When do you considered a horse old ?

[The Irish Draft 2022]

I was reading a article they said most experts agree horses are considered geriatric at 18 to 20 years old . When do you consider a horse old ?

 

[Sossigpoker]

Depends on the horse!

 

[milliepops]

Assuming there are not age-related physical problems, it depends on the horse doesn't it? some get "old" sooner than others. I have 2 oldies, one 25 and one 26, the 26yo is much older in physical terms, if not chronological terms.

When i first started keeping horses, the one i have just retired would have been considered really old, in her mid teens. She's currently careering round the field like a youngster and other than her injury she's a pretty youthful horse physically.

 

[SO1]

I think there is a big difference between an old horse and an old pony.

I have a NF pony he is 20 this year I am hoping he has a good many years of happy life left in him.

 

[conniegirl]

My 21 yr old welshie thinks he is 3!

 

[Ali27]

My 19 year old Irish 14.2 is still crazy and loving life! I’m hoping to keep her going as long as possible! But I do look after her carefully; gel pads from April to September when ground hard and competing, I don’t over jump her (2-4 times a month), physio every 3 months and she is on a performance balancer and joint supplement. I also keep her out 24/7 as much as possible as that seems to help her too? She is my absolute pony of a lifetime so will be impossible to replace ?

 

[HashRouge]

It depends on what I'm comparing it to! I own a 29 year old and a 19 year old. So, when the 29 year old was 19 she seemed ancient because my other horse was 9. But now that he is 19, he seems like a spring chicken, because my other horse is 29! I do consider the 29 year old to be pretty ancient.

 

[Cortez]

Anything over 17 is an old horse. That doesn't mean they are incapable, any more than someone in their sixties is over the hill, but since 99% of horses are kept for their physical abilities, then anything in its late teens is less capable of performing at the top of their game. A parallel might be a 60 year old human person running a marathon - still able to do it, but not doing it extremely well.

 

[paddy555]

Anything over 17 is an old horse. That doesn't mean they are incapable, any more than someone in their sixties is over the hill, but since 99% of horses are kept for their physical abilities, then anything in its late teens is less capable of performing at the top of their game. A parallel might be a 60 year old human person running a marathon - still able to do it, but not doing it extremely well.

i'm in my late 60's and your post has really cheered me up.

 

[Cortez]

i'm in my late 60's and your post has really cheered me up.

I'm in my mid sixties, not for the fainthearted is it?

 

[Spotherisk]

I have two 30 years olds. One is registered as an Irish Draught, I don’t know about his first 20ish years of life (he is lent to me as a companion), he looks old. His eyes and lips are floppy, his back is dippy. He trots around the field. The other has been with me since five years old, he has had an easy life of hacking, pleasure rides, a few shows, and has lived out since he was about 13. He is a lw cob type and canters and bucks in the field and looks about ten years younger than his age. They’re both retired, the first needs to stay retired, the second… well, if I were very light weight I would still be doing little hacks on him!

 

[paddy555]

I'm in my mid sixties, not for the fainthearted is it?

 

[JackFrost]

i'm in my late 60's and your post has really cheered me up.

It's just something to think about when you're running your next marathon.

 

[utter-nutter]

My 21yr Irish draught has just finished his 14th hunt season … every horse is different ,he feels and looks amazing and is on no meds. I have friends that have retired there’s, much much younger due to age related issues, totally horse dependent. The minute he didn’t feel ‘right’ I would stop, but very hard to say no when he’s the first at the gate and always neighing when he sees the box leave without him!

 

[teddypops]

My 21 yr old welshie thinks he is 3!

As does my 31yo!

 

[Hepsibah]

If I was looking to buy a horse or pony, I would be thinking that 19+ was old.

 

[PipsqueakXy22]

For me anything over 17, although if I was looking to buy a horse my personally preference would be age 14 max

 

[bouncing_ball]

Anything over 17 is an old horse. That doesn't mean they are incapable, any more than someone in their sixties is over the hill, but since 99% of horses are kept for their physical abilities, then anything in its late teens is less capable of performing at the top of their game. A parallel might be a 60 year old human person running a marathon - still able to do it, but not doing it extremely well.

