|
|
 Expert
Posts: 1432
  
Location: Never in one place long | I am considering buying back a horse that I previously owned and he is now 16yrs... he has never been lame, sound in everyway and still in great shape.... how many years (barring unknowns) would you think I could run him before he started really slowing down??? I was thinking like early/mid twenties but not sure.... I'm sure it depends a lot on the horse itself but I've always ran younger horses so really not sure. |
|
| |
|
 Midget Lover
  
Location: Kentucky | I just bought a 17 year old mare who is still in the 1D. It just depends on the horse when they decide to start slowing down. |
|
| |
|
 Thread Killer
Posts: 7545
| Listen to the horse. Some can go well into their 20s with proper care and others can't. It totally depends on the horse. |
|
| |
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1094
Location: Florida | My gelding is 20 this year. He needs some maintenace (hocks once a year, Adequan once a month) he is a bleeder and is maintained with meds. He was a consistant 2d/3d open horse and now clocks 3d/4d with out being pushed. I have let him slow down I am sure he could clock faster but I don't push him. He looks better then my 3 year old and will sticll try to buck you off on a windy day lol. |
|
| |
|
| My mare is 23... yea she was 1D way back before i got her at 15... but she is still 1 second off with me and i keep waiting for her to slow down... but that apparently isn't in her mind! she gets adequan about every other year... (when she tells me) and she has COPD so she is on Air Power. |
|
| |
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1118
| My mare is 23 this year. She was solid 2d, but was laid off for a year or so, and got injured when she was 19. She came back 4d, and has moved up some since. She has placed me in the 3d and 4d this year, and we are in the running for world qualification right now. She still has the heart to run, and is automatic as they come. She will tell me when she is ready to quit, but she is running strong now. |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 1440
Location: Texas | I would say into late late teens to early 20's. Just depends on the horse. I would be more picky about how many runs and what pens to go to but that would not hold me back if price was right |
|
| |
|
 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | It depends on the horse. We had a gelding who would run 1D local, 1D/2D at Wrapn3s as a 24 year old. He was all grit and heart though. And probably only still clocked because my sister was so light.
We have a mare now that will retire after this season at 19. It would take more injecting than we are willing to do to keep her comfortable at the level she wants to be at. So she's earned her retirement to have babies now. |
|
| |
|
 Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| Ive seen many horses maintain their 1d/2d status into their early 20s depending on thier history. One mare is 25 and still clocking 3d times (was a 1d mare back in the day). |
|
| |
|
 I hate cooking and cleaning
Posts: 3314
Location: Jersey Girl | My gelding is 22 and I still run him. He has no issues other than he does get his hocks done and I have him on pentosan. I do pick and choose where I go and very rarely do I run him 2 weekends in a row. |
|
| |
|
 There Could Be Aliens Out There
Posts: 1393
Location: North Central Kansas | I think it totally depends on the horse and how well they have been taken care of. I just sold a 17 yo 1d/2d gelding. I had owned him for 7 years and taken extremely good care of him. If the girl keeps taking good care of him too (which I believe she will) he will last into his mid 20's. Of course his competitiveness will slow down, but he will always give 110%. |
|
| |
|
 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Hes in his prime  |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1226
| Totally agree with everyone. Depends on horse but I love the aged horses. They are veterans and have the experience and usually are sound between the ears lol. My gelding is 19 looks amazing and is still running in 2d. Wouldn't trade him for anything |
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 47
| We are still running a 22 year old. Mind you that is not every weekend. But, he gets pissed if left at home..... |
|
| |
|
 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| My gelding is 20 this year. He's been a 3D horse his whole life. He's still running right there, so he'll keep going until he decides to slow down. |
|
| |
|
 Buttered Noodles Snacker
Posts: 4377
Location: NC | DLV - 2014-08-18 1:56 PM I am considering buying back a horse that I previously owned and he is now 16yrs... he has never been lame, sound in everyway and still in great shape.... how many years (barring unknowns) would you think I could run him before he started really slowing down??? I was thinking like early/mid twenties but not sure.... I'm sure it depends a lot on the horse itself but I've always ran younger horses so really not sure.
I just did this same think last year. Bought back a mare I wish I never would have sold and like you I am hoping I will have years left to run her but just in case I also got a young horse to bring along as her replacement. Figure even if she can't run barrels in the upcoming years she can be my trail horse. Good luck!!!  |
|
| |
|
Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | I think they can run until they become uncomfortable or unable to.... mine likes having a job, and I think he would not really enjoy a full retirement.
At some point, if he starts to look cruddy, or if he starts hurting, or stops clocking (he's a 3D horse) like normal, I would consider retiring him to riding only or full retirement... but now with all the new veterinary progress, people can keep them going much longer. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1432
Location: Never in one place long | HorsesNHarleys - 2014-08-19 8:17 AM
DLV - 2014-08-18 1:56 PM I am considering buying back a horse that I previously owned and he is now 16yrs... he has never been lame, sound in everyway and still in great shape.... how many years (barring unknowns) would you think I could run him before he started really slowing down??? I was thinking like early/mid twenties but not sure.... I'm sure it depends a lot on the horse itself but I've always ran younger horses so really not sure.
I just did this same think last year. Bought back a mare I wish I never would have sold and like you I am hoping I will have years left to run her but just in case I also got a young horse to bring along as her replacement. Figure even if she can't run barrels in the upcoming years she can be my trail horse. Good luck!!!
cool! Yes, I'm very excited, miss my boy! |
|
| |
|
"Heck's Coming With Me"
Posts: 10797
Location: Kansas | Southtxponygirl - 2014-08-18 5:32 PM Hes in his prime
I agree................ |
|
| |
|
 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 425
Location: GA | My mare is 21 and she shows no sign of wanting to stop anytime soon. We took a little time off and I got her back to running last year. We started in the 3D and she kept getting faster and stays pretty consistent in the 2D now.
There's not another horse like her (to me at least). I'll keep her going as long as she's pain free and healthy! The older ones truly are the best. Good luck and keep us updated! Happy for you that you're getting him back! |
|
| |
|
 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | I have a 21 year old who still loves to go.......every so often. I don't like to run him more than once in a weekend and I honestly try to limit him to 3 or 4 runs in a month because he's so much fun that I want to prolong his career. He gets outrun in the big pens or anywhere with really deep ground so I try to avoid those. This year I've been limiting him to district NBHAs and a few other races plus I ran him at one rodeo with crappy ground because he's a crap ground master, but I'm leaving him home this weekend because our district NBHA is in a huge outdoor pen and I haven't been riding Joker enough to ask him to run there. Hopefully I can put some works on him this week & next and take him a week from Sunday.
I've had his hocks injected, and I give him a round of Adequan a couple times a year, plus I keep him on pasture as much as I can due to some breathing issues he's had in past years. I'm hoping I can run him some next year too, but if he tells me he's done, he'll go to my brother & sister-in-law's "retirement" home with their two oldies and rule the pasture. |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 448
Location: lone star state | I agree it depends on the horse. I ran a 25 yr old and another who was 23. If you take care of them and don't run their legs off they can easily go into their 20s.
Lisa lockhart has a 21 year old backup horse. |
|
| |
|
 Crazy Doggy Mommy
Posts: 1419
Location: Where Governor's make the liscense plates | I rode a 3D mare until she was 25, she then developed heaves and was retired. She probably would've still ran and gave her last breath for me, I would've bred her if she didn't have a tilted uterus, she actually had a foal right before I purchased her and he was sold and not registered as far as I'm aware :( |
|
| |
How long would you run a horse...age wise