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Q.
My horse is approaching 30 and I’m not
sure when and how I should retire him. How can I keep him fit and healthy in
retirement?
A.
Trampas is 40 – almost certainly the oldest working horse on the Isle of
Wight.
His owner, Ann, asked the same question eleven years ago. I repeated what I
was told years ago by the old Scottish horsemen: “Don’t retire him, just change
his job”.
So Ann slowed down the cross-country work he had been doing, and started a
routine of regular hacking. She also began regular 6-monthly chiropractic
treatments for him. She is convinced that it has kept him fit enough to ride.
Chiropractic keeps the skeleton straight, which allows all the nerves to help
muscles and organs work as well as possible. This contributes a great deal to
good health, since pain, immobility and organ dysfunction all induce illness and
accelerate aging.
 The expected life span of a horse or pony is 25 to 35 years. A working horse
is considered old at 17, the legs usually failing first. So, if you could run
around with a heavy rucksack on your back at the age of 120, you’d be pleased
wouldn’t you?!
Nowadays, Ann hacks out with Trampus three or four times a week. “He often
out-paces his 15 year-old companion, who has to trot from time to time to keep
up!” She is very proud of his health and vigour – he still gets very interested
when the mare in the next field is in season!
Veterinary chiropractors treat a wide range of animals, having started
training with humans. Their post-graduate training for animals makes them
especially sensitive in palpating for the skeletal misalignments that weaken
joints and pinch nerves.
If your horse shows lameness, or behavioural problems that could be due to
sciatica-like pain, your chiropractor will visit as soon as possible. Many
problems respond better to chiropractic than box-rest – depending on the
condition – because it actually works to cure the misalignments creating the
pain.
Visits usually take around half-an-hour and can treat young and old, novice
and finalist, individuals and whole yards. All done by hand, chiropractic is a
very gentle, thorough and cost-effective treatment, which can also benefit the
rider.
So my answer to the question is: keep them in gentler work, arrange regular
chiropractic visits, and consider herbs and homeopathy for joint-care. Remember,
retirement can be rewarding too!
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