Does age matter?

golddustsara

golddustsara

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Going to see a horse that has just turned thirteen. I was looking for something 5 - 11 to bring on but this chap looks lovely. Just after opinions really as I want to do RC activities (3ft and under SJ/XC & prelim dressage). Would a perfectly healthy horse in his teens put you off or not worry you at all? I'm sure at 13 he could do such activities for a good few years...
 
13? Not at all! I wish Ellie was 13 again
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If he ticks all the boxes then I don't see why not. (Subject to vet of course)
 
13 is a positive Spring Chicken! We bought my daughter's current jumping pony this Spring at 18yrs and she is fit as a fiddle (touch wood!) and competes very enthusiastically (sometimes too enthusiastically!) every other weekend. If you feel this is the right horse for you then go for it - I would never let age put me off.
 
13 is no age these days - check out the ages of eventers! Mine are 30, 23, 24 and 16, not eventers, I hasten to add, but one is an advanced medium dressage horse and all still going strong. (Having said that, they'll probably all drop dead tonight.)
 
Personally I don't get why anyone would buy a horse who someone else has had loads of useful years out of unless its mega cheap for what it is. Someone else has had nearly ten years of fun out of that animal, if you buy it now they get their money back for the horse and you take it on past a sellable age and are responsible for it in old age. It just doesn't make sense to me. If you think of it in terms of cars, why would you buy an old one with high mileage if you can afford a new one that should last X years longer? Its totally personal choice though.
 
My mare (I'm trying to sell) is 12 and I think it puts people off even though she wasn't ridden for at least 4 of her years due to being a broodmare. Horses live a long time nowadays, 13 isn't old!
 
We bought my daughters jumping pony at 14 years old. The pony is now 18 years and still beating nearly everything in Wiltshire up to 3ft. This pony will still pass a full vetting and will be jumping for years. She is the best pony we have ever had and probably ever will have.
 
When you look at the amount of top class showjumpers and eventers that can still compete at top level until a ripe old age and probably have a fair few miles on the clock I don't think age is a huge issue for the R.C. level owner.
Our 18 year old pony competes BSJA and if you check out the JA ponies on the BSJA website loads of them are over 12 - in fact probably the majority.
In my experience - and I know this isn't scientific - when you get a tough horse/pony they tend to go on for years where a horse that is going to have physical problemns has normally already exhibited them by the time it is 13.
Selling is the only issue in my mind with regard to age as I know it puts some people off and I suppose I am lucky in that I keep my horses at home and so am not paying livery if my O.A.P.s need to be retired. I knew when we bought our 18 year old we would never sell her but we still hope to have a foal from her when my daughter is out of ponies. Apart from which if our pony had been 8 we just couldn't have afforded to buy her!
 
Wouldn't personally buy something that age but if it ticks the right boxes, is the right price & passes a vetting then perhaps you should go for it - there will be plenty of younger horses about that aren't right....
This horse might not have much 'mileage' so may not have some of the problems that some other older horses might have but I agree with KVS that you may struggle to sell it on, if indeed, you are planning to do so once it's done it's job for you...
 
Well he used to be an RC allrounder but for the last couple of years hasn't done that much (been ridden a couple of times a week). He is advertised at £2000 ono including tack and rugs. I don't want to do any major comps or anything and he would most likely be a forever horse so resale would not really be an issue.... Think the best thing to do is to go and see him!
 
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