How old is your old horse (retired horses only!)

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canteron

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I have a rising 30yo Irish Draught 16hh horse, I have owned since she was 6yo (or more accurately, she has owned me for those 24 years). Very bright, very opinionated and totally adored. Not ridden, but still happy and looks good. Apart from occasional absesses, her only known health issue is a distemper in her teeth, I would like to clean it regularly but I also value my life, so sadly that doesn't happen. She was finally totally retired, at 27 as even though she still got really excited about going out (loved her hacking) after about 10 mins lost all her energy.

Dread the day we have to make any decisions as she is completely needle phobic. But maybe that's for another thread.
 
I have Welsh D who will be 22 this year, he's the complete love of my life but definitely your typical fire breathing Welshy 😅

He did the splits with his front legs & tore one of his pecs just over a year ago & hes comfortable but not 100% right to be ridden.

I think he has something metabolic going on BUT, same as yours, completely needle phobic so impossible to draw bloods to see if anythings wonky. As a precaution, hes now retired on a track system with extremely minimal grass in summer, just to be on the safe side.

He'll probably out live me 😅
 
My oldest are 29 yr old 15hh and 27 yr old 17.2hh shire x
No health issues, just slightly stiff. Could still be ridden I only retired them after my fall. Hubby has younger ones to keep going.
 
He’ll be 30 in April, Welsh D x Warmblood I’ve had him 23 years. Retired since he was 17 due to intermittent lameness every time he was in work that I couldn’t get to the bottom of, but was field sound so he became a paddock ornament!

Just started on one Bute a day for arthritis in his hocks and had a couple of teeth removed but otherwise in pretty good shape. Still very opinionated, rude and bolshy as he’s always been! 😁
 
Sore subject, I have a 13 yr and 23 yr old - one retired at 7 the other at 14.The older gelding had damaged both front suspensories and associated structures so at least I know what's wrong with him. Looks ound most of the time but does go lame when he goes silly in the field but it settles down. The younger horse they couldn't get to the bottow of the problem, he had varies issues every time he was in ridden work for any length of time. The only conclusion was he was is hypermobile - but he does look spectaculor floating round the field! The moral of the story is don't have a warmblood, my avatar is my connie, he may not float but we have so much fun
 
I have a 24 yo and a 25 yo retired racehorses. The 24 yo still looks and behaves like the 5 yo when we bought him. I think the 25 yo may have failing eyesight, but he still canters over for his feed bucket
 
I have had my Connie since he was 8 and he’s 18 in May. He was a successful show pony but as wide as he is tall and it took a toll on his hocks so he’s been retired for 2 years. Cartrophen worked for a while but he wasn’t happy hacking on our hills so now lives on a completely flat field in winter and a track in summer.
 
My oldest was 33. He was in my life for 26 years, bought as a 7yo and he was in regular light work till 26, then very light work till 31, lived in a little herd of 3. He lost weight for first time in winter 23/24 but put it back on during summer 24 with help from fibre feeds. Risign 33, he lost weight in winter 24/25 and didn't put it all back on last summer so I knew it was his last summer. He was euthanised, after going downhill very suddenly (overnight) 3 weeks after his 33rd birthday. His passing was peaceful on 29 Sept, first day of the autumn equinox, so he really did have a whole last summer. Fondly remembered, dear Choccy.
 
Children’s pony who is still with us turning 35 this year. Children long gone. No interest in adults but lives for small children so we pay a couple of children to come and brush her and generally fuss over her each week. Has really kept her going.

Hubbies GP SJer 25yrs with chronic conditions that require a fair bit of management. Happy, comfortable but she aged quickly from 20-25yrs.

My 22yr old eventer - same at 22 as she was as 8. Sound as a bell, loves her work but we have reduced her workload over time recognising that the years are ticking by.

18 yrs big fat warmblood GP dressage. Sound but suspect arthritis creeping in and maybe a PPID candidate. Closely monitoring. Had always been a work dodger/minimalist so no changes there!
 
My OTTB is 25 and had him for 20 years. Fully retired from riding but not from walking. I hand walk him all around the 300 acre property where he is kept. He is bright and loves walking out. He's blind in one eye, has very worn down teeth and a few other issues, but still with us. He's pretty high maintenance but worth it.
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canteron said:
I have a rising 30yo Irish Draught 16hh horse, I have owned since she was 6yo (or more accurately, she has owned me for those 24 years). Very bright, very opinionated and totally adored. Not ridden, but still happy and looks good. Apart from occasional absesses, her only known health issue is a distemper in her teeth, I would like to clean it regularly but I also value my life, so sadly that doesn't happen. She was finally totally retired, at 27 as even though she still got really excited about going out (loved her hacking) after about 10 mins lost all her energy.

