How old is to old to hunt!

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Molineux

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My vet advised me that when they get over 16 they should not go out on the hunting field.

I have a horse that is 19 and I hunted him once last year and that was it.

I wanted to take him cubbing this year - Do you think he is to old?
 
Harry, my old man has just done 3 full seasons. He went out most Saturdays with his loaner to look after the kids. He has just come back to me and is on loan again but staying here with me on livery, and she is quite looking forward to having her first days hunting this winter. He only goes steady and probably does more ''car following'' than galloping and jumping but he loves every moment and I feel it has helped him stay so fit and well.
He is now 22, so I think as long as you are sensible about it its fine
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what rubbish!!!

It all depends on lots of things but if your 19yrs is fit and well and you know his limits and yours, i see no problem eps if only autumn hunting, which is a stroll around. That is until about last two saturdays before opening meet
 
I don't think he's too old! I've spoken to people out before who have horses in their late teens and early 20s still going strong. I remember chatting to one man who was out on his mid-20s IDx mare who'd been out most weekends for most of her working life. She was full of beans all day long!
 
I went bloodhounding on 21yo pony, jumped most fences and stayed out all day. My horse is 17 and I will hunt him if I ever get the time to get him fit enough!

I think it depends on the horse. If they are fit and sound and enjoying themselves then carry on!
 
as long as your horse is sound it should be fine to hunt. A lot of top event horses that compete at Advanced level until they are 20 retire to go hunting! I had a 24 yr old that I still competed at hunter trials, the only reason I didnt take her hunting was because I wanted to stay in one piece!!!
 
I took my old boy twice last year when he was 19/20. He was an absolute nutcase, full of energy, didn't want to stand still, jumped everything asked. far fitter than most of the horses there (we managed the hours hack there and back fine too). Only reason I haven't taken him since is he is such a nutcase I can barely hold him and we spend a lot of time running backwards into ditches whenever the hunt stop as he can't bare to stand still, which gets a bit annoying after awhile! Maybe if I am feeling brave one day I will take him again. He loves it so much, I feel a bit mean not to!
 
I used to take my TB hunting until she was 28 and would have continued at 29, but she suffered a field accident and had to be pts.

She loved it. I only did half day and made sure she did not over do things - she did not know the meaning of slow down and on the gallop was still one of the fastest out there.

I hunted my second one until 22 when she then went out on loan to a nice family as she did start to slow a little and I then bought her daughter.

If the horse is fit and healthy and able to go hunting then do so, but maybe in the 20s go for half day and be prepared to take things a little easier - with the Puckeridge we had plenty of rests between gallops and not too many jumps which suits me fine.
 
If the horse is fit then there is no age limit (just like the rider!)

Private hunt yard I worked on, one of the old boys (horse!) did a tendon at 20 came sound at 23 & returned to hunting a few days a season for a couple of years.
 
A very strange thing for the vet to have said! The only thing that matters, regardless of age, is fitness. Last season I hunted my 19 year old mare almost weekly and initially took her home by 2 pm but when she was properly fit I kept her out all day till 5pm sometimes, she was fine!
 
if they are sound and fit i cant see any problem with it.....i know a 25 year old pony that still goes hunting and puts the younger horses to shame!!
 
Just thought, one of our Huntsmans' horses' is 16 this time as is the senior masters' horse who he field masters off. Also one of the other masters horses is coming to 15. Plus in the field members there are numerous horses that are in their late teen/early twenties!

So long as looked after & nutured then there should be no reason why not.
 
Your vet is generalizing.....

My welshie hunted until he was 24, and enjoyed every minute of it.

We 'bloodhound', so no such thing as a slow day either!!!

I made sure not to do more than 3 Saturdays in a row though, that was the only consession to his age.

Fiona
 
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