How much work is appropriate for a 15 year old ex racer.

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Willza

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I'm looking to get my 15 year old ex point to point thoroughbred fit again. When I bought him a few weeks ago he was in a bit of a sorry state but with some decent feed, supplements and grass and some light work to get him started again he's beginning to look much better.

My question is how much work can I reasonable expect an older gent of 15 years to be able to keep up with especially as he didn't retire from racing until he was 10? I've only ever had younger horses before so I'm not sure how hard I can push him. I don't want to race him again but I would like to get some good sustained canters and gallops around our livery yards 600 meter gallop track. I was thinking about slowly working up to 2 or 3 miles 3 or 4 times a week. What do you guys think?
 
As long as you build up slowly and he is healthy, he can do plenty.I have had two when they were fifteen and I used to ride for hours and have good gallops on them!:)
 
Let him dictate :)

My ex-racer competed at low level ODEs/ SJ/ XC and hunted until his late 20s, and at 15 was doing Open teamchasing- he had a long and very full life, but never was old until his very last days. We just let him decide what was enough, he always dictated pace (fast!) and I was very careful of the ground.
 
I've just bought my 17yr old Arab back not work aft some time off over winter due to one thing and another. We started off slow just hacking out in walk and now seven weeks on she is ridden five to six days a week for a minimum of two hours and she's doing great. She really enjoys it and is really supple and looks brilliant for it. Just take it easy and you'll know when too much is too is too much!
 
I find that the older they are, the harder they are to get fit - but if you take your time with the fittening work then you should be able to do plenty! My 17yo is taking a while to get suitably fit but that's the only way you can tell he's a bit older. He's more like an 8yo and is raring to go!

I also share a 13yo ex-racer who was in training until he was about nine. He is very laid back and much like an older gent, and we took the slow approach getting him fit last year after a month off after sinus surgery. He isn't so much raring to go as mine, and prefers the slow life so we let him say how much he is happy doing. He has an older owner too, so they potter about local prelim dressage together and he does novice with me, and that's what he's happy doing.

In short, I'd take it slow and listen to him if he's struggling - but don't underestimate an old, fit horse!
 
Thanks for the replies all. Sounds like my plan should be well within his abilities then as long as I build up slow.
 
My 15yr old ex racer also raced until he was 10, and enjoys 10 mile fun rides, regular lessons, dressage competitions and hacks.

My 21 yr old, on the other hand, is a bit stiff for schooling and dressage now, so just hacks - he's done 4 fun rides in the last 5 weeks :D

15 is not old and past it, just make sure they're fit enough for their workload, but if you build it up slowly there's no reason he couldn't do fun rides etc :)
 
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