When to retire?

[Chestnut mare]

How do you know when it's time to retire a pony?
My girlie is 22 years old this year, about 15 years ago she had tendon trouble and ended up having her annular ligament cut- she ended up having a year off work and came back to work fine! Due to this over the years she's become stiff in the diagonal hind leg/hip! Tried supplements but didn't make a lot of difference. She used to hack/ school 4 times a week and used to loosen up half way through! We competed in dressage too.
2 years ago was diagnosed with temperohyoidosteoarthropy and had to have a year off! This was just before I became pregnant so worked well with me not being able to ride anyway! Anyway brought her back into work in the spring last year (well a gentle hack around the block once a week) all was good and she loved being out was really keen! Now my dilemma is we go out now and she's ridiculously slow takes forever to get round the ride! She's very slow to come in from the field too! I really don't know if it's fair to ride her once a week? She's always been lazy and you have to rev her up a bit to get her going she's ok if it's something she enjoys sponsored ride, orchards etc! I also wonder if she's bored just plodding out like we do? I have to go easy on her after the temporohyoidosteoarthropy though! Is it just where it's got colder and she's stabled at night? When we are out her ears and pricked and she's looking around so I think she likes the change of scenery? Any suggestions/advise?

 

[Lgd]

My old girl retired from competition at 19yo as she wasn't really enjoying the intensiity of the training required (she was competing very high level dressage). Played schoolmaster to a friend for a few months and then had another 2 foals after that.
She then almost severed a tendon in a field accident at 22yo but amazingly came sound. I rode her to 25yo but just plodding around the lanes, the limiting factor with her has been eyesight as she is now unsafe in poor light due to senile cataracts. She is 27yo now and still sound. She loves going to parties so gets her outings by doing a bit of in hand veteran stuff and escorting the youngsters to shows and vets as a travelling companion. She does get a bit stiffer when the weather is miserable but that is manageable with boswellia, turmeric and the odd danilon - very rare, think she's had three sachets since November.

 

[Wagtail]

OP, I do think your mare is ready to retire now. At least from what you have said in your post.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Slow movement in the older horse is more likely to be pain than laziness. So she is probably telling you something if she is struggling to get round a short hack. It has been a difficult winter for many horses and sodden boggy ground will pull older horses about. Perhaps you could struggle on to spring and reassess her comfort and quality of life with your vet.

Retirement does not have to, indeed should not, mean dumped in a field and forgotten. I have a retired horse who lives the life of a king and costs me a fortune financially and emotionally. He has earned a happy retirement, although at times I do wonder if I am doing the right thing for him. Making judgements for our golden oldies is difficult, there is no doubt about that.

 

[Red-1]

If she is not able to complete her rides easily I would knock them on the head. You may well find she picks up again come the better weather.

I help someone with an older ex racer, and a couple of winters ago it seemed like she was failing. Work was stopped, and we waited to see. These days she is sound, happy, storming round the school.... She also has a 24 year old small cobby horse. That one is also storming round life. They have both been retired, and have come out of it again!

 

[Chestnut mare]

Thanks for your comments! I do feel little and often maybe better for her to keep her mobile but it's just not possible with a 16 month old son!
My friend suggested half a bute when I want to ride but I'm not sure that is ethical? Giving it because she's stiff yes for her own comfort but not for the benefit of me going for a ride!
I've tried cortaflex and superflex but without much difference!

 

[zaminda]

I would have a chat with the vet. I know a lot of people who give a bit of bute in order to ride a horse lightly. As the horse then enjoys it, and is kept moving it does no harm. However, it does sound as if something may not be quite right Her age in itself isn't a problem for me, but the lethargy is.

 

[Chestnut mare]

She also has cushings I'm not sure if I mentioned that in my original post? She's on Prascend and blood test in January showed results were normal.

