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

[ycbm]

I have a friend who was involved in a clinical trial on the use of exercise for the reduction of arthritic pain. The study showed strongly that exercise was beneficial in humans. In a horse, though, I'm not certain that should be ridden exercise unless there's no other way, and herd turnout on sparse grass or a track system to keep them moving gently is possibly optimum.
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[maya2008]

I would be very wary about semi-retirement with a pony at this time of year - I sent one of my older ones out on semi-retirement loan at the end of last winter. Gentle walk and trot work with small children. Seemed perfect. She came back only a few months later with laminitis. Not had it, ever, in the last 6 years of owning her (out on grass with the others, no muzzle needed). Cut down on the workload and suddenly she was sick. When ours is over the lami I am going to have a good chat with the vet about any help she can have for her arthritis so we can keep her moving as much as possible - for her own good.

 

[HashRouge]

I have a friend who was involved in a clinical trial on the use of exercise for the reduction of arthritic pain. The study showed strongly that exercise was beneficial in humans. In a horse, though, I'm not certain that should be ridden exercise unless there's no other way, and herd turnout on sparse grass or a track system to keep them moving gently is possibly optimum.
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I agree with this. We need to remember that horses are not actually designed to carry riders.

 

[Midlifecrisis]

Daughters mare is 24 and now fully retired from ridden work (she’s had a very active life) ...she can be stiff after being in stable overnight but very quickly walks it off and strides out to field faster than I comfortably keep up with. She can throw shapes in the field when she feels like it and trots and canters and get up and down to roll. When she starts to be unable to do these things I ll reassess with vet advice and decide whether to medicate or not. Im not sure I would medicate to keep on with substantial ridden work…although a leg stretching hack wouldnt be an issue. Each horse and situation is different so I suppose only you and your vet can come up with the best option going forward.

 

[eahotson]

I retired my old boy at the age of 21.His hocks went again and did not respond as well as hoped to injections.On top of that he had developed a little arhtritis in one foot and fell once when ridden.The vet said he could be ridden lightly for another 12 to 18 months but I decided enough was enough.I realized that being ridden was damaging him now and I wanted to retire him while he was at least field sound.He had been a good boy for e and owes me nothing.
I found a lovely retirement livery close by where I can see him whenever I want.He is turned out in a large field, rotated when necessary in a herd of about 15,has a "Best Friend" and is very well looked after.He is blissfully happy.He lives out 24/7.Rugged in the bad weather.If ever I did a good thing it was that.

 

[Orangehorse]

I think in human terms a 24 year old is the same as 70+ in a human, if you say that a 30 year old horse is the same as a 90 year old human.

So lots of 70 year olds are still quite frisky, but others are suffering from arthritis and maybe unseen problems that slows them down.

As it happens, mine is 24 too. I sometimes think that I could do a bit more with him, I am sure he would appreciate a trip out in the trailer to hack round some new rides. But if you say that travelling in the trailer takes the same energy as walking for the horse, then I wouldn't want to travel far or go for a long ride or over steep terrain. At the moment I ride him twice a week if possible and the longest I go is about 1.5 hours, but just about all at a walk.

Mine was keen to have a short canter last week, in our usual canter spot. On the other hand, he wanted to stop and have a breather and brief rest when walking up a steep hill.

I think that your 24 year old is saying that he want to slow down. That doesn't mean that he can't still go for a gentle hack and keep in regular work. But remember that a lot of horses don't even get to 24 still being ridden, so he is doing quite well.

 

[Squeak]

Just a thought but if it's a recent change then could it be the heat or hard ground?

Otherwise as others have said it's a bit of a balancing act, my old boy loved going out for hacks but sometimes his arthritis would play up for a bit so I'd stop hacking and when the season changed etc give him another go and see what he was thinking - invariably he always was then delighted to be back hacking again but I very much let him dictate what he felt like doing and it was just light hacking work.

 

[Sealine]

I'm following this thread with interest as my horse is now 20 and has hock spavins. He is on 1/2 a sachet of Danilon twice a day and is still hacked 5 days a week. He struggles this time of year due to the hard ground but always seems to bounce back in the winter when the ground is softer. I'm constantly questioning whether he's doing too much or whether he should be retired. I worry that if I stop working him he will put on weight which is no good for his arthritis. I'm starting to think about retirement livery as he can't have 24/7 turn out where he is at the moment. I'd find it really hard not seeing him every day although I realise that is selfish of me. He's been an amazing horse and he owes me nothing I just want to do the best for him.

