How old is the oldest horse ?

henmother

henmother

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Hello all. I have recently been offered the use of a been there done that cob, she's 14.1 and thirty years young. I'm going to meet her on Tuesday :) Although I can't ride until February the 11th I thought it'd be nice to have some horsey playtime. Yard is ideal for a wheel chair user and yo has said anything I can't do, she'll help out , yippee. Have met her and she is really lovely.
Anyway, I've never ridden anything as mature as thirty.What is/was the age of the oldest horse you've ridden, and how much fun did you have riding the golden oldie :D
Thank you.
 
Was talking to a friend just yesterday about her oldie. The horse is 31 and still ridden twice a week.
 
My childhood pony was a very old man. Not 100% sure of age but at the very least late 30s maybe even early 40s. He was ridden 3 times a week and still popped a jump occasionally.
 
We had a 36yr old 15hh cob mare at our yard! Still going strong, doing beginner lessons maybe 1/2 an hour walk and trot once a week! She didn't not look or act her age at all! No health problems, nothing!! Loved going out and about on little hacks. Was still jumping at 32, (only tiny cross poles mind!) and going for a steady canter along the flat bridle path in the summer, but she was fit and healthy, didn't even have any arthritis!
We tried retiring her, but it just didn't suit! She got depressed and bored, she loved her work so a little bit every now and again kept her happy! She was one in a million.
Sadly she died one evevening this summer, she had a heart attack in her field, but at 36 something was bound to give way in the end. It was a sad loss, we miss her very much indeed!
As does her "husband" (they were inseparable) a now 30yr old ex-hunter gelding, who is still going strong!
 
There was a user on here (not sure if she still posts) who had a grey mare who was about 45 when she died. Where I used to work we had a pony who was about 36, he was still in light work doing the odd lead rein lesson with small children on.
 
my 'oldie' is still relatively young at 22, going on 23.
He can't jump more than 65cm due to an old injury but his wee face lights up when he realises he's getting to jump. He's on loan to a girl at my yard and in full work - he'll be out competing regularly as of next month as well. :)

He's a grumpy sod and a bit of an idiot but I could put a complete novice on him and he'd be as good as gold.
 
Marchogaeth said:
We had a 36yr old 15hh cob mare at our yard! Still going strong, doing beginner lessons maybe 1/2 an hour walk and trot once a week! She didn't not look or act her age at all! No health problems, nothing!! Loved going out and about on little hacks. Was still jumping at 32, (only tiny cross poles mind!) and going for a steady canter along the flat bridle path in the summer, but she was fit and healthy, didn't even have any arthritis!
We tried retiring her, but it just didn't suit! She got depressed and bored, she loved her work so a little bit every now and again kept her happy! She was one in a million.
Sadly she died one evevening this summer, she had a heart attack in her field, but at 36 something was bound to give way in the end. It was a sad loss, we miss her very much indeed!
As does her "husband" (they were inseparable) a now 30yr old ex-hunter gelding, who is still going strong!
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Aww, that is sad, her husband pining for her. It's nice to hear that the lady loved her life til the end and wanted to keep giving. I'm looking forward to keeping this little one ticking over, a bit of variety, hopefully some hacking once I've built up to riding out again. I'm hoping her age will prove her solid and dependable.
 
I'm hoping that the level of exercise she'll need will match my level of recovery. It's amazing to hear of your stories of the golden oldies, and not so oldies too. If a horse is blessed with good health and light work into their twilight years there's no reason they can't go on being ridden throughout their thirties.
45, wow!! I've never thought about it but being a horse owner, you'd need to put them into your will , should they outlive you..
 
My old girl (my first pony) was still taking off with me at the age of 35 :)

At 25 and 13.1hh she was faster than many of the 15hh+ horses at pony camp who were almost 20 years younger than her.
 
Our shettie was in light work at 33yrs, hes the one in my pic, think theres one of his last day ridden before retired completley in my album. He never had a day sick in the 15yrs we had him and was in great shape till his last mnth before passing at 34.
 
hnmisty said:
My old girl (my first pony) was still taking off with me at the age of 35 :)

At 25 and 13.1hh she was faster than many of the 15hh+ horses at pony camp who were almost 20 years younger than her.
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Oh o, I hope this lady won't be taking off with me! I don't mind a little spirit but if I fall off I'd be lying where I fell until rescue came with my wheelchair, eek!!
 
As a child I rode a little dartmoor pony who was in his 40s, and he still managed to ditch me many times! The biggest horsey character I've ever come across, he passed away in his early 50s. One of a kind!
 
Knew a riding school pony called Sailor, a grey about 13.2. THE best RS pony any RS could ever wish for. Sure he was 45 when they retired him - he didn't want to retire, and within months they lost him. He really lived to work and loved caring for his little bouncy wobbly riders. He would even join in at the back of the ride - without a rider, while waiting for the next lesson!!
 
TelH said:
I found an old thread with pics of the 45yo mare on :) She was a really sweet old girl, the poster often used to post pics from their walks. I think these pics were from a couple of months or so before she died :(

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?539991-Recent-B-pony-pictures
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What a sweetie, she looks happy, still has the glint of cheeky in her eyes. Beautiful. Thankyou for posting the link. What a lucky lady to have enjoyed glad times from a very thoughtful owner.
 
forelegs said:
As a child I rode a little dartmoor pony who was in his 40s, and he still managed to ditch me many times! The biggest horsey character I've ever come across, he passed away in his early 50s. One of a kind!
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Oh dear me , these stories of mature horses being tinkerish gives me a little bit of dread, but then also joy . Wonder if they're like old people who think I've got this far on , I'll do what I please :)
Early 50's, wow, that has to be the oldest....
 
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