What age did you retire your horse and why?

[canteron]

Hi, just wondering. My old girl is now 18 and we have just started riding again after 2 years of intermittent lameness. I am happy just to mooch around on her, but she is definitely happier on soft ground rather than solid ground and I suspect if the ground goes hard again she will go lame, so I suspect some arthritic changes?

So, at what point did you decide to retire your horse and why. Was it a no brainer such as an injury, or was it just not able to give you the level or riding you wanted?

Would you be content to keep a horse just to potter or do you think that if you are going to put in the hard work you want a better performance?

 

[oldie48]

At 24, he's now 27. He has cushings which is treated successfully with prascend and some arthritic changes in his hocks, although he could feel a bit stiff initially this would wear off quickly and he was sound in all three paces. I stopped competing him at 22 but continued to hack him giving him the odd sachet of bute in the winter if I thought he needed it. However, when he became trippy I was afraid he'd come down on the road and decided to retire him completely. Trotted up at a recent health check with the vet, he was sound and quite loose behind. He looks very well and is enjoying his retirement as companion to my new horse. I guess some people would have kept him going but for me, his safety and that of his rider was paramount, so it was a very easy decision.

 

[Suzie86]

I will be following this with interest.

My pony is 24 and still seems as fit and well as ever. Of course I take it a bit easier than I used to and probably ride 4 times a week but he still seems to love it.

I'm of the view that he will let me know when he no longer wants to do it, but for the time being I think the longer I can keep him fit and going the better.

While I do miss competing and lessons I have had him for 15 years so will keep him til the end of his days.

While I really don't see 18 as old, it does sound like your girl is telling you she would like an easier life. Would you be in a position to get another to ride more seriously, or perhaps a share/something to ride a few times a week to stop you getting bored? Or could you find someone who wants to do light hacking and schooling to keep her ticking over so you could get something else?

 

[EllenJay]

I retired my boy aged 21. At 15 he had EMS and cushings and got laminitis. He ended up with rotated pedal bones on his front feet, but with remedial shoes he was happy and sound. He had previously been barefoot, but was crippled without shoes. We got him back hacking, and he was really happy going out and about. But he gradually felt more unhappy on hard, rutted going. As I (as I have got older) am more of a fair weather rider, decided that as he was comfortable on soft ground, and I hated the rain retirement was the best choice for him.

He is happy mooching around with his girls. His cushings is controlled, but if he gets lammie again, we will not treat.

 

[ilvpippa]

My girl is 13 & practically retired apart from the odd hack at the weekend (which she loves!!) she has arthritis in her sacroiliac joints & hocks. These are medicated but she has s huge bone cyst in her femur which stops us with doing anything else

 

[huskydamage]

mine is 'retired' from jumping, but mostly as she doesn't like it that much and has hock arthritis now (is 22) so I think if she doesn't want to do it fair enough. Showjumping is finto. Saying that if she is in the mood I will jump small Xc at fun rides, hunting etc but only 2ft tiny. I let her be my guide of what to do. I find regular riding helps her, when left for a while she gets very stiff. Use it or loose it I guess. (A bit like when people retire from work they say they die not long after!)

She was always really sure footed but I have noticed she can be more prone now to tripping etc (she fell over once with me in the mud) but saying that I also took her on holiday recently to the newforest and she was fantastic, clambering out of bogs and all sorts of mischief I got us in- I felt 100% safe on her climbing around. So I think I don't give her enough credit for just how much she can do. I haven't had to bute her yet and I'm not sure how I feel about it- will cross that bridge if/when it comes.
I have no plans to retire her unless she gets a major health problem or lets me know she can't do it anymore. My mum's horse was the same up until he died at 25, my friends was still doing small jump courses at 32, so I guess each horse is different.

 

[ROMANY 1959]

We retired my sons pony penny 2 years ago when her arthritis was bothering her after being ridden.. So she is now a companion at a friends , she babysits other ponies. She still has the odd hack in the summer, but basically she is just on Dr green 24/7 now.. She is now 23. She had a good career, Polocrosse pony for years and before that in a riding school as a schoolmistress.

 

[wkiwi]

I would only retire if not sound (ambling rides fine so long as the horse enjoyed it without going sore) but would not keep a horse in the paddock that was in pain (i.e. couldn't be controlled with medication). If i wanted to do more than the horse was capable of then i would find a happy hacker to loan horse for occassional rides, but i would keep good tabs on the horse's comfort.
In regards to age, i think it is immaterial (as the post above suggest). One horse i sold on at 14yo went on to do his first 3DE at 19yo; It was the old format, and he went so fast round the steeplechase that people thought he had just come off the racetrack. They retired him to being a companion for weanlings when his knee started to stiffen aged about 25yo (he paddled like an eggbeater so it was amazing he stayed sound this long).
Another one I put down as a 5yo because she went lame - tried to get her sound enough to be a broodmare (lovely big boned type and the lameness was accident not conformation) but she kept re-damaging the joint.
Now I just cross fingers that they last a long time and that the decision at the end is easy, but unfortunately this isn't always the case.

