What are your 16/17 year olds doing?

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Smith123

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What are your 16/17/18 year old horses doing? Mine is still competing and eventing,hoping he is not going to slow down anytime soon! What level and are you doing anything different the older they get?
 
Mine is 17 (give or take as I got him as a 6 year old with no history whatsoever). We compete at local level show jumping up to 3 foot, have lessons and hack. He's going better the older he gets. I think I'm more aware of his age than he is!
 
I have just taken on a 17yo ex eventer (but has been used as a once a week happy hack for the last few years) so I am just bringing him back to full fitness and starting to build muscle again, as looking to do some competing! x
 
I still compete my 17 nearly 18 year old in dressage. We school and hack daily but I do need to manage his work load carefully as he has had a few niggles over the last few years. Looks fab.
 
My 19yo, this year has played HorseBall internationally, SJ round metre classes, dressage to elem.
At 16/17 she was off having her foal :)

And hasn't come home from a comp this year without a rosette!

Def no signs of wanting to slow down yet!
 
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My 17 yr old is doing as much as she has done previously, planning on getting back out doing endurance in the spring, when hopefully she will still be doing 80k race rides. She is no different to a few years ago, and I can't see her changing any time soon! The 23 yr old is doing as much as she has done any time in the last 10 years too, and forgets her age on a regular basis, although we are careful not to allow her to do too much as she has always had a tendency to gallop herself into the ground.
 
My 18 yo hacks four times a week at all paces, and goes out nannying the youngster. But not really any jumping as she has mild arthritis. Doesn't need medicating tho and she just loves a good old gallop. As a pure cb with a lovely temperament I'd have loved a foal from her but she is probably a bit too mature at 18!
 
Smith123 said:
What are your 16/17/18 year old horses doing? Mine is still competing and eventing,hoping he is not going to slow down anytime soon!
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My mare is 15 in Jan and I am mindful that she's soon to hit late teens, however she still acts as though shes five, loves jumping, and is looking and riding fitter than ever! Am gonna go at her pace and when she says its time to slow down then we will but hopefully thats not any time soon!
 
My little horse is currently having a winter holiday out nannying my 3yr filly pony. During the summer we mainly happy hack, school and have fun doing some jumping. In the past we evented, hunted and competed at local level unafil shows. She loves her work, and is very healthy. Sadly I don't have the time to commit to working her during winter as daylight hours don't allow, and it seems to work giving her a break. (I don't have an arena).
 
my 17yo has just been retired after having 11 great years with him, he took me from jumping 70cm riding club to foxhunters! Bestest boy ever! He is now a big hairy companion for my other two :)
 
My boy and my share horse are both 17.
Mine is just hacking (but pretty active hacks with lots of trot and canter work) and has done for 5 years since foot problems stopped him jumping. He can do dressage but he hates it and I hate making him!

My share horse does a bit of everything to no great standard. Mostly hacking and schooling, with some riding club stuff and the odd bit of eventing (at 80 or 90)thrown in.

They'll both carry on until they can't, I don't have a plan to retire them at any particular age. If they're up to it, they'll keep doing it. Although my old boy slowed down a bit the last year I had him, he was still pretty active when he had to be PTS unexpectedly due to colic at 27.
 
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My 16 year old is working just as he was as a 12 year old when I bought him, in fact he's got better muscles, is softer and more supple than when I bought him and looks fab. I don't think of him as old and he doesn't either. I've just retired my 26 year old TB, he was competing novice dressage and popping jumps until he was 23, he'd still be OK for light hacking but I don't have a rider for him, which is a pity as I think it would help keep him going for longer.
 
Still showing no signs of slowing down while jumping, so rounds often clear but in a most unorthodox manner, and still jumping out of fields, but only over the gates (I don't think he considers wire fencing to look like a "proper jump").
 
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