Daily Activity Is One Key to Longevity for Horses
by Candice C. Dunnigan

Many horses that live on Mackinac Island are senior citizens in the equine realm. How long do horses live? What is considered an old horse? Today these answers are a bit different than the generalizations of 50 years ago. Outlook, care, and medicine all have contributed to making many senior horses' golden years truly productive ones, like those of their human counterparts. Regular activity is a key factor. A solid foundation of regular horse care helps, too.

The average age of a Cottager's horse is closer to 20 years old, not 10. These horses that come to the Island each summer are here because they're to be ridden or driven, and enjoyed, not as stable ornaments. Most of the horses used in the 4-H lesson program (and there are some that are older than 30) have actually increased their life span 16 percent or more by active regular work. This is part of a rule that caloric intake that is burned, or used, instead of allowing it to turn to fat, increases longevity.

As a rule, a horse is considered "aged" when he is older than 15. In fact, some national equine insurance companies will not insure a horse over this age, unless additional premiums are paid. As a general rule of thumb, most horsemen consider 20 to 25 years as the average lifespan of the breed. Many on Mackinac will smile and say that they've found their horses are only coming into their prime at that age. They would say 30 to 35 years (with good care) is reasonable for life expectancy. I tend to agree, if good care has been taken all along.

Each year the livery trade on the Island introduces younger horses, with an average age of six, into the work force. The younger animals learn their jobs from the older ones. The senior beasts find other purposes, or purposes are found for them. Horses that once pulled taxis or tour buses often find themselves returning to Mackinac in the spring with a new job. These animals return to work on the slower tour wagons, or drays such as the one-horse drays I wrote of a week ago. Emmet, the black horse who was pictured in last week's column, used to be on the tour buggies. The 4-H program has some horses that were once used a good many years as hourly rentals.

One of the most common ailments for a horse to have as it gets older is arthritis. Because the chronic inflammation sends negative chemicals into the horse's system, the bloodstream accelerates the aging process. When the animal is stiff and sore, his mobility decreases. This, in turn, makes circulation suffer and the immune system degenerate. If you have an older horse, get him out of the stall and keep him active. It's much better for an older horse to have the option of a pasture, not a 10-foot by 10-foot box to be in for hours at a time.

An article in Horse and Rider, 2005, highlights a great correlation between a sedentary life and a healthy, active one. A key idea is to look at your own hands and see the kinds of work and tasks they can perform. Hands can hit with a hammer, play a sonata on the piano or violin, and still be able to wring out wet clothes. Injury to them, a break or a cut, suspends activity. Yet, breaks, cuts, and sprains can and do heal, all because of blood supply.

The same holds true for joints. Movement nourishes joint cartilage. Stall-living

actually inhibits keeping joints and cartilage alive. It's true there are very few horses in the wild that suffer from arthritis. It is the horses that are ridden hard, or worked sporadically and returned to their stalls, who stagnate. The more a horse is confined to a stall, especially an older one, the more likely he will be stiff and lame.

Over feeding is another prohibited activity for an older animal. Most aged horses in the wild tend to be thin, but supple and active. A horse can process quality feed - amino acids, carbs, vitamins, and minerals in an easy form to digest - without fats that only increase bulk, but do not increase productivity or comfort. Senior feeds have come a long way in the past 15 years, and ingredients and recipes have been altered. The key is giving your horse what he needs, as opposed to things that add bulk and not muscle.

Worming is another aid to helping your horse live to his potential. Dental care and boosters are part of the ground plan that should be a life plan. There are many vitamins and supplements available, including those for joints and assisting in the development of synoival fluid. These boosters have merit.

On Mackinac Island these highly complex animals seem to do best, as well as live a long life, with a few simple fundamentals that are as routine as they have been for generations. Good hay, clean water, daily use, daily handling, and an active life with lots of fresh air in all types of weather have enabled some of these senior creatures to come back year after year.

Candice Dunnigan is an active member of the American Equestrian Association, the Waterloo Hunt, and the Mackinac Island Horsemen's Association. Seasonally she resides at Easterly Cottage.