There comes a time when even the horse that has carried you to countless victories begins to show signs of age. For many riders, accepting that a trusted competition partner is becoming a senior can be difficult. Yet with modern advances in veterinary medicine and improved management practices, many horses now continue to perform successfully into their late teens and even their twenties. This is particularly true in disciplines such as dressage and show jumping, where years of training and experience are essential to reaching the highest levels of competition.

A healthy respiratory system is essential to every horse's well-being and athletic performance. Like humans, horses rely on their lungs and airways to deliver oxygen throughout the body, but the demands placed on their respiratory system increase dramatically during exercise. Efficient oxygen exchange allows working muscles to perform, while the respiratory tract also serves as an important defence system by filtering and removing dust, bacteria, ammonia, and other airborne irritants. Although mucus, coughing, sneezing, and nasal discharge help clear the airways, excessive amounts of these signs may indicate an underlying respiratory problem.

A daily anxiety for many owners of senior horses is that there may be little time left for the riding and activities they have enjoyed until now. As a horse approaches and then passes the age of 20, good rides start to feel numbered. The swayback, gait irregularities, lack of energy… these outcomes seem to be only a matter of time. And without clear reason to do so, many owners start backing off, easing the horse into retirement. Ironically, this approach usually hastens a horse’s decline instead of delaying it.

The Inside Story - For as long as horses have been grazing the hillsides and meadows, the pest of parasite infestation has plagued them. Perennial as the grass, intestinal parasites find every possible opportunity to enter their horse host, and live out their life cycle.