At what point do you accept your horse/pony is just too old to do what you want it to do?

[Fifty Bales of Hay]

A bit of backround first. Said pony is 24 years old this year, and has started to slow down in ridden work. Nothing obvious stiffness wise, nor lameness. But has gone from VERY forward going to slower walking out now hacking, not so enthusiastic. And now isn't keeping up with the others in walk, but other gaits not so bad, whereas a couple of years ago was trying to get ahead of the others!

The vet has seen the pony and from a visual inspection nothing untowards to see. Agreed it wasn't worth doing thousands of pounds worth of investigations due to the age.

Danilon is being administered on a daily basis on a minimal amount (raising the amount didn't make any difference to the speed of riding) but I thought there was improvement on a small amount, and vet agreed to give this.

Vet has suggested maybe a course of Catrophen to see if that helps?

Or is there anything else I can do, or give to the pony to help. Perhaps something I've not thought of?

Or is it time now to take a step down and pony now goes into a semi retirement home with just very light hacking or as a confidence giver. I do not believe full retirement is the answer just yet.

 

[Cortez]

I'd give the poor old thing a nice retirement for his reward, not medicate him to keep him going for your own purposes. If he's slowing down he's telling you in the only way he can.

 

[HashRouge]

I'd agree with Cortez here. 24 is a good age to still be riding, so I'd be inclined to either let him be a light hack or retire altogether.

 

[MuddyMonster]

I'd just either fully retire him/her or step down significantly their workload to what she can comfortably manage and is happy to do, which sounds like it might be short, light hacks.

 

[Fifty Bales of Hay]

Thank you Cortez, but my pony is far from being a "poor old thing" as you've suggested. Sorry this quite upset me. This is a much loved pony, and I'm going by the vets advice as well, and the Catrophen was suggested as a way to improve, but I know nothing about it, or how it can help.

I am resigned to the fact that retirement might be the only option or that VERY light work might be the only option which is why I've come on here for opinions.

 

[Fifty Bales of Hay]

Thank you Muddymonster and HashRouge.

 

[Fieldlife]

Does horse want to be ridden? Do they enjoy it? Can you tell? Once that age, imo it becomes about figuring out what they want.

 

[Cortez]

AAmp, any horse of 24 is old, any horse that is having to be medicated in order to be ridden is on the poorly end of things imo. I have always given my old horses as many years of retirement as I can, and I have never ridden one on analgesics.

 

[Fifty Bales of Hay]

Does horse want to be ridden? Do they enjoy it? Can you tell? Once that age, imo it becomes about figuring out what they want.

Yes really does still enjoy being ridden and going out, yes I can tell. Currently only doing what I would call light hacking, a couple of times a week, in walk and trot for up to an 45 minutes/60 minutes.

 

[Arzada]

I recently said to my farrier that Arzada suddenly was looking older. He said it sometimes happens that way. Anyhow 24 yo is approx 70/71 year old human. I'm a few years short of that and I'm definitely slowing down. A light hacking option sounds to be a good way forward.

 

[ihatework]

I’m reasonably open minded about supportive medication on an older horse provided under vet care and I know them well enough to know if they are enjoying being ridden or just tolerating it (the latter equals retirement). I wouldn’t blink at routine Cartrophen on an older horse

 

[FieldOrnaments]

It sounds like he's given you many years of well mannered willing service and deserves a nice retirement, with maybe the odd stroll out in walk.
Medicating in order to ride is cruel IMO, it is just masking an issue but if he is slowing down there very clearly is an issue (even if that issue is ordinary age-related wear and tear to joints/arthritic changes).

 

[asmp]

I recently tested mine for Cushings. Lethargy is apparently one of the symptoms. Has he been tested? My horse’s results were very low so we’re going to try him on Prascend for a month to see if it makes any difference to him.

 

[Auslander]

Alf is 25 now, and we do less and less every year. He still likes going out hacking, but direction, speed and duration are now completely his choice (his choices are sometimes further and faster than I think is sensible, but hey!). On the one hand, it's madly frustrating, as he knows so much, and I really want to be doing all the stuff he's so good at, but on the other hand, I feel pretty lucky to still be able to ride such a big horse, who has worked hard all his life, and hasn't got the greatest track record from a veterinary perspective.

