Horses are living longer due to improved veterinary care, and managing the welfare of aging horses requires proactive attention to dental health, joint disease, and nutrition.
Senior horse welfare requires proactive management that goes beyond acute care. Aging horses face a constellation of interacting issues: dental disease reduces feed utilization, endocrine disorders alter metabolism, and arthritis limits comfort and mobility. The welfare challenge is that horses are stoic animals that compensate for pain until it becomes severe, meaning owners often underestimate the welfare burden their senior horse is carrying. Regular veterinary assessment, proactive pain management, and dietary adjustment tailored to individual needs are the foundations of welfare-centered senior horse care.