quarter horse race horse and is built like a sh** brick house.  They just don't make them like that anymore.

She has earned her retirement by being the best horse in the world!!!  

Here she is with my daughter.  Her name is "Ms. Twinks" came to us as "Twinky" but she is a lady after all.


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## lupinfarm (Oct 17, 2009)

We had a senior horse, Pal the Palomino. He was about 28 years old when he went to a companion animal ranch to live out his years.







Pal got the very best of everything even in his old age, from $9/bale haylage to top quality blankets. He was still ridden at 28, just enough to keep him healthy and happy by a young girl, walk/trot nothing else.


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## big brown horse (Oct 17, 2009)

Hi lupin!!!!! 

Pal is beautiful!!!!  I love him!  Maybe we can set he and Ms. Twinks up on a date.   Wouldn't they make a great couple?

Yeah, Ms. Twinks gets the best hay etc. too.  She also gets to eat the green grass in our yard b/c she doesn't make divits running around like the geldings do.  She is pretty much spoiled.

(Can you believe she was saved from slaughter/renderer as a bag of bones?!)


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## lupinfarm (Oct 18, 2009)

Pal was somewhat of a rescue as well, he wasn't underweight.. he was morbidly obese with pie plate feet, he came from a horse dealers yard closeby. There were thoughts that he had been abused.


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## Eliza (Oct 18, 2009)

25 year old Arab gelding "Emmett".  I've had him for the last 23 years.  Still gets around good.  Best Russian and Polish breeding has to offer and it shows.  Some old age knees keeps him from being ridden but even so, he's just part of the family.


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## big brown horse (Oct 19, 2009)

Eliza said:
			
		

> 25 year old Arab gelding "Emmett".  I've had him for the last 23 years.  Still gets around good.  Best Russian and Polish breeding has to offer and it shows.  Some old age knees keeps him from being ridden but even so, he's just part of the family.


Do you have a photo?  I wish we were able to have had Ms. Twinks that long.


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## Shadowhills Farm (Nov 25, 2009)

^ That's Vindi, he's an Oldenburg who is 19 (in the pic he is 16). Gets Seminole Wellness Senior Mix, hay is usually O/A and once in a while straight alfalfa when that's all the feed store has. Lots of treats (especially peppermint ones!), and is currently being ridden in my lesson program 4 times a week walk/trot.

We   him a lot=]


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## FarmerChick (Nov 25, 2009)

Had 2 seniors

My QH Willy I got when he was about 10---he lived to about 28-29 years old.   Retired the last 8 years or so in the pasture.  Best bombproof riding horse!  Miss him alot!  Bad arthritis in the end poor guy.

My POA Patches.  He was Willys companion.  Monster pony..LOL...got him at age 15 and he lived to about 30 also.   What a houdini and good all around fun pony to own!

My Spotted Saddle Horse Peepers.  She passed at about age 22--twisted gut.  She wasn't retired and she was in great shape and doing great and I thought she would easily go til 30....no such luck for her and me!  miss her alot also.


No horses right now.  After Peepers passed am waiting to buy 2 new horses for me and Nicole--she is going to be 5 and want to wait a tad longer til she is older and stronger.


I had quite a few that I sold cause after I bought them--they were not the right fit for my life.    

I like that "just perfect horse" for me!


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## fadetopurple (Nov 26, 2009)

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## big brown horse (Nov 26, 2009)

Beautiful horses fadetopurple!  

My own senior horse pictured above is now on soaked, fermented oats, which are full of probiotics.  I have seen big changes in her these last few weeks.  I've only been doing it since the beginning of November.  I just add about a cup to her regular feed each day.  Very simple too, I just bring up a cup of whole oats each night, soak them in water and about 2 tablespoons of whey from yogurt.  By the next evening they are ready to be fed with her evening meal.  You have to rinse them and drain them first.  (I've been rinsing them in warm water so she gets a nice warm evening meal.)

She usually gets a bit ribby in the winter, but not this year...she looks great!!  I swear by this method.  I got the idea from freemotion.  She can explain the health benefits better if you are interested.

I'll take a photo of her for ya after Tgiving is all over and done with.


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## fadetopurple (Dec 5, 2009)

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## FarmerChick (Dec 5, 2009)

Sorry about your horse.

I know...been there a few times.

It is hard but letting go of an animal that had a great life but is suffering is the best anyone can do.

Enjoy the time you had....good memories are priceless.  Life moves forward and we must march along.


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## freemotion (Dec 5, 2009)

It is easier when they give you permission.  A tiny bit.


