Annagain
Well-Known Member
I think it would interesting to see if there's a correlation between size and age of death as well. I'm not sure this data will do it as YCBM originally only asked for larger horses but it's something I'd find interesting, I know it's generally accepted that small ponies live longer but it would be interesting to see if there's a difference between, say, 11hh and 13hh or 15hh and 17hh etc.
I never expected to get Archie (16.3) to the age he is now (at least 25) but never thought I'd lose Eb (14hh) when I did until the morning it happened (colic) when he was 27. He'd never had a day's illness before that. I thought he'd gradually slow down, retire and have a few years pottering around the field before we lost him in his 30s.
I don't feel getting Arch to where he is now is an achievement any more than losing Eb when I did was failure, even though it wasn't what I expected. Both those things just happened. Some would have had Arch PTS at 12 when his foot problems were first diagnosed and his (admittedly modest) competition career was limited. Others would have carried on jumping him and he might not be here now but I just did what I felt was right at the time, it was never with the intention of getting him to retiring at 24+ and enjoying life in the field for a bit longer.
I never expected to get Archie (16.3) to the age he is now (at least 25) but never thought I'd lose Eb (14hh) when I did until the morning it happened (colic) when he was 27. He'd never had a day's illness before that. I thought he'd gradually slow down, retire and have a few years pottering around the field before we lost him in his 30s.
I don't feel getting Arch to where he is now is an achievement any more than losing Eb when I did was failure, even though it wasn't what I expected. Both those things just happened. Some would have had Arch PTS at 12 when his foot problems were first diagnosed and his (admittedly modest) competition career was limited. Others would have carried on jumping him and he might not be here now but I just did what I felt was right at the time, it was never with the intention of getting him to retiring at 24+ and enjoying life in the field for a bit longer.