Do you read the Fugly blog?
Well, last week I caught this video from the Fugly and I loved it. You have got to see this 40 year old horse…! He was 35 when he was rescued from a kill pen looking “old”. He was 40 years old in the video and in the second shown below. Wow.
Sarge in the kill pen 5 years ago at the age of 35. Click to watch the video.
Sarge 5 years later, age 40!
THE REASON I’M WRITING ABOUT THIS
How often do you hear, “Oh, he’s just old…” when referring to a skinny horse with an awful top line? I know I’ve said it. I also know that I’ve accepted that reasoning when looking at an elderly horse. And, in some cases, I think it is true. Some horses, like people, don’t last as long or look as good later in life. I’m sure it has to do with lifelong stuff (nutrition, health, job, stress, genetics…) but these kinds of horses and people are not going to become ‘spring chickens’ overnight… However, good food, good care and exercise will help any horse or human, for sure.
This Roman Riding mare pair is over 30 years old! They are fat and healthy!
Having said that… after watching that video of 40 year old Sarge, the photo/story of the 27 year old mustang called, Brumby, linked here and also shooting this video of Tad Griffith and his 30 year old Roman Riding horses (30 years old!!); I don’t believe equine old age has to be expressed in skinny. I think that some older individuals respond incredibly to great care, great food and reasonable exercise. I believe this totally — which is why it is a tsktsk kind of thing that I’m going to report next…
Brumby, the 27 year old Mustang stallion.
I MESSED UP RECENTLY
I’m also writing about equine ‘skinny top line old age syndrome’ because it caught me off guard recently. Tsk Tsk. I mean, I think of myself as astute and on top of the condition of my animals… but I realized that I almost didn’t detect the first signs of AGE in my Shetland ponies. Ugh.
It is hard for me to even admit it but my two Shetlands (Slick and Dodger) are approximately 19 and 20. My retired Morgan mare is 20, almost 21.
For some reason, I’ve accepted that my Morgan mare is older. Maybe because she acts like a saged and wiser old mare?… Maybe because she is arthritic and I’m reminded of her age when she moves about? But, truly, she looks great so I don’t really consider her ‘older’. Yet, I’m watching her closely for signs to appear.
On the other hand, my Shetlands seem so spunky and spritely and silly and devilish, I just didn’t see it coming on.. Sure, I see them every day and I also let them out to graze the green grass around the house which puts them right under my nose… but I was watching their nature instead of their physicality. You see, Tess, my older Morgan mare seems older. The ponies seem exactly the same as they have always been.
This photo was taken September 10th and I still don't notice any wither or topline issue...
OOPS
All of a sudden, the skinny top line came to my attention. It had rained for the first time this season; Slick was wet and he looked different. Huh? I grabbed his wither and in an instant I felt it. I ran my hand down his spine and got a lump in my throat. Wow. This really bothered me. First of all, it seemed sudden because I had been grooming them all Spring and Summer to get rid of their voluminous hair during this hot season. I didn’t notice it then. And, I took the above photo in September and I didn’t feel it or see it then. But, a few months later and I can feel the wither. Ugh. What happened? I was a bit frantic. Am I feeding too little? No, they look plump. Did I forget to worm them? Nope. Are their teeth bad? Nope. Are they sick? Nope. Hmmmmm.
Dodger's wither was protruding, too!
And then I realized the truth. In an instant it hit me like a ton of bricks. My little feisty ponies were turning the corner and starting to get older. I realized that good hay, green grass and supplements were not enough anymore. I realized that they needed some senior help.
It happened so fast… Or did I miss it? How could I have missed it?
He sure doesn't look like he has a skinny top line or wither... (Slick)
Denial, probably… For example, before Nadia passed, I took her to the vet and he called her, “An old gal”. I was shocked. Old? Nadia? She isn’t old! But, she was… I just didn’t see it…
So, I think I just overlooked the signs that my ponies were getting older. Or it happened suddenly, dunno. In any event, probably My Bad.
... but he does... My bad that I didn't notice under all that hair.
WHAT I’M DOING NOW…
After watching Sarge’s video and knowing about the Mustang Brumby and Tad’s Roman Riding duo, I want to keep all of my older horses in tippy-top shape, if possible. And, so far, I have a Tried and True formula (as long as they aren’t sick and still have teeth…).
For me, soaked pelleted beet pulp (not shredded) with Equion, plus 3 grain hay as well as grass hay, seems to do the trick. If I need to, and my horse can tolerate it, I will add soaked alfalfa pellets. I may also mix in a high quality, non-sugared (non wet or cob) pelleted senior feed. This works and I’m pleased with the results!
However, I’ve decided to experiment with the ponies, since there are two of them.
I ran my hand down his topline and cringed...
MY EXPERIMENT
Now that the ponies are filling out and getting better, I’m going to add one supplement to Slick’s feed and not to Dodger’s feed. I want to see if it makes a difference.
The supplement is one a reader sent to me. It is called, SeaBuck and you can read about it here. The reader is so sold on it, and the fact that she sent it to me, makes me really want to give it a go. So, I’m going to try it on Slick. Here is a quote from the website:
I’ll let you know how it goes…
"Who you callin' OLD?!" - Dodger seeming indignant.
OTHER SENIOR FEEDS…?
I know that many have had success with THRIVE. I also know that many readers swear by a bran mash, alfalfa pellet and senior feed mush. Please write in what your successful formula is for keeping your older horse fit and sassy!
So, keep looking for the signs even if they appear YOUNG!
I think we all want our horses to live to the ripe old age of 40 and look/act like Sarge!
CLICK TO HELP THE WILD MUSTANGS ADD ACRES TO THEIR HOMES