 

[Clodagh]

Twice I have had horses that slowed right down and both times there was a problem found, one had low grade lami and the other had been kicked. Neither were specifically lame to look at. I agree with AA and think she is probably hurting. I would get the vet to have a look and maybe put her on bute even to make sure she is comfortable in the field.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Thanks for your comments! I do feel little and often maybe better for her to keep her mobile but it's just not possible with a 16 month old son!
My friend suggested half a bute when I want to ride but I'm not sure that is ethical? Giving it because she's stiff yes for her own comfort but not for the benefit of me going for a ride!
I've tried cortaflex and superflex but without much difference!

There is absolutely nothing wrong with keeping her on a daily dose of pain relief as in bute/danilon. Why is not ethical to keep her comfortable ? Many people take pain relief daily, I certainly do, to enable us to be comfortable.

In my view it is unethical to allow pain, that can be controlled, to exist in the horse. It is easy to use low dose and regular bute to keep a horse active and happy. My advice would be to totally review her care plan with your vet and I bet you can get the mare enjoying life and the odd hack out again.

My horse is coming 23, cushingoid and on 1 1/2 prescend daily along with one bute twice a day. Without the bute he is stiff in the hocks, bute also helps dampen down some of the cushing symptoms.

 

[Chestnut mare]

My friend suggested half a bute when I want to ride but I'm not sure that is ethical? Giving it because she's stiff yes for her own comfort but not for the benefit of me going for a ride!
I've tried cortaflex and superflex but without much difference!

AA I agree I don't want her to be in pain, she is slow even coming in from the field so it doesn't just seem to be when I'm riding her! I just meant is it fair to give her bute just so I can ride? If it improves her overall well being then of course there is no question.

 

[splashgirl45]

I know you said her acth levels were normal in jan but lethargy is a symptom of cushings, I know my mare very well and when she slows down and becomes nice and easy to lead in and out from the field I know she is not feeling right. it may be worth chatting to your vet to see if you could do a short trial of increased prascend to see if it makes a difference. I don't think the blood tests are always accurate so may be worth a try..

 

[Chestnut mare]

Thank you! Yes I think you are right she does need a review about doses and pain relief options.

 

[maxapple]

My horse is 22 this year and was retired 2 years ago. He broke his leg when he was 18, recovered after a long time at the vets and on box rest and came back into gentle work. We were hacking gently and even did a little walk and trot dressage test. He was never lame but started to stumble a little and then one day almost fell over when I was riding - went right into his knees. I got straight off and that was the start of his retirement - I just couldn't risk another serious injury.

He now lives at a retirement livery and had an absolutely charmed life! He lives in a natural herd, out all summer and in big covered barns in the winter and he looks amazing and so well. I did have him retired at home for a while but he was getting pushed around a bit by the younger horses. He now lives with oldies on amazing grazing with lots of space so is so much better there - even though I miss seeing him every day.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

How do you know when it's time to retire a pony?
My girlie is 22 years old this year, about 15 years ago she had tendon trouble and ended up having her annular ligament cut- she ended up having a year off work and came back to work fine! Due to this over the years she's become stiff in the diagonal hind leg/hip! Tried supplements but didn't make a lot of difference. She used to hack/ school 4 times a week and used to loosen up half way through! We competed in dressage too.
2 years ago was diagnosed with temperohyoidosteoarthropy and had to have a year off! This was just before I became pregnant so worked well with me not being able to ride anyway! Anyway brought her back into work in the spring last year (well a gentle hack around the block once a week) all was good and she loved being out was really keen! Now my dilemma is we go out now and she's ridiculously slow takes forever to get round the ride! She's very slow to come in from the field too! I really don't know if it's fair to ride her once a week? She's always been lazy and you have to rev her up a bit to get her going she's ok if it's something she enjoys sponsored ride, orchards etc! I also wonder if she's bored just plodding out like we do? I have to go easy on her after the temporohyoidosteoarthropy though! Is it just where it's got colder and she's stabled at night? When we are out her ears and pricked and she's looking around so I think she likes the change of scenery? Any suggestions/advise?

I don't like to retire mine totally till either health issues or mechanical issues. I seen a 17 year old retire and deteriorate by 19 and pts. We have a livery here who is 34 still hacks out 2 - 3 times a week and one schooling session

Before my MOAL was pts she was still doing 12 mile sponsored rides age 23