From: "Aldrich family"
Dear Jessica, your answers are super. I am sure you hear that alot. I am a 13 soon to be 14 year old girl. I like riding long periods and checking out new things. I own a older gelding named Windwalker. Now called Clod Tripper which is true. His eyesight, hearing and lungs are great. But his leg bones and getting older (no duh he's nearing 30). He trips a lot and hates walking on rough roads and gravel. Although cantering is still possible my mother is getting scared he'll trip and throw me. I know he'd wouldn't mean it but I would like to know when would it be time to say so long to the fella and how I can keep him healthy and happy during these winter months.
I think he has arthritis and ring bone is a term I have only heard once or twice. What is it and what does it do? I am looking for a new horse but money is tight. What suggestions do you have to keep him safe during riding and during off hours? Advice from fellow riders is super. And I have a web site for mostly junior riders but adults too. It's called Horse Country here's the site www.horse-country.com THANK YOU!!
For a horse, 30 years old is OLD. You've done a fabulous job keeping this horse going, and it's great that he still canters and enjoys himself.
I wouldn't canter this horse -- and I wouldn't even ride him on rough roads or gravel until I'd had the vet out to look him over and check his feet and legs. Your mother is right to be worried. If he trips and goes down, you will fly off -- and if you land on a hard road or gravel, your helmet will protect your head, but the rest of your body could have a hard, painful landing. And in any case, I'm sure you don't want your horse to be unhappy and uncomfortable, so keep him off the hard roads and gravel until the vet has had a chance to check him out.
I'm sure he has arthritis -- almost any horse over the age of ten is going to show some arthritic changes. That's normal -- the question is how much arthritis does he have -- and how it affects him. Your vet will evaluate him and tell you what he thinks. Ringbone is common in old horses -- it's a bone disease that can result from an injury, but most often results from wear and tear on a horse's lower legs. There are different types of ringbone, depending on exactly where the ringbone is located -- your vet will check this too, and tell you whether the joint is damaged. A horse with ringbone that affects the pastern joint itself is VERY likely to trip and stumble -- so this could be your horse's problem. If it is, it's not likely to improve.
There can be a lot of different reasons for stumbling and lack of coordination. An unfit horse will stumble much more readily than a fit one. A horse that needs trimming, because his feet are overgrown, unbalanced, or both, will stumble much more readily (and much more often!) than a horse with balanced hooves. Your farrier can help you here. It's also possible that gravel and hard ground are TOO hard for your horse's front feet, and that he needs shoes in front -- your vet can test the horse's feet and tell you whether he thinks that shoes are needed.
Older horses -- and this is a VERY old horse -- don't have the same quick reflexes that they did when they were young. Your horse may trip and stumble more because his weaker muscles and slower response time make it impossible for him to rebalance himself quickly, or correct a slight mis-step instantly, as he could when he was, say, 10 or 20.
Stumbling isn't always a matter of feet and legs and mechanics, though. There are also some diseases that cause stumbling -- so DO have your vet come out and evaluate your horse.
If the vet says he's okay, AND thinks that you can go on riding the horse, I suggest that you make this horse your walk-trot horse, and just NOT canter at all.
For maintenance, start with good feed and lots of attention to his teeth! Ask your vet to float the horse's teeth if they need floating, and ask him what feeds he recommends for such an old horse. Some older horses are better off with a complete pelleted feed, which is easier for them to chew than grain. He'll still need pasture, though, and if you can manage it, full-time turnout in a field with a comfortable shed would be great. Easy gentle walking is best thing for him, and horses that live outdoors walk around enough to keep their muscles a little bit toned, and their joints lubricated. The mild exercise is also good for his bones -- and for his circulation, which is good for his digestion.
If the vet thinks that the horse has really come to the end of his life as a riding animal, you can retire him if you can give him a good life as a retired horse. If you have a pasture where he could live happily, perhaps with a companion or two, then that would be a good retirement option AS LONG AS HE IS COMFORTABLE. When he is no longer comfortable, when he isn't enjoying himself, when he loses interest in life, then a pasture is no longer a good option, and you'll need to talk to the vet about putting him down. It's hard to think about, I know, but it's really your final responsibility as a horse owner. People sometimes put old horses out in fields, thinking that this is kind -- and it CAN be kind, but only if the horse is comfortable and happy. Talk to your vet about this -- he'll be able to give you good advice, and he'll also be able to give your horse a painless, dignified death when the time comes.
Jessica
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