Anyone else still riding their 25yo horses? ... and doing what!

[canteron]

I have brought my 25 yo 16hh ID back into light hacking - after 3 years of retirement - because she seemed so bored!!! We are now riding out 3 times a week for 30 minutes with a little bit of trotting if the ground is good. She is loving it, super forward happy and alert. I got this far after months on inhand walking, etc, etc.

Back lady, tooth lady, saddle lady and farrier all think she is looking great (for her age) and can't see a problem, but I would like some inspiration as most of her contemporaries are either retired, or worse!

I know ponies can go on for years, but anyone else still riding a older larger horse and what are you doing? I think she could and would love to do a bit more, but I need a role model!!

 

[wills_91]

I had a 16.2 tb x Connie. He was in work 6 days a week - hacking, schooling, jumping, lessons, PC right up until I lost him aged 26. He looked great for his age and it was definitely the work that kept him going.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Not now but I have done, I had a Clydsesdale mare that the vet reckoned must be in her late 30s who was still hacked out on short rides until 6 weeks or so before she was pts. Sister's Appaloosa mare was retired about 3 years before she was pts at 31 and we had a 14.3hh cob who retired at 26 after a nasty colic and lived for another 5 years.

 

[teddypops]

I am still riding my 30yo Welsh Dx TB. I take her hacking most days for a blast up in the woods. She has never done anything other than hack really as she gets very over excited with everything else. So we are still doing what we have always done!

 

[shortstuff99]

My 25 year old was still eventing at 80cm and loving it! She even completed the Keysoe 3DE with my Dad and got a double clear ?.

 

[milliepops]

it would be a great help if my old mare was still in work because it might give her something to think about instead of just planning her next escape she is never where she is supposed to be and jumps the electric fencing when she want to have some fun.
unfortunately while she's field sound, she won't stand up to any work. prob be OK for an occasional plod on the lead rein but that's not really her style...

 

[chaps89]

My share horse isn't quite 25 but he is 21 and still schooling AM level, does pole work clinics and hacks etc. He has a few bits and pieces medicated from time to time but is generally well up for it all. He doesn't 'sit' quite so well now but based on how he bounced around the arena with me this morning he's feeling very jolly about life!

 

[Britestar]

24yrs old, still in full work. Behaving like a 4yr old now he's on prascend!

 

[irishdraft]

I know someone who still hunts their 31 year old horse on easy days still has a jump here & there and he loves it . He does look fantastic for his age you'd never know he was 31 .

 

[J&S]

Yes I ride a 16 hh Irish cob type who turned 27 this year. This was him last October, he won his last two outings but I am not competing him this year. We are hacking and hill walking a couple of times a week now. My own mare is 24 and after a long period of retirement she is out hacking again, max rides of 10k interspersed with hills and lanes.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

My 26yr old BWB is hacked by my sharers about 4 times a week for up to 2hrs at a time. They hack with me on my other horse and I’m picky about footing and don’t over do it. He loves going out and gets very annoyed if he’s left behind.

 

[pansymouse]

My 28yo TB x Welsh is ridden on a sporty paced one hour plus hack four times a week. When she was 25 we did the 1,000 mile hack in 9 months and a 10 mile pleasure ride including all the jumps in a little under an hour and a half.

 

[Auslander]

24 yrs old, and quite arthritic, after a long and busy dressage career.
He nearly dropped me earlier this week, and was extremely pleased with himself afterwards!

 

[splashgirl45]

i had one who was still being hacked regularly till she was 33, she started tripping so we decided to retire her PTS at 35, still looking well but had ringbone and sidebone so it was decided to let her go before the ground got hard and rutty....i think it keeps the oldies muscles working and makes them more comfortable in their daily life. same as us really, us old uns need to keep moving otherwise we seize up...

 

[[142807]]

Yes, friend rides her 28 year old coloured daily as gets really narky if not ridden daily. He’s fitter than the young bucks ?

 

[windand rain]

Yes well not personally but she is still the same work as she was as an 8 year old kid didn't fall but nearly

 

[luckyoldme]

I rode my old boy for the last time when he was 28.
I must have known it would be the last time as for some reason I just held on to the buckle and let him choose his own route.
He took us on the shortest loop we used to do and got us back in 20 minutes.

 

[spotty_pony]

Our old thoroughbred x Connemara was in light hacking work until he was 29. He was retired beforehand but like yours became bored!

 

[Spirit2021]

My friend has a 28 year old horse that she hacks 3 times a week. Once the horse is sound I don’t see a problem .

 

[tiga71]

My boy is only 23 but still in full work. Hacks up the Downs twice a week, jumps once a week, goes to clinics, hunt rides, fun rides, beach. We do escort rides to the beach, Downs, endurance.

I don't hunt him anymore and he only does up to 25km endurance now.

He is doing a beach ride this weekend and XC clinic on Bank Holiday Monday. He still LOVES jumping and a party.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

My boy was still doing common rides in his late 20’s/early 30’s. he also had cushings as well ?

He was sound and in work until the bad abscess and infection in his hind foot that made us both call it a day.

I bought this picture before anyone reports it ??

 

[LeneHorse]

I rode my old boy for the last time when he was 28.
I must have known it would be the last time as for some reason I just held on to the buckle and let him choose his own route.
He took us on the shortest loop we used to do and got us back in 20 minutes.

Aw this brought a tear to my eye. What a lovely memory to look back on.
I'm still hacking my mare aged 23, and friends still ride theirs aged 29 and 30.

 

[Mosh]

I ride my mare at 27. Still hacking, jumping and flat work. We don't jump big anymore and just mess about with prelim and intro dressage.
We still do everything just smaller/easier levels and worked 6 days a week.

She nearly decked me tonight and was very happy about it lol

 

[zandp]

27 year old ID/Conn is now back being walked around the place hacking, we will build up to faster work when she's fitter, she has done a few steps of canter up a hill voluntarily but ran out of puff. She did tow me to the school this morning when I was trying to get her to the field and just stood looking at it and then me, may take her in there this week. She has arthritis in o/f fetlock and is barefoot but with boots you wouldn't know she was arthritic.

 

[saddlesore]

He took us on the shortest loop we used to do and got us back in 20 minutes.

This gave me a little heartfelt chuckle. Horses eh ?

 

[Fransurrey]

My boy was rising 27 when I retired him due to illness. His field neighbour is still be ridden and looks fantastic and he's 29!

 

[Gloi]

Mine was still fit and doing long hacks until he had to be retired at 28 after damaging a check ligament in a field accident

 

[Kat]

My friend was still hunting her big WB at 25yo, he wasn't a low mileage type either, she bought him when he retired from field mastering.

He's still hacking out enthusiastically now and will be 28 this year I think. He has started to look a bit old now but no where near his age.