Britain; Where Are All The Old Horses?

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Tia

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Following on from Fruitloops thread where some people (in real life) are almost trying to bully her into having her old horse put to sleep, to which I would reply exactly the same as she has; the horse is healthy and happy, so let him enjoy his last few years in peace.

But ... it did get me thinking; where are all the *old* horses in the UK? I lived there until a few years ago and I have to say it was a very rare sight to see old horses anywhere in the part of South England where I lived. Do people hide them away or something? Or keep them blanketted so no-one can see their old bones showing through? It's almost like by the time they are 18 years old, they are pretty much written off? Do you think there are a higher than average amount of old horses who end up at the auctions and hence the knackerman in England?

Over this side of the Atlantic it is quite a different sight completely. Old horses are everywhere. They compete, they ride out, they are in pastures alongside busy roads. When I first moved here we were very tempted to buy a superbly bred and trained horse for my daughter to play around with working cattle. This little mare had already won over 7K that year and it was only May! Anyway the owner told us the mare was 28 and they wanted 3.5K for it; well she was over our budget so we didn't buy her and at that time I was still of the British mentality that you simply don't pay for a horse this old, you are generally given it. My thoughts have changed a lot over the years and I've had a few oldies who have given (and are still giving) so much and are still so active.

Just speculating here, but the difference between countries is very noticable to me.

* * By old, I mean horses over 25 years old.
 
I think lots of people (a friend included) are pressured into having their old horses put down due to complaints made about them to the RSPCA (which happened to my friend) Her horse was oldish (28?) but was obviously a little saggy backed, and slim in the winter.

Due to complaints by the general public, she decided she would have it put down. We have had very old horses (all now gone unfortunately) but we are fairly hidden so managed to 'get away' with having ropey looking old nags that were pretty boney, but perfectly happy.

I would like to get our old racehorse (24) back into more solid work - his tendons are totally sh*gged out, but he is sound and would be fine for hacking and most likely local shows - he very much enjoys his jumping, and loves to jog!! I just don't have the time to give atm.

I did see a 32 year old pony go clear round a local hunter trial though, and he seemed to enjoy every second!
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Ellie is 28 and still enjoys hacking out, doing the odd dressage test and jumping class at the local RC show. Also at the yard is a 35 (?) year old mare that cribs for England but is happy bless her
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At a larger show a couple of months ago there was a 41 year old in the veterans class that looked fantastic and won the in hand section
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I think there are plenty of old horses around. There are more old horses around now than there used to be due to improved standards in care, re-feeding, medication, dental care etc. Maybe you have seen plenty but they don't look their age. My oldster is 24 and he certainly hasn't got 'old bones showing through'. If you passed his field you would never point him out as an old horse. My friend has recently had her old horse put to sleep and she was 40 and was ridden well into her 30's!
The Veteran Classes at shows both ridden and in-hand are on the increase proving that horses are being ridden and living longer.
I agree with you, older horses do have so much to give but as they're looked after better and living longer you may not instantly recognise them as old horses.
 
Any excuse to show my old girlie off, I took these pics the other week whilst waiting for the farrier.....
Kelly Thorpe age 28
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Would you like to check my teeth??
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My farm has my mare, my three friends mares and my gelding on it all over 25. You would never guess they were all over 25 though....perhaps all the oldies just look bloody amazing these days!!

Me and my daughter on ours!
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Maybe you have seen plenty but they don't look their age. My oldster is 24 and he certainly hasn't got 'old bones showing through'.

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You could very well be right. My oldies don't have ribs showing either and they look nice and sleek, so perhaps people would never think they were as old as they are either. Doh! Never thought about that
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One of the ponies I ride is 28 another is 26. They are fit as fiddles and love their hacking. You would'nt think they were the age they are
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ETS They are both excellent doers!
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where are all the *old* horses in the UK?

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In my YO's field
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She has quite a few, bless them, over 30, 2 of which are still ridden occasionally. Some look quite ribby but nothing you could report for.

