The retirement of the horse.
- Jul 20
- 9 min read
Updated: Sep 3
Making the decision to retire a horse can be a very difficult and emotional decision.
Despite all the emotional attachment you have for an aging or injured animal, you also have to consider the cost, as they will still need deworming, hoof care, food, shelter, and, when necessary, veterinary treatment.
It is important for horse owners to prioritize the well-being of their horses; the cost of horse retirement should be viewed as an investment in the horse's health and happiness.
However, for some owners, once a horse reaches a certain age and shows signs of needing a little more help, euthanasia is an option. It has to be seen and accepted as a valid option because keeping an older horse in tip-top condition is not only financially costly but can also be incredibly emotionally draining.
Ultimately, the decision will rest with the individual owner after discussion with their veterinarian, podiatrist, trainer, and other horse care professionals.
The main factor in retiring a horse is the animal's condition for its intended purpose. It's not the horse that wants to retire, but the horse's owner who believes the horse needs to be retired, primarily because the horse can no longer do what the owner wants it to do.
A leisure horse doing light work will not be the same as an elite competition horse. In the former case, it may not be necessary to retire until it is 20 or 30 years old, but for an advanced competition horse, 18 may be the time to retire to the countryside for a more relaxed life.
Sometimes we may notice a decline in enthusiasm, a horse beginning to show disinterest in activities it used to enjoy, or becoming lethargic. This could be a sign that it's ready for a quieter life. Subtle signs such as aggressive or grumpy behavior while saddled or even during riding work, which it didn't previously display, can be a sign of a horse's ability to behave in a more relaxed manner.
Perhaps it's time to review the type of work the horse is doing and reduce it. We must be adaptable and understand that the horse must play an important role in deciding when to retire or, at least, when to transition to a slower pace of life.
Whether you've known your horse since birth, throughout its upbringing, and beyond, or you've bonded with it later in life, it's important to provide the best care when it's time for it to enjoy a slower pace of life. A comfortable retirement is a reward for their hard work and continued companionship over the years.
Humans have defined retirement ages and goals, but it's not so simple with horses. As with humans, chronological age doesn't always coincide with the aging process, so it alone shouldn't be a criterion for retirement.
In addition, genetics, management, and environment can affect a horse's aging process. Determining the right time to retire a horse is a crucial decision. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. It depends on several factors, including the horse's age, health, and activity level.
The aging of horses, like that of people, is very individual.
Some horses can be ridden throughout their adult life. Others may have an injury or other problem that makes them impossible to ride in their later years, and most horses will need to work at a slower pace as they age.
We should always pay attention to any physical limitations, such as reduced physical fitness or difficulty maintaining ideal body condition.
In some circumstances, it's necessary to retire a horse early. It may be unsafe to work with due to neurological problems, injury, or illness, with lameness being the most common reason young horses are retired.
A horse has no idea what the word "retire" means. A horse will do the best it can, no matter the circumstances. Older horses still run, buck, and play. A horse in pain from arthritis won't stop trying to run; it will run with a limp, but it will keep running.
As a general rule, horses stay healthier and live longer when they remain active as much as possible. Regular exercise, even just walking, helps maintain muscle mass and keeps arthritis under control.
Arthritis is an inflammation of the joints that can cause decreased performance, pain, and lameness. Horses can be affected at any age; however, it is more common in older horses due to wear and tear on the joints over the years. A horse's chances of developing arthritis increase if it has previously suffered a joint injury or infection, or if it has had a demanding athletic career.
As a horse ages, its hooves will begin to grow more slowly; however, regular hoof care with a podiatrist or farrier is still very important. If they are allowed to grow too long and become unbalanced, this will put additional stress on the joints and worsen any pre-existing joint conditions, which could cause significant discomfort.
The horse should be monitored for any abnormal movements that may suggest pain. Joint pain can prevent the horse from lying down and getting up easily, which can negatively affect its sleep because horses need to lie down to experience REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. Lack of sleep and a disturbed sleep pattern can even lead to behavioral problems.
Horses become less able to cope with extremes as they venture into their later years, and this is especially true when it comes to climate. As they age, your horse's ability to control their body temperature decreases. They likely have less body fat than when they were younger and are likely to be less mobile than before.
Spending time in the sun will warm your horse and allow sunlight to reach its skin, generating vitamin D. This is especially important for older horses because a vitamin D deficiency can reduce bone strength.
Older horses may also have reduced digestive efficiency due to health problems. This could also mean they feel the cold more easily, as their digestive processes provide their own internal heating system. Having constant access to quality forage is essential to help maintain their body condition and will also help keep them warm in cold weather. A high-fiber diet is essential.
Older horses can, and often do, lose condition and body weight at an alarming rate, so we must be fully aware of this. An older horse nearing the end of its life and that has been performing well for years can deteriorate in literally a few days. Some look beautiful until their final days, but others show a rapid decline.
Missing teeth and other dental problems are also common in older horses and, at best, make grazing and chewing difficult. At worst, they can cause pain, reluctance to eat, and, subsequently, weight loss.