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## big brown horse (Dec 7, 2009)

fadetopurple said:
			
		

> big brown horse,
> 
> I truly appreciate the advice, but in this case it's time for me to let him go. He was always an extremely easy keeper, and never lost a pound during winter until the last two. I was looking at pictures the other day and I realized he's actually LOST weight since this spring. :/ The vet checked him about a month ago for something else, and said that his heart murmur had gotten noticeably worse since when she last saw him in March. He's been irritable with me the last couple days too, which is not like him at all. He's trying to tell me something...
> I started digging the other day.
> ...


     I've been there before too, not fun at all.  

Sorry fadetopurple, hugs, Sally  
_
ETA: A few more hugs,_


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## lupinfarm (Dec 8, 2009)

Well my little lady is not really a senior, but she has some senior problems like awful arthritis in her hocks. 

Luna is 8 years old, yeah, young... but she's been roughed up so badly over the years she may as well be an old girl. I love her to death, she's a pain in my rear end but what can ya do? I fully expect her to not live too long. We're prepared for when the time comes that she is in just too much pain to live comfortably but we're trying to help her with as little medication as possible (going to Glucosamine next, then ASA).

She's not even a great keeper. She is on grain all year round and hay in the winter because she can lose weight. She has next to no muslce in her hind end due to the pain of her arthritis (or something else, we're not sure.. no x-rays were done but the vet is certain its arthritis in her hocks). 












She has terrible conformation and very bad feet (looking into corrective shoeing for her next, she badly needs a trim right now but the ground was too wet out up until today when it snowed).

ETA:
Luna in the snow! She's that pink blob in the distance. I had to change her blanket today to her thick winter one (it's a mid weight, 220g polyfill and 600denier). This picture is from day before yesterday. She's out there in this huge storm we're having, snow, then a little rain, and more snow expected overnight. She's doing well in this weather with her new blanket on (her new one says Born to Roll all over it). My poor 4 year old is naked and looks a lot colder, I think, than she actually is (BUT SHE SURE IS WET!).


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## FarmerChick (Dec 8, 2009)

that is bad when a young horse gets troubles like that.....they really do live a hard life.  feet and legs are everything to a horse.  that is what a horse is and when there is trouble there...UGH

hard keepers are tough.  but sounds like you got a handle on it and will do what you can for her....good deal, she is lucky to have you as an owner.


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## pfht7 (Dec 9, 2009)

fadetopurple said:
			
		

> My oldest living horse is a 29-year old Arabian gelding. As we speak, I am procrastinating "that" vet appointment. He has a disease called DSLD (or more correctly ESPA), which among other things is causing all of the tendons and ligaments in his body to degenerate. The most common symptom is when the fetlocks (usually the rear) become enlarged and drop, sometimes to the point that the pasterns are almost parallel to the ground, although it doesn't always manifest that way. It can also affect their internal organs. His legs are certainly messed up and are gradually getting worse, but his biggest problem is being underweight.


Before you make "that" appointment, I was just wondering if you've tried the treatment developed for DSLD-ESPA (DE) horses by Dr Eleanor Kellon?  It is NOT a cure, but it has helped many many horses whose owners were looking at making the same call to their vet, and their horses appeared to be in worse shape.  I don't think I'm supposed to post links to other forums etc., here, but there is a group for owners of DE horses. It's ~900 members share their knowledge and support each other through the difficult times.  If you're interested, please eMail me and I'll send you the information.


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## Nicki (Dec 9, 2009)

My Senior horse is in her mid twenties in my mind she never really aged until one day we realized wow maybe she is getting up there.  She is a wonderful appaloosa that I grew up with I am now well older and married my husband knew from the beginning that if the horse could not go I would not go.  She is now blind both eyes have been removed due to Uveitus not sure if I  spelled that correct but I feel so blessed to have a chance to have a horse that even completly blind trust me to to do anything.  She does not get ridden anymore we go for walks and she keeps the lawn mowed in the summer and is still a true joy to have.  She is normally out in a large pasture with a large open type barn but we have been in double digit negatives this week so she had to come in until the artic blast passes.  I dont normally use hoods and could not find one to fit so we improvized with some clamps and quilted bedding to keep her neck a little warmer.


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## big brown horse (Dec 9, 2009)

Isn't she pretty?!   (I love to hear stories about how much we all love or loved our senior horses. )  I love her blankie too.  What is her name?  She looks like she still has a big engine back there in the form of a rump too.

