Caring for the Senior Horse

Speaker: Dr. Christine Skelly
Michigan State University
Associate Professor
Equine Extension Specialist


The old adage "you're only as old as you feel," is especially applicable to horses. Many senior horses have productive careers well into their late twenties. Research suggests that the secret to maintaining a serviceable older horse is to make proactive management changes in their health care, diet and exercise. Signs of aging include dental problems, weight or muscle loss, gray hairs around the face, flank and tail head, and stiffening of the joints. The average onset of aging signs in horses is twenty years. Like humans, the degree of physical aging varies from horse to horse.