Horses are living longer than ever before, making the welfare of senior horses an increasingly important area of equine management.
Senior horses present complex, multi-system welfare challenges that require a holistic management approach. Dental disease causes pain during eating, leading to quidding, weight loss, and colic from poorly chewed food - yet dental checks in older horses are often deferred between sales or farriery visits rather than scheduled as primary care. PPID causes a cascade of welfare harms including hypertrichosis (long coat that cannot be shed), muscle wasting, laminitis, and immune suppression. Body condition monitoring, 6-monthly dental care, PPID testing and treatment, and appropriate pain management for joint disease are the cornerstones of senior horse welfare. The decision of when to retire rather than continue working is an important welfare judgment.