21yr old for hunting/eventing/PC?

[icestationzebra]

I'm not a hysterical bunny cuddler honest

But I've just seen a 21yr old mare for sale on HQ for hunting/eventing or PC home. This is a horse (not a pony) that is apparently 'wasted' in current hacking home.....

It made me feel very sad to be honest. I'm sure this lovely girl is happy and sound and enjoying life - but selling her to potentially work quite hard at this stage of her life seems really unfair

Would you consider buying a horse of this age to compete? Or is there a situation where you would consider selling one? Just because I can't comprehend it doesn't mean that others think the same....

Thoughts?

 

[dieseldog]

Does seem sad but maybe the person has been made redundant or something and the horse is too 'alive' to PTS?

At Howick 28yo Kibah Sandstone did the BE80. Before that he last competed 10 years ago at Burghley.

 

[TheoryX1]

Poor old girl. Personally I would not sell a beloved horse of mine of 21 years old to carry on working hard. We all know that some horses thrive on work and if retired lose their will etc, and for all we know she may well be one of those. There are also lots of 21 year olds out there competing successfully as well. If I was honest I would not wish to buy a horse of that age to compete and work it hard. I own a 19 year old who has had a hardish life in a riding school and RDA and although I have done a fair bit with him (dressage, hunting, showing and he's also Pony Clubbed with Mini TX), and he is fit and well, he owes me nothing and thoroughly deserves his easy life of a nice hack 3-4 times a week and the rest of it in the field or being spoiled rotten by mummy. He's oddly enough the type everyone wants - well behaved, bombproof, safe, with a leg at each corner, extremely handsome and also a nice person, but he's got a home for life and is totally beyond any price.

I do hope this thread does not degenerate into some of the debacles I have seen on NL. I dont agree with it, but it happens.

By the way OP, I for one have never thought of you as a fluffy tree hugging bunny sort.

 

[Lolo]

It can work out very nicely... I always bang on about my old boy, but we got him as a horse who was wasted as a companion/ occasional happy hacker (he really hated it- he was a terribly badly behaved old man who liked making mischief- hacking with novices didn't allow him to do that!) and so when he was 21, nearly 22 he cam to me to do all PC/ RC activities.

We're about to do an ODE here He was a one in a million superstar and thrived on his new life with us. When we got him he was thin and grumpy (although very well cared for- he just didn't keep weight on when not worked consistently, especially in winter), but as you can see he looked amazing in his new life with us.

It's hard to judge, and some horses do deserve a gentle retirement. But some just don't like it. As soon he couldn't be ridden (his arthritis caught up with him, when he was 28 or so) he was PTS without hesitation. He looked like a 10yo and behaved like a youngster and the years I had with his were the best- he needed to be needed, and without that he just was miserable.

Just to add, if anyone says anything about him and his situation with us (someone has previously messaged me in a not very friendly manner regarding him being PTS when he could no longer be ridden...) I'll ignore you So if you are thinking about it (you know who you are ), sod off. Sorry- we did our best by him and he was a much loved family pet and I would do anything to get him back, fit and happy and well again.

 

[icestationzebra]

I do hope this thread does not degenerate into some of the debacles I have seen on NL. I dont agree with it, but it happens.

By the way OP, I for one have never thought of you as a fluffy tree hugging bunny sort.

Totally. That is not the reason for posting at all. It's interesting to hear about older horses still doing well and loving it. I guess what got to me about this mare was that she was going to be going into a new home and potentially worked hard by someone that doesn't know her history or have that emotional attachment you build by having horses over a period of time. When you know them inside out you know when they start to tell you they are feeling it a little or not finding it as easy as they used to - in a new home that kind of emotional intelligence would be lacking.

