would you buy an older horse?

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sallypops

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if i find poppy a suitable home i am going to be looking for a new horse, i personally want to get something a little older with more experience to help build up my confidence again, but loadsa folk round here think its silly gettin an older horse and all want 3 yo's. i only want to hack lots do some sponsered rides and jumping like twice a year lol.

so was just wondering what everyones viws were??
 
Absolutely, although iI must say age isnt always an indication of how sensible they are!
Lance is 19 in feb, Beau is 6, and Beau is the more sensible, less spooky one, despite how experienced Lance is LOL!

However Im sure an older horse woud adore all the TLC, and you can always pick them up cheaper.
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It really gets my goat that people write horses off as soon as they reach 10! My horse is 16 and is still competing and schooling and learning as well as he ever has!

Especially if you want a confidence giver, you want something that has been there and done it all, and IMO nothing under 10 should have done all that without been knackered at a young age! My opinion.
 
I would never have a problem buying an older horse if it passed the vet. My friend has a 22 yr old mare that she has had on loan for the past 6 years. She has never given my friend any trouble and is as healthy and lively as my 12yr old (often more lively!)
 
A lot of people seem to write off older horses simply because they worry they won't recoup their money when/if they sell on.
 
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My horses are 25 and 215 and will happily go out for 5 hour hacks.

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i don't want that to be a typo...i want it to be true ! PN, have you been in touch with the Guinness Book of Records?
 
I just posted my golden oldie post at the same time as yours def go for it. Dusty mentioned in the previous post was an ex riding school loonatic - sacked cos she hated it. We bought her at 22, as too old, too small (13hh) and with dodgy knees - she failed the vet with flying colours. If we hadn't have taken her she was going for meat so we gave her a chance. With very careful riding we kept her in ridden work until she was 33. I taught her lateral work - including half pass - at 25. She was still jumping until she was 28 and she taught me so much. As long as you are careful and sensible (no gallops on concrete hard ground etc) it is possible to get a great many years enjoyment from an oldie, even if it has problems.
 
Well if the old horse opinion wasn't there to begin with it wouldn't be a problem. My horse is a lot better schooled, with a bigger competition record now than when he was 10, so realistically he should be worth more. Look at the top competition horses, 10 year olds are seen a young and hardly ever compete at the top level. Which should be priced more, the young 10 year old competing at the lower level, or the 14/15/19 year old completing Badminton?!

I don't have anything against experienced people buying youngsters, it's the less experienced who want something that has been there and done everything and expect to buy a 5/6 year old. (not saying the poster is like this at all by the way, just having a general rant)

But realistically people don't think like that. But IMO unless you are planning to buy and sell on quickly you are never going to make money on a horse.
 
As St Bernard says, an older horse isn't necessarily more sensible! My Monty is a 20 year old "smart" cob (currently on loan) and is such a git that even the mother of the teeanger who has him on loan says that if it wasn't for her daughter loving him so much, she'd give him back to me! Lizzie is a 16 year old ex-point-to-pointer and, although currently on "maternity leave", is always very much a live-wire (although not spooky or naughty) whereas Jimmy is a 7 year old ex-point-to-pointer and SOOOO laid back it's ridiculous! Finally, Archie is only 18 months old (Selle Francais x KWPN graded mare) and is so quiet and bomb proof that when the time comes to back him, I'll doubt he'll notice anyone's on board!!! But, no, joking apart, if the horse is right, regardless of age, then so long as it is sound, I wouldn't hesitate!
 
oh i'm not looking to sell the horse on, just want an older horse ie 16 years old which has a bit more experience that will build up my confidence, i understand not all older horses are sane angels, would just like something more experienced than a 4 yo. it would be stupid for me to get a young horse after all the confidence i lost with poppy lol
 
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oh i'm not looking to sell the horse on, just want an older horse ie 16 years old which has a bit more experience that will build up my confidence, i understand not all older horses are sane angels, would just like something more experienced than a 4 yo. it would be stupid for me to get a young horse after all the confidence i lost with poppy lol

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you could loan my 21 year old if you wanted, hes sane sensible and an angel
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Sounds very sensible - even if they are not easy an older horse generally has more confidence than a youngster so can help you rebuild yours. They don't (always) need the reassurance that a young horse might.
 
April's 22 and still doing everything in my signature
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I would never rule out an older horse, I'd prefer that over a youngster next time actually.
 
Go for it. My first horse was a 16 year old mare. She was an absolute angel and hacked happily until she was 24, with breaks to have 2 foals (at 18 and 20). At 24 she started to lose her sight and she died at 26. I didn't realise just how good she was until I had other horses, and probably didn't appreciate her enough.
 
I'd go for nothing over 10 as if you wanted to sell it on again it'd be getting a bit on the 'old' side if u kept it for .. say 2 yrs.I'd just see what i found but there are more problems with older horses generally. Stiffness-arthiritus etc etc nothing thats gonna drop dead soon... x x x
 
My OH bought me my current horse at 12 as a dressage school master. A couple of people then made comment about his age but he was ideal for me.

Hes 16 next year so far from old and i love him to death! Hes made the most amazing teacher, hes sounder than many horses half his age and hes my best friend.

It amazes me on here how many people seem to write off anything thats over 12 years old and it drives me completly crazy.

Im torn about my next horse tbh. The plan was always to buy me a youngster but after having Jack, i'm more inclined to have something older and more established again!
 
You go for it, an older horse invariably will be alot less trouble & hopefully should have established paces. People write them off far too early...take Glenwood Springs, Tim Stockdale's speed horse, he's 19 & still competing at the highest level.

Many are in love with the idea of having a 3/4 year old & bringing them on. Unfortunately many haven't got the experience & knowledge to do it & in the end there is another young horse that has been ruined. For some it works though.

There will be loads of suitable horses out there for you, reasonably priced & will do everything that you want without all the hassle of training them yourself from scratch...Good Luck
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Yes, when I was looking for a second horse I looked at anything safe with the potential to RC between 5 years of age and 21 but was planning for whatever I brought to be a horse for life.
There are many top level show jumpers, eventers and dressage horses still competing internationally during their late teens and even early 20's so I have no clue why people who don't intend to sell the horse on wont consider looking at anything over 12!
 
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