Is 15 too old

[Lady Tinseltime]

Going to see a horse tomorrow after months of searching. He would appear to tick all the boxes BUT he is 15. Ideally I would be looking at 12/13 as maximum age. I am drawing my pension so I don't know how soon it will be before I am totally decrepit and past it myself. Answers on a postcard please (Obviously would be vetted with the hope that "sound enough" is the outcome)

 

[FitzyFitz]

15 is really no age these days. Unless there's something actively wrong with him or he has had a hard life you should get over a decade of active riding with him.
Until my current pony (got as a colt) I pretty much only had veteran horses! Luckily still got a couple of them, there's a lot to be said for an established horse who knows their job.

 

[Jenko109]

Depends. a 14.2 pony who has been a low level allrounder, no. A 17hh show jumper, quite possibly.

 

[Skib]

All a bit vague. I didnt start riding till I was 61 and that is more than 20 years ago. So I have needed three horses to keep me in the saddle for that time. I rode my favourite Connie till she died age 16 and my old share till she retired at 24.

When horse shopping I have put the upper limit at 16 but it depends on the horse and its history. Also on what you want to do. While sharing the elderly mare, I knew that any time i wanted to ride fast, I could go to the local RS for a good canter.
An advantage of not owning is that one can choose the place and the horse.

 

[smolmaus]

I personally don't think I would let 2-ish years make a difference all other things equal. If you actually want something that's 8-10 and 13 was already your stretch limit then I suppose that might be different? If you go view and love him (and he passes a vet) then I dont think the fact he's 15 will matter so much.

 

[M1lbie]

I have a 15 year old who I have had since he was 8, we go for lessons once a week including jumping ( nothing too big as I’m 70 and need to be a bit careful these days) and he is hacked 4 days a week. I’m hoping he will see me out, all being well for the next 10 years by which time I’ll be 80 and he’ll be 25. Am planning to keep hacking, doing a few riding club clinics and lessons for the next few years, so no I don’t think 15 is too old provided he is sound and hasn’t had too hard a life

 

[AmyMay]

No, it’s not.

 

[suebou]

I have a twenty year old dwb mare fit and healthy, riding her 4/5 times a week and a 29 year old NF mare who is sounder than a sound thing and regularly says ‘what I’m doing is galloping, come if you want’ if it’s sound at 15, there’s not much to worry about

 

[splashgirl45]

I was riding my mare till she was 25, only hacking but rode almost every day. My friend bought a horse that was advertised as 16 but after some digging we found her previous owners and she was really 18, my friend did lots of long distance rides and only retired her when she was 27. As long as he passes the vet and you look after him , 15 isn’t too old, but if you are thinking of competing at the higher levels I would be cautious ..

 

[Lady Jane]

Horses are a lottery. I bought a 4 year old, history known, not done too much. Retired at 8 - one of the best vets in the country couldn't work out what was wrong. 5 stage vet with xrays - absolutely flawless. If the horse isn't too big and hasn't had a hard life, and isn't a warm blood as others have said you could easily still be riding him at 25. And it does depend on what you want to do. Good luck

 

[Bobthecob15]

Absolutely not, 15 is a great age! Assuming you get him vetted it might show up a few things but not always, our 15yr old pony flew through his 5* vetting with not a thing of note, even sound on his flexion tests x

 

[shortstuff99]

If the horse has stayed sound to 15 with little problems, probably won't have many problems other than age related bits.

 

[Laurac13]

Agree 15 and passes vet go for it

 

[Lois Lame]

I'd have no trouble buying a 15yo that ticked every one of my needs. I'd prefer an 8 year old, but... got to find it first.

 

[ThreeFurs]

I bought a 15 y o wb/tb PSG schoolmaster ten years ago, and we had eight busy years of doing everything, from competing in dressage up to Advanced, to trails, beach-riding, riding club, and even working equitation. Retired him at 22 due to some arthritis in near front pastern. Happiest time of my horse life. But I wanted to learn to ride the higher movements from him and knew the trade off would be a more limited ridden life together. He's now having the retirement of Riley, with a paddock mate the same age.

As another poster said, horses are a lottery, a dice roll. Don't be put off by age but have a plan in mind for his later years. x

 

[Ratface]

The Orange Loon is 30. He is as much of a Loon now as when I bought him eight years ago. Sound as a pound. We've done show jumping (his previous trade, up to Grade B), long distance hilly rides, a bit of showing, adult gymkhana (not recommended on wizzy Arabs, by the way - I nearly came off, and he beat me to the apple bobbing -) and hacking for miles on various terrains.
As with any animal, we can't see the future, but if an experienced sensible equine vet says s/he is adequately fit for what you want, I don't think 15 is too old.

