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Discussion on How old is to old..?
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Member:
Dres
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Posted on Thursday, Nov 18, 2004 - 10:43 am:
Dr. O, I am in the market to buy my grand kids a ''safe'' small horse.. I have come across several to choose from ranging in ages from 9-20 years old..
My grand girls are just 6 & 8 now, with little experience riding, I give them lunge lessons on my big warm bloods and now realize its time for them to learn more...
I will do a pre purchase exam and hope to ask all the right questions I would expect buyers to ask me.. I have never bought an older horse, can I safely buy a 20 year old , hoping to get about 5 years of 'learning' for my girls..? and then what would I do with the older still horse when they out grow it..?
thanks for any and all advice .. Ann
On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with SPOTS..
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Member:
Caroltd
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Posted on Thursday, Nov 18, 2004 - 12:29 pm:
Ann:
Pre-supposing that the older horse vet checks OK let me just say....
A year ago a woman in the next town gave me a 22? year old appaloosa mare. The mare, Cheyenne, had been purchased 5 years prior to be used for heavy duty trail riding. She was starting to exhibit arthritis symptoms and wasn't keeping up. The woman wanted to find her a home where she would still be ridden, but not heavily.
I rode as a kid and wanted to try again. I thought Cheyenne would be a good fit. She was well trained, we knew the farrier and the vet and the owner was known by our 4-H acquaintances. She came to us in the winter and had 3 or 4 months of rest, good food and water, some supplements for the older horse (Invigor, biotin, Senior Flex). Her back has fallen a little but special pads and the right saddle take care of that.
To cut to the chase...she has been a wonderful animal to have around. She enjoys working. Everyone in the family can ride her and my vet tells me that with good care and feeding she could well live and work into her 30's. While she isn't a competition animal anymore she is a pleasure to ride and a joy to have around.
If you didn't have a need for an older animal that was in good shape and rideable after your grands have moved on, you could probably find someone like me who would feel blessed to have it.
Carol
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Member:
Goolsby
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Posted on Thursday, Nov 18, 2004 - 1:21 pm:
Ann
I know your question is for the Dr., but I had to say I am glad to hear you are thinking ahead about future of the potential horse. Please continue to keep the horse’s welfare a priority. I see way too many older horses for adoption at rescues or ending up at the slaughter auctions.
I have never purchased an older horse, but someone on another group has an appy that I think is 34 and can out do any other horse she has.
Colleen
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Member:
Canter
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Posted on Thursday, Nov 18, 2004 - 1:31 pm:
Ann,
Someone I know had access to a mid-30-something year old pony for her daughter. This pony had been worked hard all her life (everyone who ever saw the good old girl had taken lessons on her as a kid). "Skittles" received excellent care and continued to give light lessons for young kids until last spring, when sadly she had a stroke and died.
So, although with horses there are never guarantees, it's very possible for you to buy a 20 year old and have a healthy and useful animal around for another 10 or even 15 years. However, I also think it's likely that you will need to be prepared to care for an older horse until the end of its life. It seems to me that there are not as many people as one would hope that are kind enough to take on the care and expense of an older animal, such as Carol.
Just my experience...
Fran
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Member:
Shirl
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Posted on Thursday, Nov 18, 2004 - 2:01 pm:
Ann, Just my 2 cents worth: I think aging in animals is a lot like aging in humans. Some people are very old at 60, I've seen many in a nursing home and other people are going strong at 90! I may be wrong but I believe with horses it's the same. It depends on their conformation, genetics, how they've been taken care of, hoof structure, etc. I lost my 22 year old Sierra, and if she had been able to have a 'hoof transplant', she'd have lived another 15 years. No one, including the vet and ferrier could believe she was over 12. The best to you in your decision.
Shirley
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Member:
Dres
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Posted on Thursday, Nov 18, 2004 - 2:48 pm:
Wow, great input thus far, THANKS.. interestingly enough two of the horses that I am seriously considering are appys!~ ( of course )all tho I would entertain any ''safe'' horse... I, like you all, take care and love all my animals, and I worry about their futures as well... I CAN'T over horse my property/business * sml breeder* , thus I worry about the future well being of this new to us horse as well as the now....
Thanks Ann
On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with SPOTS..
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Member:
Jojo15
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Posted on Thursday, Nov 18, 2004 - 7:12 pm:
It's funny my girl is 22 and i would never consider her "an older horse"... she is still as sprite and spunky as she was at 10....
jojo
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Friday, Nov 19, 2004 - 6:02 am:
Perhaps to answer the question I should say that my 10 year old daughter is learning to jump on a 22 year old TB/QH. One we picked out 18 years ago for our niece who campaigned him all over the state for most of the intervening years. We all agree he seems to much happier back in light work. I am a firm believer that a horse is no older than his teeth: good teeth is a good sign of good years left.
DrO
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Member:
Dres
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Posted on Tuesday, Dec 28, 2004 - 10:46 am:
Well my search is over.. I found the perfect pony for the grand kids.. and she has spots too,.. she is 13 years old and taught two little girls to ride that are moving on to a larger horse... now she will teach my grand girls the joys of riding..
Meet Tinkerbell and my girls, Cassidy & Halee
On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with SPOTS..
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Member:
Suzeb
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Posted on Tuesday, Dec 28, 2004 - 10:57 am:
What a precious picture Ann. You must have had fun doing the Red Ribbon Christmas wrapping  .
Congratulations on your new family member.
Susan B.
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Member:
Redalert
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Posted on Tuesday, Dec 28, 2004 - 11:15 am:
First of all, that pony is absolutely adorable...and the children, too! Secondly, I can't help myself(used to be a teacher)...I think what you meant to say was,"How old is TOO old!" I bet that was a "typo" ! I certainly have my share of those !!!!!!!!! Anyway, CONGRATULATIONS on the Christmas pony!
Nancy
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Member:
Mrose
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Posted on Tuesday, Dec 28, 2004 - 3:08 pm:
What a great picture. There's two happy kids! I bet the pony is enjoying herself, too. Love ther ribbons!
As to "old"...I have two mares that are 24 - 25 and neither of them considers herself old. One is a favorite riding mare, who stil has more than enough "getup and go" (I still must "fight" with her at times to keep her down to a walk/trot and mtns. trails are no problem. The other is a retired broodmare who is boss of the pasture and when first let out in the a.m. goes charging into the pasture kicking and rearing! It's all a state of mind (and health) for people and horses alike, imo.
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