Book 22

Care of the Older Horse

by Sarah Pilliner

Published 16 September 1999
In their natural environment, horses and ponies can stay happy and healthy well into their thirties, but the demands we make on them mean that many get old before their time, perhaps retiring from work in their late teens. What do you do with old horses? How do you look after them? Do their nutritional requirements change? Just how much work is it safe to give them? This book answers these questions in a clear concise way and discusses the effect of old age on the horse; how to care for the retired veteran (including the problems of too much spring grass, the summer fly worry and winter care); working the older horse throughout the year; special feeding requirements; ailments and problems that might occur and how to prevent them happening in the first place. Many horse owners have older horses in their care and cannot afford to be without this invaluable book.