Glad you don't think I'm a lunatic. Actually I got quite cross at Belton last month as I watched Lenamore cruise round with a huge grin on his face making it look like an intro when I heard two ladies behind me say how awful it was and that he really ought to be retired. The other lady concurred and wondered aloud whether Caroline would 'make him do Burghley again'. OH took one look at my face, grabbed my shoulder and steered me away just before I could comment that Lenamore would probably do Burghley with or without Caroline

 

[icestationzebra]

Thanks for sharing that Lolo. It's good to hear the other side and he certainly doesn't look his age in that photo!

 

[icestationzebra]

Does seem sad but maybe the person has been made redundant or something and the horse is too 'alive' to PTS?

Yes of course, and she could bring a lot of pleasure to someone...

At Howick 28yo Kibah Sandstone did the BE80. Before that he last competed 10 years ago at Burghley.

Really?! How did he do?

 

[dieseldog]

Really?! How did he do?

Apparently he stormed round

http://www.britisheventing.com/asp-net/Events/Results.aspx?HorseId=33273

The mare for sale only started BE last year, and the people selling her only evented her once in June last year.

 

[Lolo]

Thanks- I think people get sick of me banging on about him but he was a horse of a lifetime and a real family horse- we all miss him horrendously.

But he was 21, nearly 22, when we got him and I reckon we knew him inside out after a year. We totally accepted all his little things- only the brave and stupid went behind him when he was eating, he never did dressage with any grace, he always went in front out hacking and it was his way or else in almost everything- and treated him like a king. His owners also vetted all homes very carefully- 3 people tried him before me, and she said no to them as she didn't think they'd appreciate his sense of humour!

 

[xspiralx]

Does seem sad but maybe the person has been made redundant or something and the horse is too 'alive' to PTS?

At Howick 28yo Kibah Sandstone did the BE80. Before that he last competed 10 years ago at Burghley.

Gosh, what a fantastic opportunity and how much fun must that be, to have the ride on a horse that finished in the top 10 at the Olympics (and the rest!). Lovely to know he is still going and enjoying himself too!

 

[TheoryX1]

Thanks- I think people get sick of me banging on about him but he
was a horse of a lifetime and a real family horse- we all miss him horrendously.

Not at all, I suspect we have all had or have one of those. I know I most certainly have mine, as does Mini TX. I know my boy will only leave me to go to the Rainbow Bridge.

Its really nice to hear about those golden oldies out there, you cant beat a good oldie.

 

[Lolo]

Not at all, I suspect we have all had or have one of those. I know I most certainly have mine, as does Mini TX. I know my boy will only leave me to go to the Rainbow Bridge.

Its really nice to hear about those golden oldies out there, you cant beat a good oldie.

Yep, golden oldies are the best and I can only imagine what a lunatic he was as a youngster And I'm so grateful to his owners for letting me (a totally unknown 13yo btw, they didn't know me at all!) have him rather than chucking him out in a field or having him PTS, which are what appears to be the sensible options on paper (he'd team chased, done all PC stuff to open level and generally lived a long and unusual life!).

 

[sare_bear]

Crakenthorpe Formula one, starting eventing last year at 19 and looks to be going strong this season at 20. I think it very much depends on the individual horse and how hard a life it has had. Some just don't want to retire.

 

[CrazyMare]

My mare is 20, and still hunts, jumps, xc's etc however she has never stopped living this life, and thrives on being spoilt and snuggled up warm every night.

I think it's different if they have been completely let down for a few years then brought back.

Fwiw, mine will never leave me either, and has been here 12 years

 

[Suzie86]

My boy is 21, only 14.2 so a bit difference I know. He still happily does all the above. However, I think if you sell a horse for that purpose the purchaser would probably expect at least a couple of years out of the horse still doing those things, which at 23 the horse may not be able to manage. So I think there's no reason a 21 year old can't do those things but perhaps not right to sell for that purpose!

 

[AmyMay]

He looked like a 10yo and behaved like a youngster and the years I had with his were the best- he needed to be needed, and without that he just was miserable.

That's rather beautiful........ Made me well up.