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Member
Posts: 19
| I am looking at an older horse. I have NEVER bought or really owned an older horse. He is supposed to be completely sound and healthy.No maintenance needed. Just wondering how many years I can expect to get from him. I know it varies horse to horse but whats the oldest you have ran and been competitive. Guess just jitters of buying an older horse |
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 Veteran
Posts: 204
| The best horse I ever had was winning 1D and 2D checks at the age of 23 (and I was only 13-14 years old). |
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 Jr. Detective
  
Location: Beggs, OK | My mare was still hitting the 1D with my daughter when we retired her at 25. But, FYI.....if they are trying at all they ALL need maintenance. |
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Jr. Detective
Location: Beggs, OK | I meant to include that I also bought a nice gelding at 11 that was so physically and mentally damaged that he was completely retired at 17. |
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 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| Turned my old pleasure mare into a barrel horse when she was 16. Would usually run 4D but occasionally got into the 3D. That was when she was 27 or 28.
Just depends on how hard they've been used as to how well they'll hold up. She needed regular chiro and a joint supplement, but that was it. No injections or anything. |
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Member
Posts: 19
| Thank you! Yes I expect him to need maintenance even if he hasn't been getting it. I'm sure he needs it or would benefit from it. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1898
| I think a horse is too old when they stop trying or are trying with all their heart and are no longer clocking. I don't think it's a numerical age thing. In my opinion a horse can be to old at 15 or 25 it just depends on the horse. We had one run 1D (2D at bigger shows) until he was 22 and we retired him because of his knees and my sister currently has one that is 17, won CA NBHA State 2D 5 years ago, but lost his heart his 15 year old year. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 659
Location: somewhere in the bluegrass... | I bought an 18yo and he was the best horse I ever spent money on. He did require special shoeing and joint supp. but over all, was just an awesome horse and still enjoyed his job. He was for my daughter, and consistantly ran in the 3D ...which is where he always ran before we bought him.
I bought another 18yo and b/c of who he came from I didnt do a vet check ect....I was under the impression he was well taken care of and in better shape than he was. Lesson learned, this horses stifles where blown and I only got a couple months of showing out of him before we started seeing signs of problems, He became an expensive pasture mate,
I am still not afraid of older horses but I will always do a vet check!!! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 602
| There's a local gal here that runs a 26 year old gelding and she wins checks in the 1-2D. During the NFR there were several older horses that competed. I think it depends on how much drive they have. How old is the horse? Also look at your future. Would you plan to re-sell this horse to get another one? Or can you run this older horse for 5-7 years while you train up a younger one? |
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Member
Posts: 19
| He is 18 years old. I am used to colts and riding horses that I have trained. However, I'm at a point in my life I just don't have the time to start from the ground up. I'm starting a new career and have been away from riding for a couple of years due to college. I would hope to be able to bring up one over the next couple of years and just have this one to compete on now. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1218
Location: Great NW | Enjoy ! just make sure he is fit - the older they are the better shape they need to be kept to stay competitive. every horse is different find his weak spots and work on excercizes to help those muscle groups. |
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Member
Posts: 19
| Thank you |
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 Veteran
Posts: 173
Location: Wyoming- where its always windy! | Depends totally on the horse. I have an 18 year old that I plan on legging up and running while my good mare is preggo. He loves to run and acts half his age. I'd say if the horse enjoys his job and is sound and you guys click, go for it. Vet check for sure, don't let the seller pressure you out of getting one. Even if he requires periodic injections, it wouldn't scare me off completely. Good luck! |
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 Veteran
Posts: 153
Location: Natchitoches, La. | Love my old guy. I bought him at 21 years old and he is 25 this year and still clockng 2d at big shows. He absolutely loves to go. I can honestly say he gets no maintenance at all. Eats country acre pellets and hay. Never been injected. Keep thinking he's gonna slow down but he is getting faster. He has more than paid for himself. Good luck and have fun !! |
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Veteran
Posts: 183
Location: Wyoming | Had a stallion that ran in the top of the 1-D at age 28 retired him at the end of that year sound and unhappy cause he really liked running them barrels, He had ran on the track before I got him and on the bush track as well he had 49 outs and still sound really says something. Old horses don't scare me away at all if they have been cared for properly and have no serious soundness issues. |
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 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | I have a 21 year old that I'm planning to run this year. I have a good bit of conditioning work to do before I can enter him, but that was the case last year too. He won a rodeo check plus day money, and also won two jackpots, several 2D checks and a couple of 3D checks, plus ran in the 1D at a couple of pretty good sized (100+ entries) races. I pick his arenas carefully, limit his runs and pay super close attention to how he's feeling. He'll probably run several more years if I keep taking good care of him and maybe someday he'll be ready for a kid though right now he's still too much horse for a little kid to run. |
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 As Good As I Once Was
Posts: 1211
Location: frozen tundra of pa | Depends on the horse. Years ago i bought one when he was 13 he had been an english horse turned into a barrel horse. He was one of the best horses i ever rode. I sold him when he was 17 and at 19 he won our state 4H barrel racing title. A friend of mine has a stallion that has won him close to 50 thousand but the stallion has gotten old and even with alot of maintenance he isnt near the horse he used to be.He tries it just isnt there anymore. |
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 Expert
Posts: 4121
Location: SE Louisiana | Oh please... Look at all the maintenance needed on a young horse in it's prime.... "No maintenance needed" on an old horse?? |
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 Worst.Housekeeper.EVER.
Location: Missouri | Mine is 20 this year. Hoping that a winter layoff won't interfere too much, but prior to this winter, he was still improving. I have decided that once we hit a plateau, or he's not trying, I will retire him. So far, he is pretty solid in the 3D, and towards the end of last summer we were hitting the 2D more often than not.
He would run without maintenance, but he clocks faster with it, and it makes me feel better about running an old man! lol! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 452
Location: Texas | Girl, just make sure you know for sure what the "no maintenance" is. I bought a 19 yr old 2 wks ago, no maintenance, great legs and feet. Horse showed up in WEDGE ALUMINUM'S, has windpuffs, and now we know is navicular. I still love him, he fits me perfectly and I would have still bought him if she was honest. Told me no maintenance and I specifically asked about navicular. Said she had no clue why the farrier put aluminum wedges on him... mhhmm. anywho, all older horses need maintenance, even if the seller isnt honest about it.
fyi - she has another horse listed on bhw too. |
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Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| How OLD is the horse in question? Some think 14 is old, others think 25 (like me!)
I wouldn't buy one sight unseen, that is for sure! I talked earlier about my old mare. But I got to thinking. My gelding is 20 this year. He probably won't be running when he's 25, but we'll see. He gets regular chiro, PHT products out the wazoo, and joint supplement. |
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Expert
Posts: 1690
| Mine is 22-23 this year and a little stiff from previous use and inexperienced owners. However she would still love to run and give 110% but I'm sure sure would appreciate some maintenance ! |
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When is a horse to old to run? Older horse help