Older competing horses - what do you do?

D

DanielleP

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 September 2006
Messages
442
Location
East Sussex
Visit site
After peoples experiences with their older horses. How old are they? What do you do with them and at what level? What special care if any do you provide such as training more/less, food, shoes etc etc What are you more wary of if anything? Any photos of your lovely oldies?
 
I only really hunt mine now, and do hunter trials, fun stuff like arena eventing etc as she hates the school. Always has done.

I hack, lots...! Mainly due to her hatered of the arena but we go out and hack for miles on all terrains. After any particularly hard work I will wash her legs down, and turn out for a few hours, then bring in and bandage overnight.

As shes 21 and a fun horse, she is on Superflex and Devils Relief (both from NAF) every day, although the Devils Relief isn't afflilated comp legal.

After a hard days hunting (we are in Quorn country) she will have a bute then go for a walking hack the next day.

She is also prone to tying up, which we have discovered happens far less is if she is kept extra warm, so she is always well rugged up.
 
Mine isn't particularly old, but at 15, he is the oldest horse I've had.

I do take some precautions, he's never been lame a day in his life though does have a bit of arthritis in his hocks (he' had tildren injections and been fine since).

I have him on a couple of joint supplements (vetvits ones, the vet flex I think it's called and a msm one which my physic has commented has really improved his range of motion). And also a general 14 years plus supplement.

I take care with my warm up/cool downs, lots of long and low and flexing to start. I also have an equibrillium pad i put on as much as pos before work.

His back legs fill when he's in overnight so he wears stable wraps to keep them warm.

I also ALWAYs ice tight his legs after an event and leave them bandaged overnight.

Currently competing BE100, I have been novice on him but had a bit of a loss of confidence after we had some stops due to the hock arthritis so dropped him down. Currently in 2 minds whether to move him up this season, but only as we have 3 regional Qs already this season so if we stay at BE100 I think we have a good shot at going to badminton this year.

I wouldn't run him on very hard ground but I wouldn't with any horse. He doesn't look a day over 10 ATM and I want it to tay that way!
 
My 19yo TB mare, still does it all!
We are going to try our hand at a proper BE event this year too!


Mostly though we play horseball....................

 
My 19 year old ex eventer is enjoying a 2nd career of dressage. He is qualified for the Medium summer regionals hoping to make his advanced medium debut for the winters :)
He was diagnoised with mild arthitic changes to his pastern joint last year, so doesnt event anymore.. with careful management he is sound. He had the pastern injected with steriods, has regular turn out, natural balance shoes every 5 weeks (I thank my farrier for the great work done on his feet - this plays a massive part in keeping him sound and happy!) no trotting on the roads, no lunging, he is on cortaflex, in the pink senior and devils relief. He is looking and feeling the best I have ever had him... I just hope I can keep him sound for as long as I can! ;)
 
Thanks for all your replies guys with regards to the supplements what ones did you try before you decided to stick to what you are on now? why do you think the current supplement choice is better for your horse?

Bringing my boy (20 now) back into work after babysitting and then a bout of laminitis at the start of the year, hes cushings test has come back negative, ive put him on superfen and laminaze and put some front shoes on him although im thinking of putting the hinds on too. He is on a very gradual fitness program. He used to do everything, eventing, dressage and jumping and im thinking about my options as to the future and the sort of extra care needed.

Great to see the photos of the horseball you would never guess they were an oldie, looks as bright as my 4 year old!
 
My vet recommended the supplement. It's also cheaper than many of the alternatives. My physio treated him before he went onto it and she's commented on a huge difference in hs range of motion within 6 weeks so am very happy with it.
 
DanielleP said:
Thanks for all your replies guys with regards to the supplements what ones did you try before you decided to stick to what you are on now? why do you think the current supplement choice is better for
Great to see the photos of the horseball you would never guess they were an oldie, looks as bright as my 4 year old!
Click to expand...

Thanks! She acts it at times!
I've bother on MSM and global herbs TB calmer. For comps she also has naf energ and eltrolytes. I took her shoes off last year and went barefoot has made a big dif to her feet and oddly has made her legs not swell as much!
 
