What age do you consider a horse old

[ifyousayso]

I fallow an equestrian YouTuber on Instagram and I also watch her on YouTube. She made a post a few weeks ago saying about her horse calling him her old boy . The horse is just turned 17 years old. So it got me wondering what age do you consider a horse old . Personally I consider a horse old at 19+ just because a lot of horses need to slow down at this age and a lot of them are close to retirement. Pony’s obviously go on for longer.

 

[FitzyFitz]

20+ I would consider old, although by 18ish I'd be expecting to put in a little extra care and consideration with regards to rugging and warm ups and things.

Last time I went horse shopping I didn't want anything older than early teens but that was more because I didn't want 3 all retiring at once rather than because I thought they wouldn't do the job!

Most of mine have continued their level of work with no problems (excepting a bit of extra warm up etc) until mid twenties at least, they are mostly kept pretty fit though as I do endurance.
I have one who tragically had to retire at 11 who I don't expect to make old bones primarily because he's going to have zero fitness and muscle tone which will compound his issues as he gets older. I expect he'll look considerably worse at 20 than any of the others

Currently our 22yo still competes although at a lower level due to an injury a few years back, our 29yo retired from competitive endurance at 24 although continued to do veteran shows and still hacks out up to the 20km mark so long as it's not cold and wet as she gets stiff bless her.

I used to loan a 24yo and then a 19yo endurance horse both of whom were doing fantastically well at the 65-120km mark, the 24yo was still doing fun rides at 32 although that I would consider unusual!

 

[Annagain]

It depends so much on the job the horse is doing. Depending what that You Tuber is doing (is she competing at a high level or just good at social media?) 17 might be old or it might be just the wrong side of middle aged.

My 'old boy' Archie is somewhere around 28 (passport says 27, teeth say closer to 29/30). He's had many ongoing health and soundness issues for years but despite those, didn't really seem old until he was about 25, when he retired. He'd been a happy hacker for years due to his dodgy feet but was far from quiet. Eventually his feet got the better of him. This year is the first year in retirement that he's seemed old. He's fine but had to have a tooth out in November, has dropped a bit of weight for the first time ever and has had a couple of abcesses for the first time ever. He's still been out every day naked though (until the snow last week, after he'd already shed half his winter coat) and seems very happy.

I bought Wiggy last year at 14. That's slightly older than I'd have liked simply because the plan is he'll by my last horse so I'd like him to see me through to my retirement (from work, when OH and I plan to travel) in about 15 years, not because I think he's old now. I never think of him as any different from my friends' horses who are between 7 and 10. When he was vetted the vet couldn't find a single thing wrong with him, other than an old, cold, splint "even without taking his age into account" (her words). I hope to get a good 10 years of hacking, fun rides and riding club activities out of him and am prepared to support him through any age related issues, as I have with Arch.

 

[toppedoff]

Haha I know who you're talking about, I don't really consider 17 to be old, older yes but I usually say 20+ is oldie age

 

[blitznbobs]

Late teens …

but i had a Shetland who lived to 42 and she never considered herself old (except for her last couple of days)

 

[Fieldlife]

I think it depends when the horse looks and acts old. Can be 12 or 27 IMO.

Can depend on mileage / how hard a life / how early started / conformation / way have been ridden / how are kept / luck etc.

Some horses get premature arthritis, and are stiff with poor muscle tone at 12.

Other look great in their mid twenties and have good musculature, and are fit and not stiff.

Teeth too - My dentist said last check my rising 13 year old, had great teeth and his teeth would last him well into his thirties.

 

[eggs]

It wasn't all that long ago that a horse was described as 'aged' once it passed 8!

I would consider late teens onwards as heading into old territory.

 

[Boughtabay]

21+ for me based purely on the fact that when I had my warmblood PTS at 20 I was devastated that she hadn’t had “old age” and retirement. Although that number might have changed had she lived as she’d showed no sign of slowing down!

 

[Zoeypxo]

20+ for most

 

[Birker2020]

Probably around 18/20.
I'd not want to buy anything myself over 10 but thats just my personal preference.

 

[meleeka]

21 is getting on, 25 is old to me, but that’s based on my personal experiences.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

It depends on the horse and its job. A racehorse would be considered old at 6yo on the flat, 11/12yo over jumps. An eventer won't be hitting it's prime until 11/12yo and will go on for a good few years. Show jumpers used to go on for years as well (maybe not so much these days with how much younger they are started).

Some are old before their time, some stay spring chickens until the day they drop.

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

I was at a talk by Leahurst vets a little while ago and they said to treat the horse as older when it starts to look and feel older.

So if your question had been in relation to help consider when to switch to veteran feeds, they said don't change until the horse looks like it needs it.

 

[Goldenstar]

Seventeen plus

 

[Bonnie Allie]

20+. All ours have lived to 28-35yrs With exception of Connie that had to be pts at 21yrs for melanoma that was invading his airways.

Most of ours have been kept in light work 20-25yrs and then fully retired with hand walking 3 times per week until they told us it was time.

Mate has a 25yr old eventer still competing as he jumps out almost daily or swims across their massive dam to change paddocks, so she figures he is still up for eventing.

 

[atropa]

I think I know the YTer you mean, and I think it sounds from her vlogs that that particular horse has had a reasonably full life competitively speaking, and that she aims.in generally to do something quite high impact with him - so perhaps due to mileage he would be considered older than a horse who has done less?

My oldest is rising 21 and I dont like to think of her as old but luckily touch wood she is still going strong, albeit with a strict management routine..I know others would though

 

[Poppy+MrDarcy]

My cob is turning 17 soon, I consider him 'getting older' but not old yet, I'd consider 20+ as old

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I'd say 20 plus. My retired lad is 27. Everything about him now screams old. But he is old and happy!! My ridden horse is 17 this year. Whilst I don't think of him as old I'm fully aware he has had a full working life ( ex racer) so I will be even more conscious now of what we do. Not that there is anything wrong but I want him sound and happy for a few morevyears yet!!

 

[Ali27]

My girl is nearly 21 and although she doesn’t act her age, still very whizzy and loves to jump, I’m super careful with her! I only jump 80cm now and on a surface and only a couple of times a month. I absolutely love her and will be heartbroken when I have to stop riding her but hoping she has a long and happy retirement with me when the time comes. I’ve got a 3 year old to take over from her