My sister's appaloosa is 30 years old now and he still has the same get up and go that he had as he did as a youngster.  He was an old rodeo horse and his name was Smoke.  Those appaloosas are built so tough they should name a truck after them...forget the "bronco" or the "ram". 
_
ETA:  Welcome to the herd!!!!_


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## Nicki (Dec 9, 2009)

Her name is Dani she has tons of energy still she is a bit of a harder keeper but always has been even when younger so she pretty much free feeds on as much hay as she will eat.  Other than being blind she is still very healthy.


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## ducks4you (Dec 11, 2009)

I've looked at this post several times, but I've had a hard time with it because I've lost my 3 old best friends in the last 2 years.  You know, these great horses get practically perfect, then their age catches up to them.  I never realized how much my QH was suffering as he scrambled to get up until I saw my 3 yr old in his stall bounce to his feet as if he was my (young dog), Border Collie mix!  (There were other issues as well.)  All 3 were older than two of my DD's, and I had owned/ridden/loved all and, for two of them, I had owned them for over 20 years.  The other one I had bought when he was 19 and he died at 24.  I just wanted anyone with a great old friend to know that it is SSOOOO  HHHAAARRRDDD to part with your friends, and I understand.   After the list gets past 3 or 4 or 5 permanent infirmities, you wonder if your horse is living like a horse.  We don't bury ours--there is a service that picks up livestock.  The driver told me (when he picked up my QH,) that he had recently picked up a horse that died naturally of cancer and was nothing but bones.  He couldn't understand why they waited to end that horses' suffering.  They are such physical creatures who delight in athleticism.  Even my Arab was running like the wind just a week before he had a stroke.  It's NEVER easy to let go, and I'll never forget them.  
I hope that this helps.


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## chickygirl55 (Dec 12, 2009)

My senior horse is named ginger. She used to be used as a trail horse but we bought her when she was 15 she is now 25 going on 26. And just like some of your horses i never relized just how old she was until one day  i was like dang shes getting older. It seems like just yesterday we were riding her without a care in the world but now she doesnt get ridden much anymore except once in a while at a walk to give her exercise. Although she dont think shes old lol she loves trying to run. But her ankles are getting stiffer and she looses weight real easy cause she is missing some teeth. But boy is she spoiled lol she gets treats all the time.


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## big brown horse (Dec 12, 2009)

Any photos?   I love to see their photos!


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## fadetopurple (Dec 13, 2009)

I am the biggest sucker on the planet. I love senior horses with all their sad stories and infirmities. If I won the lottery, I would probably wind up with a herd of 50 pity cases and one ridable horse. That's not my if-I-win-the-lottery dream, just what I know would end up happening.


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## big brown horse (Dec 13, 2009)

I'm so sorry.


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## Countrymom (Dec 13, 2009)

I adore seniors.  I know people always say once they hit 18 to 20 they are just too old.  Ha!  I will see if I can dig up pictures of our oldest and second oldest.  My daughters competed this past year on both.  The 23 year old did end up being pastured due to medical conditions, but that was from his previous owner as we have only owned him a year.  The 24 year old is my oldest daughter's horse and went nearly every weekend this past year and together they won her Championship.  He is no pet that is for sure, but he loves his job and knows in that he is to give it his all for his rider.  Hard to believe he will be 25 in just a couple months and still romping in the pasture like a 2 year old and working cattle like nothing.

ok a couple pics from Sept at the worlds show....









And awaiting pictures after she won....


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## ducks4you (Dec 14, 2009)

Sorry, I don't have many of my photos of my elderly horses that have passed on, on this computer, at work.  So...they're going to come in piecemeal.  Here is a photo of our TW, "Merry Boy's Hart", in 2005, at age 21.  1984-2008, RIP.







_"Trogdor"_ used to love to have his face petted and scratched.  He'd never really learned to come to a call, but we'd play tag when it was time to be haltered from turnout--once I tagged him, he'd halt.  I, personally, didn't like his gaits--too tall, at 16'2hh, but DH loved him.  I got him for my DH, anyway, but ALL of the horses are mine, since I take care of them.  I really miss him, even though I got him at the end of his life.


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## pfht7 (Dec 15, 2009)

I am sorry for your loss.  It is not an easy decision to make.  

Kudos to you for dealing with this!  You would be shocked to know how many of these horses are passed on to others because their owners do not want to "deal" with the problems.  They leave their horse's fate and expense in the hands of people they don't even know.  I hope you find solace in knowing that despite the emotional pain, you did what was best for your horse.

Regarding the group.  Yes some of the information was difficult to find at one time.  The group owner changed it so the "need to know immediately" information is sent directly to new subscribers automatically upon joining.  

