Oldies But Goodies: Care of the Older Performance HorseKate Bremser, DVMNCSU CVM Class of 2008

Mensa G and Michael Pollard – 16yo OTTB

Introduction

Action 42 – 20 yo Hanoverian Falcon Flash – 22yo Australian TB

You Are What You Eat•Nutrition - grain

▫Higher demand for fat and protein▫Proper vitamin and mineral balance▫Adding calories +/- adding energy▫Easy to chew▫Easily digestible

You Are What You Eat

•Nutrition – Hay▫Easily chewed▫Easily digestible▫Calorie content▫Sugar/Starch content

You Are What You Eat

•Supplements▫Joint▫Gut Health▫Skin/Coat ▫Hoof Health

Joint Maintenance• Steroid Injections• IRAP• PRP• Adequan (Maybe?)

• Joint Supplements▫ Adequan (Maybe?)▫ Legend▫ Polyglycan▫ Pentosan

Physical Exam/Wellness• Vaccination Schedules• Endocrine

▫Bloodwork▫Haircoat▫Weight▫Body shape

• Ocular Exam▫Lenticular sclerosis▫Corpora Nigra atrophy▫Corneal abnormalities▫Tumor development

Physical Exam/Wellness

•Respiratory Exam•GI exam?

▫Enterolith▫Pedunculated lipoma▫Sand

•Limb anatomy▫Central sulcus depth - thrush▫Joint effusion▫Joint ROM

Fitness/Exercise

•Maintaining muscle mass▫2-3 days/week

•Appropriate concussion for bone/tendon health▫Roadwork▫Uneven surfaces

•Strength training▫Hillwork▫Cavaletti

Dentistry

•Balance point maintenance with excessive wear▫Avoid changing table angle and grinding

surface•Check every 6 months

▫Wave/step formation▫Missing/loose/broken teeth

•Check for hooks•Don’t forget the incisors!

Shoeing• Support• Balance• Correction• Non-conventional shoes• Sigafoo• Ground Control• Epona

• Baseline films▫Palmar/plantar angle▫Osteoarthritis/navicular changes▫Digital cushion▫Breakover

Alternative Therapy

•Mesotherapy▫Saline▫B12▫Carbocaine▫Dexamethasone▫Zeel

Alternative Therapy

•Chiropractics

Alternative Therapy

•Acupuncture

Rehabbing post Injury

Alvin – 9.11.2012

Rehab

Alvin 9-26-2012

Rehab

Alvin 10-29-2012

Rehab

Rehab

•Initial Injury September 2012•Stall rest – crosstied 4 months, loose 5

months•Handwalking started March 2013•Turnout April 2013•Under saddle May 2013

▫30 days walk▫30 days walk/trot▫Added hill work▫Added canter

Rehab Complete!

Alvin – back in competition April 2014

Questions?