Retirement at HHIA

At HHIA, our goal is to provide horses with the means to have long, active healthy lives. Horses in feral environments live twice as long as horses in domestic environments. Through our efforts, we are seeing rescue horses with chronic health issues remain vibrant and live longer than many horses that have not experience abuse/neglect in their lives. A senior horse is defined as any horse over 15 years of age, but at HHIA, we don't consider a horse senior until they are 20 or older, due to their continued success in active retirement. 

We don't believe in putting a horse out to pasture without the right supplements, hoof care, vet care, bodywork and even light riding to help the retired horse live a long and comfortable life.  We do believe in active retirement and most horses who retire here are worked 1-2 times a week, but some do well working much more. Please read the Boarding web page and the Training web page for more details!

Chronic Conditions and Aging: Coming Soon

Nutrition and Diet: Coming Soon

Active Daily Life: The horses at HHIA live on hilly 103 acres as a single herd. The large pastures and hills encourage arthritic horses to move across a variety of terrain, keeping muscles well developed and joints well supported. 

Due to the amount of movement the horses at HHIA get in their daily life, they are fed at least on activity level higher than their true level. For example, a completely retired horse would be seen as "idle," but at HHIA, they are considered in "light work" if they are no longer ridden.

Work in Retirement: Coming Soon

Ace - Government Morgan

Ace is a 30-year-old who rides up to Dressage Level 1 and jumps 18." He spends most of his time with beginner riders. He had a full ligament tear in his hock in 2012, but after a year to heal and slow rehabilitation through physical therapy and bodywork, he was able to return to work. Years later, he shows no swelling in the leg and little-to-no arthritis. He is on a completely senior diet with fortified senior feed and pelleted forage replacement.

Pharma - Arabian/Trakehner

Pharma belonged to someone the trainer knew years ago when he was just a child. As an adult, he wanted his horse to have a good retirement home and came to HHIA. In 2022, Pharma turned 26 years old and has minimal health issues. She has gone through the body-chemistry change all senior horses go through and struggles with her teeth. As a result, she gets a soaked combination of feed fortified with extra trace minerals and vitamins, as well as forage replacement. She is an extremely active horse, still performing 2nd Level Dressage and jumping up to 3'-6." 

Thunder - Palomino Quarter Horse

In 2022, Thunder turned 26 years old and has a plethora of conditions (aside from being old) including arthritis, chronic hoof infection and chronic ulcers. He continues to ride Level 1 Dressage and jumps up to 18." 

Zip - Appaloosa

Zip came from an Appaloosa breeding facility in Missouri at age 25 to join us in 2021. He served as one of their studs until 10 years ago.  He is almost completely blind and has some arthritis, resulting in his owner searching for an "active" retirement home. Zip is on a completely fortified senior diet that includes pelleted forage replacement. He is doing light work as a walk/trot lesson horse. Lisa teaches students who ride him about how to be his eyes.

Cherokee - Quarter Horse/Tennessee Walking Horse 

Cherokee has been with the trainer since 2006, and served as a lesson horse for a decade, riding Dressage Level 2 and 2'-0" Hunter/Jumper. Calcification and arthritic development, which began in 2007, resulted in his full retirement in 2019. He remains on a combination of arthritic supplements and injections.

Vegas - POA

Vegas is a 20-year-old Level 1 Dressage and 3'-6" Jumper. She has minor arthritis in her dock as a result of a previously broken tail.

Steele - American Saddlebred

Steele is a beautiful 20-year-old 2' hunter/jumper and Dressage Level 2 horse, but suffers from COPD and severe allergies. He is on custom allergy shots, a custom diet, and takes most of the summer off from riding. 

Peaches - Tennessee Walking Horse

Peaches is a 21-year-old Level 2 Dressage and 3'-6" Jumper. She has very few health issues at this time other than minor arthritis and some Tying Up (very common for her breed).

Oreo - Paint

Oreo had a rough go of it in 2018 and was recovering from a ruptured ligament in one of his front legs.  This was his second major injury in his life (the other was years ago when he got hung up by his pelvis on a wash rack while running into the barn for dinner at another farm).  The second major injury made it hard for him to recover and left him in pain throughout his body. He has shown great improvement since moving to HHIA where there's lots of space to move. After 3 years, Oreo started back to light work, helping him to have an active retirement. In 2022, at 21 years old, he is Dressage Level 1 and cavaletti/jumps 18" and under.

Shadow - Quarter Horse

Shadow is a 22-year-old Level 1 Dressage and 3'-6" Jumper. She has minor arthritis and downhill conformation. 

Chief - Spotted Saddle Horse

Chief is a 22-year-old trail horse. He used to do dressage and jumping, but an old injury, compounded with arthritis in his left hip prevents even walking comfortably in a riding arena. Chief still really enjoys his trail time.

Red - Appaloosa

Retired from police work at Forest Park, Red Ranger joined us at 25 years old.  She had navicular in both front legs, arthritis in both hocks and a brain tumor behind her left eye that caused what was supposed to be a career ending stroke soon after her arrival to HHIA.  With the right rehabilitation (based on how physical therapists handle stroke in people), Red was able to join the lesson ranks again.  She eventually lost vision in her left eye, but she didn't let that stop her.  She was an active part of our lesson program. Note: Red passed away in 2021 at 32 years old, just 3 weeks shy of turning 33. Her last ride was about 3 weeks prior to her passing at which point she was still riding Level 1 dressage and jumping up to 18."

Sadye - Tennessee Walking Horse

Sadye retired at 26, had arthritis in both front legs and sciatica.  She depended on a highly supplemented diet and short, basic dressage rides to keep her going. Note: Sadye passed away in 2018 at age 33. Her last ride was 2 weeks prior to her passing. She was riding Level 1 Dressage.