When is it time to stop?

Keep going and enjoy him! He looks great for his age, and he looks happy being ridden. Nowadays, they do keep going longer due to better nutrition and care.

My 23 year old behaves like a 4 year old sometimes. We hack 3-4 days a week, and maybe one day in the school to keep his brain going.

I have a friend who's horse is 28 and he hacks three times a week and still enjoys his canters, even putting in the odd buck.
 
My first mare was working upto the age of 26. We kept her work light and made some allowances for arthritis but she did regular hacking at a pace that she seemed comfortable with. In the last 6 months before we had to have her pts we decided it was time to stop riding her altogether. My 2nd mare looked fantastic at 18 yrs of age but had some chronic lameness, after 18 mnths of on and off lameness i decided it was time to retire her completely. Both mares aged very quickly once their work stopped altogether. I would try to keep any horse working as long as they seem comfortable doing so, if you have kept him supple through good schooling you will probably find he will rapidly loose muscle tone if he stops work and it may not be so easy to get it back again.
 
What a stunning horse! He's in fantastic condition, I would never have guessed his age either.
Honestly, I'd carry on as you are - he's obviously loving his work and from what you say isn't beginning to slow down, I agree with what others have said - he will tell you when he needs to take it a bit steadier. Don't worry about treating him like an old man until he starts to really become one :)
We have a 21 year old and he's still going strong, chasing about with tonnes of energy. We also have a 30 something year old pony who has been genuinely mistaken for a youngster before - he's not slowing down either! I think age matters less and less these days, well cared for horses go on for so much longer than they used to x
 
Agree with all those who said keep him going. He's stunning and doesn't look ready to stop from those pics.

This is my old mare doing an endurance ride when I thought she was 18
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A couple of years later she fell ill and had to go to an equine hospital to be diagnosed. I told them she was 20 but when I went to pick her up they informed me she was atleast 26 and was probably older. Which makes her atleast 24 in that pic doing a 64km endurance ride. Infact 7 months after her diagnosis of a very rare illness and just a month before I had her put down we did a 14 mle sponsoured ride and she bucked and bolted the whole way round and thorougly enjoyed herself. It was the last time I ever rode her but everyone on the ride couldn't believe how old she was or how ill she was MENT to be :p. I say keep him going and make the most of your time together. You never know how long you have left and if he's happy keep going :)
 
Thanks everyone! I'm overwhelmed by the lovely comments and compliments!

So nice to see the pictures of your golden oldies too; they're all gorgeous :)
 
Looks great. Mine retired at 30 and aged about a hundred years in the first 6 months off. I'd keep going while he's happy. Looks really well.
 
You are so lucky, you have a stunning looking horse who obviously enjoys life. Why stop just because he's reached a certain age? Does that mean when you're 60 you'll give up riding???? I don't think so, unless your body dictates otherwise, and the same applies to your lovely horse. Age is but a number!!!!
 
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