MANAGE YOUR HORSE TO LIVE LONGER

Statistics show that horses today on average live longer than they ever have in history. Modern disease prevention, parasite control, surgery and other advances mean that, with proper care, a horse has a good chance of living well into his 20s and perhaps beyond. But there are no guarantees. And it takes effort and forethought to help a horse stay active, healthy and happy as the years go by.

And now is the time to build a foundation for a long life. How you care for your horse today---whether he is 2, 7 or 15---can have a significant effect on his health and well-being in the years to come. In fact, the best time to make an investment in your horse’s future is well before he begins to show signs of aging.

“The most common contributors to death in older horses---poor mobility, the inability to chew food and founder---are all things that can be prevented through proper care when the horse is young,” says Robert Judd, DVM, of Hewitt, Texas.

If you acquire a horse when he’s already elderly, there’s no way to roll back the clock, of course, but if you have a younger horse, the actions you take now can make a significant difference down the road.

To increase your horse’s chances of living a long and productive life, focus on five specific management areas---dental care, weight control, fitness, pituitary health and nutrition. To be sure, these don’t encompass everything it takes to keep a horse healthy, but preventive care and vigilance in these areas pay the highest dividends in terms of longevity down the line.