Oh, I didn't mean to leave the impression that Dr Kellon is selling anything. She developed the treatment protocols and freely devotes her time and energy to helping horses and educating owners; however, she does not sell any of the suggested treatments.  Members purchase them from wherever/whomever they choose.  To me, Dr Kellon is a hero!  I had to put my mare down due to DE in October '08, but the treatment protocol kept her "comfortable" for almost seven years after she was diagnosed.  For that I am extremely grateful, and I would hate for someone to think that Dr Kellon is profiting from any of this.

with my very best wishes


			
				fadetopurple said:
			
		

> Well... the deed is done.
> I think I know of the group you're talking about; I joined a while ago but had trouble wading through the information they had posted. I did give some of their recommendations a try for a couple months this summer - removing simple sugars/molasses from the diet, replacing mineral block with a plain salt one to limit iron intake, etc. It didn't seem to make a difference. If I had caught it while he was still in decent condition (he has been declining for years) I would have tried the medicine/herbs that Dr. Kellon sells, but by the time I read about it, it was too late. The best I had to hope for was that he would maintain where he was, and I don't think that would have been fair to do to him.


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## fadetopurple (Dec 19, 2009)

big brown horse - thanks again, and  right back at you. 

Countrymom & ducks4you - wow! Your horses both look(ed) awesome. I am especially impressed with the 24-year old still working cattle.


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## FarmerChick (Dec 19, 2009)

Great picture of the 2 of you fadetopurple

when it is time, it is just that.  nothing we can do.   you did the right thing and YES I am sure you miss him...and will think of him often as I do my long gone horses! 

best to had him in your life than not!


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## pfht7 (Dec 20, 2009)

fadetopurple said:
			
		

> Sorry to hear you also lost a horse to it. At least you were able to get all that extra time with her. Can I ask what breed she was?


Thank you.  My mare was a Peruvian, a Nat'l Reserve Champion who was diagnosed at age 15.  I ended up taking her to five different vets before she was diagnosed.  Three of them could not see what I did. *I* could tell her gait was off before she presented any symptoms, but I guess others could not.  Two vets saw no problems with her at all and pretty much dismissed me as a worrier.  One told me she was off in the front, not the rear (her rear legs *were *affected), and one told me she had EPM but wasn't yet at a 1 on the lameness scale.  The last vet listened to what I had to say, examined her, consulted with other vets, and then correctly diagnosed her.  I remember watching her fetlocks begin to drop and can't count the number of times I cried over her diagnosis.  But at least with a proper diagnosis I was able to find something to help her.  I am grateful for that.  

They're lovely horses with a wonderful gait, and I'd love to have another one, but I refuse to buy one until a test is available. Hopefully a test will be available soon and breeders will be able to assess which horses should be bred and which should not.  Many are currently breeding the best horses they possibly can, using what few tests are available to them.   But the tests we have now only show if the horse is currently affected -- not if it will be affected a few months or a few years from now.  With so many horses displaying symptoms later in life, breeding becomes a huge crap shoot.


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## mousejockey (Jan 8, 2010)

I have  a 30 year old arabian that is in full service and is gaming at OHSET (Oregon High School Equestian Team) this year..


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## ducks4you (Jan 11, 2010)

mousejockey said:
			
		

> I have  a 30 year old arabian that is in full service and is gaming at OHSET (Oregon High School Equestian Team) this year..


Hug him(?/her?) every day.


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## big brown horse (Jan 11, 2010)

ducks4you said:
			
		

> mousejockey said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Good advice!


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## horsenurse (Feb 27, 2010)

I have three horses who are getting up there:

Story is my 21 year old Standardbred.  She is the most wonderful mare on the face of the planet.  (but maybe I'm partial)  She is the only mare I will ever own.  I normally only have geldings and studs, but Story trotted into my heart and that was that!







Jay is my 20 year old Quarter Horse.  He was a rescue.  Rack of bones when I got him.  Typical sad story.  But I've fattened him up.  He's getting to be a sassy old man.  I ride him occasionally, but mostly I just feed and love my horses.  With a full time job and hour commute there's not much time for anything else!  But I just love to watch them be horses more than anything else.  





Finally last but not least, there's All AHADS.  He's more of a foster situation, but I've been around him for 15 years!  He is a retired racing Standardbred.  He made some money in his day.  In his day he had a mark of 2:01.  Which for then was fast not so much now the horses are so much faster these days.  He's 21 years this year and hasn't been on the track since he was 8 years old.  He is a stallion and a perfect gentleman.  I love him!





These are just my older ones, I have three more besides.  I love them all with my whole heart and soul.


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## big brown horse (Mar 23, 2010)

Hi Horsenurse!

I love your photos and stories!  Welcome to the herd!


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