What are your plans for when your horse slows down (ages/retired)

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Horses24-7

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The other day I looked at my horses passport and realised he's 12 this year (I've been saying he's 10 for 2 years! :eek:) and it got me thinking about what iwill do r.e. Riding when he starts to age etc (obviously he's a log way off that yet, but like to have a plan)

I've always had horses, brought them on and sold them as I never had enough money to buy the 'dream' horse. So never been in the position of having to retire/semi retire a horse as never owned a horse over 10.

I'm on livery so could not really afford another (already have mine and daughters pony to pay for) but couldn't imagine not riding/competing etc.

What are you planning to do? Ideas on a postcard! :)
 
my old mare is 23 but still going strong and competition able when i have time to get her fully fit again! Fortunately i also have a rising 2 yr old to go on with once my oldie is no longer up to the work. Also have a 12 yr old in foal so have a few options.

Could you not loan yours out to a light hacker when the time comes so you still own but alos are able to pay livery on a new one?
 
I wouldn't worry about it, chances are you might find that light hacking suits yourself too in 10 or so years time. I know when mine was out of work for a couple of years I missed riding initially, but soon enjoyed just being around the horses. I'd wait and see how you feel at the time.:)
 
My ponies are aged between 2-20. They will all stay with me til the end. When they are old enough they do veteran showing until such time as they no longer enjoy it or are not fit enough. Then they mooch around in the fields while ever they have a quality of life, when the time comes that they don't they will be pts. I personally would never get rid of one just so I could have a younger/fitter one.
 
Mine is now 14yrs old and this has just started crossing my mind. However we have horses at the yard still in work and fit in their 20s and many only retire in their late 30s after being in lighter hacking work for the final years with sharers. I think when he gets older he'll suit my husband more as he likes his as a pet rather than a ridden animal. Either way he's going nowhere as he has taught me more than 1000s of lessons on school horses ever would have so I owe him big time!
 
My boy is 19 and has been retired for the last 2 years, the childrens pony is 16 this year and my oldest has outgrown her, I am on livery so I cant really afford 4 as a SAHM, so we are looking for a part loan for my daughter and I will have to wait until my baby is at school to get back to riding and shows, my boy is with me till the end and as much as I miss riding I wouldnt part with him for the world.
 
I know its not possible for everyone but my first horse went lame and I realised I would have a field ornament for life ! I then added up how much I would pay in livery and took the decision to buy some land (put it on the mortgage) she is a very happy field ornament and a very useful companion to my ridden gelding. If he then needs retiring I will have 2 field ornaments and get another ridden!

The cost of an additional horse would not be much - good doers - buy in large bale haylage etc

It was a shocker when I added up the amount I would be paying the farmer over the years ! saying that I have spent a fortune on my land (stables, arena, additonal land as not enough grazing etc)
 
We have one at 10 (still too fresh so hopefully retirement is a while off yet!) and one at 16 (think she will start taking a step down comp wise in the next year or so). We can't afford any more so when the older girl starts to slow down then OH will just have to deal with it lol! When she gets to an age where she isn't using the school and is just hacking then we would move to a cheaper yard (we pay alot where we are for the privelege of a school). At a cheaper yard we might then be in a position to buy a youngster to bring on so long as we were ok with paying out for 3 there and happy without a school. Hopefully it is a long way off yet, and who knows what our financial situation would be in the future. They both have a home for life, so no matter what they will be with us till the end of their days, and if that means no riding then so be it.
 
Blue is 23 this year, i only ride him round the roads at a walk for about 1/2 a week bcos i am quite tall for him, but he seems to really enjoy it! I can't find any children who i was happy enough to let ride him. So i walk him out whenever i can (trot and canter on the fields next to him :D) long rein him, groundwork, and when ground is ok do some inhand jumping etc in school. He is only in light work but I just want to keep him active and healthy as i can without pushing it. I try to do different bits and bobs, i like to take him out for grass, and he loves a day out so planning some inhand shows this year or just taking him along as a companion :)
 
thankfully i have feilds at home and although she cant stay home all year round at the moment as i have nowhere to ride she will when she cant be ridden. shes only 16 and i brough her at 14 and i expect another 10 years out of her. most people think shes about 8 anyway. also i only do 10 dressages/showing comps a year and hack the rest of the time with schooling once a week so shes in nice easy low level work anyway xx
 
Well I'm already doing it! Old girl is 29 this year and has been retired for 5 years (arthritis). Now sadly, I'm making plans for when I don't have to spend 3 hours a day driving to and from home, her and work and getting up at 6 to go and muck out. I have lots of other hobbies (I retired from riding completely when she retired as my back and knees are shot) and I'm out doing one or the other every evening except Fridays, and Saturday mornings. Its knackering at the moment but when she is gone I won't have to rush so much. Before I got her I used to do alot of cycling so hope to get back into that more. Meanwhile I wait on her hand, foot and finger and she costs me a fortune. Ah well.
 
My 20 year old is retired, he is now a lawnmower on a farm and a babysitter for a 2 year old filly. He loves living out, never liked being stabled particularly, so he is happy enough. Before this he lived with Henryhorn in Devon on her retirement livery, as I was living in Manchester and other places so needed someone to look after him, he loved it there too!
 
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My husband and I are hoping to buy a bit of land in the future, as a bit of an investment/nest-egg. It is also better value than the amount I am paying the farmer. My horse is 13 this year and low mileage so I am *hoping* to get 10 more years out of him! My last horse was 24 when I gave her up and she had a few years left in her. It all depends on whether my son gets into horses, if we end up having to get him a pony then it's a no-brainer to buy ourselves a field.
 
