Why do people let 'oldies' slow down?

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Moomin1

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Have been looking at pics of my old pony tonight as my sister in law wants one of his rosettes for my niece's rocking horse, and was wondering why people let their 'oldies' slow down for no apparent reason other than being older?

My old boy died at 40 years and was still showing/jumping/hacking over an hour daily at 39 years. He wasn't on any bute and only fed on grass in summer, hay, coarse mix and bran in winter. Stabled at night in winter, out all time in summer. Rugged in winter with one old fashioned new zealand rug, and a cozy pony stable rug with duvet under in winter (when fully clipped).

I just find it strange that people post things about their 'oldies' doing well for their age at the age of 19, 20, etc etc and then commenting that they are on bute, partially retired for the last five years and the owners are considering fully retiring them!! I can understand that it depends on each individual horse and previous injury etc etc - but so many people seem to think that just because their horse has reached an older age that they must be semi or fully retired, which IMO is the worst thing for them.
:confused:
 
It always amazes me. My pony is 21, and still doing everything he did at 9, and looks like it too!
Ok, some horses need to slow down, but many don't. My pony cameback from his last loan home as they felt he was too old to do what they wanted, and they said he had arthritis. A year later, he is teaching his new child so much, and no one believes how old he is.
 
Like people they all 'age' at different levels. We had school horses in their 20's working hard over the weekend with no additional medication but know of much younger horses that are already on medication.

My mum is amazing at 82 still racing around yet her brother is slow and creaky - he's younger.

Diet workload, age at breaking work throughout their life all play an important part of the aging process.
 
My reason is simply because Im a big softie and feel sorry for my lad, even though he's acting like a youngster again

I personally have no real reason for slowing my lad down other than this, as he's my baby :o

However acting like he's 4 again has done him no favours and so I've been working to bring him back into work again :D
 
As Tnavas says, horses like people age at different rates, and you have to 'listen' to them to gauge how much you can continue to do.
 
I don't think retiring a horse is necessarily 'the worst thing for them'. Why shouldn't a horse who has worked hard all it's lie be allowed a few years of retirement? As others have said, each horse is an individual, it is great that your oldie is doing so well and is happy to keep working but it's not the case for evry horse. My horses owe me nothing and I owe them everything so don't hesitate to retire/semi-retire if I feel it is the horse's best interest.
 
Agree with Amymay. I guess I've let my 26yo slow down. He hasn't competed for a few years and we don't do 80km rides any more. We still bimble around and do the odd (ahem) steady and short pleasure ride, but he is getting a bit creaky round the edges and it wouldn't be fair on him to keep him going at the level he was. There is an element of 'use it or lose it' about it, which is why we keep bimbling. It is a difficult balance and I don't think you can judge anyone because their horse isn't doing what your horse is doing at the same age.

My 30-sommat year old *****land let me know in no uncertain terms when she wanted to stop work. She's happy enough out there, batting people round the head with her walking stick and handbag and whinging that it wasn't like this when she was a lass. But if you tried to put her back into work now she'd ruddy have you. She's still all there.
 
amymay said:
So if your horse is telling you it can no longer cope with its work load, you allow it to slow down.
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Agree, when an older horse tells you theyre not coping with their workload you listen and change it until you cant ride them or do inhand stuff anymore, then imo theyre either maintained on field retirement or pts, whatever is best for them
 
I wouldn't expect a grandad to continue in full work until death, so wouldn't expect it of a horse, either. Perhaps some people like to slow their horses down and allow them to retire to prevent needing to medicate?

I have the vet coming this morning to give Henry the once over and assess whether he's still capable of the workload (hacking, but it's all rough and hills here). If they find arthritis and recommend bute/danilon to continue riding him as I am, then it's a no-brainer to me. He'll retire. Don't assume that because someone's horse looks fabulous in the field that they are capable of a full workload, still. FIL still chops logs in the yard, but I doubt he'd be able to go out and retrieve them from the woods, these days!
 
give our 36 year old a tiny to plod round with and his eyes sparkle and ears prick up. He loves it. Ask anything more of him and he's apt to 'losing' children in hedgerows :D

A few years ago he was jumping and hacking for miles a day.

He's quite happy being put out to grass and coming in for a cuddle daily. He's told us he doesn't want to work for a living any more and we accept that.

Some people get depressed when they retire, and I guess horses are the same. But a majority need to slow down.
 
There was a 28yo horse out eventing at Howick on Sunday, it was a joy to watch. He was on the New Zealand olympic team in 2000, and on Sunday took a young rider round her first BE80. He looked probably the fittest in the whole class :D
 
Agree-go with what your horse tells you. My boy started his eventing career at 19 and we'll keep going as long as he's happy and enjoying it.
 
