Horses are living longer than ever due to improved veterinary care and nutrition, but extended lifespan requires proactive management of dental disease, arthritis, metabolic conditions, and social needs.
Senior horse welfare requires recognition that aging horses have needs that diverge substantially from younger animals and that proactive, individualized care is essential for maintaining quality of life. Dental deterioration in horses is progressive and predictable: by their mid-twenties, most horses have dental changes that require dietary adaptation — soaked feeds, hay replacers, or complete senior feeds — to maintain body condition. Arthritis management that enables adequate mobility for feeding, shelter access, and basic social interaction is a quality of life imperative. Social management — ensuring that senior horses can access feed without being excluded by younger herd-mates, through separate feeding or managed group composition — prevents the welfare harm of nutritional exclusion. Regular veterinary assessment that tracks body condition, dental health, pain indicators, and metabolic status enables early intervention and supports the most important welfare decision in senior horse management: when euthanasia provides a better outcome than continued life.