Keeping a veteran in work-opinions/experiences pls?

Porkie

Porkie

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Hi all! Am newby to H&H forum
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Just wondered what experiences/opinions people have keeping veterans in work? I loan a wonderful 'Golden Oldie' who will be 26yrs this year!

Long story for short question but to explain histroy: he was retired once a few years ago b4 I knew him but he got 'evicted' from his retirement yard for being such a trouble maker !! ( getting the picture of what he is like already - hee hee !!), I think he was basically yelling out 'hey, you can't retire me, I am NOT old'!! Unfortunately just after that he suffered a severe injury to his left knee, so bad the vet didn't think he'd save him
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But, not only did he pull through but was being ridden again just a few months later!!
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After meeting him & getting hooked I gradually brought him back into a work routine & went from looking after him a couple of days a week to full time! We now do light schooling for about 30 mins 4 nights a week and light hacking at weekends. (no jumping cos of knee injury! he likes pole work tho!) He loves to hack (he's very forward out!) and to travel so I have recently started to box up and go out with a friend to some lovely off-road riding where we go off and explore the woods & stuff. (mainly at walk, bit of trotting, occasional canter if ground good) He's a joy to take out, to load etc. he has a great time & is always well full of himself when we get home!
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B4 I started riding him he was only hacking maybe once a week if that and nothing else as he had no rider!
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He is bare-foot due to shoes causing concussion in his older years so I always hack in Old Mac boots. He loves his 'trainers' especially once he discovered he could gallop in them! (that was a one off and not my decision-he was feeling particulary young that day!) and also gets a cough with the pollen and dust and stuff so I use a Equilibrium net relief nose net which helps him a bit & he is affected by the damp so sometimes we have to take it a bit easier, schooling sometimes just in walk doing lots of bending & stuff when he's coughing well.

I sometimes feel people think he should be enjoying retirement at his age but he's tried it and hated it! His brain is so active and he gets bored. He loves attention, being groomed & being busy & although no always quite so willing to work in the school as he is to hack out he seems to enjoy the exercise & it keeps him mobile - if I give him too many days off he starts to get stiff & when he had to have 4 days off due to his concussion playing up a couple of weeks ago he got really grumpy and miserable! (he is affectionately known as 'Victor Meldrew' by my neighbours!!)

Does anyone think I am doing too much with him? I love him to bits & only want the best for him & his owner is stabled next to me & is very happy & impressed with his condition & health etc. & lots of people hv commented on how much better he is looking now. I am assuming he will start to tell me himself when he finds the work too much - what do you think? Anyone else in agreement with keeping 'oldies' in work to keep them sane?? (if health allows of course)

I'm one of these big softies who thinks 'oldies' deserve to be pampered & too enjoy their twlight years - whatever makes him happy I am prepared to do........... !!

Hv browsed the net & can't find many opinions on subject!
 
it sounds like you are doing the right thing by him, some horses will quite happily while away their latter years in a paddock and then there are others that will go downhill as they long for something to do. You will know when he needs to take things more easily and by the sound of it you are very well tuned into him. Just do as you are doing and take it one day at a time. If his owner is happy and he seems happy and well in himself then there is no reason why you shouldn't enjoy him the way he is obviously enjoying your company and what you are doing with him. May you have many more happy years as a partnership.
 
Wow, lucky old man. What a wonderful life he seems to have found with you. I'm sure he'll tell you when he's had enough!

A friend recently had to have her old chap pts as he just wasn't up to being retired. Unfortunately he had a problem which did mean that he could no longer be ridden so she had no choice.

Some horses just can't be retired - they're not happy. And if yours is fit and well - fabulous.
 
I think horses should stay in work for as long as they are enjoying it and are not in pain. I ride a 17 yo with arthritis and he is the same - stiffer when not ridden. It sounds like you are very caring with him and also having a lot of fun!
 
A friend of mine had an exmoor pony who was never retired - he still did jumping (only popping the odd fence) right up until he died and he loved his work. He lived to be 38....
 
