What Is Retirement, Exactly?
If you do decide to retire your horse from normal riding activity (or possibly from any riding activity), you have all sorts of options to consider. The route you take will be dictated by your horse's condition and how well you can provide for his needs.
Your horse may not be robust enough to perform the way he used to, but he may still have plenty of energy-and he almost certainly needs a job to do to keep from getting bored or depressed. If you don't want to slow down your pace to match his, consider finding him a new occupation.
Measure your choices against whether they'll give your horse the quality of life he deserves. Here are just a few possible scenarios along the spectrum, from partial retirement to total leisure.
Trail horse. When your horse is no longer athletic enough to handle his former activities, such as competing in local horse events, he might be perfect for trail riding. If carrying adult riders is too taxing for him, maybe the answer is to let kids ride him instead. Older horses are often more tolerant-and some are even protective-of young riders, and many a child has learned to ride on a sensible older mount.
Therapy horse. If your horse's barrel-racing days are over but he's still sound and strong, you might consider donating him for use at a therapeutic riding center. He should be well cared for, and he'll almost certainly receive a lot of love from instructors and riders both. You can learn about therapeutic riding programs and horse donations by visiting the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association website (www.narha.org).
Lesson horse. Older horses often make ideal lesson horses, particularly for beginners. Of course, you want to make sure that he will be taken care of and not overworked (or underworked, for that matter). But if you know of a well-run stable with trainers you trust, you might be able to work out a beneficial arrangement.
If riding is completely unfeasible, you can still provide your horse with a healthy and happy retirement. You know what he likes and what he needs-you just have to find a situation that provides those things.
Herd buddy. If your horse has been content hanging out in the pasture with your other horses, that may be the best place for him to retire. You can't just turn him out and forget about him, though. In fact, you'll need to step up your vigilance on such things as dental care, nutrition, and hydration. And you should give him light exercise on a regular basis, even if it's just hand-walking him for a half hour every other day.
Maybe you can't devote the necessary time and attention to your retired horse-but another horse owner might love to do it. One of the best situations for retirees is to become a companion to a horse who has no pasture mates. Someone with a solitary horse might be delighted to take in your horse to give their own horse some equine company.
Retirement facility. Some owners who can no longer take care of their elderly horses choose to board them at a retirement stable. As you'd expect, the suitability of these establishments will vary greatly, so it's essential to do your homework to determine which one might be right for your horse. You'll want to visit the facility, talk to its clients, observe the well-being and contentment of horses boarded there, and make sure that your horse's special needs will be met.
Listen to Your Horse
If you know your horse well, you know his ups and downs, what's normal for him, and when something isn't right. So if he stops waiting at the gate in anticipation of your arrival, walks away from you when you approach with a halter, becomes hesitant or timid in response to your cues, that sends up a flag.
Changes in behavior don't happen randomly-and you can tell a lot from what your horse is telling you. Certainly, you should take into consideration all the factors we've discussed here, from adjusting your caregiving to meet his needs to reducing physical demands when necessary. But you should also trust your instinct. When the time comes to climb down off his back for the last time, you'll probably know it.
