13/08/2026
This is Spirit. Spirit is 34 years old and was rescued by us a few years ago from severe neglect and injury. She’s also blind.
I often hear owners of older horses claim that their horse is underweight, even starved, because she’s “old”. There is no excuse to starve an older horse—that is neglect and neglect is illegal. Older horses (donkeys and mules too) are often missing teeth, or are in dire need of an equine dental to reduce sharp painful hooks and points, they can’t digest dry hay or grains, or they’re bullied off feed by younger horses. In each case there are steps you can take to ensure your older horse gets the calories they need, whether by soaking feed for them— into a mash, or separating them from the herd at feeding time, and definitely call your vet for an assessment to have their teeth floated and have your horse checked for underlying conditions. If you cannot do what’s needed to maintain their body weight, or your vet diagnosed them with an underlying health problem, let them go (euthanize, not to auction) on a day that they’re feeling well and have a full belly. That’s the kind action to take. As weather gets cooler, your underweight horse can’t generate heat without sufficient nutrition and body fat to maintain a comfortable body temp. Please don’t let him or her suffer. Underweight is not okay, severe malnutrition equals neglect.
Spirit in her advanced age is suffering from some swayed back issues, her hooves are a farrier’s nightmare, and again, she’s bilaterally blind— completely blind in both eyes. But you won’t feel a jutting hip bone, you can’t see her ribs, and she gets around fine, in fact she has the free run of our place all day (she’s in her pen at night) because she doesn’t wander far from her little Man, Desi the Mini. She’s become very opinionated, as the elderly can be, she can’t eat from a bucket because she inevitably kicks her pans or buckets and spills her mash everywhere— we’ve tried every solution so no buckets or pans for her at dinnertime, but she’s happy and healthy.
If you need help contact us, we’re happy to help owners figure out a solution to keep their senior horse healthy and happy.
