Riding As Therapy: The Older Horse

Brego and I enjoyed this afternoon's sunshine. He stepped eagerly along the path, pricking his ears with interest towards the deers that criss-crossed the pastures and the the fox that exploded out of the woods and high-tailed it across the fields.

Brego had started out stiff behind. We took an extra long warm-up walk to limber him up for more focused work. It gave me plenty of time to think about older horses and about the health and soundness challenges that many face. It also gave me time to think about our roles as loving owners-- and as riders.

Brego is 21. He fractured a hock as a youngster, an injury that affected the way he moved for the rest of his life. He has some compensatory arthritis because of that. Wouldn't it be kinder to let him live out his years in a pasture that would make Black Beauty green with envy?

In Brego's case, no. Physically speaking, the light trail riding his owner enjoys keeps Brego fit and limber. Just as doctors advise light, appropriate exercise for their elderly human patients, vets recommend the same for equine geriatrics.

In addition, the low level dressage movements Brego and Dannie are learning together increase suppleness and strengthen the very weaknesses Brego's injury left. Think of it as equine physical therapy. Turn on the forehand and turn on the haunches stretch aging muscle. Shoulder-in and leg yield increase strength counteract imbalances left by his injury. Working in balance while carrying his weight over his hind end keep Brego using himself to the best of his physical ability--even while he's out browsing the pasture.

"Now there's the result of good posture!" my Grannie would say approvingly, while poking a sharp finger between my own slouching shoulder blades.

I straighten up in my chair just thinking about it!

What about his mind? Does Bogie's work schedule upset or stress him? Bogie marches up to the gate when I drive in. He loves to work, loves puzzling out the challenges of new excercises, loves discovering what lies a little further down the trail.

As in many questions that come up about horses, I look to him for answers. As long as Bogie greets me with a nicker and steps out eagerly along the trail, as long as riding causes him to maintain or even incresase his levels of soundness and fitness, I contend that riding enhances his life.