Anyone feel jealous of people having young horses

[Barton Bounty]

Im never jealous of anyone, however I am envious of people who get to have a lovely retirement with their older horses. I really thought he would be my old age horse … Lost BB at 17 and dove right in with a 3 yo

 

[honetpot]

I do know if I have just been lucky, or its the type I buy, but most of mine I have owned from three until they were PTS and could be ridden just about right to the end, even the teenage TB.
A young horse is work, when you have had something twenty plus years the joy is they almost know what you think, so everything is so easy. As a rider you have also realised their limitations, so there is no need to prove anything. My oldest now is twentyfive, he is fit and sound even though he has EMS.

 

[olop]

I have a 24 year old who I am desperately trying to stop the ageing process and failing. I’m not jealous of the younger ones, I just wish I could stop the ageing process so my old boy could be with me longer.
Live for now and enjoy your old boy

 

[Goldenstar]

I would love a new project but know these three are my last horses.
I concentrate on being as good as I can at keeping them well
I would struggle if I was younger and only had one .

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I'm not jealous at all. I have one in his late teens and one in his late 20's. They both have fabulous characters, naughty and funny. They have both taught me loads. My ridden one is easy to do anything with. I wouldn't want to go back to educating a youngster, and that's if I could find one I liked!! I'm very happy with what I've I got!

 

[Hackback]

I am enjoying the journey with my rising 4 year old, but even that happiness is blighted by the knowledge that he won't be a 'youngster' for long. It only seems like yesterday that I got my older horse, when he was also 4. He's 18 now.

 

[Pippity]

Not envious of those with younger horses, but envious of those with sound horses. Mine's had on-and-off lameness pretty much since I got her. I think the longest stretch of time when we've both been sound is about six months. (I've had on-and-off lameness most of my life.)

And I know that me of even twenty years ago would be envious of my horsey life right now (well, four months ago, before I broke my back), but it doesn't help when I just want to be able to hack on my own without worrying my horse will panic, or pop down to the local unaff dressage and know my horse won't panic and cart me out of the arena, or box up and go to a farm ride without the worry of my horse tying up.

 

[SEL]

Not envious of those with younger horses, but envious of those with sound horses. Mine's had on-and-off lameness pretty much since I got her. I think the longest stretch of time when we've both been sound is about six months. (I've had on-and-off lameness most of my life.)

And I know that me of even twenty years ago would be envious of my horsey life right now (well, four months ago, before I broke my back), but it doesn't help when I just want to be able to hack on my own without worrying my horse will panic, or pop down to the local unaff dressage and know my horse won't panic and cart me out of the arena, or box up and go to a farm ride without the worry of my horse tying up.

Feel for you. My PSSM horse is a field pet now but I had a fair few years of owning and paying for two non ridden horses. I tried bringing her back into work many, many times before accepting she just couldn't cope.

 

[equinerebel]

Not at all. My horse is 18 this year and I've owned her since she was 4. She is so much more fun now. She is still headstrong, difficult and stubborn but we know each other inside out and have all the trust and confidence that goes along with that. All I have to do is give her a look and she knows. Whether she listens or not is another matter lol I know who she is and she knows who I am and what we can expect from each other.

She's my last horse and I'm enjoying the time with her now far more than when she was younger and everything had to be done so carefully. When I see people with young horses I wonder how they have the time and energy now lol

 

[suestowford]

My pony was 22 when he died, and was as sound as he'd been as a 3 year old. I'm not entirely ponyless as I look after two oldies for other people but I'm on a breed page on facebook and when I see all the lovely young ponies on there I do get jealous. Even though I'm not physically up to dealing with a youngster! Isn't that mad?

 

[Goldenstar]

No it’s not mad ,horse addiction does not go away just because your body it’s reactions won’t keep up with the world you inhabit in you’re head .
But at some point it’s best to let common sense be the priority .
It is sad when someone over faces themselves at the end of their horsey journey.

 

[cauda equina]

I don't feel envious of people with young horses because they can be such hard work
But I think it's completely understandable to be envious of people with sound horses, if yours is having problems

 

[nikkimariet]

Deffo not jealous of young horses, mines enough of a twat aged 10.