 

[Borderreiver]

If it’s the right horse, healthy, low mileage then no problem. I’ve just bought a 16 yr old strong healthy driving pony. He’s a native and they are real gold dust. Also drawing my pension so seize the day.

 

[PeterNatt]

I was gifted a horse who was aged 15 at the time (came from a lady with a centrally located London residence that used to ride her daily). I had 14 years of pure fun with her. She was a Traditional Section D Cob and totally nuclear bomb proof spookproof and beautifully schooled. She could be ridden in the heavisest of traffic by herself and we often went on 7 hour hacks. Anyone could ride her by themselves and they would come back in one piece.

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

2 years difference is negligible. As others say, it all depends on type. A farrier once told me feet issues are the downfall of tall gangly things and it’ll be arthritis with cobby types. He was right about the cob, at least in my case, definitely also legs in my Holstein.

 

[Greylegs]

On the face of it no. 15 isn't too old.

But .... (it's a big BUT) ....I am a pensioner as well, who has recently acquired a new horse after the retirement of my old boy, and I faced exactly the same dilemma. In the end, I bought a sensible 7 year old, and wouldn't have considered an older horse regardless of its level of fitness or suitability for what I wanted to do.

The reasoning for this was that, at 68 (no idea how old you are OP, but you describe yourself as a pensioner), I may, or may not, want to hang up my boots at some point in the next 5 years or so. None of us have a crystal ball and can't foresee what might happen to us as we age in terms of our health, mobility, finances etc. I'm fit and well at the moment and really enjoying my riding, which is great; and my plan is to grow old disgracefully with my new horse, having fun, hacking out and doing a bit of dressage if the mood takes me, until I'm 90 or so!!!. But, in the event that I get to a point in my life when I can't do that for whatever reason, I want to be able to pass my new horse on to someone who can make the most of her and still have some fun and active years ahead. I feel it would be easier to do that, and fairer on my horse, if my horse was (by then) a 11/12/13 year old, than if it was a (by then) 20+ year old with a limited future.

I had to think with my head, and not my heart, on this one and admit that I did not want to end up as an old lady in my 70's, with health/mobility issues, and with an old horse to care for, pay for and generally accommodate. Or (worst case scenario), have my executors/attorneys have to make decisions about the horse's future if I'm not here to do so, or not in a fit state health wise to act in the horse's best interests.

Some people might think I was a bit hard nosed about it, and had I been 20 years younger a 15 yo would not have bothered me at all. But at this stage in your life it's a different decision to make, bearing your own future in mind as well as your horse's.

I'm sorry if that all sounds a bit fatalistic, and, believe me, I do know how the ups and downs of a horse search goes. I dropped lucky with my mare and I love her to bits, but now I have her, I am responsible for her future as well as my own, and I had to think longer term. Good luck, whatever you decide.

 

[Lady Tinseltime]

Update. Well I went to see him. A very nice cob who had been to HOYS in his younger years. Unfortunately overweight and even making allowances for it being a very hot day he was huffing and puffing after a couple of minutes and then started coughing. Together with him having a very bouncy stride I decided not to follow it up so back to the fruitless search

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

I swear, if I had a quid for every unsuccessful viewing I read about, I’d be well rich! I’m sorry you had a poor viewing, I can’t think how a horse can be overweight in this blasted heat! No, I do, I had a cob too and he could look at food and put on 10kg. On and up, eh?

 

[Winters100]

What a shame, very disappointing. Keep looking though, for sure your perfect horse is out there somewhere.

Regarding age it is always a difficult one, but I would say that the schoolmistress that I purchased when she was 14 has had very few problems, and 6 years later is sound and in daily work. I would guess that in terms of vet costs the younger ones have been more expensive, but of course you never know. It also depends on what you want them to do, my old girl thrives on light work, usually 30 minutes ridden in the mornings, then an afternoon session either loose schooling or in hand alongside one of the others, but she is never pushed, if I feel her getting tired I stop, so she would not be suitable for someone wanting long and fast rides.

Good luck with your search!

 

[Kat]

Absolutely not!

My mare is 15 and feeling better than ever. Vanir Kamira just won a 4* at 17, Tim and Jonelle Price both took 19 year olds round Badminton this year. 15 is not old these days, a 15 year old horse still has lots to give. My friend bought her horse when he was 18 and had been retired as a hunter, he has been a super all rounder for her, and carried on hunting (less frequently but full days) until he was 26. He's 29 now and still happily hacking out.