Would you buy a 17yr old ISH?

[claracanter]

I have a 17 year old who is in great shape. However I know his history and what he’s done over the years. Having said that, I don’t jump him outside of competitions and I’m very wary of hard or very soft ground. Considering this, I wouldn’t buy a horse at that age

 

[AmyMay]

Sorry I should have mentioned that the 17yr old was vetted on Monday as the owners got him vetted to sell. If I did go with him I would still want my own vet to vet him again.

Ah, ok. You said up thread that you’d had him vetted yourself.

 

[gunnergundog]

Is he currently jumping 1.20/1.30? Is his record reasonable? Or, was he jumping at that level X years ago? Also, check how frequently he is being competed.
If currently performing with a decent record I would go for it. I would expect to be paying a very good five figures though, especially if he is amateur friendly.

 

[Ditchjumper2]

If you are asking the question you must have doubt. And if you ever have doubt then that's a no. Whether dog, horse, dress or husband lol!

 

[Cortez]

As a schoolmaster, yes. As a competition horse, no.

 

[equinerebel]

Personally, no. I have a 17yo, mentally still (too) sharp but she spent many years in her youth jumping and it's starting to show. I'm not interested in injecting her joints just for riding purposes, so she's retired to light hacking which she can currently do without pain (that I know off). Mine is only 15hh, I'd worry a 16.3 could potentially age worse. With mine, she thinks she's still 4 but her body isn't and it's now up to me to stop her from doing the things she's always done.

That said, if he's been in regular, consistent work, you could have a few good years riding.

 

[expanding_horizon]

Just make sure he isnt only passing the vet no as he has recently had a number of joints injected, and wont be as sound once the injections wear off.

 

[EventingMum]

Sound advice from other posters, I would dig a little deeper. That said, I bought a horse as a 5yo, we sucessfully show jumped (Newcomers), evented (BE100) and did dressage (medium) for many years then sold her to a friend when she was 15. She had the scope to go higher but had a naturally cautious nature so wasn't pushed out of her comfort zone. She had time out to have a foal but otherwise was in constistent work and is now 23 in full work and still has not ever had any soundness issues, in fact I can not recall her ever being lame. She does have good conformation and has always been well looked after which have obviously have helped so sound older horses do exist.