Is it possible to progress with an older horse?

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nato

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A general musing marginally based on personal experience. Wondering what everyone thinks about the potential to progress through the levels in your chosen discipline (Eventing, Dressage etc) with an older horse who is being reschooled for the discipline? When I say older I would mean middle-aged, maybe 10-15?

Example: I am just starting at Prelim level Dressage with a 12 year old who hasn't done much of it in the past. I believe I can work through the levels but we'll never be Grand Prix, maybe we'll make it to Elementary. This is in part due to her movement and conformation, and part due to the fact that her training started late.

Thoughts? I've tried to leave it open ended to see what people think :)
 
In my opinion absolutely yes!! I have horses that I am working with that are into their 20's and still progressing so 12 is a youngster!!

Of course it depends on how much milegage, previous careers, health etc. Not every horse could go GP anyway but enjoy the journey and absolutely have fun with the horse and yes go for it!
 
I bought my now 20yo as a 9 yo that had only ever jumped. I started flat/ dressage lessons when he was about 12. We got to elementary but I had to retire him from comps at the age of 18 as his previous jumping life caught up with him and I couldn't keep him sound enough. Definitely go for it, it is definitely possible!!
 
Yep, as above :) Don't write the oldies off!

Millie is 19 this year and still progressing... .she's had a busy life but turned to dressage late - I'm about to man up and enter our first advanced medium, eek

Kira came to me aged 9 having sat in the field for the last few years doing literally nothing. She took a while to get going, but has gone from just about managing to do a lap of the school in some kind of order, to Winter regionals at Novice, in 12 months.
 
Yep another here, Topaz was around 10/11 when we made the switch to dressage. She went to the elementary pet plan finals in her first 12 months of BD, we're just starting medium and training adv med at home. She's 13 now but I'm hopeful we can keep progressing a bit further yet (dreaming of a tail coat here :D).
 
My mare is 15 now and she was reschooled two years ago. She has gone from struggling to canter a straight line to now doing medium trot, half pass etc. I'm learning along the way with her too lol.
 
One of my very good friends bought a 9yo last year, all he had donewas hack once every 3 weeks or so and was a rescue prior to that.
In that year he has gone from not being able to walk a straight line to competing elementary and she has been told he has the ability to go all the way!
He's incredible :) (and 18hh! Gulp!)
 
Er, totally yes! I bought my boy at 11yrs old. He did event at BE100 as a 6yr old but hadn't done any eventing since then. His dressage was pretty poor. He'd be doing well to get 60% in a Prelim. He's now scoring 65% at Advanced Medium and is due to go Advanced once I find a show I can get to that is holding one! He has his tempi changes and is learning canter piris. He is a 15.2hh Welsh Cob X TB so hardly designed for it. He is also going back to Badminton Grassroots 3rd year running this year and jumps 1m20 SJ for fun. He is 17 now and still improving every time I ride him. Best horse I could ever have got.
 
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Love to hear these stories :) Some of you may know from previous threads that I have a lovely 12 year old on loan who I am considering purchasing, she has arthritis in her hock so if I do buy I have to accept she may have to stop jumping at some point in the future. Dressage is my passion so it's lovely to hear that it is possible to work up through the levels. I have no ambitions to be GP at dressage but as she has not yet been lame with the arthritis both mine and my vet's believe is we have caught it in good time to manage it effectively so she can compete :)

Keep the stories coming!
 
A friends horse had never done more than prelim till 13, a year later she is doing elementary well. I wouldn’t worry about age.
 
I got a 10yrold mare who had previously done Intermediate BE when she was younger, but had given up and started stopping, I started her off as a dressage horse, and she got to GP by the time she was 18yrs old.
 
daffy44 said:
I got a 10yrold mare who had previously done Intermediate BE when she was younger, but had given up and started stopping, I started her off as a dressage horse, and she got to GP by the time she was 18yrs old.
Click to expand...

Wow that is fantastic. Well done :)
 
I got my boy at 13. He'd done a couple of BE90s.

I'd never done anything affiliated but he took me to novice BE. Slowing him down a little now aged 18 due to arthritis and my young horse startin BE and lack of time/funds to BE both consistently but yeah
 
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