Whate %age of horses are still sound at 15 years +

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canteron

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Seem to be going through horses rather quickly. My first horse was retired 5 years ago aged 12 with a torn DDFT. His replacement has now gone lame, and it is possible that is permanent too. Curiously it is the same foot and she is is also 12!

I am absolutely gutted about my girl. She was a very quirkly horse with a bad past when she arrived aged 7 but in the last year or so had really grown up and become a pleasure to own and ride.

However, when I look around, I see lots of horse which were also retired early. Which begs the questions, just how many horses do make it into a sound working old age? Are they the exceptions or the rule?
 
My oldest one is over 20yrs and still sound.
I haven't ridden her for a while though, due to a violent attack of lethargy.
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my 23yr old mare has never been lame in the 9 yrs iv had her, we were competing unaffiliated sj up to 1mtr abd even with a bruised ligament she never went lame! shes in light work now and touch wood is still yet to go lame
 
Ime sport horse types are knackered by 15 and a lot younger, and natives still go strong into their 20's.

I know what my next one will be.
 
My old pony was 23 when I retired him, still sound and in his last season of work we hunted, showjumped and went cross country! The only reason I retired him was that I felt his heart wasn't in it anymore, physically he could still be ridden but mentally he had had enough. I had my hands full with my youngster anyway, so it suited both of us!
 
My boy is 17 and have had him 4 years, he went lame for 3 days last week but is absulutely fine now. He does jumping, dressage a bit of everything really
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My yard has lots of horses 15 years + only one of them is lame, the other is 36 so retired now! The other lame/retired horses are all under 12 years old!
 
Out of the six horses at our yard the three over fifteen are all sound and one events at pre-novice....lost my last horse at 15 and can see why you feel a bit peeved as it's frustrating, especially when you look after them and love em to bits and you see others thrown out in a field, ridden eratically, no fittening plans etc and they 're the ones who carry on day after day....sorry, am not really bitter !
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Think at the end of the day it is largely down to luck, or lack of and we can only do our best for them. Some people just have more luck than others....sorry being bitter again
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PS Remember a lot of "retired horses" can't be ridden and some just "aren't " ridden
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My TB is 19 and still in full work, jumping BSJA. He's sound as a pound, although does get a little stiff behind in the winter but after about ten minutes of walking his like a spring chicken. I've had people tell me he still moves better than there 7 year olds x
 
my pony is 18, the only time he has been lame is when he had laminitis attack 8yr ago (frantically rushes round touching everything wooden i can see), he still gets hacked a couple of times a week, and my mam has lessons on him once a week
ETA my 5yo sport horse is effectively retired due to DJD
 
Mine is 18 and i've had him since a 4yo, he (and I) were part of a team who qualified for the RC horse trials finals this year. He still jumps BSJA, we do ODEs, XC etc etc and he is sound and always has been (touching wood here) and that's with him having jumped BSJA since a 4 yo.

He has just had a 2 stage vetting as I want to make changes on his insurance and the vet hasn't even found any lumps or bumps worth mentioning (no windgalls surprisingly either). He is by no means wrapped up in cotton wool - he lives out 24/7 in summer and is just in at night in winter and we also do a lot of road work out hacking.

My old pony is 23 and still sound but he deosn't get ridden a lot as he's a bit of a nut!
 
In our RC there is a lady who brings her 26 year old 13hh pony and show jumps him as a horse, in the open and he regularly beats all the horses in the jump off. He lives out 24/7 and is still ridden regularly.

I went to view her 20yr old TB with a view to a part loan, he also lived out 24/7 and was fully fit and sound, he had retired from BSJA (gradeA) as his heart wasn't really in it and was team chasing through winter instead, I was going to have him through summer to hack, dressage, cross country etc so his fitness didn't suffer while she was busy with the youngsters showjumping!

We have a few over 20s on our yard, including a connie that is competing at medium dressage.
 
My rising 21yo ISHxWelsh is fully sound, in full work at Med/Adv Med level, still pops 1m10 for fun - owned since 4yo and never had any issues with him
 
I have two x 18 year olds, both work long and hard pulling carriages, and neither show any signs of slowing down yet!
 
My 23 year old Irish cob mare is arthritic but still does dressage training in the school and enjoys light hacks. I wouldn't jump her or make her travel around the country to shows but she is happy doing light work and the odd fun show at the yard with the children. From looking around our own yard the natives do seem to be sturdier.
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my irish cob mare is 20 and still as sound as the day i bought her. I only hack out and do the odd fun ride but thats all i got her for , she keeps up with the younger horses we go out with too !
 
i have a 29 yr old full Tb who has been 100% sound untill about a month ago. Only roughly 1/10 lame now due to a really bad bloomin photosensitivity break out!!
 
my 19 year old pony is still flying around the place like a wee mad one! she was galloping up a rather steep hill today, nothing was gonna slow her down! she gets newmarket joint stuff n that it! she went lame a while back was told t rest her so gave her month off, told it might be arthritis so give her bute as n when, well as n when hs not come (touch wood)
 
I have an 18 year old who is still sound and showing.

I also have a 33 year old who is still sound hacks out and occasionally shows, bit stiff in winter though.

I think I have been very lucky, hope our 6 year old does as well. Looking round our yard there a quite a lot of semi retired horses from mid teens onwards
 
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