Would you bring a 19 year old retired pony back into work?

[kippen64]

Have heard that a new livery facility within doable distance will be opening in May. So excited!! So this is the question. Should I bring Kippen my 19 year old Highland Pony out of retirement? At the moment he is living at a full care retirement facility. He has an excellent standard of care and is living the life of Riley. Would it be kinder to leave him retired? I love him but part of me feels he might have more fun retired.

 

[JFTDWS]

If he's sound, yes!

It will be easier to keep him trim if he's in lightish work - and keeping him in shape will be better for his joints and general health long term

 

[Moomin1]

Have heard that a new livery facility within doable distance will be opening in May. So excited!! So this is the question. Should I bring Kippen my 19 year old Highland Pony out of retirement? At the moment he is living at a full care retirement facility. He has an excellent standard of care and is living the life of Riley. Would it be kinder to leave him retired? I love him but part of me feels he might have more fun retired.

My old pony was 26 when I got him - he had been retired for nearly ten years before that. He was ridden daily in medium-hard work, local shows, jumping lessons, heavy hacking etc etc up until he was 39. He died at 40yrs.

If there is no health reason for your boy to be retired then I would say definately bring him back into as much work as you can do with him.

 

[Supertrooper]

If he is sound yes, my friends mare was still being ridden till she was 32 and still going for walks in hand till she was 36. She was very much allowed to do what she wanted and she was a handful even at age 36 she was put down last year at 37 :-(

 

[Littlelegs]

Don't see any reason why not if he's sound. Think as others have said older horses do better in work.

 

[JennBags]

I've just brought my 29year old back into work, and he's loving it! He had almost a year off due to a couple of injuries, then winter came & I thought about retiring him, but he loves going out, and I love riding him, so win-win

 

[Enfys]

As they all say, if he is sound, why not?

My mare is 23 now, she loves being ridden. Before I decided to hop on her when she was 20 she hadn't been ridden for 15 years.

 

[SNORKEY]

If he's fit and well, why not. we have a 38 yr old pony, if yours lives that long, that would be a very long and boring retirement. As long as you bring him back into it very slowly im sure he'd enjoy it.

 

[mightymammoth]

My old pony was 26 when I got him - he had been retired for nearly ten years before that. He was ridden daily in medium-hard work, local shows, jumping lessons, heavy hacking etc etc up until he was 39. He died at 40yrs.

If there is no health reason for your boy to be retired then I would say definately bring him back into as much work as you can do with him.

moomin thats great, would love to see his photo

 

[maisie06]

If he's sound, yes!

It will be easier to keep him trim if he's in lightish work - and keeping him in shape will be better for his joints and general health long term

This!! Go for it - just bear in mind it may take a little longer to get his fitness levels up! I would still hack my mare if her back wasn't buggered - long story, knock on effect of bone spavins coupled with dodgy conformation.

 

[nativepony]

19 is no age at all these days - I think most horses are happiest when they're doing something, whether it be a gentle hack or being lightly schooled - as has been said as long as he's sound and you're careful about bringing him back into work. Good luck!

 

[kippen64]

This is Kippen. To give you an idea of how big he is, he has a six inch mouth and wears a shortened Warmblood bridle. The photo is recent.

Even though I long for a big Thoroughbred, in my heart none of them are a match for Kippen. Some would say I am biased. I say not. Kippen is an absolute cracker of a horse.

 

[mightymammoth]

This is Kippen. To give you an idea of how big he is, he has a six inch mouth and wears a shortened Warmblood bridle. The photo is recent.

Even though I long for a big Thoroughbred, in my heart none of them are a match for Kippen. Some would say I am biased. I say not. Kippen is an absolute cracker of a horse.

he looks lovely

 

[Moomin1]

moomin thats great, would love to see his photo

I don't know how to put pics on here!

 

[kippen64]

I don't know how to put pics on here!

You have your photos somewhere on the Internet. Mine are in my photo gallery. You right click on the photo that you want to use and choose "copy URL address". Then you go back to the message you are writing, click on the insert images thing above the message square. It has a picture of a mountain on it, then you right click and choose "paste". To check that you have done it correctly, you can preview your message. Hope that this helps.