 

[Abacus]

I disagree with those that are talking about ‘medication’ in regard to cartrophen. I’ve used it several times for my 24 year old horse and it has definitely made him more comfortable. It works over the whole body and has a long period of action (I’ve only had to repeat it every 18 months). I would say it’s worth a go to see how he feels afterwards, and then set his workload accordingly - which may include retirement if he isn’t ok to hack. But I would go with the vets advice and see if it helps him. Good luck. Yes 24 is old but plenty of horses are still on good form at that age.

 

[rara007]

Certainly sounds like cartrophen could be worth a go.

 

[dreamcometrue]

Speaking as poor old thing I think it is very important to keep fit and exercised otherwise you deteriorate physically and mentally.

I am currently bringing a retired horse back into light hacking work for someone as the horse has become quite fat in its retirement. She is loving it; hacking out smartly and starting to look so much better physically.

She does have one Bute a day and would have this whether worked or not to keep her comfortable. Not my horse so nothing to do with me but she is sound and forward, I enjoy riding her and the weight is coming off.

 

[Tiddlypom]

There's a hard core of posters on here who insist that 'medicating' a horse to enable it to become more comfortable is somehow cheating and fooling the horse.

I presume that these same people also refuse to take any painkillers themselves, in case they are fooled into feelng better with them than without them.

There are a number of ethical routes to take with a horse who might be stiffening up and slowing up, and cartrophen is certainly one of them. That is assuming that the horse has been assessed by a good vet.

The main thing is to listen to the horse - if the treatment makes no difference then it really is time to slow down.

 

[fidleyspromise]

I think light work sounds ideal and try this for a bit and see how she feels with each ride.
Mine is 20 and still very forward but I'm trying to be very aware each time I take her out - is she enthused? Is she enjoying herself? Is she eager to keep going or wanting to turn back? How is she feeling stiffness wise? I'm finding it a bit daunting to ensure I do right by her as she was very poorly last year and I thought I was going to lose her.
The last time I rode her - about 2 or 3 weeks ago - she galloped down the beach..

I havent heard of Cartrophen so can't comment on that.

 

[stangs]

Worth keeping in mind that you can work a horse without riding them, and putting all that extra weight on their ageing joints. I'd be leaning towards in hand hacks with him tbh.

 

[paddi22]

another vote here for a cushings test. my 20 year got very slow and lethargic and as soon as he was on prascend he was back to his normal self. one of the side effect of his bushings had been mild laminitis, but it was enough to stop him being comfortable going forward. the medication managed that and I got my horse back and he is still eventing. if it's not something like bushings, I would retire to a happy hacking home where the workload is comfortable for the horse.

 

[Cortez]

There's a hard core of posters on here who insist that 'medicating' a horse to enable it to become more comfortable is somehow cheating and fooling the horse.

I presume that these same people also refuse to take any painkillers themselves, in case they are fooled into feelng better with them than without them.

There are a number of ethical routes to take with a horse who might be stiffening up and slowing up, and cartrophen is certainly one of them. That is assuming that the horse has been assessed by a good vet.

The main thing is to listen to the horse - if the treatment makes no difference then it really is time to slow down.

Medication to relieve pain and inflammation is hardly cheating, what a strange idea. However if a horse requires medication in order to be ridden then IMO it is time to acknowledge that the horse is fundamentally unsound and I would not ride a horse under those circumstances. Other people do, that is their choice.

 

[Spotherisk]

Mine was 26 I think, went for a 30 minute walk hack with a friend and he was nit at all enthusiastic. He’d been doing a bit less for a couple of years before as I had another horse to bring on. I did ride him twice two years ago for about 15 minutes each time, which I think we both enjoyed, but since then he’s been turned out retired, happy with his friend.