I get what you mean though. I couldn’t afford two on livery so rock and hard place.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I will probably spend the next 4 years or so slightly envious of people who have a stress free, sensible horse to ride - and then maybe the 5 years after that slightly envious of people who don't have to work/have lots of money and can have horseboxes and go out whenever they want, then then the 10 years after that slightly envious of the young horse owners again as it's such a great time to have them... Like someone has said , comparison is the thief of joy and there will always be someone who you think is better off than you. On the whole, I am happy with exactly what I have but I understand why you feel like you do OP.

 

[Annagain]

Having retired my old boy and my share horse in their mid 20s I started looking for another and bought a lovely 6 year old. He was everything I was looking for and I thought I'd be buying one to last me 20 years and be my final horse. 18 months later, I sold him and bought at 14 year old. I don't think it was necessarily his age (I was far happier on my friend's cob who was actually younger) but we just weren't right for each other.

I get it though, Wiggy passed a 5 stage vetting with flying colours and the vet said he was the soundest 14yr old she'd ever come across - in some ways I think that's better than a youngster as he's clearly up to the work he is doing. But he's 16 already (where has that 18 months gone?) and realistically I have 10 years max of riding him. I always said this was my last horse and wanted him to see me through to retirement when OH and I plan to travel a lot more than we do now but the though of being without a horse to ride (he'll always have a home for life with me) in 10 years time feels too soon so I'm not jealous of those with youngsters per se but I am jealous of the time they have ahead of them with their horsey partners.

 

[suestowford]

But at some point it’s best to let common sense be the priority .
It is sad when someone over faces themselves at the end of their horsey journey.

You are right there.
Atm I can't get another pony of my own. But if I am ever able to I expect I will have another oldie. There are lots of those who need a home.

 

[pinkypug1]

My old girl (24) has never had a day of lameness in the 20 years I have owned her and we jumped and hunted lots! Once her foal is weaned next month she will be back out hacking again. She would still be jumping but I don’t have the time or desire atm! I’ve recently sold her 13 year daughter who had never been lame, still got her rising 3 year old son and 8 month old daughter to eventually bring on but I must say I love my sensible old girl and hope she has passed on her good limbs & healthy genes to her offspring

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

I absolutely loved my old boy until he was pts at 27yrs I loved nurturing him along. Although he had various soundness issues during his life I was lucky enough to be able to do some light hacking right to the end.

However, I was also lucky to get a second younger horse (9yrs) so I had the best of both worlds but it took me a couple of years to really get him to a place I was comfortable with. Unfortunately at 15yrs he has some soundness issues so I’ve bought a 5 going on 6yr old who is rather bratty. I’ve already had a fair few challenges on the ground let alone riding. Last year I was competing, going to camp and lots of training, long hacks and now I’m back to square one with no way of knowing how it will work out. I’m fairly patient though and it’ll be a learning experience .

 

[Hormonal Filly]

I have a young horse and I'm envious of those out hacking confidently on their well know and well schooled horses.

Me too. I guess grass is always greener.. my friend has a lovely established 13yo shes produced and evented for several years successfully, she worries hes getting on. I have a rising 6yo mare which its fun bringing her on and doing the training, but I often think how nice it must be to get on something established and have fun knowing what to expect and the horse 'knowing its job'

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I have a 3 year old but I loved the relationship I had with my 10 year old and hoped to keep him well into old age. I've always wanted to be able to do that. In his case, it was not in the cards. I've always bought young horses (4 years or younger, except for the 7 year old I bought), and have never been able to keep them with be past age 10, no matter how much I've wanted to. I've wanted to have that "old horse" but one circumstance or another has always come into play. It just is what it is.

I love my younger guy, but of course I'm always wondering and checking with myself that I'm setting him up right, so there can be pressure with a young horse, but for me it's usually self inflicted. Then making that transition to a proper ridden horse can be fun, but it's also nerve wracking if I think about it too much even if it's not my first go at it.

Sometimes I envy those that have sound horses, and/or horses that never seem to have an ailment or issue even though their owner mostly practices benign neglect. Or I envy those that don't think too much/overthink, like I do I just imagine being simple minded with my simple minded sound and healthy horse. It's merely a dream or fantasy!