Choccy is 19 this year and still going strong, I do everything with him that I've ever done. In a recent flatwork lesson, the instructor said it was the best she'd ever seen him move in all the years (11) I've owned him.

We have a 2 year old (companion for him) and all things being equal, the 2 yr old will become the new riding horse as Choccy slows down, and Choccy will babysit him on hacks.

But who knows how it will turn out. Just enjoy the moment.
 
My first cob was gently hacked until he was put down at 26 due to colic. My second cob was gently hacked until she was put down at 29 due to a stroke. My horses are with me for life.
 
Mine will still stay with me at home for life. Luckily I have some land so can keep them and get a younger model to ride if necessary. The two we ride are both about 17 and still going strong though we just lightly hack and they both have low mileage so hopefully still a good few years in them yet. 12 is still young imo so think you have a while yet before you need to worry.
 
Mines 23 & retired from competing properly after an injury in her late teens so I now just hack & do a bit at Home. I'm personally past the point I get excited about doing local shows, prelim dressage or 3' unaffil sj which is the limit for her now. I've lent her to a few local teens for shows etc since & my 7 year old will hopefully have her to do low key stuff in a few years. But if she retires tomorrow i'll get daughter another & skip riding myself. Wouldn't even consider swapping her for a yard full of Olympic horses, even when she's ancient lol.
 
I've found my dream horse and would keep her as a field ornament when the time came around (only 3 but it would still stand through injury etc). Luckily live on a yard so have space for others if necessary. If it came to it and for some reason I had no yard I'd put her out with someone I knew as a companion as she has such a good temperament with other horses.

Last share I had was 20 and riding like a 5year old, some keep the energy for a long time!!!

Pan
 
As yours is 12 I wouldnt worry about it yet, hopefully a long way off. My oldie is 22 at the end of this month. He is still going strong but does not compete. I bought a 5yo in the summer so I have something to take over and I will retire him when he is ready. I am expecting that to be at the end of the summer as I feel he is enjoying work less and is telling me its time. He will go to the yard my mum's retired horse is at and go out in the field, I will see him at the weekends, mum will keep an eye during the week - she loves him and he will feel at home. I would like him nearer but he cant stay where he is at the moment as being retired the priority is turnout and I dont have all year turnout at the yard I'm at. Years ago we had a yard and could have kept our oldies cheaply, and all of those for one reason or another died suddenly and never really "retired", whereas the current lot all look like they will (hopefully) have quite a few years of pootling about in the paddock. Im lucky I can afford to keep two though.
 
my mare is 19 this year, still competing, doing dressage, jumping and hacking. She's a spring chicken and getting younger in the head im sure she still thinks shes a youngster! lol
she has a home for life with me, so when she turns into an expensive lawnmower/ ornament im hoping to have a youngster to start (:
Until the time comes try not to think of your horse as getting old, think of it as coming into his prime :)
im sure he'll let you know when its time to hang his horse shoes up :)
 
My boy is 21 and he's currently on loan to a lovely lady who is using him for hacking and flatwork :)

My intention was to keep him as a companion for my other horse but they have both had to go to new homes due to personal issues.

He's still going strong at that age and I'm sue the lady will get loads more years out of him :D
 
My first and only horse will be 10 in June and I'm 51. I've calculated that by the time she doesn't want to hack out any more or have a blast around the fields for fun, neither will I, although I do like the thought of riding into my
80's(God willing) in which case at some stage I'll need a youngster and then she'll be the companion!:D:D
 
Mine lifetime horse is 28, she is just that - a lifetime horse. I bred her (and her dam) She has given me 5 fab foals and is now nannying her grandson out in the field. She is still queen of all she surveys, although her youngest daughter (who is 7) is itching to take the crown :D She will also stay with me, her temperament is such that I wouldn't inflict her on anyone else!
 
touchstone said:
I wouldn't worry about it, chances are you might find that light hacking suits yourself too in 10 or so years time. I know when mine was out of work for a couple of years I missed riding initially, but soon enjoyed just being around the horses. I'd wait and see how you feel at the time.:)
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^^ this is what I plan. I am disabled and getting worse so I am hoping that my 8 year old and I will slowly retire together. That is presuming he recovers from his PSD surgery:p
 
Elsbells said:
My first and only horse will be 10 in June and I'm 51. I've calculated that by the time she doesn't want to hack out any more or have a blast around the fields for fun, neither will I, although I do like the thought of riding into my
80's(God willing) in which case at some stage I'll need a youngster and then she'll be the companion!:D:D
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and this if not :D
 
My two are mainly used for hunting and as and when they get too old/injured to hunt, I will give them a summer retired in the field, enjoying the sun on their backs and with a bellyfull of grass.

Come autumn they would go to the kennels to be put down, with their last memories being that of hound song, and know that way they will go with a smile on their faces.

I adore my horses, but equally do not see them as pets, and have a job to do.

I prepare to be shot down..!!!
 
Sidney said:
My two are mainly used for hunting and as and when they get too old/injured to hunt, I will give them a summer retired in the field, enjoying the sun on their backs and with a bellyfull of grass.

Come autumn they would go to the kennels to be put down, with their last memories being that of hound song, and know that way they will go with a smile on their faces.
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Well at least you're honest!

I adore my horses, but equally do not see them as pets, and have a job to do.
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I think you adore the riding and hunting, not the horses themselves. Only my opinion, of course.
 
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