They are all sweet characters and boss the younger ones around
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I agree though, I see very few generally round and about.
 
My old boy is 42 and tbh he has only started looking old since last summer. He was still competing at pony club at a reasonable level until he was 35 and then he got sent home from camp because he was so naughty
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There are several horses in their twenties hunting around here and all still look well
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My 30 year old is happily munching hay in his Somerset stable. He is teaching the new boy a few tricks too the old devil!

You couldnt possibly hide him away....he wouldnt stand for it!
 
I think they are about but in this country we seem so hung up the appearance of everything that perhaps they are they 'hidden' away in back fields/under rugs etc. Our local riding school have several oldies but they are in the retirement fields up the road. I guess because they are not in use they are not seen around so much but they are there. One of these old guys has just been PTS aged 48yrs. Several of the ponies at the RS are in their 20's and fit and well.
I guess it depends what dicipline you are in...competition horses, I suppose, are often pretty crippled by the time they are in their 20's...I suppose it depends on their mileage!
 
my 1st horse was 28 when i got him. he won jumping classes with 100+ entries in and happily both sj and Xc with me. he retired at 32ish and is still living out his happy retirement at 40+ now! worth his weight in gold. gave me a good solid start in decent jumping classes, forgave me my mistakes and taught me much of what i know. and bucked me off when i got a bit too big for my boots. lol.
 
Boodle has them all!

Just kinding... I don't agree with you, I think there are plenty of old horses. I mean vetren classes tend to be rather popular form local to high level. BSJA, riding school and pony club ponies tend to be as old as the hills and going strong. For better or worse the belief tends to be the older the pony the more suitable for a child as the easier and more bomb proof (HA, my experience of vetrens is nothing of the sort!). We have ALOT imported from Ireland, Irish horses make up for there slow maturing in later years. I also think England is VERY sentimentel about there horses compared to alot of other parts of the world and see them as dear firends rather then working animals meaning people tend to swear to keep them for life.

Maybe are old horses just look rather well and youthful due to good care, I know most the oldies I know do.
 
All in better condition than their american counterparts. There are loads of oldies - but they just look better now than they did years ago.
 
Definately down to pressure,i also feel that alot of people that have oldies want younger models and simply cannot afford the upkeep of another....hence pts rather than semi retire etc....I for 1 am hoping my lad is still enjoying an active life when he reaches 25 plus,and nooo pressure in the world will ever have me put him to sleep because he looks old,i owe him his old age and i tend to give him the best when the time comes,i would also hope after having him all his life i will no when he wants me to let him go
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But i see exactly were you are coming from,i am seeing fewer REAL oldies...however have met alot of 24yr olds that are looking fab and you would never guess to just glance over them
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There definatly is a horrible pressure to pts.

My first pony was 22 when I got her and 25 when she went off to a happy retirement home (returned to old owner per previous agreement) and last I heard she was still doing the occasional hack out. She's happy, healthy and deserves to live on!
 
Well at home home (i.e. with my mum in Jersey!) we keep our oldies
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Tricky our oldest was pts just a few weekends ago at 34ish when terminal bad health finally caught up with him. He was still being ridden occasionally and although partially blind was a happy pony being turned out everyday with his friend Badger! We had owned Tricky since he was 10.

Badger is 26 now we have had him since he was a 5yo. He is still ridden regularly and it is that which I believe keeps him healthy!

We also have Amber who I 'think' is 21ish and Santa who is 19. Both are still being ridden almost daily, and although they no longer do anything serious competition wise (both jumping JA tracks when I rode them) they still do pony club and similar little competitions.

Also my old 12h2 pony Premy is still fighting fit at 22 and jumping top 128cms tracks. Actually quite a few of the top 128cms ponies are older in age mainly as the good ones are treated well and just keep going with one rider after another!

