Horses are living longer than ever before, and more and more people are appreciating the value that experience and wisdom bring. This course outline contains a long list of things which could possibly go wrong, but the purpose is not to discourage you from keeping an older horse, or to scare you. The goal is to inform you about the process of aging and the unique challenges facing horses as they age. One of the most rewarding things about working with older horses is how dramatically they respond to the correct changes. Simple adjustments in management, diet or supplementation can produce dramatic responses in older horses. Older horses can indeed have special needs, but if you know what to look for and stay observant, you can keep your older horse happy, comfortable and active for many years. The course will run for 10 weeks and will be help online using the Yahoo group resources. The class materials will be placed into the files section of the group once a week. You can download and read these at your convenience. A quiz is provided at the end of each week's material for you to review your understanding of the material. There will be no formal tests except for a final exam for those taking the course for credit. Questions or points for discussion can be placed in the messages section of the group at any time.
