After many years of loyal service, the time has come for your riding horse to retire. Like people, many retired horses fare better with some kind of activity that engages their minds and keeps their bodies moving throughout their golden years. If you’re creative and committed to spending quality time with your partner after his days in the saddle are over, equine retirement can be fulfilling for you both!
Keep Your Old Horse Moving
If your senior horse spends time in a stall but isn’t ridden anymore, you’ll need to find alternative ways to keep his old legs moving. In horses, joint, muscular, digestive, and mental health all depend heavily on movement. If your senior companion has arthritis, moving at a gentle pace also helps keep his joints lubricated, which is essential for comfort and motility.
In its simplest form, exercise in retirement can look like increased turnout time or hand walking, or, if your horse can still carry a rider, going on trail rides and walks through nature. You can also get creative with these five fun ways to keep your horse on the move while keeping your own two feet on the ground:
1. Groundwork
Retirement for many horses means a permanent full stop from riding. For these individuals, turn to groundwork. You can use groundwork to teach your horse all sorts of useful and fun exercises, from walking through water to standing on a pedestal. Working with your horse on the ground also comes with additional benefits. It not only engages his brain and strengthens your relationship, but it also helps keep him fit.
2. Liberty Work: Teach Your Old Horse New Tricks
Retirement doesn’t have to be boring! After establishing the basics—such as respecting your personal space and responding to voice commands—you can spice up your groundwork by ditching the halter and lead rope and turning to liberty work. At liberty, you can teach your horse all sorts of fun tricks. If having your equine partner bow, lay down, smile, and come to you on command sounds fun, liberty work might be for you!
3. Long-Lining
Long lining, or ground driving, is an excellent way to get some steps in for both your horse and yourself. With long lining, you walk (or run!) behind your horse while guiding him with 24-30-foot longe lines clipped to either side of his bit or halter. Start at the walk, using both voice commands and your rein aids. You can then progress to more advanced maneuvers, such as circles, serpentines, pole work, and gait transitions. Remember, safety first! Always wear a helmet and gloves, and stand back far enough to be out of kicking range.
Related Reading: The Beginner’s Guide to Longeing a Horse
4. Therapeutic Horsemanship
Being part of an equine-assisted therapy or therapeutic horsemanship program can be a gratifying way to keep your horse physically and mentally stimulated during his golden years. Plus, you’ll be giving back to the community. Good therapeutic horsemanship horses are hard to find; they must be level-headed, patient, trustworthy, and not easily spooked. Horses retired from their riding jobs with varying levels of serviceable soundness can have successful second careers at therapeutic riding barns. Your equine partner could participate in ground and/or mounted sessions with students of different physical and mental abilities.
5. Companionship
In her last couple of years, my retired mare found enjoyment being a foster mom to two freshly weaned foals. They kept her on her toes, and she seemed to enjoy taking the youngsters under her wing. Depending on their temperament, retired horses can make excellent companions for animals in need of a friend. Companionship might not seem like much of an activity for your retired horse. Considering equines are herd animals that need social contact, however, it’s a very important job and often a win-win situation for all involved.
Final Thoughts
Your horse’s riding career is over; it’s the end of an era. But luckily, retirement doesn’t mean your days of working together and enjoying each other’s company must also come to an end. There are still plenty of engaging activities for retired horses and their owners. Between fun ground and liberty exercises and quality time together, chances are you and your beloved equine companion will come to enjoy this new phase of your relationship.
Lucile Vigouroux, MSc, holds a master’s degree in Equine Performance, Health, and Welfare from Nottingham Trent University (UK) and an equine veterinary assistant certification from AAEVT. She is a New-York-based freelance author with a passion for equine health and veterinary care. A Magnawave-certified practitioner, Lucile also runs a small equine PEMF therapy business.