It's probably time for me to start researching retirement livery so if anyone has any recommendations, preferably in Herts/Beds/Bucks, please let me know.

 

[milliepops]

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!

This resonates with me. I don't medicate my oldies but i think this is a fair line to take. a bit of bute or whatever to allow them to bimble out in their own way (assuming the mind was still game) would sit fine with me, buting up to try and do all the old rides probably not.

 

[Cortez]

I realise how hard it is for people with horses at livery. I'm fortunate to be able to give all my old troopers at least several years of well earned rest and recreation on suitable grazing, or a combination of walk-in stable and paddock if they're not 24/7 lovers.

 

[Orangehorse]

Yes, mine has definately put on weight since doing less work. I give him Buteless supplement, which seems to work well and 1 Danilon before riding, usually the night before, although I'm not sure he actually needs it.

 

[Ali27]

My mare is 20 and physio has advised to stop jumping x country and blasting around. She will be fine to do dressage and odd jumping on surface for a few years hopefully but as soon as she shows any signs of not being happy when ridden, she will be retired and can happily munch in field? I’ve just bought a 2 year old who should be ready to take over from her in a couple of years time?

 

[ester]

I’d also query the ground impact too. The summer frank was 25 or 26 (he was still hunting/competing at 24) was very dry and hard and he just didn’t cope with it well looked uncomfortable, and retained a lot of sole (which all shed off when it rained come September). Vet cleared him as as sound as usual but he wasn’t himself. He went on bute and stopped hacking. Arguably he could have returned to it but he def didn’t live to be ridden and as he was at mums by then she didn’t enjoy riding him that much anyway. ?
we did take him off the bute again but he wasn’t himself so has stayed on it since (29 this year).
As he’s a native I’ve always managed him as if he were metabolic which we just continued, though in the last year or so his deteriorating teeth have meant free access to grass for the first time in his life.

he walks out in hand once or twice a week and if I’m visiting I long rein him as he really enjoys that but he’d be fine doing nothing too.

 

[cold_feet]

I realise how hard it is for people with horses at livery. I'm fortunate to be able to give all my old troopers at least several years of well earned rest and recreation on suitable grazing, or a combination of walk-in stable and paddock if they're not 24/7 lovers.

I agree it’s hard for liveries. It’s easy to say ‘chuck him out and let him end his years in the field’ if you own such fields. Otherwise it is usually give up riding altogether as few can afford livery for 2. Some people have the resources to retire, others see their horses as pets, which is fair enough, but many have a horse so they can ride. Hard choices face owners in that situation. Some (many) will see this view as heartless, but every one of us is exploiting these animals in some way, however they are kept.

 

[Annagain]

Cartrophen really helped my old boy. He had quite advanced arthritis in his knees. I retired him at 25 and he got really depressed so we tried cartophen in the hope it would buy us a bit of gentle hacking time to keep him happy. It worked a treat and he continued to go out for little hacks (20 minutes tops) three or four times a week which was enough to boost his mood for another two years. Like Aus, I would let him choose where and how fast (within reason) to go. The last time I rode him (3 days before losing him unexpectedly to colic) we were strolling home on the buckle and he legged it home up the hill. It took me about 20m to stop laughing and another 30 to pull him up. I treasure that memory.

 

[Leandy]

I would retire, or semi-retire but the latter only if you have a nice semi-retired job for him to usefully do. I wouldn't be actively looking for new loan homes or similar, but if there is a mutual interest from a friend or acquaintance where you can guarantee a suitable loan home with responsible people then I would let him do that and bring some joy and experience to a new rider whilst he winds down himself. If it required a small amount of medication to keep him comfortable then I would be OK with that but I wouldn't be drawn into incrementally increasing medication to keep an elderly pony working. Even if the pony wasn't showing signs of slowing down, I would be reducing work and expectations significantly at 24 anyway. By that stage a much loved family pony has earned a quiet retirement at grass, as others have said.

 

[paddy555]

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.

cushings is often described as riding through treacle. This happened to mine but a lot younger. I had the same comment from someone else this week about their horse. It was tested, is on prascend and is now back to normal riding. Mine was the same.