 

[ausipaliboi]

Heck yeah!!!

I was given my first horse when I was 17, I was told he was 15 (rescue case).

From the day I got him he was ridden every day at least once a day, when he had put on enough weight he was ridden twice a day.

Well, colour me shocked when after 2 years of riding like this with no problems I discovered he was actually 30

He was ridden on and off for the 7 years I owned him and was only retired a year and a half before I had him PTS (due to recurrent problems eventually discovered to be caused by excess protein).

I now ride my friends 28 year old mare two to three times a week as I have started riding together with my 20 month old daughter (my horse is a tad too nuts for me to double my bub!). The mare loves it and just this week tried to buck us both off - just cos she was feeling too good after a bad weather break!!!

 

[Moomin1]

Pic of my old pony aged 34 at a show on my album - couldn't get a pic up here it wouldn't work!!

 

[Moomin1]

Don't know if this has worked?

 

[kippen64]

Hi Moomin 1

What a great pony.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

A mate brought her 22 year old wb backing work this year, he seems happier with the work, nothing too taxing. Do it!

 

[kippen64]

Thank you so much everyone for your great replies. Will have to check the livery closer to opening time to make sure it's suitable, but if it is I will bring my pony out of retirement. As one of his fans said "There is only one Kippen".

 

[Ladydragon]

Have heard that a new livery facility within doable distance will be opening in May. So excited!! So this is the question. Should I bring Kippen my 19 year old Highland Pony out of retirement? At the moment he is living at a full care retirement facility. He has an excellent standard of care and is living the life of Riley. Would it be kinder to leave him retired? I love him but part of me feels he might have more fun retired.

A 19yr old mare has just arrived on our yard after having a few years as a brood mare... She's not really been ridden or done anything for over five years and although she's being brought into work gently, she's loving it...

 

[zaminda]

Yes, I find it keeps them going longer. I've come across a few over the years that had become lawn mowers when kids went off, but came back into work a few years later and had a whole new lease of life.

 

[Paris1]

Why did you retire him?

 

[kippen64]

Why did you retire him?

He went to the retirement farm with my Thoroughbred so that I could organise moving house. Then discovered that there was nowhere local to keep him. Hence the excitement of a new place opening. Have to check it out. Have seen some details about it and like what I have seen. There will be an indoor as well as an outdoor arena. Have only just found out about this place and it doesn't open until May. Fingers crossed, I'll have my pony near me again.

 

[AngieandBen]

Kippen looks lush!

I'm just bringing my 21 year old back into work after retiring him last year. He seemed to not enjoy his work anymore, but turned out he just wanted some time off and now he's like a spring chicken!

 

[russianhorse]

Kippen looks lush!

I'm just bringing my 21 year old back into work after retiring him last year. He seemed to not enjoy his work anymore, but turned out he just wanted some time off and now he's like a spring chicken!

^This is exactly what happened to my lad, he seemed fed up so I "retired" him, but this year I took him out in hand and he was like a youngster again so I hacked him the next time & the new lease of life was amazing

Can I just ask what is your plan to get him back into work/fit again as we are taking things slowly but I want to make sure Im doing it all right?

 

[Paris1]

Then yes!!! How exciting!

 

[AngieandBen]

^This is exactly what happened to my lad, he seemed fed up so I "retired" him, but this year I took him out in hand and he was like a youngster again so I hacked him the next time & the new lease of life was amazing

Can I just ask what is your plan to get him back into work/fit again as we are taking things slowly but I want to make sure Im doing it all right?

I started with hour long hacks just in walk with a little trotting about two weeks ago, this week we have had a couple of canters TBH he lives out on nearly 5 acres so keeps himself fairly fit anyway. He's quite capable of a good 6/7 mile hack which is all I want to do. I just go with the flow, he's much more lively with foward going rides

 

[Irishbabygirl]

Do it! Sounds like a great idea to me if s/he's sound! My WB is 22, retired due to arthritis, but he's looking amazing prancing round the field so very tempted to do the same! His jabs are due soon so think I will be having a chat about it with the vet! Watch out Mario!!