 

[danda]

At 23 when his COPD became difficult to control, he is doing ok now, lives out all year round but needs careful supervising to keep the COPD and Cushings under control so that he is comfortable

 

[southerncomfort]

I retired our pony last year at the age of 25. She'd become less and less enthusiastic about being ridden to the point of looking miserable when she saw her tack and then she'd drag her feet on the way out and pull like a train on the way back. I just looked at her and I knew that she didn't want to do it any more. And at the age of 25 and having taught goodness knows how many children to ride I felt she deserved a few years just chilling in the field.

She gets stiff joints in the winter so I take her for the odd gentle walk out in hand to keep her joints mobile.

ETA: I still have a 15 year old and a 22 year old in full work. The 15 year old is still going strong but the 22 year old is starting to show some hindleg stiffness so will just be hacking from now on.

 

[PolarSkye]

He's approximately 17/18 and I retired him last month due to back issues/possible kissing spines. He has multiple physical issues and we were at the point where having him undergo yet more diagnostics/interventions and rehab just seemed unfair . . . despite being a stressy, athletic boy, he has taken to retirement like a duck to water. I wish I'd had more ridden years with him, but now that he's not in work I'm getting to know and enjoy him in a whole different way. I've always adored the bones of him - he is rather special - but our relationship is certainly changing in ways I find hard to define.

P

 

[Possum]

20, due to severe COPD. I'm hoping he might come back into (very) light work but it's by no means likely and I'm not going to push it. A real shame because he's sound as a bell with no signs of stiffness or arthritic changes.

 

[FinkleyAlex]

18 - he had been struggling with arthritis and could only do very light schooling or hacking. He didn't enjoy schooling and couldn't be hacked for most of the year because of his sweet itch. Within two years of retiring him he couldn't have been ridden anyway as he now needs daily/twice daily (depending on seasons) bute.

 

[oldie48]

Obviously written by a youngster! lol I retired just before my 65th and bought myself a new horse to celebrate, I don't have any plans to die yet as I have far too much to do.

(A bit like when people retire from work they say they die not long after!)

 

[canteron]

Obviously written by a youngster! lol I retired just before my 65th and bought myself a new horse to celebrate, I don't have any plans to die yet as I have far too much to do.

(A bit like when people retire from work they say they die not long after!)

Inspirational and great to hear this especially as some people are trying to persuade me that in my mid 50's maybe I should concentrate on golf (What!!!) Thanks everyone for the great replies, really lovely to see how many people give their horse a good retirement.

 

[wkiwi]

Inspirational and great to hear this especially as some people are trying to persuade me that in my mid 50's maybe I should concentrate on golf (What!!!) Thanks everyone for the great replies, really lovely to see how many people give their horse a good retirement.

Just posted this on another thread:
Andrew Nicholson, 54, aiming for seventh olympics.
Mark Todd won Badminton at 55
Ian Miller did his 10th Olympics in London, aged 65 (and at that point was intending to take the same horse to Rio). - showjumping
Mary King - 51 at the London Olympics, and regularly competes against her own daughter.

EVentingconnect used the title "Like fine wine, eventers get better with age"
But if you start to feel that the falls are getting a bit much after retirement age, then Japanese rider was 71 when competing in London Olympics. in dressage
Plenty of time, and there is hope for us all yet...

Please also note that people die each year playing golf (strokes - no pun intended; lightning strikes; even alligators in some countries). I am also in my 50's and my mother plays golf - not sure why she hasn't died of boredom before now with trying to get a tiny ball into a tiny hole, but I really fancy cantering the fairways and practicing dressage on the greens though.....

 

[canteron]

Please also note that people die each year playing golf (strokes - no pun intended; lightning strikes; even alligators in some countries). I am also in my 50's and my mother plays golf - not sure why she hasn't died of boredom before now with trying to get a tiny ball into a tiny hole, but I really fancy cantering the fairways and practicing dressage on the greens though.....

Please can I come too ........

 

[Slightlyconfused]

13 due to kissing spines........might be retiring the 20 year old soon, arthritis in his hocks that is making him change his action so his saddles are not fitting

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Hi, just wondering. My old girl is now 18 and we have just started riding again after 2 years of intermittent lameness. I am happy just to mooch around on her, but she is definitely happier on soft ground rather than solid ground and I suspect if the ground goes hard again she will go lame, so I suspect some arthritic changes?

So, at what point did you decide to retire your horse and why. Was it a no brainer such as an injury, or was it just not able to give you the level or riding you wanted?

Would you be content to keep a horse just to potter or do you think that if you are going to put in the hard work you want a better performance?

I am a firm believer that you keep a horse going till he tells you enough is enough, my late mare was still doing 12 miles sponsored rides at 22 years old and if the lami had not played a part in her illness she would have carried on. The only time I will retire my boy at 14 is if the tendon proves not to be able to be kept in work. I seen too many horses retire early and go down hill earlier than they should.

