The old adage "you're only as old as you feel," is especially applicable to horses. Many senior horses have productive careers well into their late twenties. Research suggests that the secret to maintaining a serviceable older horse is to make proactive management changes in their health care, diet and exercise. Signs of aging include dental problems, weight or muscle loss, gray hairs around the face, flank and tail head, and stiffening of the joints.

In this webinar, experts from Michigan State University will discuss the difficult aspects of end of life decisions for a horse. Topics include when to make the difficult decision, where it can be done, and what you can expect. In addition, mortality management considerations will be discussed such as having a mortality plan, options for handling the body, as well as considerations for state and local laws.

This presentation will highlight special considerations for winter horse care. Topics include forage quality and forage alternatives, changes in exercise routines, clipping and blanketing.

To many of those who consider themselves "trotting horse" enthusiasts, the various unique four-beat gaits of the non-trotting horses are often seen as new and confusing territory. Gaited horses have continued a steady increase in popularity, creating numerous new opportunities to become educated about their naturally distinctive gaits and versatility. This presentation seeks to provide a better understanding of how to correctly identify and evaluate the basic gaits preformed by several gaited breeds of horses.