How much does age reflect on price??

J

junny

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Can someone tell me - a horse at 21 years old: how much riding has it got left in it, realistically?

I'm thinking of going for an older horse, because after a terrible accident i need an older horse who has been there done that and can bring back my confidence in riding again. So don't want anything too young, but at the same time, need to know how old is too old?

I've seen a 15.2hh 21 year old i really like, X connemara, but not sure if she is quite pricey for her age - they are asking £1400.

Does this sound too much? And do you think she'd still be okay for light work over the next few years?

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Like i say, i'm not looking for anything too young, but i'd like at least a few years riding before retiring the horse completely
 
I personally think that is a lot of money for a 21 year old. My old boy (now deceased) was 21 yrs when I bought him, it was a better market than now, and I paid £500 with all his tack! He was ridden until he was 26 yrs and sadly put to sleep a year later. Because of the distress of losing him after such a relatively short time of having him I would never buy such an old horse again. There are good confidence givers out there that are much younger, it took me about a year of looking but I now have two of the most bombproof horses you could wish for, one is 9 years old and the other 12 yrs. My advice, for what it's worth, is look for something a little younger and if you do go for this one don't pay as much as that.
 
I paid £250 for a 22 year old pony for my daughter to learn to ride on. He is perfect, good to clip, shoe, groom etc good on the roads everything. I expect only to have him for a few years relistically hence the price I paid ( with tack and about 10 rugs) but he is perfect for what I need him for £1400 is too much ,oney in my opinion x
 
On the plus side, the people I get my hay from brought a twenty ish year old pony for their son when he was tiny, they were warned that she might not be about for too much longer and he is now nearly 30, and the pony was put down this winter aged approx/nearly 50 years old!!
 
I agree with everyone who says £500 is closer to the price you should be paying but please do not dismiss a veteran. I own a 23 year old who is wonderful. We have had her for eight years and she is still going strong. She has limitations becuase she now has arthritis. She can't jump, I wouldn't like to stress her legs with travelling to shows and I keep her at walk on hacks. But she still puts on an impressive dressage display in the arena and as we are on a PC yard there are plenty of home events for her to take part in. She is teaching my two young daugthers, aged seven and four, to ride and the eldest will be entering her in a fancy dress show at the end of the month (she is going as Boudica). She is the perfect family horse and has taught us all a lot and I know when she goes I will be ready to do much more. If I fancy a bit of excitement I can borrow a friends younger horse for a hack or a lesson. It depends on what you want. I don't want to compete, I just want to have fun and I am willing to tailor my riding to her physical abilities. Yes, its terrible when they die, but colic or injury can claim an animal of any age and when you own animals you risk your heart being broken. We wouldn't swap our golden oldie. One word of caution though, we do spend a fortune on supplements because of her arthritis so do be prepared for this.
 
My parents paid just under £2k for a 29 year old 12hh pony. Admittedly that was because she was an absolute star - but it just goes to show that a horse or pony is worth what you are prepared to pay for it, regardless of age.
 
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