Horse teeth naturally wear down approximately 2 to 3 mm each year. To compensate for this loss, teeth continually erupt as they wear down. As the horse ages, fewer teeth remain to erupt, and by the time the horse reaches its mid-twenties, there are none left, and the tooth is effectively "worn out."
Although horses are well-adapted to grazing by using their lips instead of their incisors to grip the grass, it is important for your horse to have regular dental check-ups : identifying problems early can prevent further problems from developing.
A proper deworming program should never be forgotten. Strategic deworming throughout the horse's life is essential to maintaining a horse's health and longevity.
Older horses may suffer a reduced immune response that can leave them more vulnerable to a high worm burden.
Sound grassland management practices, including rotation, resting, and cross-grazing with other species, help reduce the risk of problems and disrupt the grub's life cycle.
Cataracts are another common problem in older horses and cause their vision to decline over time.
Cataracts occur when a horse's lens begins to develop cloudy spots. Think of the lens of a young horse as a clear glass that allows them to see through. As they grow, their lenses may begin to frost over, like bathroom glass, and begin to limit their vision. Over time, these spots often grow larger and cause blurred, hazy vision, which can eventually lead to blindness.
Vision is one of a horse's primary senses, so losing or deteriorating it can make them feel vulnerable to potential dangers. It can also make them reluctant to move around their environment and more anxious than before.
Keeping your surroundings the same can help you feel more secure: hay, water, and salt should always be placed in the same place to avoid confusion.
A common skin tumor affecting older horses, especially gray horses, is melanoma. Often, they will not be cancerous but will continue to grow slowly for several years. The common problem when multiple melanomas grow in one area is that they cause irritation and possible sores. We must be vigilant for signs of melanoma growth, paying particular attention to: under the tail and around the anus, around the genitals, under the ears, behind the jaw, and around the mouth.
The reproductive system is also affected by a horse's age: fertility in both mares and stallions declines. Pregnancy is more difficult to achieve and maintain in older horses. Sperm quality and quantity can limit conception rates, and in mares, there is a progressive age-related degeneration of the uterine lining. The eggs produced by the ovaries are less fertile.
Older horses are also at greater risk of infections and recurrent airway obstruction (asthma), which tends to progress over time.
Similarly, age-related changes can affect the heart or blood vessels and lead to heart failure.
Within the hormonal system, the pituitary gland is important for controlling a variety of functions, including metabolism. Age-related degeneration can cause the pituitary gland to become overactive, leading to an imbalance in the hormones produced, resulting in Cushing's syndrome, which often causes laminitis and elevated levels of cortisol in the blood, a hormone that decreases the immune system's response. A characteristic symptom is a longer-than-normal coat that sometimes becomes curly, dull, and dry.
It is important to recognize that while older horses may not be as productive and useful as they might have been in their youth, routine veterinary, dental, and hoof care, along with proper nutrition and parasite control, are critical to keeping these horses healthy for the rest of their lives.
Depending on the horse's physical condition, temperament, and character, we can consider different retirement options.
For example, loaning the horse to an equestrian therapy center. Equine-assisted therapy provides light activity for the horse while it performs an important function.
His calm temperament, predictable behavior, and ability to provide immediate, nonverbal feedback foster self-awareness and emotional regulation in participants, and her sensitivity to human emotions creates a deep connection that can reduce stress and improve emotional well-being.
Another option may be an equestrian center where younger or novice riders can gain confidence riding an older horse, more experienced horse.
Older horses offer beginners numerous benefits: greater mental maturity, calm and predictable behavior, and extensive experience. This means they are reliable, less reactive, and more tolerant of beginners' mistakes, making them ideal companions for learning the fundamentals of riding.
We can also pair him with a group of colts as tutor to educate and teach young horses how to behave. Young, boisterous colts benefit from the calming influence of an older horse.
An older, experienced horse can act as a valuable mentor for a foal, teaching it natural social behaviors and how to handle new situations. Foals learn by imitating trusted members of the herd. This "buddy horse" can help the foal learn to be calm and relaxed in common situations such as trailers, farriers, or frightening objects by observing and imitating the older horse's calm demeanor.
A well-chosen, serene older horse can be an excellent role model, showing the foal that new experiences are nothing to be afraid of and giving the retired horse a chance to stay mentally active and content.
When retiring a horse, it's important to remember that companionship is key for a horse, whether older or younger. Confining an older, arthritic horse to a stable doesn't do the animal any favors. Although it may not always feel like running with the herd, its need for equine companionship and social life He's stronger than ever, so if he lives in a calm, stable herd, he'll be happier; plus, as we've already mentioned, older horses tend to have a positive effect on younger horses.
Our horses bring us so much joy throughout their lives, and this doesn't stop just because they can no longer be ridden. We should offer them a happy and comfortable retirement, meeting their needs as they develop with advancing age, and simply letting them enjoy a quiet life as horses, in the field grazing on grass.
Retirement doesn't mean the end of any interaction with your horse; it just means giving them the time and space to enjoy their golden years, no matter how old they are. Horses don't crave more days, just good days. They have no personal ambitions for glory. If they're loved, their physical and mental needs are met, and they're not in pain, they're generally quite content.
Providing proper end-of-life care for a horse is the last, and possibly the best, thing we can do for him.
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