Before anything else I would do an ACTH test for cushings, single blood pull. In fact I would be testing a 24yo anyway for cushings.

 

[Pippity]

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.
.

This is a really good point. Blue normally comes and stands by the stable door as soon as she sees her saddle. If she doesn't, I know there's something wrong - either her saddle is uncomfortable or she's not feeling well. If she actively moves away, there's something seriously wrong. The only time I pushed and rode her anyway after she'd moved away from her saddle, she tied up.

Equally, she usually pretty much puts her own bridle on. If she's a bit reluctant, there's something not right. (That's why I stopped using a pelham for hacking.)

This horse will try her heart out for me before saying there's something wrong, so I've learned to listen to the smallest hints.

 

[Peglo]

It is really tough when they like to get out still. I had to retire my old pony at 15 as she was lame after being ridden. She was still marching out happy to hack but she was lame so I had to stop riding. I took her inhand hacks instead and after a couple of years of retirement she was 100% field sound without any bute and I still have her at 31. But as people say, I didn’t have to pay livery and could get another horse.

 

[milliepops]

i've noticed my loan horse opens his mouth for the bit now whereas i used to have to ask him to open it.
Millie used to enthusiastically grab at the bit

He's also started to approach the door when i bring the tack and he stands in the doorway to be tacked up whereas before i had to tie him up to throw it at him. I hope this is a bit of an indication that he's understanding and perhaps even enjoying his work more. He's certainly more relaxed about it all now, though i don't know how much of that is just a general reduction in anxiety since he's been here. as above i do try and pick up on these little signs though.

 

[eahotson]

I agree it’s hard for liveries. It’s easy to say ‘chuck him out and let him end his years in the field’ if you own such fields. Otherwise it is usually give up riding altogether as few can afford livery for 2. Some people have the resources to retire, others see their horses as pets, which is fair enough, but many have a horse so they can ride. Hard choices face owners in that situation. Some (many) will see this view as heartless, but every one of us is exploiting these animals in some way, however they are kept.

You are right.I am lucky.I could afford to retire mine and still have another.

 

[Birker2020]

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.

Yes but this type of comment can only come from someone who has their pick of horses to ride, and has acres of space available to retire their horses to. If you are the bog standard one horse owner which most of us on this forum are then I see nothing wrong in giving a horse a sachet of bute in order to still be able to take if for a hack isn't unreasonable. The vet won't prescribe unless he sees the horse every 6 months, and bute is only like taking an ibuprofen for humans.

If a horse needs to be on two or three bute a day in order to be ridden then I think that's highly questionnable. But there are thousands of horses who are kept ticking over (and even competed) with a sachet of bute. And as anyone knows, horses with arthritis are better kept moving within reason.

My last horse was opinionated enough to tell me when she didn't want to be ridden and then I would always intervene and get the vet to assess. I would never ride a lame horse, but a lame horse and a horse that is a bit stiff as a result of OA is completely different and that's where NSAIDS come into play.

 

[Cortez]

Is competing on bute not illegal in the UK?

 

[SO1]

I believe so but I expect a lot of people still do it.

Is competing on bute not illegal in the UK?

 

[ester]

Illegal?

do you mean against some governing bodies rules then yes but not every comp is run under such rules

 

[Fieldlife]

Illegal?

do you mean against some governing bodies rules then yes but not every comp is run under such rules

Most unaffiliate competitions adopt affiliated rules. I can think of few competitions where it would be within rules to compete on bute.

 

[ester]

I didn’t say it was lots ?.

fwiw I was mostly thinking showing as unaffiliated don’t tend to say they are running to X rules in my neck of the woods.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I certainly wouldn't rehome a faithful old friend from a settled herd to a light hacking home but I suppose if you haven't had him long you won't feel that you owe him anything. If you feel he needs downgrading to light hacking, is there any reasonhyou can't do that with him?

 

[Leandy]

Most unaffiliate competitions adopt affiliated rules.

Yes but they aren't going to implement drug testing are they? So it doesn't really matter whether it is technically in the rules or not at a small unaff competition.

 

[eahotson]

Yes but they aren't going to implement drug testing are they? So it doesn't really matter whether it is technically in the rules or not at a small unaff competition.

Depends on your conscience I suppose.