I think the oldies are about on my yard alone I can name several 'veterans' over the age of 16 and I think tabittha the oldest is well into her 20s but still takes her 92yo mum (yes i did say 92!) out at least once a week!
 
hello tia - hope all is well over there ;0)
Im moving to a yard and there is an old 34yr old there...
my pony too is 30 and still going strong...jumped my 4ft electric fence over the weekend!!
My friend did allow hers to go to a retirement yard but I would rather re-pay my thanks to my old pony by keeping her and looking after her like she did with me when I rode her.
After all no one can look after my horses as well as I can
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QR -

How lovely to hear about everyones old guys and girls; it's really heart-warming to hear about the old ones still doing well
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I never knew anyone in England who had an old horse, however the comment someone made on this thread could have a lot of merit in it, all of my friends competed so they kept younger horses and I guess probably sold them on when they got to around the dreaded 13 mark. Over here the type of competitions I am personally involved in are all western events and western riders do seem to have a knack of keeping their old horses looking terrific and in work for much older than I've seen in any other discipline. Those cattle horses just seem to go on forever and ever. Mind you saying that, my daughter competes English and when I am chatting to people at the shows, I am often surprised at how many very old horses compete. I think the biggest difference is that over here old horses do often fetch pretty high prices, whereas in England this is rare.
 
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I think that your involvement with competition yards in England is the key to it Tia. I know many 'amateur' owners (me included) who keep their horses for life. Over the years we have had mares in their late 20's, their 30's and one well into her 40's. None of them were PTS because of preassure, just because they let us know that they had had enough. They were family members and as such we felt that we had a responsibility to keep them happy and healthy and to make the final decision for them. The keeping them happy and healthy was also a privilige and a joy as well as a responsibility.
 
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I've had quite a few 'old horses' and tbh, you couldn't really tell they were that old. Perhaps you did see a lot of 'old' horses and didn't realise!

My shettie is 18!
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Sad to say but here in Italy we have gone from one extreme to the other. A few years ago most 'oldies' ended up at the butchers (perhaps the lucky ones), the others ended up in riding schools (most of dubious repute) to pass the rest of their now inglorious lives, nose to tail all day long with the prospect of some mouldy hay and uncrushed oats at the end of the day for their efforts. Now forward on to 2008. Italy has progressed in her treatment of old horses.The lucky ones still end up at the butchers or they end up with me and a very few others like me.I have only oldies or broken down ggs and they are treated exactly like horses in full work, the only diff is that their daily exercise is when turned out.Each horse has his field buddy and have a large paddock to themselves.All paddocks are rotated weekly and droppings picked up every 2 days.Each has his own diet and is groomed every day plus worming 4 times a year.Teeth are done twice a year and feet done every 6 weeks. To cut it short, they are pampered.Now for the other side of the coin-Italians are known for their astuteness and many have cottoned on to the changing trend in horseownership= find yourself as many suckers as is possible and bung as many horses as you can on to a handkerchief of dust and rubble, throw in the promise of some.."home made hay" (cut and dried on the motorway verge)..say that you studied under PP and hey presto...youve got 50 odd retired gg's whos owners are willing to pay you 150 euros a month
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.I have no time for these so called'good owners'..150 euros wouldnt keep a dog for a month so how do they think..........
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Sorry Tia, I get sooooooooo bloody angry with out and out twats that Im easily carried away
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Its nice to hear that oldies at your end of the woods are still regarded as being useful and kept busy. M.
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PS, forgot to say, my livery fees are stll less than half charged on a comp yard but more than those of the chavie rip off retirement yards and thankfully, IM FULL
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hi. i know of lots of old horses, sadly 1 died last year but until then was happy as larry looking like a hat rack at the ripe old age of 38. plenty more around too. a friends 35 yr old nearly had his last winter til my boy joined him and seemingly gave him his latest leap of life, the video clips ive got of them tearing around are great. loads around, maybe just that we dont see them out hacking?? and wouldnt we soon complain if we did!
 
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