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 No Tune in a Bucket
Posts: 2935
   
Location: Texas | I know that a lot of people are reluctant to buy a horse over the age of 15 or 16. I personally know a team roper that cannot even get people to come and look at a 16 year old when there are several NFR team roping horses who made the trip in their 20's. Several years ago my granddaughter was looking for a pole horse to HS rodeo on. I took her to try a horse that had been turned out for at least a year. She was allergic to cedar and in our area that is a problem because there is cedar everywhere. The mare had bare spots where she had rubbed the hair off. Well right off the bat she was all go, no trail riding this girl. She was 18 years old and the seller basically wanted her gone. We loaded Annie up.
Man, did she have quirks. You better be able to mount fast because she is not standing still. She was not standing tied hard and fast and at 18 it was better to go with the flow. Annie had gotten by with it for a long time and it wasn't worth the fight. She would walk inside the arena but try to walk her around the pasture and it was not a pleasant experience.
My granddaughter won several year end pole saddles and all-around saddles with the contribution of that mare. The more you ran her the faster she got. She loved those poles. Get out of her way and she just did her thing and it was pretty. She would wrap the end poles while we held our breath.
I think my granddaughter kind of thought had done everything she could with the mare and thought Annie was slowing down. At the State Finals the next year, she was kicking herself and missing Annie.
She sold her to a younger girl and she is still competing at age 24. She ran this week at the Texas Jr High State Finals and ran a very respectable 21.0 but hit a pole (I was told the rider hit it with her elbow).
So if you are looking at a horse that might be 'of that age', don't be afraid to take a chance on him or her. Just make sure they love their job and it might be a good deal for both of you. |
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 My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | I like when people post just these type threads  |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 897
| I definitely love the older horses, but prospective buyers should really do a thorough vet check to see what kind of maintenance, if any is needed, they are willing to do. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1395
Location: Missouri | I used to snub my nose at older ones. Foolish. Now that my mare is 17, good gosh I love her. I get it. And I totally don't look forward to having a young one again. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1367
Location: mi | Totally agree. We purchased a gelding from a friend at 17 with kind of the thought of lets have some fun with him and have him up for sale. No one would really even look at him for a decent price and he was far too much fun to give away. He is quirky too and for the most part we go with it. He is 23 this year. has some maintainence issues but will still clock and still having a blast running. He will probably live out his days on my farm at this point. I dont regret the purchase one bit. I have smiled more coming out of the ring on that old man then I have in the last 8 years trying to bring along the young ones! |
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Expert
Posts: 1314
Location: North Central Iowa Land of white frozen grass | We have a 24 year old gelding that we raised. He is half quarter and half app. This horse has never had a sore foot or lameness in his life and has never had shoes on him. I don't think you could kill him if you tried. Some of the old ones are not designer genes but they must have something right in them. |
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  Witty Enough
Posts: 2954
Location: CTX | My first ever horse was 18 when I bought her. After coming over from Europe and only knowing English, she tought me a lot. And yes I had people tell me I was crazy for buying an old horse.... This girl was a jammed up barrel, pole and head horse!!
The first year she really took care of me and forgave me a lot!! After that maybe she got a bit tired or taking care of my butt, maybe she was just slowing down a bit, I don't know... But I started to really have to work to get her clean around the barrels, lol... think she thought I could do mroe than just hang on for the ride at that point!
We still ran for a number off years, and after a colic scare at 22 yo I retired her and she lived out the remaining days in our pasture. Unfortunatly she had bad artritis in her knees and I had to let her go 2 years ago at the age of 27.
She had her quirks, was a grouchy thing but man I loved that little red mare!!
I know not everyone has the opportunity to retire their older horses but it sure hurts my heart when I see those old faithfulls up for sale just to get out of taking care of them in their old days! I wish I could take them all in and give them the well deserved pension.... Maybe some day we will win the lotery and I can start a sanctuary....
Edited because I can't spell this early.... lol
Edited by cranky B4 10am 2018-05-31 8:17 AM
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| cranky B4 10am - 2018-05-31 8:11 AM
My first ever horse was 18 when I bought her. After coming over from Europe and only knowing English, she tought me a lot. And yes I had people tell me I was crazy for buying an old horse.... This girl was a jammed up barrel, pole and head horse!!
The first year she really took care of me and forgave me a lot!! After that maybe she got a bit tired or taking care of my butt, maybe she was just slowing down a bit, I don't know... But I started to really have to work to get her clean around the barrels, lol... think she thought I could do mroe than just hang on for the ride at that point!
We still ran for a number off years, and after a colic scare at 22 yo I retired her and she lived out the remaining days in our pasture. Unfortunatly she had bad artritis in her knees and I had to let her go 2 years ago at the age of 27.
She had her quirks, was a grouchy thing but man I loved that little red mare!!
I know not everyone has the opportunity to retire their older horses but it sure hurts my heart when I see those old faithfulls up for sale just to get out of taking care of them in their old days! I wish I could take them all in and give them the well deserved pension.... Maybe some day we will win the lotery and I can start a sanctuary....