 

[pippixox]

my horse is semi-retired at 17. since 15 he has been going lame behind from arthritis- hocks which luckily respond well to injections every 6 months. He also had box rest last year for a tendon, and still needs to gain more muscle as it just does not seem to happen as easily now he is older. however, he was in flat race training until nearly 8 years old. so his joints had a lot of high impact. he was retrained and happily learned to jump and did local shows and some great gallops on hacks for years, but now the wear and tear is catching up with him.

however, i will never fully retire him. he needs to keep moving and as much muscle and fitness as possible in order to stay sound and happy. the physio even said to be the other day that the day he stops working is the day he goes. He is a long way off fit and full work- his body wont stand up to it any more- but he needs gentle hacks to keep him going. in the summer he is also out on lots of land and that makes a huge amount of difference, but in the winter he actually needs more hacks as the cold makes him seize up and his turn out is limited. he is invaluable to escort youngsters and lead off.

 

[Gentle_Warrior]

Retired at 20 due to arthritis niggles, had months off, thought that was it. Came out of winter sound and fit. Starting to bring back slowly for hacking at 22. We were still doing sponsored rides at 20.

Will retire again if he starts to struggle. Vet said to bute hI'm. Stopped months ago while 'retired' and stayed sound. Not on any pain relief currently. Is still at start but walks it off happily

 

[maxapple]

I retired my TB when he was 20. He fractured his leg 3 years earlier and after a very long recovery and rehabilitation we were able to bring him back into gentle work. We had a lovely year of quiet hacks and even did a dressage test. About a year and a half ago he started to stumble when ridden and twice went down onto his knees. The first time I though he'd just tripped but when he did it a second time I knew it was time to stop riding.

He lived happily with my other horse for a few months and didn't care about not being ridden at all. Last summer I moved him to a retirement livery after losing my other horse which is so perfect for him. He looks years younger again and is so happy living naturally in small herds with other oldies.

 

[StormyMoments]

Retired Rio at 10 years old so coming up to a year ago now. He was moving oddly behind, not anything major, even the vets had trouble seeing it as he wasn't even a 10th lame at the time. He had some physio done under sedation and got worse so he was refered in for bone scans and x-rays. They found that he had an old fracture to his neck which was causing him to guard, lifting in ribs 8-12 on LHS, changes in his sacroiliac, arthritis in both hocks and arthritis in both fetlocks. Had steriod injections into his hocks and then sacroliac which made no difference. Was put on a bute trial and there was no change. Continued to have physio which helped him loosen up but there was no change in his way of going. Discussed trying him with anti-inflamatory injections into his pelvis and hocks but decided against it. He is now just kept on a basic joint supplement.

To be honest, it is the happiest and the calmest he has been since I have owned him. Chances are that his neck was causing him issues even before his backend started playing up (He had a 5 stage vetting 2 years prior to investigations which he passed) but he is quite chilled out, which is saying something for a PRE stallion who was used for parades and bull fighting . He requires no medication for now and he doesn't suffer with stiffness so currently is being used in hand to help bomb-proof some other horses.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

My boy is retired from comps but we still do a little bit of everything for fun as he is still very fit and able just beginning to feel his age now.

He wasn't enjoying the comps and the prep and at 24 I think he's deserved this, we have great fun doing things just for the hell of it now without needing to have things perfect

 

[huskydamage]

Obviously written by a youngster! lol I retired just before my 65th and bought myself a new horse to celebrate, I don't have any plans to die yet as I have far too much to do.

(A bit like when people retire from work they say they die not long after!)

lol I think it comes from the idea that people just give up doing things.My boyfs dad is 65 and still running marathons- boyf is half his age and probably couldn't make it down the road! I think if you always do something and keep busy you keep on going at it it seems.
Hope I'm still riding 30 years from now definetly don't fancy golf!

 

[Crugeran Celt]

Had to retire my home bred sect d x tb at the age of 7 due to major hoof problems, she is now 22 and as she has been sound for a few yesrs I am seriously thinking of getting her back into work. We also had an Arab mare who retired at 30 and lived until she was 35.

 

[sidsmum]

My section d is semi retired. He has arthritis in his knee but it is currently being managed with injections et al, but I no longer jump him round courses and in competitions and have noticed that he struggles a Little with hard rutted ground. He is 23 but not ready to be fully retired, I try to hack two or three times a week. The exercise helps him keep supple and also keeps his mind occupied, I have noticed a distinct correlation in lack of manners and a lack of work!

 

[exracehorse]

Retired my ex racer October last year at age 11, now a beautiful and expensive field ornament

 

[Taffieboy1]

I am having the same dilemma currently. My boy is 26, lovely lad. He has bit of arthritis in left shoulder. Other than this he's fine in my view. He has become lazier over last 12 months, canter few strides an he's had enough, trot ok, but you have to keep leg on. With this an the fact sometimes I don't have time to ride for a week or more, feel it's probably better for him to retire, as unfair nothing for a week or two then being made to work, an it starting again. What you think ?

 

[dogatemysalad]

Retired my SJ mare from competition at 12 due to injury and fully retired at 17. She's now nearly 22 and is thoroughly enjoying her retirement. Shes still amazing to me.