Dread the day we have to make any decisions as she is completely needle phobic. But maybe that's for another thread.
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40 years old, Welsh C mare by Nebo Black Magic, mother of multiple foals, a delight.
Consider the hunt and a humane killer if yours is easy to pet and handle, lethal injection isn’t always the ‘peaceful slipping away’ that owners might hope for, unfortunately.
ETA, sorry, not read properly, thought this was about the oldest that people had kept into retirement - this little sweetie is deceased.
 
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30yr old home bred. Retired at 14 yrs as was very difficult to ride. Realise now she probably had KS. She's very loving and rules the field.

29yr old ex racehorse. Appalling teeth, lives on hay replacer. Looks great. Has lived with me for 14 years, his owner is a locum vet, so tries to see him once a week.
 
16, 27, 23
Retired at 7(physically weird, not sure if pain but didn't want to make her to something that might cause pain for my own benefit because she is the type to do stuff if you ask... Though it does have to be made out to be her idea...., would restart her if I could make 210% certain she was completely comfortable);10 (reasons of her mental health/my confidence really - neither of us were enjoying it, she is+always has been physically extremely well); and 20 respectively (back issues and he's had a lot of homes and really given his all for people, probably still would if you asked him to, so more than earned the privilege of being a big pet dossing about in the field with his mates). All enjoy going for a lopey canter round the field when turned out, sound, barefoot, naked, cheerful bunch, just not ridden. Love my big daft expensive pets and they'll be with me until the end.


Shooting is not an inhumane method of euthanasia fwiw but you can also sedate before injection, useful to talk to a vet that knows both you and the horse to work out what will be best. But always preferable to have worked things out before you need to act so it can be as calm as possible for both your sakes
 
canteron said:
I have a rising 30yo Irish Draught 16hh horse, I have owned since she was 6yo (or more accurately, she has owned me for those 24 years). Very bright, very opinionated and totally adored. Not ridden, but still happy and looks good. Apart from occasional absesses, her only known health issue is a distemper in her teeth, I would like to clean it regularly but I also value my life, so sadly that doesn't happen. She was finally totally retired, at 27 as even though she still got really excited about going out (loved her hacking) after about 10 mins lost all her energy.

Dread the day we have to make any decisions as she is completely needle phobic. But maybe that's for another thread.
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Pidge 28y 9m old. 17hh ISH, only retired last June. I've had him from when he had just turned 8yo and he is my horse of a lifetime
 

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Coblet, only 18 but retired him last year after poor confirmation and surgery on his annular ligaments left him ridden lame in anything above a walk. He’s an expressive dude (got a good buck and bronc in him) and he was telling us work was just too much like, well work! So he’s an expensive pet, who enjoys in hand walks, lots of love and stud muffins. We did think this winter would be his last but he’s wintering well and cheerful enough currently.
 
My boy is almost 27 and I’ve had him since he was 5. He’s my horse of a lifetime, and we’ve done everything together in his younger years. I’m cheating slightly as he isn’t completely retired but is *almost* retired except for a few short and gentle hacks now and then.
 

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My Old Lady will be 29 in April. She's a French Trotter and retired completely from ridden work at 27 after loosing a lot of weight. She's missing a handful of molars and has cataracts in both eyes as well as some arthritis, but is doing well and babysitting my youngsters. I've only had her since she was 25yo.
 
My mare is 25. Been on borrowed time since she was 9, when she was saved from being shot due to her rare genes. Due to severe sweet itch she turned out to be unsuitable for breeding so was offered to me cheap. Later turned out to have SI issues and after a very late backing aged 14, was eventually retired aged 17 after numerous stop starts. Very nearly pts last year after on/off lameness and general stiffness for the previous year after she got her leg stuck in her surcingles overnight and did a tendon. Was postponed due to cat trauma and moved field instead with my cob. Did an about turn and aside from a few off days requiring double bute, continues to dodge the reaper!! Bloody thing will outlive us all at this rate. 😂 I think it's her ginger nut habit that keeps her going.
 
22 year old Welsh x Arab x TB, had her since she was 3, she's a mare that needs to be in constant work if ridden and life just started to get in the way about 10 years ago so she's been a field ornament ever since. Diagnosed with cushings 2 years ago, doing great on half a prascend a day, did a check ligament 3 months ago but came sound again very quickly and wasn't really troubled by it.
 
My boy is 19 retired in 2020 at 13 with a fractured stifle. I think he’s happy. He likes a simple life and minimal interference. I’m very pleasantly surprised he can still canter around the field. He doesn’t do being fussed.
 
30 in April, 17.1h warm blood. Had him over 20 years. Retired about 10 years ago due to joint issues. Took to it like a duck to water!! Looks fabulous for an older gentleman. He takes his being a companion job extremely seriously!
 
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