BlackDiamond
Well-Known Member
I am thinking about looking at slightly older horses say 12+ - is this when they need to be slowing down? Ie not doing any jumping or galloping etc?
What age does a horse need slowing down?
- Thread starter BlackDiamond
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1275gta
Well-Known Member
Try telling that to our lad who is 28, we stopped doing fun rides on him 2 years ago as he only has one pace flat out.
MICHAELA8228
Well-Known Member
Although it depends on the horse, there's generally still PLENTY of go in a 12 year old................. Well, there was is mine till about 26!!!!! 
Morrigan_Lady
Well-Known Member
At 12 they are in their prime IMO!
BigRed
Well-Known Member
You have to wait until they tell you and you have to listen to them. My last oldie was 21 when she made it clear that she didn't mind doing one dressage test, but on the second one, the brakes went on and she was clearly not enjoying herself. So I stopped competing.
A couple of years later she also made it clear that the very long hacks we had previously enjoyed, needed to be made a little shorter. She stopped really striding out and started to feel ever so slightly weary, so I cut the mileage of the hacks right down.
Sadly she had an accident in the field shortly after, so I don't know how long she would have gone on for.
My current horse is 14, she is in her prime. I love her to bits.
A couple of years later she also made it clear that the very long hacks we had previously enjoyed, needed to be made a little shorter. She stopped really striding out and started to feel ever so slightly weary, so I cut the mileage of the hacks right down.
Sadly she had an accident in the field shortly after, so I don't know how long she would have gone on for.
My current horse is 14, she is in her prime. I love her to bits.
RedVendetta
Well-Known Member
I bought an 11 year old earlier this year and its the best thing Ive ever done. In my opinion he's got years left and he's still full of beans.
One of my friends has a 19 year old that she used to showjump. He's also had a bad tendon injury a couple of years ago but he gets really nowty if you dont take him out places so shes started hunting him, and he absolutely loves it. Years left in him!!
Unless you want make a profit then buying an older horse is a good idea. Mine is a complete schoolmaster and I have learnt so much from him even though he's not my first horse, he's my 5th!!
One of my friends has a 19 year old that she used to showjump. He's also had a bad tendon injury a couple of years ago but he gets really nowty if you dont take him out places so shes started hunting him, and he absolutely loves it. Years left in him!!
Unless you want make a profit then buying an older horse is a good idea. Mine is a complete schoolmaster and I have learnt so much from him even though he's not my first horse, he's my 5th!!
stencilface
High upon a hillside
We got our blue cross horse on loan for general hacking etc when he was 22. He did a few years, then retired - then I brought him out of retirement aged 25/26 as I had no pony! His legs got a bit dodgy after that - although his brain was more than willing
My sisters horse is 18 and doing intro (would do PN) and will be starting back at BSJA up to 1.0 - 1.05m next year
Old ex racer is 24 and if I get some boa boots or similar for next year I will be riding him again - only hacking and small local shows clear rounds etc though.
My sisters horse is 18 and doing intro (would do PN) and will be starting back at BSJA up to 1.0 - 1.05m next year
Orangehorse
Well-Known Member
At lot of it is down to the indivdual horse and how many miles on the clock.
Some horses just go on and on, even ones that have done lots of hunting, eventing, etc. Others are old by 18. There is no hard and fast rule, although if they pass the vet and their legs are OK then there should be a few good years left. There is no reason to turn out a horse just because it has got to a certain age. Generally they will "tell" you when they are doing too much. I do sometimes worry about horses when you get something in its 20s being asked to do as much as a horse under 10.
There is no guarantee with any horse at any age. A young horse can get an illness or lameness (my sister's horse was PTS as it had an unoperable tumour at 15) just as much as an older horse.
You are LESS LIKELY to have trouble with a younger horse, but there is absoluteley no guarantee.
My neighbour bought a 15 year old ex eventer/hunter as he needed a quieter life and he did 10 seasons hunting, about 30 days a season. I think the last season he didn't do much jumping and in the end he went very lame from arthritis and had to be PTS but he had 10 splendid years.
Some horses just go on and on, even ones that have done lots of hunting, eventing, etc. Others are old by 18. There is no hard and fast rule, although if they pass the vet and their legs are OK then there should be a few good years left. There is no reason to turn out a horse just because it has got to a certain age. Generally they will "tell" you when they are doing too much. I do sometimes worry about horses when you get something in its 20s being asked to do as much as a horse under 10.
There is no guarantee with any horse at any age. A young horse can get an illness or lameness (my sister's horse was PTS as it had an unoperable tumour at 15) just as much as an older horse.
You are LESS LIKELY to have trouble with a younger horse, but there is absoluteley no guarantee.
My neighbour bought a 15 year old ex eventer/hunter as he needed a quieter life and he did 10 seasons hunting, about 30 days a season. I think the last season he didn't do much jumping and in the end he went very lame from arthritis and had to be PTS but he had 10 splendid years.
Hippona
Well-Known Member
When it tells you....
My 20yo recovered froma broken leg last year...he is doing everything he did before ( although I've been wimping out on the jumping, he loves it)
...he's doing well in veteran classes, however, he doesnt realise he is a veteran and acts like a 5 yo.....all different though.....some are knackered by 11
My 20yo recovered froma broken leg last year...he is doing everything he did before ( although I've been wimping out on the jumping, he loves it)
...he's doing well in veteran classes, however, he doesnt realise he is a veteran and acts like a 5 yo.....all different though.....some are knackered by 11
Evil_Cookie
Well-Known Member
When they start to struggle with the work.
