horse ages

Salacia

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Hi Guys, i am considering buying my first horse who is 14, can i just ask what sort of age can you ride them until? Or does this just depend on the horse. Conscious i would like to know at what age should a horse ‘retire’ as such? I would not want to be dragging them out to ride when they do not want to be ridden any more.

Thank you
 

teddypops

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Depends on the individual horse. I have one I got at 15 and she is now 29 and still going strong. She is very fast, strong and forward going. She would hate to be retired. On the other hand, I have a 10yo who I retired last year as he has very bad eyesight and became unpredictable to ride.
 

ycbm

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It depends a lot on breed and size. Smaller is longer lived. Small ponies are often ridden into their mid/ late thirties. TBs tend to be shorter lived no matter their size.

What breed is the horse you are considering?
 

meleeka

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That’s a how long is a piece of string question! A friend had a 16.2 horse that was still being hacked out on his 28th
Birthday! He was still jumping competitively when he was 25. Another friends 14.2 was retired at 20.
 

mini_b

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My friends horse is 29 - 30 next year.
competed dressage to a high level.
she’s ridden every day, sometimes twice, doesn’t do much hard schooling but definitely lengthy hacks.
She’s as fit as a fiddle, she’s also VERY carefully managed.
Never been lame.

Giant hunter I used to exercise, thrashed on the field til 12 (not by me!!) went on to a hacking/fun ride home and continued in this work daily until he was 20 where he retired with a bad shoulder from wear and tear. He’s still alive now at 26 but he’s not ridden.

think if a horse has always been in constant work of some sort, it’s easier to keep them going. Like these old first ridden ponies that teach generations of kids to ride.

14 is no age really but it depends on how much work it’s had/or not had.
is there a reason it’s had little work?
or what are you wanting to do with it?
it’s kind of how long is a piece of string question...
 

mini_b

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That’s a how long is a piece of string question! A friend had a 16.2 horse that was still being hacked out on his 28th
Birthday! He was still jumping competitively when he was 25. Another friends 14.2 was retired at 20.

haha yes I agree the string thing on this one!! Was typing as you posted that ?
 

hellfire

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My old mare went on being ridden and still as mad at 28. She passed away very suddenly in the field at 32. Another I retired at 23 due to ringbone. All horses are different as are people.
 

claret09

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go for it. i bought my boy at 11 having had him for two years previously. he is now 23 and still in full work and looks amazing. in fact we are going out tomorrow and thursday schooling and on sunday we are doing jumping clinic - (only small because its fun and he doesn't need to prove anything) normally we won't go out three times in a week but it's just how it worked out. he loves going out as do i
 

Salacia

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It depends a lot on breed and size. Smaller is longer lived. Small ponies are often ridden into their mid/ late thirties. TBs tend to be shorter lived no matter their size.

What breed is the horse you are considering?
thank you, he is a standard bred 15.3 x
 

Salacia

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My friends horse is 29 - 30 next year.
competed dressage to a high level.
she’s ridden every day, sometimes twice, doesn’t do much hard schooling but definitely lengthy hacks.
She’s as fit as a fiddle, she’s also VERY carefully managed.
Never been lame.

Giant hunter I used to exercise, thrashed on the field til 12 (not by me!!) went on to a hacking/fun ride home and continued in this work daily until he was 20 where he retired with a bad shoulder from wear and tear. He’s still alive now at 26 but he’s not ridden.

think if a horse has always been in constant work of some sort, it’s easier to keep them going. Like these old first ridden ponies that teach generations of kids to ride.

14 is no age really but it depends on how much work it’s had/or not had.
is there a reason it’s had little work?
or what are you wanting to do with it?
it’s kind of how long is a piece of string question...
thank you he has worked quite a bit previously but for the past 5 or 6 years occasionally hacked x
 

Salacia

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It depends a lot on breed and size. Smaller is longer lived. Small ponies are often ridden into their mid/ late thirties. TBs tend to be shorter lived no matter their size.

What breed is the horse you are considering?
thank you he is a standard bred 15.3 x
 

Salacia

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Depends on the individual horse. I have one I got at 15 and she is now 29 and still going strong. She is very fast, strong and forward going. She would hate to be retired. On the other hand, I have a 10yo who I retired last year as he has very bad eyesight and became unpredictable to ride.
thank you, would you say it is down to breed or is that irrelevant and it is each horse is different x
 

Trinket12

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My previous lease horse is 32, his owner still rides twice a week (no jumping). My horse is 17, as others have said there are a lot of variables. But I do know a fair few horses that do well into their late twenties.
 
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