Older horses and time off

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jehsb

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I wanted to get opinions on giving older (18/19) year old horses time off. I know it is always good for young horses to have a break over winter to be allowed to mature but is it detrimental for an older horse to stop working at all for a couple of months or are they best kept ticking over/moving ?
For context just had surgery and trying to decide if I can keep doing something with the horse or just wait until I'm better - horse lives out 24/7 apart from really bad weather when he comes in a night.
 
My preference would be to keep lightly ticking over. Having said that, sometimes life is unavoidable.

Mine survived going from ridden 6 days a week to full time field loafing for 3 + months with no riding or in-hand work last year.

He started to come into ridden work over Chriatmas/NY and it's been fine but from a strength perspective, I'd rather have kept him in light work.
 
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I think it partly depends on size and terrain of field and how much he will move around?

How sound is he know? Do you know if you are managing any underlying arthritis which might deteriorate with less movement?

Is he an old or young 16/17? Small or big horse? Ponies seem to bounce back better than big horses. How fit is he know? Horses that have had a decent level of fitness for a number of years, do seem to hold it longer when having longer periods of time off.

How easily does he keeps fitness. And what you want to be able to do with him.

Happy hacking twice a week, it might not make that much difference.

Decent level affiliated competition it might be harder.

I think it is harder to put lost muscle back on an older horse but not impossible.

Do you know if he feels better or worse to ride with a week off currently?
 
I gave my 15 year old 10 weeks off and he's come bank great, physio was really pleased with him when she visited just before I got back on board. He was out a lot which I think helped.
 
For me it would depend on if he's fit and healthy, or at all stiff/arthritic - if the latter then it's probably better for him to keep ticking over - that said you should prioritise your own recovery. I guess the ideal situation would be if you could find someone to ride him for you (either paid or unpaid depending on the horse and person), until you're properly back in action. Failing this, he'll probably be fine living out and having a break. Even older horses can benefit from a break in which micro-injuries you're totally unaware of can settle.
 
Thank you everyone for the replies. I am realistically not going to be capable myself of anything more than lungeing (which I'm not a big fan of to be honest and probably wouldn't want to do that more than once or twice weekly for more than 10/15 minutes) or walking (slowly!!) in hand, for probably a max of 30 minutes so I am questioning how much good this would really do him that he wouldn't be moving out in the field !
He is fit/sound and healthy and has been in regular work until now.
 
I have posted before. My old share had the whole summer off when she was about 22, turned away first on her own and then with three geldings. I didnt mind too much as I had a favourite and more speedy RS Connie whom I hacked all that summer.
 
jehsb said:
Thank you everyone for the replies. I am realistically not going to be capable myself of anything more than lungeing (which I'm not a big fan of to be honest and probably wouldn't want to do that more than once or twice weekly for more than 10/15 minutes) or walking (slowly!!) in hand, for probably a max of 30 minutes so I am questioning how much good this would really do him that he wouldn't be moving out in the field !
He is fit/sound and healthy and has been in regular work until now.
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My old loan pony (14hh Sec D) was six weeks younger than me. I sort of gave him up when I went to uni but his owner never found another loaner (it was a complicated situation!) so I'd pick him back up when I came home from uni for the holidays. He'd be ridden for a month at Christmas and Easter and 3 months in the summer and just mooch about the field in between. He was absolutely fine with that. We didn't go mad but would do a bit more, such as fun rides, towards the end of summer when he was fitter. This was between 18 and 22 for us both!

I'd either get a trusted person to hack him a couple of times a week or turn him away and bring him back into work carefully once you're back in action.
 
jehsb said:
Thank you everyone for the replies. I am realistically not going to be capable myself of anything more than lungeing (which I'm not a big fan of to be honest and probably wouldn't want to do that more than once or twice weekly for more than 10/15 minutes) or walking (slowly!!) in hand, for probably a max of 30 minutes so I am questioning how much good this would really do him that he wouldn't be moving out in the field !
He is fit/sound and healthy and has been in regular work until now.
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30 minutes of in hand pole work 2-3 times a week will do wonders for maintaining his core strength and flexibility. Don't underestimate the value of walking over poles, there are lots of different exercises you can do to keep a bit of variety. I tend to set up a circuit of 4 different exercises and then progress round on each rein. I think walking rather than trotting over poles tends to build strength as they can't use their momentum to help them.
 
I try not to because older horses find it harder if to get their muscle and topline back and also benefit from little and often with exercise but in your circumstances if he is getting good turnout I am sure he will be fine.
 
alibali said:
30 minutes of in hand pole work 2-3 times a week will do wonders for maintaining his core strength and flexibility. Don't underestimate the value of walking over poles, there are lots of different exercises you can do to keep a bit of variety. I tend to set up a circuit of 4 different exercises and then progress round on each rein. I think walking rather than trotting over poles tends to build strength as they can't use their momentum to help them.
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This totally.

He will of cope if you can't do anything, but if you can manage any sort of ground work it will make a huge difference. Don't forget carrot stretches/Pilates for horses too.

My 21 y/o recently had nearly 2 weeks off with all the ice. He was going out in the field every day, on a hill, but he was noticeably weaker/stiffer when he came back in to work. He did quite quickly get going again - he was pretty fit before hand.
 
My then 24yr old had 3 months off when I had an accident. He was happy to come back to work.
He had another 3 months when I had repeat surgery, when he was 27. He was the first I rode after, but this time I felt he didn't enjoy himself, and he retired that day. He did have other health issues though.
 
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