Edited because I can't spell this early.... lol
I feel the same way about the old ones, too. I bought a solid paint broodmare with good lines several years ago because they had her priced at $400.00 and no one wanted her. She is a good looking mare with lots of bone and a granddaughter of BAL 75 on her dam's side. She sits in my pasture doing absolutely nothing. I don't do the baby thing and honestly don't want to deal with selling horses.
I kills me to see these old broodmares up for sale. I want to buy them all! |
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 Expert
Posts: 2128
| A family member of mine had a great head horse that gets fluid on his knee and requires a daily ointment on said knee. The horse cannot take several runs a day at jackpots, and he was 17. Owner called up a rodeo hand he knew and said " I have a head horse with a bum knee, he cant take a ton of runs but he can give you 1 good one at a time for the rodeos, hes $500 if you want him". My husband talked the guy into buying him and since has set arena records and won rounds at the UPRA finals on him, along with a slew of other PRCA money and ammy rodeo money. One run at a time and a little extra maintenance as needed. Hes hard to beat! I get chills when they come out of the box and beat everyone knowing he gave $500 for ol Tucker!
Edited by scwebster 2018-05-31 9:26 AM
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No Tune in a Bucket
Posts: 2935
Location: Texas | As I personally get older, I really feel the love for the older, been there, done that kind of horses. I don't think Annie would handle being completely retired very well. She is not the kind of horse that would like being brushed and loved on very much and I think she would go downhill pretty fast. Not that friendly with other horses. I would love to see some video of her in her prime of 7 or 8 because I bet she was totally awesome.
I do want to add that the rider may or may not have hit the pole with her elbow. I just choose to give Annie the benefit of the doubt. lol |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Nothing wrong with the right older horse, they just got alot more experience under their belt, I have seem so many older horse passed up because of their age and they buy the younger ones cause they are younger and alot of the younger ones dont work out because the person that bought the younger one didnt have any bussines buying a young horse because they didnt know what the he** they were doing and screwed up the young mind and then have to sell it cause its not working out for the young son/daughter and then they go looking for the older horse. |
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| Southtxponygirl - 2018-05-31 9:54 AM
Nothing wrong with the right older horse, they just got alot more experience under their belt, I have seem so many older horse passed up because of their age and they buy the younger ones cause they are younger and alot of the younger ones dont work out because the person that bought the younger one didnt have any bussines buying a young horse because they didnt know what the he** they were doing and screwed up the young mind and then have to sell it cause its not working out for the young son/daughter and then they go looking for the older horse.
So true! The older horse still has so much to give, especially to newbies and now that I am past 50, they are a lot more desirable to me, too! |
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| Southtxponygirl - 2018-05-31 9:54 AM
Nothing wrong with the right older horse, they just got alot more experience under their belt, I have seem so many older horse passed up because of their age and they buy the younger ones cause they are younger and alot of the younger ones dont work out because the person that bought the younger one didnt have any bussines buying a young horse because they didnt know what the he** they were doing and screwed up the young mind and then have to sell it cause its not working out for the young son/daughter and then they go looking for the older horse.
So true! The older horse still has so much to give, especially to newbies and now that I am past 50, they are a lot more desirable to me, too! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1118
| I have a 27 yr old mare that is still running. No extra maintenance really. She has slowed down some. She is 3D/4D now, but she is so consistent. No tricks to running, no hit barrels, and she loves it. I was hoping she would slow down some more so my son could ride her, but she still prances and jigs, and loves to go.
I have been letting new barrel racers run her at shows and stuff, and she actually won a buckle for a friend of mine last year.
You can't beat the old ones who have been there done that.
No worries, just go have fun. |
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My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | I'm gonna say again how much I love this thread--I have chill bumps (and maybe a couple of tears) thinking about all those good ole ponies that give their all for us. They don't ask much in return, yet their hearts are pure gold. God bless all of y'all that see they're priceless and give them that last, well-deserved home  |
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Expert
Posts: 1432
| I love the oldies... I have an 11 year old little girl (friend) thats going to run a couple of my older horses. One is 24 (poles) and the other is 18 (barrels). When she's ready to go really fast she can step up to my retired pro horse. |
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Expert
Posts: 1446
Location: California | Majority of my best horses ever were 12+ years old when I got them and used them well into late teens/20s, and either placed them with perfect youth/trail homes or let them live their days out on the ranch, depending on each specific horse.
I would gladly take a solid, trust worthy 18 year old over a green 3 year old anyday. I still break out my own colts and ride green babies, but you cannot put a price on that one horse you can always count on.
Great thread, thought of my most special horses I still carry in my heart.
Have a blessed evening.
Edited by *almost there* 2018-06-01 12:12 AM
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Sock Snob
Posts: 3021
| Sabrina devers ended up with a good 1d mare that she was selling and the people backed out at the laat minute. She has probably won enough in the last month to pay for him. |
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