At what age would you start winding down a horse in old age

P

polyphonic

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 January 2007
Messages
4,610
Location
warwickshire
Visit site
a general question really.
Flint is now 18 and although he hasnt competed to a high level in anything much I have been on him 5 times a week plodding round. At what age do you or would you start easing off?? He hasnt been a SJ or DR star and hasnt jumped more than 1.05 but I can actually see now he is getting older and he does alot of things in a slower pace. Thoughts peeps??! please
 
well in that case II think were starting to tire out a little even in the AM class. I think living a life of mayhem is starting to catch up with him. He is starting to look older in the face
 
Hard to say..depends on the individual horse
smile.gif
crikey they still doing badmington at 18 these days,lol!!
as others said..you know him and he will tell you when he needs a more relaxed life
smile.gif
 
My mare is 20/21 and just started to slow her down by putting her in foal this year (if you could call that slowing down) she was still doing XC,WH,SJ until this year but she took a knock to the knee which although didnt lame her it just hasn't settled or gone down..to ride she is still a giddy kipper and I'm sure she will be for many years to come..I think you have to look at horses as individuales an they will let you know how much they can do....without pushing the boundaries
 
I think it depends on the individual horse, and they're workload. My horse is 30 now, and sometimes he still feels like a 5 year old to ride!
It's been about 7 years since he did any jumping because he started to show a definate lack of enthusiasm towards it, which was previously not like him at all.
We only do light hacking now, but as long as he is enjoying it, I'll keep taking him out.
 
You'll know - its when they become disinterested

I wouldn't use this season to judge though as humans and horses are all depressed from the lack of summer and everything has turned furry super early due to the weather.
 
Well if your just plodding him around hes got years to go !! My oldie is 31 and still hacks 4-5 times a week !! Not a plod either, clipped him today as fed up with the loony sweating!!

Just go with what horse tells you
smile.gif


P.S The vet thought he was 16 last year
smirk.gif
 
You are so in tune with Flint that I really don't think you need worry about this sort of thing
smile.gif
. You are sensitive to his capabilities, you know that he is slowing down and you are acting appropriately and responsibly.
cool.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
You are so in tune with Flint that I really don't think you need worry about this sort of thing
smile.gif
. You are sensitive to his capabilities, you know that he is slowing down and you are acting appropriately and responsibly.
cool.gif


[/ QUOTE ]
Thank you Tia. I think I just needed conformation that I was doing the right thing by him as this the first time I have had an older horse, His shoes are new, teeth done last week and back done a month ago. I think life is just catching up with him a little, Thank you for the advice folks. Pete
grin.gif
grin.gif
 
He'll let you know when he's ready.

My old mare (anglo-arab) was first retired at 11 after a terrible ligament injury, then redeemed fit at the age of 18, so started riding and competing again xc, sj, then put her into semi retirement at 22, which she hated, ended up riding her for another 5 years, doing vet showing, long distance riding. She was still doing 3-4 hour hacks at the age of 29, without even breaking a sweat, finally had her pts after tumuors where found in her mouth, at the ripe old age of 31.

Horses that are well cared for and kept physically fit can go on for years. 18 isn't really that old, he's in his prime.
 
It really is a very individual thing, my pony was still doing full days hunting into her 20s - keeping her working seemed to keep her young and enthusiastic, but I could see when she was 23 or so that although she still wanted to keep going, the body wasn't really up to it any more.
 
[ QUOTE ]
depends on horse
my little native mare was still doing pc jumping in her 30s.i did semi retire her at 36 though as i didnt want any more jumping on those old legs.
she was pts last year at 48.

[/ QUOTE ]
48! wow
ooo.gif
 
Also remember at this time of year many horses are not at their best. I think they put a lot of their energy into growing a new coat. There is an old horsemans saying

No horse looks well at blackberry time.
 
Depends on the pony, my 25 yearold show pony objected when we tried to retire him, he decided he wasnt ready for that yet and demands to go out on hacks.
 
Mine's 18 next year and I fully intend on dong some more BE events, SJ etc. I think I am going to find it v hard to retire him as I think he;ll be devastated to not go out to 'parties'. I am hoping he'll let me know when he's had enough but I doubt it - he's a full on attention seeker!

Have my old pony who's 21 and, although he goes out only about once a week he would be happy doing more (i wouldn't he's a bit of a nut when too fit!!) Def depends on the horse.
 
I have a 25 year old thoroughbred - who acts more like a 3 year old than my 3 year old does!!

He is completely scatty - in fact only about 4 weeks ago had a friend in stitches when we were out hacking as every time we tried to trot he had a complete hissy fit and started rodeo-ing underneath me!!

I have (tried to!) slow down his work - although he is still ridden or lunged 4/5 times a week and still regularly goes out to local shows for some show jumping and he still competes cross country (although I am wary of taking him over the bigger heights now - more for my own safety as he tanks at them and I have a youngster to bring on and can't afford to fall off!!!)

In actual fact it is only this year that I have stopped doing sponsored rides on him - not because he can't cope with them, but because I can't cope with taking him on them!! The last one I went on back in early May I had to get off 1 mile before the end and walk him back as he just completely lost the plot and I couldn't hold him anymore!!

Again, along with what everyone else is saying - they will let you know when they don't want to do it anymore. (and I certainly don't think mine is ready yet!!)
 
It really does depend on the horse. Our 25 year old still hacks out two/three or more times a week with my youngest daughter and still enjoys his job. Im quite convinced he will tell us, just as he always has when he wants to do less. Our loan pony who is 19 but had a hard life before he came to us is showing his age much more than the older horse. The work needs to be what the horse can do happily, our old boy still loves a good gallop but i can see the pony wanting to slow down in the next couple of years.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Also remember at this time of year many horses are not at their best. I think they put a lot of their energy into growing a new coat. There is an old horsemans saying

No horse looks well at blackberry time.

[/ QUOTE ]


Mine certainly doesnt..........slightly off thread, but I do wonder how she manages to get quite so much of her body covered in blackberry juice!!
 
I tried several times to reduce my mares work and she just turned into a monster and clearly hated not having so much attention and it was only in her last few months that she really retired. Love her!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top