What Would You Do? (Elderly pony)

I look after a 30 yo ex mounted games pony - you know the type, lean as a bean! She gets fed a mixture of hifi, slobber mash, 16+ cubes, sugarbeet and fibre pencils, all soaked into a mash. She gets this twice a day and is out on grass for at least 14 hours a day. She cannot chew properly so this feed is the only thing she can eat, she get a half tub or readygrass at night as she finds it hard to eat hay - she has never looked better! Try and feed anything soakable - nuts/mash/beet/copra etc
 
For her age your pony is looking totally fantastic! I struggled with a COPD pony too so I can understand your problems on the stable/barn side of things!

As everyone else has said I think you'll know/she'll let you know when she has had enough...but I don't think that is now!

From what you have said she still sounds like a happy pony and like you say come the summer she'll pick up and look fantastic (like she does in your photos!)
 
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im sorry to say but i would have her put to sleep shes really old now and its time for her to go

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Why is it time for her to go just cos she is old?

I would go down the route of soaked cubes really sloppy with the sugarbeet, and maybe something like Bluechip soaked well, she won't choke on that
 
If she is bright and happy in herself then there is no need to make a final decision yet. She will be at her thinnest now, but soon the grass will be coming through and she will pick up again.

I agree with everyone who suggested feeding soaked fibre cubes, but you could try adding some vegetable oil to her feeds as well, if she will eat it. Oil is a very dense form of calories and there is no danger of choke with it. Start with a small amount and slowly increase it over a period of days and make sure it is stirred thoroughly into the feed.
 
She certainly doesn't look bad for her age, and in the summer pics looks wonderful. I had to make the decision with my old pony when she was 34. She didn't lose too much weight through the winter, although like Trixie had very loose teeth. Her main problem was arthritis and she began to struggle to get up and also slipped and fell a couple of times when she was having a play (she sometimes thought she was a 3 year old!). I made the decision, together with my vet and the ILPH field officer ( she was an ILPH pony) to give her a good summer and have her pts in the October. When the time came I knew I was doing the right thing for her . You obviously know your pony so well and are doing everything for her. I certainly wouldn't make any decisions yet. We are coming out of the winter and I am sure she will pick up in the spring. I would give it loads of thought over the summer, and perhaps have a chat with your vet if you have good relationship with him. I am sure you will make the right decision for her.
 
i now a horse that is 30 and at the age of 29 she started to develope problems with legs and all sorts why in the hell should you keep a horse in that condition and age just for sake of you its abit thought less really how do you now what kind of pain that horses or pony are in at that age
 
She looks very good for her age.
Feedwise - this is going to sound odd - sugar beet 'soup' with naked oats added in might work - the beet and oats balance each other out in terms of minerals. I managed a Welsh x which couldn't eat any hay or forage, or most hard feeds due to choke...she did really well on this combination.
Bailey's No 1 is also good for weight gain.
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there is only so much you can do but at the end of the day feeding her up is not going to solve the problem because come winter shes going to be back to square one again is this really fair on her
 
ischa, I am sorry your own experience was that this is the age when quality of of life suffers to a level where a pony to be PTS, however it is the case that many ponies will live on to much greater ages with good management.

If the OP wasn't a responsible owner she wouldn't have been posting, and it is clear she is well aware of her responsibilities. I imagine many of us have had horses and ponies that have reached the stage where they are showing signs of not wanting to go on, I don't personally feel this particular pony is there yet, as far as you can tell from a photo - but am sure that she will have a dignified end when the time is right.

And yes, finding the right feeding solution can make a real difference, it just needs a bit more work and dedication
 
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there is only so much you can do but at the end of the day feeding her up is not going to solve the problem because come winter shes going to be back to square one again is this really fair on her

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Oh, Ischa, I wasn't replying to YOU, just to the original poster, using Quick Reply.
You are entitled to your own opinions regarding culling every horse over 30, and younger ones who don't keep condition so well over the winter - I'll bow to your extensive expertise in the care and management of the veteran equine.
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Trixie looks great, many older horses really struggle with keeping weight on in winter, My friends 36 year old was still hacking out but in a simliar condition to Trixie (wobbly teeth, very thin, not eating hay), but he still loved life. I think you will know when she's had enough or the choice will be taken away from you like it was for my friend.
Food wise have you tried fibrebeet, (my friends horse loved it), or something like simple systems or fibre pencils that can be soaked into a pulp.
 
