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 Regular
Posts: 71
| Just found out my barrel horse that is suppose to be 18 according to when we got her, is actually 21+. She doesn't have really any problems as far as joint or anything other than navicular which is under control. She loves running. Is it okay to keep running her if she is not showing any signs of pain? Or is it just not right? |
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  Angel in a Sorrel Coat
Posts: 16030
 
Location: In a happy place | As long as she is healthy and not in pain keep going with her. I think it will help her to stay healthy to be ridden and used. |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | i have seen more horses go down hill after they were retired....so like was stated as long as she is healthy keep going.....all mine have been retired due to injury...
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | sorrel horse ranch - 2015-02-24 12:36 PM As long as she is healthy and not in pain keep going with her. I think it will help her to stay healthy to be ridden and used.
What she said ^^^^  |
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 Ms. Marine
Posts: 4626
 
Location: Texas | sorrel horse ranch - 2015-02-24 10:36 AM
As long as she is healthy and not in pain keep going with her. I think it will help her to stay healthy to be ridden and used.
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Expert
Posts: 1432
| My stud is 21 and I intend on running him. He's in great shape and looks phenomenal. |
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Regular
Posts: 71
| Mine is in really good shape and the vet said she doesn't look like a lot of horses that age. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 318
Location: Sapulpa, OK | My 22 year old gelding is still running bottom of 1d-top of 2d in tough OK competition. As long as they are healthy, feeling good & wanting to run, I think they are happier getting to go. I know mine is:) |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 705
Location: Weatherford, TX | I personally think horses tell you when it's time to retire or have reached their full potential with you and need to go on with a beginner or someone else in general. They really do let you know. I've had some retire very early due to medical reasons; and the some that reached full potential with me and should go to someone else to learn. I also have had them (and seen others) at 16YO and way above that keep going and absolutely LOVE competing, being on the road and showing in front of crowds. It all depends on the horse and what they tell you.
Edited by Gator Bug 2015-03-05 11:14 AM
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Regular
Posts: 98
| Honestly i would run her as long as possible. after the retire they can sometimes go down hill quick and if she is not sore and you don't intend on breeding her i would keep her going. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1074
| Keep going on her. I agree that they will tell you when they are ready to retire. I think using them, with regular maintenance, is the best thing for them. |
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 Member
Posts: 7
Location: Piedmont Ohio | I say keep going! My sister had a barrel horse named Samson. He was running 17s as a 24 year old. But we had to but him down on 10-10-10 do to him getting caught in the fence and he shatterd his shoudler. And a girl in my 4-h club has a horse that is going to be 24 and she won states on him last year. She runs like 20 flat in poles and in the low 16s in barrels. I think as long as she looks like she isn't in pain and isn't slowing down much in her old age then keep using her. It will keep her in shape and heathly. If you retire her, then she may go down hill. My mare is going to be 17 I know that isn't really old yet, but she is getting up there. And all she has done is progressed. Well no, she got a little agressive with me for a little bit because at the time she was the dominant in the feild and she started testing to see if she could be dominant over me. Well, lets just say she didn't suceed in dominanting me and we are like best friends again. Some horses just do that. She likes to push my buttons. But other than that, all we have done is progressed in our running and we are getting there with our friendship. so anyways, keep on using her! |
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| If they're healthy and enjoy their job, why not. :)
My mare is 23 and "retired" from competing competitively. However, I still work her 3x a week for her health.. seen so many go down hill fast after being left to sit. |
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boon
Posts: 2
| It just depends on the horse. One of our horses retired at 37 because he showed no signs of pain and passed all vet checks. He is 39 now and still looks great. Of course, he only was ridden by like, 70 pound kids in 15 pound barrel saddles but still. We had to retire another one of our horses at 14 because she was sore all of the time. If yours seems happy, keep her going. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| They may be sound bone wise, but what is their cardiovascular, organ function doing.
I really hate seeing old horses dropping dead in the middle of a barrel pattern due to stroke or heart attack.
What does you vet say, has he listened to the heart, lungs, done kidney function tests, done an ECG? If not I would do this before I would start running one over the age of 20
Edited by cheryl makofka 2015-09-20 4:13 PM
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boon
Posts: 2
| If the horse is in good condition, keep going! I would even suggest putting her/him on a supplement for older horses; I have heard many great things about PUREFORM, I have the joint formula on my 19y/o. |
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"Heck's Coming With Me"
Posts: 10794
Location: Kansas | Just because they look good doesn't mean those old joints and that old body feel good enough to run barrels. I know this because I'm over the hill myself and nothing feels the same. Let those old guys relax. I'm talking 21 and over. They probably earned it.  |
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Veteran
Posts: 194
Location: OKLAHOMA | I have a 26 yr old mare, just ran a 21.3 pole patter this weekend. Still runs in top of the 2D in barrels Okla/Ark. She loves her job and is healthy and in great shape. Nobody believes she is 26. We have talked about possible retirement, I do not want her to go down hill. So my plan is when she comes in off the Jr Hi rodeo trail and completes her National Little Britches finals this year. I will do my best to keep her in shape and haul her with us. Best of luck with your senior horses..... |
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