competing older horses -opinions

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gemjar82

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Hi I would really appreciate peoples opinions on my horses situation. He is 19 and has been retired from eventing for 3 years due to bone spavin. He's totally recovered now and although I have continued to hack I have not done much more with him. He is full of beans and loves being out and loved competing back in the day! I have been thinking about getting him really fit again to so some dressage and smaller rounds of show jumps locally. I just can't decide if he's really too old and we should just carry on hacking or if he's so full of beans he would love to go back out there. Any opinions welcomed, thanks.
 
My wifes mare is 20 this year and still competing Adv.Med dressage with no problem. She also pops round a course of SJ fences (low ones 90cm max) as this helps her stay loose and stretch the muscles.
19 is the new 14. :D
 
Do what you think is right for the horse, it is such an individual thing. i currently compete a Grade A stallion who has been retired from jumping the really big tracks but can still pop round a 1.20m track with very little effort, so I think just about finding a level where the horse is comfortable, and paying extra attention to old injuries of course as you would with any horse.

Over To You did his last Badminton aged 19, and Rolf-Goran Bengtson's Ninja La Silla is at 17 a contender for the SJ Olympics this year, to name just two examples of older horses still at a high level.
 
We were recently offered a 19 year old event schoolmistress on loan, she had competed at 2* and Intermediate but was in advanced points, she still have lots to give up to novice level but would require careful management. She was not ready to retire and grassroots level eventing would have been perfect for her, it would have been perfect had we not just bought our new mare!
 
My horse went lame when he was 17, never got to the bottom of why, but he had 2 years off and I was at uni anyway. When he was 19 I started riding him again as he'd come completely sound and did a couple of BE 90s on him and he was great, could have done more but I moved to London. He's now happily hacking with my Mum at the age of 21.

I woudl just see how it goes, I started off doing a bit of SJ on him and he was going great so decided to have another go at eventing :)
 
Here's a couple of photos of my horse, Hopalong, out competing earlier this year- she is 21 this year (but doesn't really know it! ;) ) and still loves her jumping. She picked up a wee tendon knock/niggle recently, but is hopefully on the mend and will be back out to hoon round some intros this summer, all going well. :)

ArenaEventing21.jpg


DunsTeamCoo20.jpg


And here's a photo from the end of last year doing dressage aged 20;

AlmondDrTest1011.jpg


I think as long as the horse is happy doing what you ask them to do (you would know if they weren't as up for it as they usually were) then age is just a number and why should they miss out on fun just because people perceive them to be "past it"?
 
PaddyMonty said:
My wifes mare is 20 this year and still competing Adv.Med dressage with no problem. She also pops round a course of SJ fences (low ones 90cm max) as this helps her stay loose and stretch the muscles.
19 is the new 14. :D
Click to expand...

Love this :D :D

My mare is 19 too and has just come back into work after having some time off breeding me two lovely youngsters. Shes competing (and winning) at Medium BD after only being back in work for 6months. She feels and looks amazing and loves her work. I also jump her a couple of times a month and she does pole work once a week aswell (along with hacking etc). As long as she is happy and fit she will carry on competing. I think its all in the management to be honest, good feed, turnout, exercise routeen is so important when they are older.
 
Mines 23 & retired due to injury from competing, but still loving doing local stuff. I let a friends daughter take her to a local show once fit, & watching her light up when she spotted the clear round was enough to convince me she'd still like to do stuff. Vet had cleared her for low level stuff anyway, & she's made it very clear she loves it. Doing unaffil sj is a step down physically for yours, same as it was for mine, so I'd take him out & see how it goes.
 
This is my old boy aged 19
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/picture.php?pictureid=7837&albumid=1271&dl=1294948264&thumb=1

and again at 20


http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/picture.php?pictureid=16499&albumid=1271&dl=1335433924&thumb=1


and 21 the week before we lost him to a freak illness which could have happened to any horse at any time


http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/picture.php?pictureid=16498&albumid=1271&dl=1335433924&thumb=1


its just a case of careful management and feeling how they are day to day. Pete injured his suspensory ligament aged 6 and came back from that after a year or so of careful rehab and he tweaked his collateral at 15 which meant 3 months out. So we were always uber mindful of his legs. Other than being a tad stiff sometimes he loved his life and loved his job!
I'd say go for it if he enjoys his work !
 
Definitely if the horse is happy. I've got an ex brood mare, registered her with BD aged 20, started competing aged 21, still doing so at 24 and we've been to 3 regionals. The judges don't have any idea of her age and the comments about her promise and potential always make me smile. The only time she gets grumpy is when we haven't been anywhere for a few weeks.
 
Sorry, just have to comment as I'm developing an issue . . . "spavins" are arthritic changes in the hock and, as such, will not be "cured" per se. It is a degenerative condition. The key is management, in whatever form works best for the horse in question. I am continually confused by people referring to OA being cured by injections etc. - is this something insurance companies suggest is possible?

To answer the OP, though, there is absolutely no reason why a sound, happy horse cannot be competing at that age. I have seen many horses going well into their 20s, likely at a reduced work load but better for it and invaluable to the people learning from them. Almost by definition, schoolmasters are getting up there and they are worth their weight. :)
 
My lovely old girl, at 18, scoring 73% at the weekend and in preparation for dressage at RWHS:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...0274513516199.322522.535976198&type=3&theater

She has been outgrown otherwise she would be out eventing with her rider, instead they will have to stick to dressage. I find the only difference in her now to her 10 years ago, is that she feels stiffer when she has been stabled much. She needs a bit longer to warm up and is better out & moving. But then I suppose that's entirely to be expected.
 
