Senior horses over 20 years old face multiple age-related challenges including dental deterioration, Cushings disease, and arthritis that require integrated management to maintain quality of life.
Senior horse welfare requires anticipatory management that addresses the multiple concurrent challenges of aging before they reach crisis level. Equine Cushings disease, if undetected and untreated, causes progressive welfare deterioration through immune suppression, laminitis, and coat abnormalities, while effective treatment with pergolide dramatically improves welfare outcomes. Dental deterioration is inevitable and progressive, requiring dietary adaptation from long-stem forage to soaked hay, chaff, or complete pelleted feeds as chewing ability declines. Arthritis management must be proactive, with regular veterinary assessment of pain and functional limitation guiding analgesia and movement decisions. The social welfare of senior horses in herd settings requires particular attention, as older animals may be displaced from feed by younger herdmates, requiring separate feeding or small group management.