Is 25 too old??

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pipper

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One of our ponies is a spritely 25 years young! She is fit and happy. I still compete her at dressage (novice and elementary) once or twice a month - light schooling (half hour) 3 times a week and hack 3 times a week (1 -2 hours) I also occasionally take her on 10 mile pleasure ride. She does not do any jumping at all and has turn out every day (all day),
Do you think that this is too hard for her? Am i being unfair? She seems to enjoy her life and I worry that if she stops she will just sieze up! But then i worry that she should be enjoying her twilight years in retirement?
What are your thoughts???
 
Certainly not too old provided she feels well and happy in her work, I have a 33 year old pony still doing very light work, he did his last short day hunting, mini camp and was placed in a mini ODE aged 29/30.
He worked fairly hard all his life as a proper PC pony, PC all summer, hunted every winter and is still sound, only on medication for cushings and enjoys his gentle potters around, I think it makes him feel important:)
 
Thanks for the replies - i feel better now! You know what its like - you love them so much and sometimes you worry that you arent doing right by them! Its nice to hear some reassurance from someone else!
 
If the pony is happy doing all this then no, I have to tell you we have a tb who is 25 he is still ridden and will be doing the border common ridings next year so no slouch.

He is a weaving maniac kicks the door all the time and is left to wander the yard most of the time otherwise we have to suffer the bucking kicking etc in the stable, if for a minute we thought he was not up to doing what we do with him we would stop. However if he is not in work he looks scraggly and poor, when in work he looks fit muscled and still tries to run away spook etc.,he is a bit of a boy.

He is a pain in the bum but as long as he stays looking as good as he does we will keep him in work, we have some who are retired and thrive on this but if they are doing well on work I say keep them in work.
 
I'm a great believer in keeping horses active as long as possible - good for both their minds and body. I think the worst thing you can do with an oldie is stop work/ activity completely unless they tell you they can't cope anymore.

If she is fit and happy keep going, and as long as you keep listening to what she is telling you I don't think you can go far wrong :)
 
As long as shes healthy, keeping active will do her the world of good. I know someone who had a pony still competing at jumping at 30 and acted like a 5 year old, died of sudden colic in the end, so totally unrelated to his work.
 
Just be proud that she's still up to the work and keep an eye on her over the next few years in case she needs to slow down a bit, but if she's up to it, it's good to keep her active I think :-)
 
When I was at a riding school many moons ago, we had a 34 year old pony who worked every day and thrived on it. He would buck and fart in hand on the way up the drive and was a complete horror. He only did an hour a day and the odd hack, but he was happy. Eventually someone had a real go at the owner and said she was cruel so she agreed to retire him, within a few weeks he was crippled with arthritis. I have always thought he would have carried on quite happily.
 
I believe there are more than a couple of late 20s equines still happily and successfully competing on the BE90 circuit. Sone horses thrive on work - my own 21 year old is one.

I reckon they tell you when they want to slow down.
 
As an oldie owner myself (20 next year) I think they tell you themselves. Mine has had a hard life and we've settled into a routine of hacking 2-3 times a week and turnout every day. If we cant hack we hoon about in the arena, or loose school. We dont jump any more though. He's on glucosamine for a bit of stiffness, but apart from that he is fine. No arthritis as yet. He is a bit of a hard nut though and I think the only concession I make to his age is that I rug him up a little bit more.

If she is happy then I would say carry on. She will tell her yourself soon enough if she wants to slow down and I would take no notice of people saying thats its cruel or not fair - they dont know her. Have always been a believer in keeping them active as long possible.
 
pipper said:
One of our ponies is a spritely 25 years young! She is fit and happy. I still compete her at dressage (novice and elementary) once or twice a month - light schooling (half hour) 3 times a week and hack 3 times a week (1 -2 hours) I also occasionally take her on 10 mile pleasure ride. She does not do any jumping at all and has turn out every day (all day),
Do you think that this is too hard for her? Am i being unfair? She seems to enjoy her life and I worry that if she stops she will just sieze up! But then i worry that she should be enjoying her twilight years in retirement?
What are your thoughts???
Click to expand...

simple answer NO!
if fit - sound - and enjoys life.

My mare before the lami was 23 and still doing 4 long sponsored rides over 65 jumps and the rides were mostly 12 - 11 - 10 and 8 miles that is just the tip.
 
No, provided the pony is happy & sound. Mine will be 24 in spring, & does a similar amount, plus jumping unaffil up to 3' & local shows. As long as she's enjoying herself then I'm not going to let age get in the way. Unless her melanomas get the better of her, I'm planning on her doing a few years pc with my daughter. I've had her from 2 so I'm confident I know her enough to recognize the first signs she wants to slow down a bit. And ime the longer an older, sound horse is kept in a suitable level of work, the longer they stay healthy.
 
My boyfriends mare is 26 now and she still acts like a 2 year old - some days you can't catch her and she'll quite happily bomb around the field bucking to annoy you!

She is on part loan to a 12 year old girl now and still enjoying life! She hacks, schools, shows, jumps (not big). She previously did BSJA and BD when she was younger and gets very excited when jumping.

My boyfriend said the day he retires her is the day she doesn't want to go out/be ridden, until then she will carry on as she is
 
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