Is my horse an oldie yet?

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Ambypamby

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what is the age when a horse is classed as an old horse? my horse is 15 and i am worried that soon i will have to stop doing all the fun things i like doing as much as he is getting on a bit! he is fine in himself and you wouldnt think he is getting on but when is the age where you start to wind down?
 
I certainly wouldn't class 15 as old, we have a 17 year old and a 21 year old, still fit as fiddles. The 21 year old does less because she hasn't a rider but 17 year old doing as much now as he did at 11. Can't remember who it was but there was a horse competing at the Europeans yesterday who was 19!
 
Monty is nearly twice your horses age!!
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Zoom is nearly 14 and I won't think of her as an oldie for a long while yet! It depends on the breed etc and how much work the horse has done (in the sense that it may have higher likelihood of arthritus, ringbone etc) but I don't really think a horse under 20 is an 'oldie'
 
15 isn't old!

I have a 16year old who just improving with age!

I also have a 13yr old who is supposed to be retired through injury but showing no signs of lameness etc from injury and is bored, so had been brought slowly back into work and managed a 2hour pleasure ride a couple of weeks back.
 
Hardly!! There are horses still eventing who are older than that! Mine is 13 and in his prime. They will soon let you know when they can't cope with their workload. I believe that FB's equivalent human age is about 43 - same as me and I'm not thinking of winding down just yet
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Depends what you are doing with him now, I suppose.
 
15 is techinally 'veteran' by most show classes, insurers etc.

but its not old, mines 18 next year and still looks great. a bit clicky in her joints but otherwise you wouldnt know she was a day over 10.

he will tell you when he needs to slow down, if in good health he will go on for many years.
 
I think he hasnt done very much in his life before me and he is showing no signs of chilling out with a pipe and some slippers! I hunt him few tines a year, xc as much as poss, showjump as much as poss, working on some dressage and hack him a few hours every weekend also do some 12 miler fun rides occasionally.
 
Mine is 20 and ex-endurance. I worry that I'm doing to much bu then when we get into a field she races the other horses and is incredibly fast! Then she jogs all the way home! I've recently taught her to jump and we've been doing cross country training, she's brill! And got plenty left in her yet I reckon
 
On Sunday there was a 34yr pony doing A Mini ODE he looked well and did amazing... 15yrs isnt old at all and I think your horse lets you know when the time comes to stop doing and much.. if he is fit happy and well he will go on for years.
 
Mine is 28 and really only just beginning to slow down! Sometimes our hacks are still a little 'hair raising' - he's a bit of a speed demon even at his age!!

15 is a mere baby in my book!
 
The old Appy mare retired at about 30, and then it was because she began to seem tired when she got home, not because she had slowed down any when she was out! 15 is no age to reduce the work load unless there is injury or disease, IMO
 
The mare in my siggy is 21 the pictures in my siggy she was 18 years old and won the XC she has this year produced me a lovely foal..and once he's weaned and she's weighted back up again the saddle will be out again
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and if she's the same riding as before she was put in foal should be fun and games
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I got my horse when he was 15, he was really stiff with arthritis after an injury and the vet advised to PTS. That was 7 years ago and he looks better now than he has the whole time i've had him. Since then he's done showing and dressage, only at low level but even so. He hacks out and loves a good canter and buck and is pretty much the same in the paddock. He hates trotting, much prefers to belt it round with the odd buck here and there. He's just coming back into work after a bad bout of lammi but i'm pretty sure he will be back to his previous routine of 4-5 times in work a week in no time. Yesterday he was loose in the paddock and was off with as much energy as a 3 year old. I get so disheartened when people ask my horses age and presume he's past it. 15 is no age. My boys eyes light up when he sees his tack. The only person that can tell you when your horse is ready for slowing down or retirement is your horse.
 
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