What age do you consider to be old for a horse?

Question

I know, I know, it depends on the individual. I have an 18 y.o. that still jumps. But then a friend has a 17 y.o. that is so crippled with arthritis that she can never be ridden again.

I just wanted to know in general, at what age do you consider a horse old?

Answer 1

Well aged horses are said to be over 12, but there are champion showjumpers still jumping at the Grand Prix level at 16 and 17 years. It more depends on the health condition. I knew a six year old Appy who has Arthritis so bad that no one can ride it. But there are a lot of horses over 20 who are still in really good condition

Answer 2

25yr & older.  

Answer 3

!5 is not old at all for a horse. The oldest horse I had was 37! A lot of people I know think that 15 is old for a horse and its not. Horses can live for a very long time if they are taken care of and not abused.

Answer 4

I consider a horse on the older side after about 18. You should not judge a horse on the age...by its personality though!

Answer 5

Well, i have a 19 y.o TB who raced and still jumps and goes BN!... but we had a 16 year old TB who was SO lame he stopped working at age 14.. and then lived in boarding barns until 16 and then finally qualified for retirement farms..

but i consider 17 to be old.  Dunno why, but if someone says "i have a 16 year old horse" its like whatever, but if its "i have a 17 year old horse" then it seems old.. just what clicks in my head as old.

People who say a 15 year old horse is old have got to be crazy, that's when a horse is at its prime.. not green, not dead broke.. perfect timing.

Answer 6

umm well i'd say about 18????

our oldest horse is 22

Answer 7

The barn I learned to ride at had one horse who was retired at around 15 and a 24 year old still jumping. He IS a beast, though! Personally, I'd say horses in heavy work (rodeo, eventing, show jumping) should really be watched for stiffness and use injury in their mid to late teens. Horses in light to moderate work (pleasure, trail, small scale lessons) are pretty solid into their early 20's. There will always be 15 year old breakdowns and the persistently spunky, though. AGAIN my personal opinion!

Answer 8

your right with the nutrition

about 13 yrs. ago my mom's horse died at the age of 32 and she didnt have alot of nutrition just whats from grass and oats but can live longer

Answer 9

I'd say 30 is old... I have a mare who is 35 and is still an amazing horse! We odviously don't ever ride her for long distances but  she is great for teaching people how to ride!

Answer 10

I think older horses(17-till) are much wiser and calmer, compared to a 2-6 yo horse, that might throw you in a jiffy!

(not saying an older horse won't)

Answer 11

I used to think 20 was old for a horse.

But all the horses at my new barn are sooo green

So now i think horses 15+ are old

Answer 12

It depends on the horse. If it's healthy and rideable...I'd ride it no matter what the age. I think some horses suffer terribly if they are just all of sudden retired and turned out to pasture. They get so use to all the attention of grooming and talking that they got and then all of sudden they are put out to pasture and no more attention. Although we as humans think we are doing something kind for the animal...It's not really the age I look at unless its a younger horse...its what shape they are in that tells me if I would ride it or not.

If I could have one more horse...I'd love to have a horse that was the been there done that kind of horse!

Age is nothing to me...it's their health that I look at first.

Answer 13

Well, when I was looking for my first pony, I considered 16 or 17 old. Now that I have seen the horse world from an owners point of view, I would say that 20 is old for a horse. :)

But as you said, it certainly depends on the horse. I know a retired horse, half blind, half deaf but still full of life at about 36 years of age!

Answer 14

Depending on breed, management and environment, the domestic horse today has a life expectancy of 25 to 30 years. It is uncommon, but a few horses live into their 40s, and, occasionally, beyond.

Answer 15

I consider a horse to be too old when he/she can no longer perform comfortably.

As long as a horse is sound and over-all healthy, they are never too old.

**Edit**

I have to add that my answer is a general for the pleasure horse. As far as a high level show horse, of course age will play a larger part. But for your average  pleasure or trail horse as long as the horse is comfortable doing it, age doesn't matter much.