CrazyMare said:
I only really hunt mine now, and do hunter trials, fun stuff like arena eventing etc as she hates the school. Always has done.

I hack, lots...! Mainly due to her hatered of the arena but we go out and hack for miles on all terrains. After any particularly hard work I will wash her legs down, and turn out for a few hours, then bring in and bandage overnight.

As shes 21 and a fun horse, she is on Superflex and Devils Relief (both from NAF) every day, although the Devils Relief isn't afflilated comp legal.

After a hard days hunting (we are in Quorn country) she will have a bute then go for a walking hack the next day.

She is also prone to tying up, which we have discovered happens far less is if she is kept extra warm, so she is always well rugged up.
Click to expand...

Crazy mare are you sure about the NAF Devils Relief? I phoned them to ask about it about a month ago and the lady I spoke to said it was... Where did you get your info from?! (Sorry for the hijack!)
 
my golden oldie is now 23 years old - and currently just hacks. However he did hunt up until last season and did hunter trials up until last summer.

he show jumped up until the age of 20 - this is him age 20 at Arena UK over a 1m10;



age 19 in a 1m05 course;



and then age 22 at Eland Lodge;



as for extra care, I pretty much kept him in the same routine as all my other younger horses when he was regularly competing...only difference was that I very rarely jumped him at home, and he has a veteran mix in his feed (dodson & horrel) and he has a joint supplement!

he is now just hacking 5 or 6 times a week so is kept nice and fit, but I do - on occasion - take him for a pop over a few xc fences in one of our paddocks at the stables for a play over the small fences! He does have a tendancy to get a little stiff, so he is out pretty much 24/7 except for coming in for daily feeds, exercise etc :) he is loving life!
 
Last edited:
I didn't start eventing my girl til she was 16! Last year she did her first Intermediate and 1* and had numerous double clear novices and sj at foxhunter! Now she is 20 I took the decision not to event her anymore and give her a career in only sj, which she still does successfully at newcomers.
Her front legs do tend to fill up however I found bandaging them in the stable overnight really helps, both with support and keeping the joints warm so she doesn't become stiff. She is currently on superflex which I cannot recommend enough. I did have her on cortaflex aswell however found superflex better!
Love my OAP!! Can ways rely on her when baby horses give me a knock of confidence!
 
My horse was retired from competing at 23, mainly because my mum became very ill. I used to do RC SJ, and event took him to the nationals. We had loads of fun doing everything else too. He didnt require any special treatment, other than a bit longer to warm up.
He would still in in work and competing at local level at 25, but he pulled a check ligament in a silly field accident :(
 
One of my ponies is 19 this year, and still plays polo with me. He does have arthritis and now has Cartrophen injections monthly, and after he plays we tend to give him half a bute. He lives out at night to keep him from getting stiff, and we put Ice Tight or Clay on his legs after games.

He is a gorgeous thing, and we are entered for Windsor in the polo pony class, I hope the judges think he is as lovely as we do. I am sure we won't be placed as there will be younger and better looking ponies, but I will be so proud to ride him.

I think this will be his last season, his enthusiasm never waivers ( in fact he is seriously over enthusiastic!) but I think he has earnt his retirement in the field getting fat :)

Here he is fast asleep..
533115_10150966656401014_2044863268_n.jpg
 
I was very lucky with my old boy, he could still go out and do a dressage test well into his late 20's. He was still rideable at 32, and to be fair could probably do a test, I just decided he should take things a bit easier, but he was still capable of tanking off on a hack and required his air brakes til the end!

He was only ever lame once in the 13 years I owned him (had him from 19 -32) and that was because another horse kicked him! I fed him supercodlivine supple joint the whole time, but nothing else related to mobility. I fed him haylage because he had mild copd, and he lived out in the summer, but it didn't really affect him too much, he'd just have a clear of his nose when first ridden.

He was barefoot most of the time I had him, except for a stint when I was at uni and was doing a lot of hacking. His feet grew very slowly so I was wearing them down faster than he could grow them. He had amazing feet and had a full mouth of teeth at 32 which I think is half the battle with the oldies!

They just don't make them like they used to! My 3 year old is a delicate pansy who I really don't think will last as long!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top