Went to a polo yard recently for a lesson, was given a lovely chestnut gelding to ride, absolute nut, we were galoping, spinning and doing slide stops... wasn't until the end when I asked more about him, that he turned out to be 28, was so shocked, would have said he was 10 or so, he didn't look or behave older at all...
Went to a polo yard recently for a lesson, was given a lovely chestnut gelding to ride, absolute nut, we were galoping, spinning and doing slide stops... wasn't until the end when I asked more about him, that he turned out to be 28, was so shocked, would have said he was 10 or so, he didn't look or behave older at all...
Libbyn1982
Well-Known Member
They say a horse it's at it's peak at around 12/13so intheory you should get a horse that knows it's job but will propbably still have a good few years on the clock.
I took a 22 year old on loan when I was younger and had the most amazing 2 seasons showjumping with him (even managed to get up to 4'11'' in a puessance) - he was an ex JA pony and just didn't want to sit in a field when he became to old for the BSJA circuit so I took him on, towards the end of our last season he felt that he wasn't enjoying it quite so much so he went back to his owner to retire. The horse I part loaned after Corker was 19 when I started riding her and again did three full seasons WH and SJ with her and she was brilliant, sadly we lost her to cushings, but you'd never have even known she was ill to look at her.
I love old horses, they are much more set in their ways and if they need schooling then it's a bit more of a job to change them but I defo wouldn't get put of buying something a bit older. After all the golden oldies i've had when I got Wellie at 11 I thought he was young!!!!
I took a 22 year old on loan when I was younger and had the most amazing 2 seasons showjumping with him (even managed to get up to 4'11'' in a puessance) - he was an ex JA pony and just didn't want to sit in a field when he became to old for the BSJA circuit so I took him on, towards the end of our last season he felt that he wasn't enjoying it quite so much so he went back to his owner to retire. The horse I part loaned after Corker was 19 when I started riding her and again did three full seasons WH and SJ with her and she was brilliant, sadly we lost her to cushings, but you'd never have even known she was ill to look at her.
I love old horses, they are much more set in their ways and if they need schooling then it's a bit more of a job to change them but I defo wouldn't get put of buying something a bit older. After all the golden oldies i've had when I got Wellie at 11 I thought he was young!!!!
Onyxia
Well-Known Member
Wouldnt be put off buying somehting older,whe they need to slow down depends on the horse
Gammon was 21 when he won Hickstead derby in 98,just shows we write them off as past it too soon!
Gammon was 21 when he won Hickstead derby in 98,just shows we write them off as past it too soon!
miller
Well-Known Member
My 19 yo still acts like he did as a 5yo - I've had him all his life, he's always been looked after and not worked on dodgy ground
Another girl I know has horse 3 years younger - bought at same age - ran it round every local unaff sj class she could find whatever the ground, never warmed up/cooled down properly and it was knac****d by 13yo
Another girl I know has horse 3 years younger - bought at same age - ran it round every local unaff sj class she could find whatever the ground, never warmed up/cooled down properly and it was knac****d by 13yo
Lolo
Well-Known Member
My horse is 24 and teamchased until he was 19. He is now doing 2'9woth me, we jump bigger out hunting but only compete at 2'9. He has not looiked this well in all the time we've had him and is so fit he could probably do a full day hunting (I couldn't- he's a lunatic!). He's appalingly behaved, willing pretends he's never seen the scary twig before and will nap, spook and generally be a nuisance out hacking. This year, we did some Veteran classes, and he has never behaved so badly in his life! He leapt about, squealed, bolted and bucked- I was so embarassed.
My sister's pony is 14, and going strong, although she hasn't had quite such and active life as Cheeky. Next year, we're hoping they'll do PN, maybe look towards Novice...
As long as you look after them well, they'll never get too old...
My sister's pony is 14, and going strong, although she hasn't had quite such and active life as Cheeky. Next year, we're hoping they'll do PN, maybe look towards Novice...
As long as you look after them well, they'll never get too old...
lauraanddolly
Well-Known Member
12 is generally in there prime, but it does depend on the horse. Mine is 17 next year and I hope to have many more years of fun with her, well I'm hoping for at least another 10 years!
Gentle_Warrior
Well-Known Member
H is 16 and he has got younger !! he gallops flat out, bucks for england and loves life
BlackDiamond
Well-Known Member
This is all good news - thanks everyone! I thought 12+ meant knackers yard time! LOL
Sophiesmum
Well-Known Member
Our 'old girl' is 20 and we have had her since 20 months old. She did a season of BE eventing, some BSJA and then hunted for the next 12 or 13 seasons (including whipping in for 6 or 7 of those). This year she took a step back and has had to become a pony club pony for my 11 year old daughter. We don't do any jump training unless it is on a surface and she did about 5 tets, 5 ode's, and mini pony club camp this summer! My daughter won best girl at camp and has never come home without a clutch of rosettes - in fact, her last tet she rolled a pole and we thought about it and realised it was the first jumping fault she had had all year. She is an absolute perfect school mistress for Sophie - I just hope she realises how lucky she is to have such a super little horse.
12 is just coming into their prime in my opinion.
12 is just coming into their prime in my opinion.
D
Donkeymad
Guest
Absolutely no set age, it depends entirely on each indiviual horse. Our 18 year old heavyweight still acts like a five year old, and will work all day in harness - literally.