Btw, this question was asking for what WE consider old. It's my opinion. If you disagree how about saying something instead of being a coward and giving thumbs. :-)

Answer 16

horses can live till 30 and beyond if they're taken care of (people just dont seem to want to take care of them after the age of 20 in general), my trainer has a horse who is over 35(and still going), she doesnt ride him and he does have issues, but he still is healthy enough to be let out in the ring to run for a bit each day.

my horses died at about the age of 28-30, i rode them up till the age of 25 *light walking aroudn the farm trail rides once, twice a week tops*

i consider an old horse to be about 25-26 for harder riding and showing, light trails ect would be okay after that age, again that's if they're taken care of and sound.

  

but i'd never buy a horse over the age of 20 just because it'd just be for light riding and then retirement and i dont have that kind of money to retire another horse(my family did retire every horse we had, we didnt have the heart to let them go (selling or to the auction barns)when they could enjoy just being horses for the rest of their years). i wish more people would retire their horses rather then dumping them tho, but that's just my opinion.

i dont think a 18 year old horse is old if it's still in good health, my horse was 18 when we bought him *okay so they lied to us and told us he was 14, our fault for not checking closer*.

anyway, that's mah general thoughts on what is an old horse.  and i get tired of people thinking a 12 year old is an old horse. (just had to add that) btw, if a horse is trained right (aka not rushed) it will remain sound longer, so if training doesnt take place till they're done devoloping then that'd put their training days ending around the ages of 5-6, and to be done riding/showing in 6 years just sounds too short of a career(to me).

again, just my opinions, so dont hate me for mah ideas on old horses. hehe

Answer 17

"Old" to me is 25+, though I have known plenty of horses that have been useful at older ages than that! The oldest horse I have ever worked with was 33 or 34, and he was fit as a fiddle, sound, happy, and sassy.

I'd love for my next horse to be "older" (15+).  That way I can learn from them for once!  :D

Answer 18

it depends on the horse each is different

Answer 19

I have a 21 and 22 year old, and they are both sound as a dollar, supple, and a joy to ride...not a bump or a sign of arthritis, both go barefoot and have good teeth....so, it really isn't about numbers of years as much as it's about good conformation and healthy maintenance.  These two have worked hard for many years and held up well...they don't look anywhere near their ages. They are never sick...and they are out all winter and summer, and they don't have runny noses, heaves, infections, or any of the stuff many horses have.  They are both diagnosed with metabolic syndrome (cushing's), but if I hadn't seen the bloodwork I wouldn't believe it.  

Answer 20

i dont buy horses over the age of 11 simply because a horse is at their peak of competition at age 12 and its all down hill from there lol...but just for like a pleasure horse then no older than 18. =]]

Answer 21

i would say a horse is old when they are about 25-30 but then again it depends on a horse because like you said that 17yr old horse is like cripled there is a horse that i take lessons on that is almost 23 and she won 8th in the united states in barrel racing maybey a few years ago and there are also 30 year old horses still barrel racing it all depends on the horse

Answer 22

I consider 20 - 25 starting to get old (you know depends on the horse) between those ages is when work has to be cut at least %25 for most horses or more (there are a few exeptions of course) and I consider 26 - 30 is when riding should be kept to a minimum...and 30-40 is retirement with MAYBE a light ride here and there if possible.

That is just the way I look at it. If a horse is kept threw decent or better conditions through he/she's whole life they should still be able to w/t/c until the age of 25 or 26. Some horses that are even kept in good health their whole life seem to start going down hil fast at the age or 17 or 18 so, like oy said, it just depends :)

**Oh, and I have a GREAT example of a horse being ridden just as much as a 13 or 14y/o horse :D

My Arabian is 22y/o and I just had a lesson on him doing leg yeilds, turn on the forehand, and jumped 18' - 2' oxers with PLENTY of spring lol xD and in the middle of a thunder storm lol :P but he was a good boy hehehe