Old Horses Can Do Just As Well As Younger Horses?

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PURITA

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What Do You Think? I Feel That Many People Put The Older Horse Down Just For Being Old?
I As A Owner Of 3 Older Horses Aged 30 , 24 and 25 Belive That The Older Horse Is Just As Good As The Younger One. 25yr Old Jumps BSJA , 30yr Old Jumps 1m Tracks And Hes 12.2! None Of Them Have An Health Issues And Dont Look Their Age At All.

What Do You Guys Think!? Older Or Younger!?
 
Its not just the age, but the type and mileage on the clock! My girl is 19, but she worked too hard too young, so her poor joints are paying for it now. On a good day though she can do anything (well, nearly anything!)
 
Not really fussed.. As always it depends on their age. They peak at fitness in their early teens but that is not to say that they can not go well into there twenties and thirtys competing sucessfull.

I have a 16 year old ex-racer with the brain of a 2 year old and body of a 20 year old.. so you can imagine we have some issues lol.

Lou x
 
I get loads of comments about mine looking well for her age, although she is only 16, I don't see that as old and all being well I'd like her carry on as she is now for a good while yet, I also hope to be able to ride her for at least another 10 years!
I think each have there benefits but I agree too many good older horses are written off too soon by a lot of people because of their age.
 
I'm a big fan of older horses and can't understand people who say "When he retires I'll keep him for a year then have him put down - what's the use in having him when I can't ride him?" rubbish.

I love my old horse - he turned 30 on Sunday.
 
I always had older ponies when I was kid, my mum knew she could send me out and they would look after me
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I don't think I would've been such a good horse owner and rider now if I hadn't had them....

My Shetland is 18 and she definitely doesn't look it, or act it - she thinks she's a 2 yo colt!
 
pickle at my yard is one of the young uns at 16! we have a 36yo that was spied jumping when he was turned out in a field where a jump had been left up. He is ridden by kids and still on hacks is normally the first horse to canter off!!!!!!
 
My little Merry was 24 when she died and was goign out jumping right up to her last days. She was amazing, everyone put her at about 8-10yrs old!!

My other mare, Gertie, is 14 and people think she is a youngster! She's a big nutter too, I hope she stays that way =D
 
I've loaned a 27 year old for 2 1/2 years and he's the best thing that has ever happened to me ! He's taught me so much and given me so much confidence, he's full of love and more often than not full of energy !!

He has a few limits due to his age which is perfectly understandable and is on 'lighter duties' these days but he loves his hacking and schooling and out of the younger ones we hack with he's often the one out in front and full of beans !! (and sometimes naughty !!)

He was retired once before I loaned him - but he got expelled from his retirement home for being too naughty and a trouble maker !! Needless to say he didn't like being retired!!

I love him to bits and am really a fan of the golden oldie. I'm not experienced enough to take on a younger horse so he suits me perfectly!!
 
I regulally compete on my sisters 27 yo and , by heck shes still jumping and winning 1m20 classes with out so much as a blink of an eye. Ive a 12 yo TB who Flashy thrashes hands down.
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My 21 year old lad came second in a showing class this weekend- he got told off for trampling the judge and generally showing off - he loves hacking and jumping, is the worlds biggest show off and people can't believe his age- most think he's about 10...he is absolutely fantastic and I admit I pamper the hell out of him , I just wish he was 10 years younger....I dread the day I lose him, but he will be with me forever...
 
Its so nice to hear that you all love your older horses and respect them as much as i do and as much as everyone should! just because their old doesnt been thier incabable and i think its really sad to turn a perfectly good horse dwn just because its over a certain age!! ive seen and no people that do it and it really does irritate me , there is nothing wrong with the older horse!
 
The only one i had to stop riding when theyd "got oldie" was my old pone. She was a Ex JA and at 25, still acted like a 3 yo and i was concerned about her having a heart attack. At 24 her fav trick was playing "dare" with articulated lorries(she stood in the middle of the road and then charged flat out towards them. Why????dont know!!!) But, i did take her to shows in hand and drag her round he veteran rings.Or, if she didnt compete, she always came for the ride, including County level shows as a companion for my hack. At Royal Cornwall show, one year she untied her self and went for a walk round the trade stands.
She was 36 when she died
 
Mags is nearly 20 and is working more than the 7, 4 and 3yr old put together. Ok he's a bit sore from time to time and getting grumpier, although he's always had a grumpy streak, but he works 5-6days a week doing carriage rides plus either hacking or driving with the other baby so he's entitled. He's fitter than he's been in his life but still has his beer belly but makes him all the better for his best job, we put him on the right of a pair when we take a baby out for thier first few months and use him as a wedge! Whenever anything scary comes we push baby into the hedge and he can jump about and even kick as much as he wants, mag wont get upset or move, he is the immovable object! What a legend.
Mags is being retired at the end of this season, he's worked very hard at arlington since 1997 but he will still be pottering about a few times a week for a good few years to come, although i do have to face the fact that he is a 20yr old 3/4 shire so will probs only be 5yearsish. I've known him be ill once and that was an hoof absess a few years ago.
 
My 22 year old Welsh C won an in hand veteran class at the local show by rearing up in front of the judge and then prancing round the ring, trying to canter when we were supposed to be trotting!!
 
This is interesting because my daughter is convinced that one of our horses, who is just 12, has lost her pleasure in competing and that her heart just isn't in it anymore, even though she still goes out and tries and is very successful. My daughter feels that the mare does it to please her, but doesn't really enjoy it the way she used to. It's not that she gets over competed either.
 
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Is your daughter after another horse by any chance
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Thanks but we've just bought a new horse to take on some of the more competitive things so that her mare can chill out for a while. We have one more 'big occassion' for her and then we hope to breed from her next year. She has been a super eventer and done much more than we ever expected her to when she came to us as a very neglected 5 year old so she doesn't owe us anything! We love her to pieces. Hope the new one works out as good - at the moment he has a tendency to knock fences down in the sj bit!!
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Aww She Sounded Like Alot Of Fun!!! <img src="http://horseandhound.co.uk/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

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She was; God rest her soul. One In hand show, she Bolted off and i had to run like an Olympic athelete!! The judge gave us 2nd for novelty value
 
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