I think it sounds fine, as long as he's enjoying it
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Chex is about 25 now, and he's being brought back into full time work after me breaking my leg and having tons of uni work to do. He still goes on 2 hour hacks, loves a gallop and last year was doing xc's and 12 mile pleasure rides. As long as he's sound and happy I'll continue to do bits and bobs, keeps them happy and mobile I think
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. Chex arthritis is definitely better when he's worked daily.
 
if he is happy to keep going then let him. He'll let you know. There's a pony on our yard that i believe to be 28/29 this year and he is still competing low level DR, jumping and showing classes, he hacks out and schools. Aslong as your happy and dont feel you are pushing him, then i see no reason not to continue enjoying those twilight years
 
personaly i think he will tell you when hes had enough. Ive got a 25yearold who doesnt want to be retired either!
 
I have had two veteran horses that both carried on being ridden till the day they sadly left us. One was a very sound horse who was sound all her life the other was my ex eventer who had many leg problems, was written off by several vets several times and although he had to stop jumping, carried on doing affiliated dressage and veteran showing. I believe if you can keep them in work, obviously in some cases this is not possible, it does no harm at all.
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I got a new younger horse a little while ago with the intention of retiring my 26yr old, and afraid he just didn't take to being retired at all!

He got really grumpy, quite withdrawn, I was really worried about him, until one day we took him out to the vets to get his teeth done (Vets are based at Somerford Park) and he literally lit up when he saw the trailer, bounded in and was like come on people lets go!! It was really funny, so i took him on their farm ride afterwards and he had a whale of a time, winnieing to everyone in the yard when we were finished.

My friend whos young horse is lame at the moment uses him alot, and she took him in a xc the other weekend and he just flew it (not as fast as he used to be) he absolutely loved it.

I say keep them working, for some thats all they know, and if you give up on them they will give up to x
 
I still compete my 19yo in endurance comps... and he loves it, puts my own fitness to shame.

I think what you're doing is perfect... he'll soon let you know if he's doing too much but it sounds like he's thriving and its much better for him than being chucked in a field and forgotten about. I say go for it
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My old horse is 28 and still in work. Only light hacking but he enjoys it. He would hate to spend all day in the field. When I tell people how old he is they are astounded. He bounds about like a spring chicken and can put my younger horse to shame at times. I think you just have to be aware that they are older and take longer to warm up and down but otherwise keep on truckin'!
 
My old TB at 29 was still fastest on the yard - she XC, hunted and did everything at top speed even then until she had a kick which fractured her leg so badly it could not be repaired.

Cairo is 21 - not a bad age for a heavy horse and still loves a gallop and flies around. He is semi-retired but still enjoys a good hack, a little jumping, local shows and galloping flat out with me from time to time.

I have ridden all my horses into a ripe old age - and to be honest apart from taking longer to warm up, a big allowance for hard ground and not being quite so supple as they used to, they did more or less everything they had done all their lives.

Personally, if they are sound, carrying weight and enjoying life - let them get on with it.

My vet told me never to retire Breeze, she was the sort to pine away without work. Luckily of me I never had to make the decision as she was the one who got kicked.

I strongly believe they enjoy semi-retirement rather than total retirement and live longer healthier lives for still doing some work.
 
A friend's 26 year old pony is still hunting with his new owners, and teaching kids to ride!

I think that some of them stay young through being worked - I know when mine has time off he tends to stiffen up and get older, but the more work he gets, the better he looks.....

And look at Over To You - he's retired from 4* at 19 but is still going to be ODE's because apparently he'd be awful if he was retired totally!
 
My old lad officially retired last autumn at 29 years.

I tried to retire him at 26 and all went well through the first summer but by september he was bored and cheeky so I started gently lunging him a few times a week.

By mid winter I was back riding him again just in walk and trot and he enjoyed the odd jump on the lunge. Continued like this until the end of last summer when it started to become obvious that he couldnt really carry me anymore so we called it a day. He has the same daily routine as always....just without the work!

