Rest & Relaxation

Choose the right retirement facility for your senior horse with this step-by-step guide.

- Abigail Boatwright

BEAU WAS PERFORMING AT A HIGH LEVEL. HIS OWNER, MARY JEAN GEROULO, boarded him at a top-notch mid-city facility where care of competition horses was excellent. Time went by. Age and health problems sidelined Beau. It was time for him to retire. Geroulo relocated the big bay gelding to a facility in the country that caters to the specific needs of retired horses. Now 27, Beau is happy. Geroulo rests easy knowing he’s content, safe, and well cared for.

You might one day need to find retirement quarters for your own senior horse. He’s carried you through years of competition, down miles of trails, and through seasons of life. When his active riding career comes to an end, what’s the next step? We asked two senior-care providers for their best tips to find the right retirement facility for your horse. Here’s their step-by-step guide.

Step 1: Determine Your Horse’s Needs 

Older horses often have health issues and require daily medications. For a typical boarding facility, this might be outside the bounds of everyday care. But for a retirement facility, this is an essential part of keeping those horses healthy.

Roseanna McMillan runs White Rock Manor in Lexington, Virginia, with her husband, James. Before you choose a facility, McMillan says, consider your horse’s abilities and needs. Is he pasture-sound? Does he need to be blanketed in the winter? Make sure your chosen facility can provide top care tailored to your horse’s particular needs.