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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
   
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Frodo - 2018-07-13 8:45 AM I remember at a large barrel race a small girl riding a 25-year-old barrel horse, making nice runs, and the announcer bragging on this combination. Forgot to mention they were "literally" pushing and shoving this horse into the arena to start his run.
Poor fella  |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 678
Location: Canada | I think leg him up. I have known older horses that LIVE for the rush that competing give them and I have known others that would much rather be left alone. Only you know your horse.
My suggestion would be to leg him up carefully like you would a horse coming off an injury, feed him appropriately to maintain good weight, have him evaluated by the vet for any underlying conditions that may prevent him from competing and once in shape take him to some jackpots with good safe footing and see how it goes.
It doesn't sound like your planning to try to make the NFR on this horse but instead looking to get back into the swing, have some fun and get your groove back. This may be the perfect horse to do it with just be sure to listen to him.
Good luck.
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Queen Bean of Ponyland
Posts: 24952
Location: WYOMING | At that age NO I would never run him again. |
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Go Get Em!
Posts: 13502
Location: OH. IO | Bear - 2018-07-12 6:32 PM
I’d ride him again, but I wouldn’t run barrels on him again.
The old guy has been retired. Enjoy your horse without causing harm. You both deserve that. There’s my two cents, for what it’s worth.
I agree |
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Expert
Posts: 1314
Location: North Central Iowa Land of white frozen grass | So much drama. Nobody that answers this post can truly know what the right answer is. Only your horse and you will know the truth. Go and enjoy life with him to what he is capable of. He will let you know what level. I have a 25year old gelding that has never had a lame step in his life. He still keeps up with my 5 year olds. Nobody but you knows what kind of shape you're horse is in. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 447
Location: New York | I'm running a 24 year old that just ran in the 1d at a supershow last month, if he's sound and still wants to go, I'd go |
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Location: my piece of paradise | I would leave him be and let him enjoy retirement. If you can't afford to buy right now maybe find a lease option? The best ones to find are the situation where the kid is going to college and the horse will sit for a few years. This may give you time to save up for your own.
Edited by inittowinit 2018-07-16 7:53 AM
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 Blond Bombshell..
Posts: 6628
Location: Hill Country of TEXAS!! | At that age, not being used at all for the last 5 years or more and the last thing was colic surgery- Id leave him be. Most horses pass on in their early 30s so why risk a stroke, heart attack or soreness. Riding around the house at a walk, maybe. For me, id just go out and love on him everyday and save up for a much younger horse :) |
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 BHW Resident Surgeon
Posts: 25351
Location: Bastrop, Texas | Spark572 - 2018-07-15 4:39 PM
I'm running a 24 year old that just ran in the 1d at a supershow last month, if he's sound and still wants to go, I'd go
Good for you! This horse hasn’t been ridden in 5 years. Your experience is the exception, not the rule. |
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| Just a FYI. Your horse in human years is around 75 years old. So you may take that into consideration. I've twice seen people decide to leg up their old horse and run them or let their kids run them, both times the horse flipped over backwards and died from a heart attack. One event was with a little girl, horse flipped over and saddle horn went thru her thigh. Horses are just like people, their hearts are not what they used to be. Just my personal experience, it's not fair to the horse nor safe for you. |
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 I hate cooking and cleaning
Posts: 3310
Location: Jersey Girl | I would say no to legging him up. Riding in general yes, but not racing. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 542
| The old ones go down fast if they don't have a job. A local lady ponies her 25 yr old through the week and lets kiddos at the local shows lope him through. I have friends that throw their old guys in the equicsier just to keep them fit and healthy. |
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 Warrior Mom
Posts: 4400
| Frodo - 2018-07-13 8:45 AM
I remember at a large barrel race a small girl riding a 25-year-old barrel horse, making nice runs, and the announcer bragging on this combination. Forgot to mention they were "literally" pushing and shoving this horse into the arena to start his run.
There's younger horses that will have the same issue so you cant completely blame it on age. 26 years old been sitting around but sound? I think the only one who can answer your question is you, since hes your horse and you know him the best, all you can do is try and see how he takes being legged up.. not all horses enjoy retirement and not all horses are up to making a big comeback either. If my daughters older gelding wasn't recently diagnosed with ringbone I'd definitely be legging him up and let some of the younger kids run him, hes safe, sane but unfortunately crippled so I have no choice but to let him sit, unless we start injecting him and put on daily medication... no thanks ... hes roughly 24 |
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 Cute Little Imp
Posts: 2747
Location: N Texas | You're the only one who knows your horse. I say start riding him (not strenuous exercising) and see how he does with light work. Then build from there. If he seems happy and stays sound, increase the work load a little. I know a lot of people are telling you to let him enjoy his retirement, and while that's all fine and good, some horses decline very quickly if they don't have a purpose. If he's already been sitting for five years and still seems content, then I don't think retirement will hurt him.
Obviously the safest choice is don't do it, but you just have to go with your gut and don't overdo it. |
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  Northern Chocolate Queen
Posts: 16576
Location: ND | I also have a 26 year old retired barrel horse (granted mine does have some health & soundness issues) but there is no way, even with maintenance, that I'd ever consider running mine again. Yours sounds like he's still healthy so absolutely, I'd ride him lightly & enjoy him while you can. But I wouldn't want the risk of running him. |
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Good Ole Boys just Fine with Me
Posts: 2869
Location: SE Missouri | Dash4KJ - 2018-07-16 8:18 PM
At that age, not being used at all for the last 5 years or more and the last thing was colic surgery- Id leave him be. Most horses pass on in their early 30s so why risk a stroke, heart attack or soreness. Riding around the house at a walk, maybe. For me, id just go out and love on him everyday and save up for a much younger horse :)
This.. I wouldn't be scared to light ride but he better look amazing and you will have to watch him like a hawk.
Let me also explain where I come from on this, lol. I was roping on a 20+ grade gelding. We honestly feel like he was probably 26-28 and looked like a champ and wore brands from one end to the next - he had been around the block a few times.. Big, strong, solid gelding he had a heart attack about 15min after I got him home from roping 10 light steers on him. I knew something was going on but there wasn't enough time to even do anything. It was awful. I know he loved doing his job until the very end but still to have that memory isn't real fun.. The outcome for me could have been very different if it had happened in the box, running down the pen, dragging a steer, or in the trailer going home or even in the pasture that night.
Edited by abrooks 2018-07-18 3:29 PM
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| It would take the whole year to really get him in shape for the stress/demands of barrel racing. I, myself, would not take the chance of a heart attack while I was running him.
I've got one that is 22-23 and still runs around the pasture like an idiot and certainly does not look his age. Haven't ridden in about 5 years. Would like to get back to it really a lot, but not on the old guy. He's done me good his whole life and now I'm doing him good.
I realize there are exceptions and everyone does things differently. |
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"Heck's Coming With Me"
Posts: 10794
Location: Kansas | abrooks - 2018-07-18 3:20 PM Dash4KJ - 2018-07-16 8:18 PM At that age, not being used at all for the last 5 years or more and the last thing was colic surgery- Id leave him be. Most horses pass on in their early 30s so why risk a stroke, heart attack or soreness. Riding around the house at a walk, maybe. For me, id just go out and love on him everyday and save up for a much younger horse :) This..
Edited by Frodo 2018-07-18 3:33 PM
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 Sorry I don't have any advice
Posts: 1975
Location: Sunnyland Florida |
I would definitely leave him in retirement.
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 Living on the edge of common sense
Posts: 24138
Location: Carpenter, WY | personally, I'd retire him JMO |
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