Signs of Aging

Understanding what an aged equine body looks like will help you determine how you can best manage your horse’s golden years and make the time as comfortable as possible.

There are some external signs of aging that guide us in characterizing a horse as a senior citizen:

  1. One of the first signs – dip in the horse’s back and loss of muscle mass
  2. Loss of strength in tendons and ligaments – especially around fetlock joint
  3. Drooping lips
  4. Hollow eyes
  5. Grey hairs around muzzle and eyes, paired with a dull hair coat 
  6. Movement is stiff, slow, and more arthritic