I competed my horse at low-level (prelim dressage, 2'6 jumping including ODEs and hunter trials) RC/ PC stuff until he was 27. He was fab and totally bonkers. He required careful management, we never did anything on hard ground and quite often I'd retire mid-test as he was being so badly behaved (he didn't appreciate dressage, and made that very clear!).

He moved a little short behind due to arthritis and we were called up on it once. But we had the vets approval of how he was so we monitered him carefully according to how he appeared.
 
TarrSteps I totally agree with you I am a Dr in genetics and I appreciate he will not be cured but he is sound and pain free and becoming somewhat naughty which in the past would indicate lack of work. It's a great point you raised and I am sure insurance companies would too and no injections will never cure but exercise also helps. I just wondered if anyone had stories and experience of taking this kind of horse back to competition.
I have really enjoyed all your posts and photos and I am sure my boy would look as happy as yours and would be quick to tell me if he was uncomfortable ot unhappy.
 
That's supposed to say insurance companies I'm sure would agree with TarrSteps and would put exclusions on the policy with injections being paid for to manage the condition.
 
My experience has been that medication, while helpful and a worthwhile investment even without insurance, are most effective combined with management so if he's doing okay there's no reason for him not to get back out there! Lots and lots of horses - I'd say most, really - are competing at the top levels with some OA.

It will be trial and error for you to see what he can and cannot cope with. He'll let you know! Maybe try a few lessons and see how he gets on with the increased workload? That will also give you someone on the ground to assess. It will be essential to get and keep him fit - I find one thing that can defeat people is that an older horse actually needs more constant work and shortcuts, like a run around the school or longeing, on busy days are not such a great idea. But if you can work out a system for him there's no reason he can't compete.
 
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My mare is 20 in a couple of weeks and is stil BS registered and happily pops round 1m courses. I think it depends on the horse, their background/ injuries etc, and I think most horses will let you know when they've had enough!!!
 
hello! my boy is 18 this year... i brought him as a 15 yr old eventing school master (has previoulsy done 2*) I dont ever push him past Pre Nov... he would still do Nov standing on his head but I ditn buy him for that reason :) He is currently recovering from a check ligament injury but am hoping to get another season pre nov out of him next year... :D my sisters horse is 26 this year and still flies around BE80!!! :eek: :eek:
 
My horse is 19 had hocks and fetlocks injected last year. Has had an easy winter mainly hacking and schooling with some prelim dressage and popping odd small jump. Like yours he is fit and raring to go so we hve entered a 2'3 hunter trial in a couple of weeks. I am just more careful of the ground and not to do too much and this is working well for him. Vets are happy with how he is doing.
If the horse is sound and happy I don't see why they can't enjoy the odd low level stuff to keep them happy.
 
I am feeling inspired by all your happy old horse posts. When I ride my 5 year old he stands watching like um me next mum? Think its time to give it a go to see how he gets on!
 
little_flea said:
Do what you think is right for the horse, it is such an individual thing. i currently compete a Grade A stallion who has been retired from jumping the really big tracks but can still pop round a 1.20m track with very little effort, so I think just about finding a level where the horse is comfortable, and paying extra attention to old injuries of course as you would with any horse.

Over To You did his last Badminton aged 19, and Rolf-Goran Bengtson's Ninja La Silla is at 17 a contender for the SJ Olympics this year, to name just two examples of older horses still at a high level.
Click to expand...

This /\

I brought my loaner back into work after 4 years off, he is 20 now and taking me round my first BE soon :)
 
I've got a 19 year old ob who I am thinking of doing some dressage with. He's fit and sound, even though he hasnt been ridden for nearly 3 weeks for all sorts of reasons. I used to do quite a bit of unaff dressage with him, showjumped, hunting, showing and he has been pony clubbed by my daughter as well. He loved his dressage and grew to 16.3hh from his usual 14.3hh when he saw the white boards and always knew when mummy had her show gear on. My daughter's eventing has taken over a bit and we've just hacked, schooled, gone on riding holidays together and gone hunting in the past few years, but I am still itching to have one more last go at doing dressage with him.

The only thing I find different is that he takes a lot longer to warm up and I find I have to mollycoddle him rugwise a bit more. He is on pure glucosamine for any stiffness, which does the trick. He;s also got a lovely pair of grey eyebrows, but no other signs of age, no dipped back or dips over his eyes etc. My main issue is my time, but hopefully with the summer coming we may have yet another go.

I do think oldies are goodies, mine is very wise, very, very safe, but still has a little spark of cheekiness. He's my perfect little horse, owes me nothing and has a home for life.
 
On our yard we have had many older grade As still jumping reasonable BSJA tracks doing really well, keeping them happy and enthusiastic about life. The ones who really loved their jobs and have been retired by their owners due to age on paper rather than how they were going at the time TBH became depressed and seemed to go downhill faster than they might have otherwise. I think provided the rider can ride a stride (rather than keep standing them on their head and relying on the horse to dig them out) and is also not really racing them against the clock then they can compete happily within their abilities for many years into their twenties.

One horse that had been with a top SJ family and had won the QE cup in his youth carried on happily skipping round 1.20s until he was retired from BSJA in his early thirties and then continued to be everyone's favorite PC horse until he died. He was fit, healthy and very enthusiastic to take anyone round a track and get them a red rosette! We all loved him and he taught us all so much.
 
My horse is 24. Still competes small ODE (up to 2ft9), SJ, and i have recently started having dressages lessons on him, to which he is taking to like a duck to water.
He is fit, healthy, sound as a pound, and not stiff in the slightest :-). Some people think i'm being unfair to keep him in work, but he enjoys it, and is up to it, so why not?!?!?
 
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