whats the oldest you'd buy??

C

clairefeekerry1

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 December 2008
Messages
1,602
Visit site
looking for new horse after horrific 4 yrs with youngster, so naturally wary of anything under 6 yrs. was thinking of someting older, been there seen it etc. how old would you go? seen some nice 12/13/14 yr olds but on the other hand do not want something i'll only get few yrs out (looking to do rc stuff) my old mare was 17 when i got her and had the best 7 yrs ever on her (she's now living out her days with me at 29) on the other hand don't want to end up with various retired horses!!
 
i have just got a 14 year old for me, my kids have a 4 year old and a three year old, and we have just got a 12 year poorly pony which i am sure when she is well they will ride.

i wanted something which i could use to get back into riding.
the kids go great on the youngster.
 
suppose i'm torn as i had soooo much fun with my old mare- she was and still is my horse of a lifetime and the least i owe her is a long happy retirement BUT they gen have a home for life with me so don't want to collect old horses!!
 
I wouldn't be able to afford to have 2 horses so I'd get quite a younger one so I could keep one for as long as possible. Probably wouldn't go over 10 but possibly would go up to 12 if it was perfect.
 
Our cob was 13 when we bought him, and two of my donks were 15. We have absolutely no regrets and would happily buy at this age again.
 
Up to 12 if it was a mare or a well priced school master to compete. I know it sounds harsh as 12 is merly peek but I would have to be able to sell in years to come without a lose as I already have my one forever pony.
 
Would depend on price - also its legs and what it had done - also the home (if known to me) and reason for selling (if you could rely on it being the truth). As you have one retiree I would be careful - having said that you have no guarantees whatever the age.
I would probably buy up to 14 perhaps more if it was special.
 
Bought a 21 year old ex-top show pony who was remarkable for his age. Had an absolute ball with him - never out the first two in veteran showing. Had the most devastating extended trot right to the end. I lost him last November aged 24 after colic surgery. Miss him so much but never, ever had any regrets or sleepless nights about buying such an old pony. He acted like a prima donna and was treated like royalty.
 
My lad is 14, and tbh if I was looking for what i was looking for 3yrs ago; today, I wouldn't count him out, he's soooo much better than he was as an 11yr old when i got him.

I think now I wouldn't look at anything over 7 for myself, but for my mum/friends (rc), would probably buy up to around 15, as used to ride a mare who had been there done that, got the T-shirt, 24yrs ol and still jumping round 1m+ tracks clear....!!
 
Bought Sullivan at 16 when I was looking for a been-there-done-it ned after wrong advice and a bad experience with a 6yr old. Had 4 glorious years of happy riding with him before losing him to djd and navicular. Bought Sunny (ned in sig) afterwards because he's as safe and kind as Sullivan was and he was 19 when I got him. He's now 23 going on 10 and an absolute dream for a not very brave rider. It really depends on what you want from a horse.
 
One of mine was 19 when I bought him, I also had a horse to ride who was in his 20's at the time. I would possibly lower the age to around 16 to try get even more years out of them but it all depends on the horse and what they are going to do.
 
I bought my gelding at 18 yrs old best thing i ever did,have bought horses from 4yrs upwards before and had nothing but problems.
I may have been very lucky but have heard a lot of people say the same
Good luck in your search whatever you do
 
Up to about 18yo for a schoolmaster, i bought a 16yo GP horse many years ago, and if not buying, whatever age as long as fit and healthy, about 20 years ago I was given a 24y ex grade A, who was pts one day before she was 30 owing no-one anything. Both older horses taught me so much.
 
My last gelding was 15 when I got him, but must stress that he was given to me - I didn't buy him.

At the time I probably wouldn't have considered buying a 15yr old, but we had 19 years together before he was pts at 34 and I never ever regretted having him - although I did buy a 5 yr old to compete with when the old boy was 25.

So much depends on the breed or type, what they've done before and any past ailments. My friend bought a 14 yr old Sec. D two years ago and they are now doing dressage, M&M, sponsored rides etc., and she is going to start jumping him soon too.

I can understand what you mean about collecting oldies though - I certainly couldn't afford to keep two horses again, and especially if one of them needed any specialist treatment/medicines or even extra care, as more than anything, it's time you run short of when it's just you, a full time job and two horses!

I wouldn't hesitate to buy a 12-15yr old that is still doing the type of work you want to do though - if it's seems the right type, you should still get a good 10-12 yrs from a 12yr old.
 
our current horses were 6 - 7 & 8 when we bought them.The 6yr old was my girls first pony when they were fresh out of a riding school and boy did she teach them how to ride!! I'm really not to worried about a horses age as long as it can do the job its intended for. Ash is currently looking for a horse that she can do 1.20 tracks on and is looking at horses from age 11 to 16.
 
Depends what you are going to be expecting of and for the horse...

When I buy a horse/pony I buy it with a view to keeping it for life therefore age is not always such an issue , if it is healthy and can do what I want it for which is mainly hacking.
smile.gif

I have just bought a TB in his mid to late teens for my daughter to hack on and have a bit of fun. He has bumps and chunks on him and has obviously been through the mill a bit but he is healthy and happy and up to the job in hand and will be with us for life.
I wouldn't consider an older horse if I were uncertain whether I could home him for life or not.
 
I bought a 16 year old pony this year but i have known him for nearly three years, i'm expecting him to carry on bsja up to 1.10 (seniors) for a couple years then i'll either loan him out to a junior or drop him back a bit. the other one is 14 and i got him when he was 11, if i was looking for a schoolmaster again i would definately go for an older horse. you get a much easier life with one that already knows what everythings about and the experience and confidence you can get is worth the possible shorter time together. now i would be looking for a 3/4/5 year old because i've had the experience to cope
 
I set my age limit at 7 when I was looking (ended up with milly who has just gone 5) mainly because I wanted something to learn with and that I could later sell on (ha! like I ever could!) and because I already have 3 over the age of 18!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top