how much do yo do with your older 20 + horses

debsflo

debsflo

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mine has been recuperating from a tendon injury sustained last year and had nearly a year off. she is nearly 20 and is now back in light work,hacking in walk with a little trot 3-4 x a week. i plan to keep her ticking over this winter as she emjoys going out and is getting stiffer as she gets older. she looks fantastic and is well in herself and i would like to restart a little schooling and do some intro ,prelim dressage in the spring. am keen to know how much or little you all do with your older horses....
 
I have 2 friends with 24yr old ponies that are as fit & willing as my 12yr old. One (14.2hh) is still regularly jumping 75/85cm courses & the other 12hh is teaching a lead rein 5yr old & still blasting around xc with a 11yr old. I think you know when they are feeling old - owners of the 14.2hh have decided to retire her from jumping this year to then just do hacking & flat
 
Mine's 18 (so not quite in your age bracket) but after recovering from suspensory damage and 2 yrs off, he is now, unbelievably sound. Off bute and looking and feeling very lively! My vet is very pleased and cleared him for light hunting.
At my hunt, there are many horses over 20 who go for hours (pulling all the way!).
With good feeding and bringing back into work carefully, plus good supplements, it is amazing what the old boys and girls can do. After all, people in their 70's and 80's still swim the channel, climb mountains etc. You just have to be a little more careful and build up to more work gently. Good luck with what you are planning for your 'oldy'.
 
I regularly hack out my 26 year old Arab mare who has always been sound in the 16 years i have owned her,,and who still has so much to give.She shows no signs of stiffness and is very fluid in her movements.She still enjoys a jump,and will sometimes put in a fly buck to show how much she enjoyed it.
 
My horse is 20 and his BSJA registration expired this year! Mind you, i really wasn't doing an awful lot of competing and my max height was/is really 1m. He still is ridden regularly and would be out competing doing ODEs etc now except he has been lame for a few weeks with what we suspect is an abcess although neither vet nor farrier can find anything! Farrier coming out again today to have asnother look! I still ride my 25 yo 14.2hh pony though, we've just been out this morning and to be honest he's as crackers as ever! I don't compete or jump him anymore but that has nothing to do with his age/health - we gave up jumping him many years ago as he is far too erratic and, well a bit bonkers!!! It was NOT enjoyable as everything was at 100mph or not at all, coupled with plunging, spinning and general crazy behaviour! If he was 'normal' in his head i have no doubt he'd still be jumping now.
 
Recently lost my old boy, but right till a couple of months before he was pts we were doing a trail ride a wk ( walking, but he wanted to canter ), 1 'schooling' session ( riding very large circles and letting him do some barrels at whatever speed he wanted ) and either 10 mins walk in the round yard or a short session long reining. We always finished each ride with him eager to do more.
He was 33 yrs.
Kx
 
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