Is 19 too old...

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myhorsefred

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Hi all, have been offered to buy a dressage horse (schooled to medium level) who is 19. Is this too old to expect this horse to compete, say twice a month at novice level? thanks.
 
So long is the horse is sound and happy to work and compete then no.
I bought my pony at 18 and he is now 24 and I have only just retired him, if you can afford to buy him then I would go for it.
I know a lot of people would say that you may only get a few more good years out of him but you may only get a few good years out of one half his age.
 
Nope! As JF says, so long as he is sound and happy with his work, you'll probably get a level of co-operation and been-there-done-that that you wouldn't get with a younger ned. I bought my boy at 19. He was being sold off by the riding school as he was skinny, tired, listless, unhappy and too exhausted to even canter without the rider beating seven bells out of him. Since being given a good diet, basic veterinary care, loads of turnout, a few little luxuries, appropriate work and tons of tlc he is a different boy. Plump and glossy and happy and cheeky. Safe as houses and he won me my first ever walk and trot dressage only last summer. I do find that at 22 ish now, he needs sensible warm up and cool down and lots of variety to keep his mind as well as his body active but hey, that's a small price to pay. Obviously he won't go on for ever but you should have years and years of happy times with him! Go for it!
 
i have recently bought an 18 year ols showjumping pony and she is fab she is much happier to jump a course than my 12 year old gelding is and she shows no sign of getting old and she has showjumped all of her life, i think that if there is nothing wrong with it then go for it i would defenetly have another older one aslong as it wasnt showing its age, dont let it put you off
 
also im hoping to get this mare in foal next year so if its a mare and you were going to keep it, when you retire it you could always breed a foal. so fingers crossed my mare will have a foaly at foot in a few year!
 
Go for it, Mags is nearly 20 now and although we're a bit mroe sensible with him than we used to be he's still in Hard work. Takes out a baby in the morning and does the carriage rides in the afternoon and occassionall goes on a hack as well!
 
Thanks everyone for your comments. Just gotta talk hubby into letting me have another horsey, and I think I will go for it. This horse will teach me so much dressage wise, I think I'd be mad to pass it by.
 
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