 

[Jango]

I would definitely keep hacking, just at a pace/duration he's comfortable with. My mum is 72 and has been hiking all her life, she's slower now and doesn't do the big mountains any more, but she's very happy continuing to walk in the hills and she's much fitter and healthier than her similar aged friends who have given up exercising. I think steady, gentle exercise is almost always a good thing for all people/animals (unless there is a specific vet/medical issue). Horses are designed to walk long distances, if you have absolutely huge, hilly fields then retiring from riding won't make a difference. But if he's kept on a typical UK yard then I do believe continuing to hack will be beneficial to him to keep his cardio fitness, muscles and resp fitness up. I would also try the cartephen and see if that makes a difference. As he ages you can reduce his work accordingly down to nothing, but personally I wouldn't completely stop now.

 

[SO1]

I don't know about cartrophen but if vet has suggested it and you can afford it then give it a go.

I think you are lucky if you have a healthy pony at 24 and at that age if they want to go a bit slower I would let them go at the pace and speed they chose. Light exercise is good.

I also think that it might not be fair to loan out at that age just because you don't want to do light hacking.

If the pony is already on Danilon then I presume there is already an underlying health condition that is being medicated. If more Danilon is not helping and the vet says pony is sound how do you know the problem is arthritis and not something else.

I would do a blood test and also test for Cushings to make sure you have covered the basics first.

 

[ponynutz]

Also agree if horse is enjoying his work then medication to allow him to enjoy 'walkies' (so work similar to keeping a dog exercised) might be the way forward.

TBH I took 'poor old thing' as a bit of an endearment - sounds like a lovely, well-mannered horse who's given you much pleasure bless him x

Also agree I'd keep him on if it was me and resources allowed as a happy hacker rather than moving him on but very aware in the state things are in now might not be the solution for you.

 

[J&S]

My veteran mare is 25 now and I can tell quite easily what she will do and what she does not enjoy any more! I have tried bute and many supplements in the past but if its No its No whatever she is on! I mostly lead her from another pony now for road exercise and she seems to enjoy that, trotting long beside me with her head and ears up and interested. This, and some in hand work, has kept her pretty fit looking so there are solutions to keep them moving but not in ridden work.

 

[KEK]

Agree with most, there is a difference with medicating (NSAIDS (bute)) to remain field sound vs medicating to be ridden (although wouldn't classify cartrophen as medicating, its more a neutriceutical). I compete in agility with my dogs and would not medicate to compete but do medicate to be comfortable being a dog.
I deal a lot with chronic pain in dogs and exercise is definitely important, to a level it doesn't make the patient worse/more sore. Walking in hand sounds great for this, and is what we are planning on when the 23yo Standy we have here doesn't want to be ridden anymore (I think we are very close to that).

 

[Auslander]

There's a hard core of posters on here who insist that 'medicating' a horse to enable it to become more comfortable is somehow cheating and fooling the horse.

I presume that these same people also refuse to take any painkillers themselves, in case they are fooled into feelng better with them than without them.

There are a number of ethical routes to take with a horse who might be stiffening up and slowing up, and cartrophen is certainly one of them. That is assuming that the horse has been assessed by a good vet.

The main thing is to listen to the horse - if the treatment makes no difference then it really is time to slow down.

Totally agree. I can't get going in the morning without a good dose of naproxen, but once it's kicked in, I am more able to move around comfortably and enjoy a pretty active lifestyle. Who am I to deny Alf the odd cartrophen jab/sachet of bute, when that has the exact same effect on him as human anti inflammatories do on me. My vet is adamant that he needs to stay in work, for his own wellbeing. He's too big to lose all his muscle tone

I don't agree with medicating a horse to work it harder than it could work without meds, but I have no issue giving an older horse something to ease it into the day!

 

[ycbm]

I would be sure that you always tack her up in a large stable without tying her up. If she shows the slightest sign of walking away rather than having the tack on, it's time to retire, or at the very least not to ride that day.

The conventional rule that horses should be tied up to tack up stops them having any voice about whether they want that to happen or not. I'm no bunny hugger, I carry a whip and am prepared to use it, but every horse I've had who has walked away from its tack has later been found to have something wrong with it.
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