As shown by a couple of ponies on our yard, age affects them all differently. A friend's 18 year old has very few miles on the clock but is an incredibly poorly pony with cushings etc etc and looks about 30. My 20 year old has arthritis and despite the vet saying wow he looks good for his age, he is currently being brought back into work slowly after having a month off to see if his lameness improved. He has only ever been a hacking pony but tries his heart out and can blast himself round at a sponsored ride but we just wont be jumping anymore. My 22 year old has the character of a cheeky youngster but a lifetime of COPD means he is only only to do short bursts on the lunge and slow walk outs with my friend's kids. He gets taken to local shows but he really doesn't mind not being ridden that much and his work is kept slow. His character is semi willing, his body is willing but his lungs are most definitely not willing.
 
You have to judge things on an individual basis. There are so many influencing factors in our lives that affect how we look/act/age and it's exactly the same for horses.

I'm very lucky to have two very fit oldies in my life, one knocking 20 and the other 21. The 21 year old has been worked hard since coming over from Ireland as a 3 y/o, she's bsja'd and hunted all of her life and she's still sound. My 20 y/o hasn't done too much with his life, he was a show horse until about 10, pottered around from then until I got him at 17 and he's still sound too. Neither on medication of any sort.

Also, I don't know how other people feel, but I'm all for letting a horse have a nice retirement. My horse owes me nothing... and when the day comes that he tells me he's had enough then so it will be. I already have a home lined up (lady I ride for not some randomer...) for him to live his days out. Until then I will continue as normal!
 
agreed, My boy is 15, and I've reduced his workload, he's mainly hacking, doing the odd long ride and some schooling. He has worked really hard but sometimes acts like a 4 year old! I have to be careful and he's carefully managed but as long as he's sound, happy and healthy there's no reason to stop him doing what he enjoys doing. Obviously there will come a time when he will stop, but we're not there yet, and will cross that bridge when we get to it.
 
As others have said, they are all different. There are two ponies in their thirties on our yard, one who hacks two or three times a week and is very cheeky, looks very well and not 32. The other is a hobbling toast rack, protruding ribs and pelvis and backbone, dipped back, legs the same thickness from top to bottom, ewe neck, poor coat and dull eye. She has no teeth to speak of and is still fed mix, with chop, no hay as she can't eat it.

This pony makes me want to cry. There are things the owner could do to help, like get on the internet to find something she can eat which will do her some good. She says she's "doing really well" (!) and still jogs all the time when ridden! Couldn't believe my ears, the pony is 14 hands-ish and the owner around 5' 7" and hefty with it. She is looking forward to long pub rides in the summer.....................:eek:
 
Meg is 19, and she's just kick started a love of XC, something she's never done before in her life!

I think you have to gauge it on the horse and it's own personal capabilities.
 
A lot has to do with different breeds, histories etc.

I think a lot also has to do with people seeing them more as a pleasure ride possibly, a stigma attached and if you've had a horse that long people slow down with them too.

A 20's horse I currently share was actually recommended to ride more often and longer and get jumping as would do more good than retiring last year.

Pan
 
My mare is between the ages of 23 to 28, I do the same type of work with her as when she was youngster. Although I tend to listen to her more if she feels tired we will cut our hack short, if she feels good we go further. I always lead her for the first 10 mins to loosen her up, but then I have always done that with younger horses too. She is on no meds and never feels the cold, lives on fresh air, on a constant diet during spring summer and autumn.
But things could change and no doubt they will at some point, she will retire here with me and live out her life for however long that is for. I feel very lucky to still be able to do the same stuff on her as when she was younger, some horses age very quickly whilst others seem to go on forever. Just like humans :)
 
EstherYoung said:
My 30-sommat year old *****land let me know in no uncertain terms when she wanted to stop work. She's happy enough out there, batting people round the head with her walking stick and handbag and whinging that it wasn't like this when she was a lass. But if you tried to put her back into work now she'd ruddy have you. She's still all there.
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That is the best mental picture I have ever had Esther!
I can just see her shouting at the youngsters
"In my day.....when I was a slip of a filly.......":D

OP as others have already said, when the horse says its had enough, you learn to listen. 25 yr old joints wont hold up to the kind of things a 10 yr olds would!
 
My older eventer is only 17 & I thought he was ready for a quieter life. This is mainly because he preferred to compete on firmer ground but would easily jar up. So I retired him from eventing :(
I took him hunting in the autumn & he absolutely loved it :) now he has a new job which he loves!
 
Ach stupid phone posting too soon.
So now he has a new job that he loves! I hope he will carry on enjoying it for many years yet BUT as soon as I get an inkling that it's causing him any discomfort then again he will be retired from that.
He owes me nothing & he deserves to enjoy his golden years.
 
i dont get it either! horse at my yard is about 25 and hes in better shape than my 11 year old! fair enough if there's health issues, but if the horse is fit and happy to work, theres no reason for it not to be worked..
 
It depends on the horse we have had an ex flat racer who hunted up until he was 27,but some horses need to slow down we have two ex pointers who are still hunting doing common ridings, pleasure rides,they are early twenties.

I have a cob who is 18 who is getting very creaky and gets generally tired with too much work I agree work is good for them in the right amounts.

We have from youngsters up and their workload depends on fitness how they feel and what each horse is telling us they are happy with.

Its like people some horses can go on for longer others need a more quiet life ,it all depends on the horse and the owner should be able to make that decision.
 
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