Keeping Your Old Horse Feeling Young by Jessica Jahiel

Author:Jessica Jahiel
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC
Published: 2000-03-25T16:00:00+00:00

Medical Concerns

In general, you can assume that anything that harms a young horse will also harm an older horse. Like older humans, an aging horse is more susceptible to illness and injury than a young horse and is slower to recover from both.

Weather, especially temperature and pressure changes, have a more noticeable effect on older horses. Older horses do not regulate body temperature as well as younger horses and react to sudden changes in temperature with muscle stiffness and soreness and intestinal gas. To be comfortable, an older horse may require a fan as well as shade in summer and warmed water, a blanket, and a heat lamp in winter.

Hands-on Help for Older Horses

In addition to managing your horse’s diet, health, environment, and fitness level, you can enlist the help of trained specialists for equine chiropractic services, massage, and acupuncture. If you are dubious about alternative care or if you don’t have access to or can’t afford the services of qualified, competent practitioners, there are other options. If you are willing to invest some time to learn basic light massage and passive stretching techniques, you can do a lot for your horse with your own two hands. Even the most elementary “carrot stretches” and “belly lifts”can help your horse maintain his health and fitness. (See Resources on page 32.)

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