There are 17 year old horses at Olympics - dressage / SJ and eventing.

 

[MuddyMonster]

I think about early 20's onwards as being on the older side (but often still very capable).

 

[bouncing_ball]

Some horses are managing arthritis at 7, others are pretty arthritis free in late teens. Think it really depends on confirmation, way of going, workload, luck Etc.

 

[Cortez]

There are 17 year old horses at Olympics - dressage / SJ and eventing.

I said over 17. There are a few horses competing in their late teens; a few. GP dressage horses are generally considered in their prime at 14, after 17 or so there are few and far between horses operating at ease. This is simple arithmetic, all animals have average lifespans. Any horse over 15 is old, over 20 is geriatric.

People may choose to ride horses in their old age, that is their choice, but don't kid yourselves - the horses are old

 

[Orangehorse]

There are 17 year old horses at Olympics - dressage / SJ and eventing.

That's true, but how much medication are they on? I know they can't have painkillers, but there are plenty of other things they can get.

 

[Auslander]

I keep thinking Alf might be ready for retirement from ridden work. Then he makes it very clear that he thinks he's still a spring chicken at 25!

 

[Cortez]

I have horses in their 20's. I could undoubtedly ride them if I felt like it, but I prefer to let them have a bit of ease and enjoy their years out in the field while they still feel comfortable. There is no way I can kid myself that they are still as capable as they were in their prime.

 

[Orangehorse]

I read somewhere that a horse over 20 should not be sold, not fair to the new owner or the horse. That doesn't mean that it shouldn't be ridden, I am still riding my 23 year old, but he is starting to feel like an old horse and needs a bit of time to warm up and he is on meds. I don't take him for strenuous exercise and the other day he just stopped when we were halfway up a hill. It is a steep hill, but one that he is used to going up. He still enjoys a bit of a canter and I even trot him a bit on the road just for some variety but mostly the rides are in walk.

 

[Auslander]

I have horses in their 20's. I could undoubtedly ride them if I felt like it, but I prefer to let them have a bit of ease and enjoy their years out in the field while they still feel comfortable. There is no way I can kid myself that they are still as capable as they were in their prime.

I think, particularly with bigger heavier horses, that keeping them in light work is a positive thing, as it maintains a degree of muscle tone, keeps the joints mobile, and helps them stay supple. I know I feel better if I keep mobile, and Alf is much less stiff if he hacks a few days a week. I'm certainly not kidding myself that he's as capable as he was in his prime, but I'm happy that I will know when he doesn't want to go for a mooch round the block a couple of times a week!

 

[Cortez]

See, I don't get it when people are injecting/ medicating/manipulating horses and then proudly riding them around saying they're like 3 year olds because they have a bit of a buck in the field.

 

[Tiddlypom]

It's so much easier and cheaper to just shoot them

I am the proud owner of a happy and comfortable horse, who is happy and comfortable precisely because she has been injected/medicated/manipulated.

Why on earth not avail yourself of modern veterinary procedures?

 

[TheresaW]

I have a 29yo that hasn’t been ridden for about a year now. Until then, I was taking her out for a mooch a couple of times a week. Often she would try and tank off, jog about. I only stopped riding because of me, not her. She’s on cushings meds, but nothing else. If I hadn’t stopped riding, I’m sure she’d still be happy being ridden, but I feel it would be wrong of me to get back on her now. She lives out 24/7 with her boys, and I take her for walks in hand in the woods.

 

[spotty_pony]

Agree with Tiddlypom.

My boy is almost 23 now and has had his hocks medicated every two years since he was 13. The difference this makes to him is massive and it has given him a much better quality of life. He absolutely loves his hunting and still did a few steady days this season when the ground was good. He isn’t on any painkillers, but is fed a natural joint supplement. I ride him (just hacking) about three times per week now and he still really enjoys it. He recently had 9 days off after the storms and I noticed he felt much stiffer when I first ride him again after having the break - a few rides later and he feels back to his normal self again. He lives out 24/7 as much as the weather will allow and I’m really pleased with how he is looking and feeling at the moment. I think it really depends on the horse as to what is considered ‘old’ and using modern medicine to help them carry on feeling happy and more mobile is not something to be frowned upon.