This time round he is really happy to be a pampered old man.....he just wasnt ready when I tried it before. He is still cheeky mind you !!
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retiring them from work in most cases is the worst thing you can do, they just fall to bits and lose condition. My 26 year old in the pic has just come back from 5 days at cricklands, he loved the holiday and even won a championship class!

He lives for XC, tolerates SJ most of the time, loves hacking and hates not doing anything, in fact since he took the back seat a bit due to me playing with my other horse, he has come back to competition season this year fresh as a daisy, I think he missed being the one who went to parties!!

Keep em going I say, they will soon let you know if they have had enough.

This is my smashing little man a couple of weeks ago, he doesnt look that bad for his age!!

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looks a bit ribby as he was chilling out!

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Pulling my arms out of the sockets!
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PS before admin squeak I have bought these pics!!

They are never to old to show the youngters lol!!
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Littlejulie, I rode my old lad right up until he was 33, he was so keen and unbelieveably strong until he just started to feel like he couldnt be bothered with it anymore, i knew then he needed to retire! I think its great to keep them in work as long as they enjoy it! Im also one that loves to pamper the oldies!
 
welcome to the forum
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I'm a firm believer in horses are only as old as you treat them, and work/exercise helps in keeping them moving, rather than wrapping them in cotton wool & kept in a stable - keeps joints more flexible etc

Some of the best RS ponies at my RS are over the age of 25 and still happily zooming around the arena when they feel like it

Sounds like you're doing a fab job
 
He sounds like he's having the time of his life with you.

My mares an oldie but you wouldnt know that by looking at her now.
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She loves her work especially cantering and can go for miles given half the chance.

Like you said it keeps his brain active and he will tell you when he's had enough too.
 
my mare kept working until she was 36!she was still popping little fences at 30.
as long as he is sound and happy they are better off working to a degree they cope well at in my opinion.
 
I think oldies are better off being ridden than not. Especially if they have lived a full life. They enjoy the outings, going to different places etc. Horses have no concept of being old or past it! They might not have as much go in them, but all the time they're still keen and physically able, keep riding them.
 
Thank you all for your words of wisdom - am glad to hear there are so many of you out there who also hv happy healthy veterans
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Not one person has said a bad thing about keeping 'em in work so am happy now I am doing the right thing by him
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Gave him 2 days off the other day - had thought he might be a little stiff when I worked him after that but after we spent the first 5 mins galloping round the arena I figured not!!

xx
 
Sorry a bit late to this post. My daughters pony had a star fracture of a hind leg whilst on loan aged 15, luckily she recovered but had about 6 months off. She became very depressed and lost all her topline. We found another small jockey for her and dropped her competition level down a couple of notches and she was happy again. She is now 19, and hasn't done much through winter, we've luckily found another rider for her (they keep outgrowing her) and she is already looking happier. We will definitely keep her working as long as we can, she thrives on it. I think you are absolutely doing the right thing. There is nothing sadder imo than once cossetted ponies being left in a field to "retire", when they would obviously rather be worked.
 
He is a very lucky chap!

I had a 25yr old horse on loan and she was as fit as a lop. We did anything from 30 mins to 4hr hacks two or three times a week and she was fab. Quite a lot of fast work too (mainly because she didn't 'DO' slow!).

When I bought my own horse of course I stopped riding her and her owner retired her. Within 6mths she was really aged and started showing signs of Cushings
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I am absolutely certain that some horses do not retire well.

If your neddy is happy to work, and he will start to tell you if you are doing too much, then continue. Just be extra vigilent with him and he will be fine.
 
I ride 4 or 5 days a week with a friend who has a 25 yo anglo arab, he is still fit to hack for 1 1/2 to 2 hours and seems to still be very full of life. She has had him in for the last two winters because he is now prone to mud rash, and she'll carry on keeping him in over the worst of the winters. But the rest of the time he's out 24/7 and doesn't look his age at all.
 
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