What do you class as an old horse?

I class 14-17 as getting older, and 18 plus as old. Same as I class 60 plus in people as old - doesn't mean they won't make it to 90, but being at or almost at retirement age that's how I would classify. Doesn't mean old horses can't compete or work, same as old people - doesn't mean they aren't old.

Then again I deal with big horses, and work mainly with sjers and eventers who don't necessarily last as long, so am biased.
 
cptrayes said:
Actually I think I need to separate things to answer this question. My vet agrees with my estimate that at least 50% of horses over 16 hands don't make it past fifteen. Butt that's not age, it's illness and injury. So for an insurer, though, sixteen is old.
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I was just wondering are they old or actually knackered/sick. I see more clearly now why many consider horses old late teens/20+.
 
Caol Ila said:
Yes, but it's rare for a cat to see the back side of 20 so I don't think the two species are comparable. Like someone here said earlier, insurance companies classify any horse over 16 as a veteran and will only insure them for injury, not illness.

My horse is 20 but to look at her, you wouldn't think her a day over 14.
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no, I just meant that each species has a point whereby physiologically they are aged, whether or not they look it or become ill. I have a 20yo Exmoor who doesn't look it or act it and is fitter and healthier now than at 14 when I first got him. As I also said, it doesn't devalue them but they are what they are and 'cos its biology, there will always be examples at both ends of the bell curve.
 
I wouldn't work a 17 yo any differently from a 12 yo. Once they reach 18/20 I would consider what I did with them more carefully and probably give up certain things, for example hunting (ie, I might continue to hunt an older horse if they were sensible and happy to take it steady, but some just won't and let the excitement get to them and with this sort I would worry that they would over do it). I would also carefully consider the weight I expected them to carry. They should all be treated as individuals, though, for example my father's 18 yo mare has had to be retired due to DJD despite never having done a hard day's work in her life (yes, we've owned her since birth!)

Agree with CPT, horses still working in their thirties are exceptional and such stories can lead some to continue working horses that should be retired - Fred the horse, anyone??
 
When I first got my horse she was 16, overweight, her hooves needed some work, she seemed slow, stiff, only suitable to poodle about with an old lady like me :) She seemed like an old horse to me. A year later, with some management and feed changes she is a completely different horse, she's forward as you like and is going on the novice/optional jumping hunting with my daughter, if someone had said she'd be doing that a year ago I wouldn't have believed them. So, to me, the horse is as old as s/he feels I guess.

I meant to add that I would still choose the ground she was ridden on, keep her out of the school for the most part (our school is deep if not harrowed and hard on joints) and keep jumps low and to a minimum. Basically, she enjoys hacking and light hunting so that is what she does :)
 
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