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i now a horse that is 30 and at the age of 29 she started to develope problems with legs and all sorts why in the hell should you keep a horse in that condition and age just for sake of you its abit thought less really how do you now what kind of pain that horses or pony are in at that age

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As the pony is just thin, rather than in pain, if she was in pain she wouldn't look or act happy, a change of diet can work wonders.. I don't keep horses alive for the sake of my own feelings otherwise I wouldn't have had my two old boys cadog and sunbeam put to sleep just before christmas, and i didn't put them down because they were to much trouble but because the one had liver failure and cancer and the other ones arthritis was to bad for him to be made comfatable
 
The OP has said that the pony's main problem is winter weight loss and that it is otherwise bright, healthy and active. So if she can find a good feed regime, then she will not be in the same situation next winter.
 
What a super pony!

I would tend to have a rain sheet on her even in Summer to keep her nice and dry. In Winter I would get some very nice thick waterproof rugs for her. I would find appropriate veteran feed which is developed for older horses which she does not need to chew to eat and some nice soaked sugar beet in it with each feed. I would feed her at least 4 times a day so as to keep her digestive tract going.
 
lets just say she looks good for her age! shes 101% beautiful.. i have a 37yr old and she finds it a struggle to eat hay so we have to feed her an alternative of hi-fi senior and grazeon. she has to have a whole water bucket full and you even have a choice weather you soak it or not.. i dnt because my mare is really fussy and wont eat it! ask your vet for more info.. and as for your dentist.. i dnt really understand that your horse has wobbly teeth have you thought of changing dentists? call different dentists/vets to have their opinion on weather they are ok to be done?
 
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i now a horse that is 30 and at the age of 29 she started to develope problems with legs and all sorts why in the hell should you keep a horse in that condition and age just for sake of you its abit thought less really how do you now what kind of pain that horses or pony are in at that age

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there is only so much you can do but at the end of the day feeding her up is not going to solve the problem because come winter shes going to be back to square one again is this really fair on her

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Please don't get me wrong I do appreciate all the input I am getting.

However I dont think Trixie is in any great deal of pain, she does not struggle to get up after a roll, she doesen't hobble about the field, she isn't miserable at all and relishes attention and activity.
I think with alot of horses and ponies they can go back to square one in the winter, not just elderly ones. By your train of thought there would be no point in having horses at all as they will eventually end of old, so what's the point in any life inbetween?
I do appreciate your opinion however.
 
How wonderful does Polly look! Well done Brighteyes, what a sparky little pony.

Thank you The Watcher. I really hope I can help her along so she can continue to live out her days here. You've given me alot of hope for afew years ahead.

MM - Am going to get vet to come out and give her a once over in the next week or so, so he can give me his opinion, which I value highly.

Tabithakat - have been suggested Simple Systems, must look into that also! Thank you!

Owlie185 - Was going to get a rain sheet on her for the summer but she tends to actually get too hot in the summer months, even when it's chilly. As when she was younger Winter was always her time to thrive, while summer was always abit of a hot/sweaty/tiring drag. I shall see how she goes though. She does look sweet in her rugs. lol.

charlott - vet looked at her teeth and said he wouldn't want to touch them because of how wobbly/unstable there were. He said they would not hinder her eating in anyway, but if he did try to rasp them down a wee bit then they would probably fall out.
We then tried the EDT for a second opinion and he confirmed that they were wobbly and didnt need doing, and he wouldn't be keen to touch them because they'd fall out basically.

Thanks to all who took the time to reply.
 
She looks lovely for her age.

We used Allen & Page Fast Fibre (which is fed soaked into a mash), soaked alfafa pellets and speedy-beet - all soaked into a big bucked of mash 3 x daily for our 39 year old. He was unable to eat any hay, haylage or even grass due to his non-existent teeth, but thrived wonderfully on his "porridge". On seeing him 2 weeks' ago, the vet said that he was an absolute credit to us.

Keep her warm and dray in winter with good rugs - our old boy couldn't bear getting wet in the last couple of years.

With care, love and a close eye, you can keep oldies comfortable, happy and healthy. You'll know when the time is right.
 
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