What do you class as an 'old' horse? & how important is age to you?

Blizzard

Blizzard

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As title suggests really!

To me the right horse is the most important thing, but age does come into it, afterall I always think I dont want to be looking for another horse in 3 years time! I know anything can happen to any horse, but at least with a younger horse you have a better chance of getting more years with them.

However, Im not 'agist', I have an 18yr old, but I think age has a lot to do with the individual horse, our 18yr old acts like a 7yr old, has never been sick or sorry and is still as active as ever, yet some horses can seem very old at even 12.

Would be interested on everyone's opinions!
 
My old boy is 28 and still hacks out quite happily. He no longer competes because he can be a bit stiff behind. He still thinks he's three and gives you a run for your money on a ride!!
 
I would laon an older horse if it was still competitive, but TBH would not buy anything over 14 as they would be hard to sell on and probably not as competitive. I know there are exceptions of competitive older horses, but i dont want to end up with one that is not much good and cant sell. We tend to have our ponies from when they are 4,5 or 6 and sell before they are twelve. I would not sell a pony because it is old, but as our teams and pairs move on they get too big, too small or not correct action.

Haz
 
I have a highland who is 15 and I had him as a two year old. My daughter has a 17 year old TB who she has had since he retired from racing at 12. They are both very active and complete loonies when they go out together. Daughter previously had a welsh x who was 18 when we bought him and went well until he was 26, when he succumbed to laminitis. (due to problems with his feet, not lami)
 
There's an old pony on our yard...he's 29 years old...he's lovely. Doesn't compete much now but he went to a dressage competition last weekend & came first by 10 clear points. He's a darling......he's riden fairly regularly & with the occasional competition it helps to keep him young
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I think for competitions they need to be fairly young if you are expecting them to regualrly compete, say under 15. I also would not buy a horse in doouble figures just because I want a few good years competing. If I wanted a happy hacker than age would not be an issue and I would look for safety
 
I have 2 22 year olds; one looks about 8 or 9 years old, the other looks about 73 years old......mind you I know the ONE owner he had for his whole life so I'm not surprised he looks like this. I've only met her a couple of times and she certainly gave me grey hairs! Yes she's the email nutter one!

I personally wouldn't buy a horse older than 15 now, particularly after the harrowing time we had with the little aged mare we had last summer.
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I can't go through that too often I'm afraid.

I tend to buy youngsters though so whatever happens I know they aren't going to start dying in front of me through old age.
 
I had a 21 yr old, who I bought as a plod. He'd been out of work for 18 months and I was told he was slightly arthritic and "couldn't canter". I had to sell him 6 months later because he was becoming too much for me...he loved regular hacking and enjoyed a canter across the fields, and I couldn't work him enough to keep him happy. I think if looked after he has years left in him. He went to a teenage girl who wanted to hack around the countryside most days.
 
my first pony was 23 when i got her (had on loan) and i still did pc and shows with her1 she taught me everything i needed to know! she's now with a young family still doing the odd p.c rally but is mainly retired she must be around 30 ish now! then i got my next pony at about 10 i think he again took me on and was a star and taught me everything about competeing and things (again had him on loan) he's also with a younger family doing a little less because he has done a hell of a lot in his life time but is still very able and willing to compete we just thought it best he goes somewhere a little slower! and now i've got a 5 year old who we bought and its now me teaching her! age isn't really an issue i don't think as long as the horse is right for you and is capable of doing what you want it to do!

ooooppppsss a bit of an essay!
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[ QUOTE ]
I think for competitions they need to be fairly young if you are expecting them to regualrly compete, say under 15.

[/ QUOTE ]

utter tosh, i have a 25 yearold pony who is out competeing and winning almost every weekend, he dragged my brother round an xc course last week (we had actualy gone for a sedate walk across the course when the pony spotted a jump). Age is only a number it all depends on the horse itself.
Ive also got a 17 yearold horse who thinks he is 3, youve got to be suicidal to take him XC, hes a complete nutter on the beech, looks about 6 years old and is still competeing and winning the same level he did when he was 8 and yes he is out competeing almost every weekend.
when one of my ponies was 23 i got a comment from a judge that young children (my cousin who was 8) should not be handleing young horses (admittedly he was a prat all day, bounced around the show field and generaly acted as though he had never been to a show before)

I lost an 11 yearold to colic, a 9 yearold to ragwort poisoning (he got it before we got him) and ive met a 10 year old pony that looked 30 and i would have said retire it then and there!

I dont give a toss about age, id happily take on a bouncing 20 yearold. my friends arab was still happily going at 29 (unfortunately she had him PTS when she emmigrated as she couldnt find a home for him, i would of had him but he and my 17 yearold hated each other and tried to kill each other) and anouther friend was still hacking her 32 yearold and it regularly took off with her.
 
Chex is old, but he doesn't act it at all. I can't let my mum ride him (she's not much more than a novice) because he tanks off with her. I went on holiday last week so asked if she could walk him round the fields (from the ground) every couple of days - I got a phonecall one night to say she wouldn't do it again because he kept squealing, bucking and dragging her about
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- he's 25 for goodness sake!

I wouldn't buy another oldie, purely because one is enough just now! I know I'm going to have expensive vet bills as he gets older - I'm guessing its inevitable.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I think for competitions they need to be fairly young if you are expecting them to regualrly compete, say under 15.

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What a load of rubbish - Spooky is 17 and is regularly competing at Endurance and getting great grades, He is more that happy to jump a round of jumps and is never stiff.

The opinion that horses are old at 16/17 is way outdated by advances in bloodlines, feeding and supplements - they can continue to work and compete long into their 20's now.
 
A horse is considered 'past it' at 11 here (unless already competing at a high level already) and you'll never see a horse advertised for more than this! I have to say many do look their age (and then some!) because they are ridden and driven far too hard. I've seen 4 and 5 year olds with wear and tear on legs that simply shouldn't be there!
I look after my PF (9) because I intend to be riding and competing her for many, many years to come.
 
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