# 16-18urs old too old?!



## Northernstar (Jul 23, 2011)

Welcome to the forum! A 16-18 year old horse is really not considered very old in 'horse years', (mine are 20-22, and have a lot of years ahead!), as they can live well into their 30's, but _much_ depends on the horse's health. What you would you be using the horse for, is a key factor as well.


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## womack29 (Oct 30, 2011)

Many years ahead and at that age they are past all the young horse issues. I have a 10yr old mare and look forward to many more years. Another thing is if you are new to horses and older horse is usually a better option.


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## Bellasmom (Jun 22, 2011)

Hardly a waste of time....rather a gold mine too often overlooked. My own herd ranges in age from 13 to 29, with the exception of the "baby", age 6. I love an older horse, they've "been there, done that". As with any horse, have a vet determine soundness prior to purchase.


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## whitaker stables (Sep 18, 2011)

It is not too old, it all depends on the care the horse has had over the years. I had an pony I showed in the 1.20 in Europe when he was 21 years old and he placed in evry class, he continue to live till he was 46 years old and stop showing at the age of 30. Last few years of showing did lower level with begginer riders. It all about the care you give them from begging to the end of there life!!


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## MangoRoX87 (Oct 19, 2009)

My barrel horse is 23, if you take good care of them, keep them in shape, keep them on joint supplement and whatever else they need, they'll go forever


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## JJeffords3707 (Jan 6, 2014)

I'm going Tues to look at a 16/17 year old bay mare, AQHA money NRHA money earner and AQHA pt earner, she's in my low price range and I've seen her move and boy can she move! She looks great on the video and I'm looking to get back into barrels, but I'm pretty rusty after a 3 year break and weight gain from babies. I'm looking for a horse I can gain my confidence back with than in a few years hand down to my son (who is now 5) so he can do some open 4H shows. I'd like to upgrade in a few years to a younger BARREL horse so I'm just debating and making sure I'm making the right choice! Tuesday will tell ))
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

That is the best, best age, past the silliness, well trained (or should be at that age), still ticking, but not that old.


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## Ninamebo (May 25, 2013)

I'd call this a prime age for any rider


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## womack29 (Oct 30, 2011)

Good luck Tuesday!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

Sounds like a nice mare, and may fulfill all your wants for now.


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## DimSum (Mar 28, 2012)

Just a word of advice, do think about investing in a pre-purchase exam and ask the owners what (if any) supplements or injections the horse may be on.


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## JJeffords3707 (Jan 6, 2014)

This is a crappy pic, but this is her. I'm still really debating on it, no telling till' I see her in person!

_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## tman33 (Jul 4, 2011)

My oldest horse will be 20 this April. He is a gelding. He goes on 20-30, 7-8 hour rides each year. If you keep riding them and keeping them in shape they will last for years. When we have new people that ride with us and they find out hoe old he is they can not believe it. He just does not look his age. I ha e seen other horses not as old as him look ten years older. As someone said older horses have been there and done that. Mine has been through just about everything your can think of. He is the go to horse. If someone has never ridden or ridden very little he is the one we put them on. All they have to do is hold on and not fall off. He will do the rest. I have a mare I ride and another gelding that I got last year, that is six. I have been putting my time in on them. However, I did get to ride my old gelding several times last year. I tell everybody I have to ride him every once in a while to tune him back up! 

When new folks ride him he takes it easy in the back of the pack. When I get on him he thinks he has to be right up front without me even making him get up there. They know!


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## tman33 (Jul 4, 2011)

I know you cant tell much from my avatar but the gelding I am talking about is the bay in the middle.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

^It's all about how you take care of them


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## princessfluffybritches (Aug 10, 2012)

I think care and genetics has a lot to do with it. My first horse was put down at the age of 37. I think the arthritis at that point took him over and he was wasting away. It got too painful for him to move even with bute.

I got him at the age of 18 and he acted like a 10 year old. He was great for 10 years, then it got to the point that he took too long to warm out of stiffness and slight off-ness. A year later he got too winded after a one mile ride. 

You may want to think about what he will be used for, and if it's in his realm of staying sound doing it. Also think about the care he needs when he becomes older. He is a very nice looking horse.

Also, I feel that any caring owner that needs to sell a horse does not mind you trying him out for a few weeks. In that way, they can check you out as well. The ex owner of my first horse would not sell that horse for a few months. But in that time I could treat him like my own.


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## copper (Mar 1, 2014)

we have one paint gelding who's 28 this spring, and we still use him. we are a bit more careful, let him go a bit slower, and he's fine. in fact, if someone wants a ride, we put them on ol duke and let them wander aroudn the yard a bit--its so funny to watch. they think he's so old and about dead, then duke shows them what age and wisdom are all about!


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

I got my mare at 16. at 19 she still looks like a 9 year old (and acts like a 3 year old). She has MANY years ahead of her. My bf got a TB about 3-4 years ago that was about 25. He is now ABOUT 28-29 and you would think he is in his mid teens. 16 is a good age for a first horse  (or just a good age period).


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## ponypile (Nov 7, 2007)

My old horse was 17-18 when I rode her. She packed me through 2'9"-3' hunter/jumper courses, first level dressage, and pre-training level (mini event) eventing. She still had a lot of spunk, and loved her job. I just made sure to keep a close eye on her for signs of aging/unsoundness. Took extra times in our warm ups and cool downs and gave her glucosamine (siblings over hers had a history of arthritis in their hocks). She was fantastic to learn on, and I'm now riding her daughter  This year she is turning 25, and other than being a little light (has always been tough to keep round), she is perfectly healthy, no joint issues, and is still being ridden lightly in the summer by her owner.

So go for it! Hope it goes well for you.


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## Heleen Strydom (Sep 2, 2013)

Thank you for this thread! I was just about to post a thread asking about age. My gelding turns 21 this year and wanted to know if it's time to take it slower with him. He still acts a little like a teen though!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

If you can avoid excessive wear and tear in their lives, older horses do just fine. I was reading an interesting comment by the late Australian horseman Tom Roberts, who started out as a horse trainer in the army when people still used horses in war. He said that to him, one of the biggest problems with the modern horse world is the tendency to work horses too hard before they are fully mature, and in doing so take years off their working life span. A year too soon can cost you five years or more down the track. This is particularly visible in the horse racing industry, with its two-and three-year old classics virtually ensuring most racehorses engaging in such early racing are damaged and retired from the track before age 10. Tom Roberts was never against *educating* horses when they are young - just against working them hard before maturity, around age 5, depending on breed. He was citing Australian post horses from yesteryear who started hard work at age 5 and were still expected to be sound and working aged 20, despite the miles of roadwork.

Good showjumpers commonly compete till 20 or more in high-level competitions. Generally they aren't worked as hard as young as their racing cousins.

France used to only allow harness horses to race at the minimum age of 3, as opposed to Australia and the US allowing competition at age 2. The extra year's respite resulted in a far higher average age in horses competing in harness racing in France - horses racing in their teens were common.

Five years ago I took my now-32-year-old ex-endurance Arabian mare into a show class for the first time in ten years, because she looked magnificent and I had a little time. She competed in "Open Breed Mare Any Age" and got a third in the halter and second in the ridden. When I told the judge her age, he nearly fell over backwards. She had been displaying her typical bouncy, "look-at-me" demeanour... the next oldest horse was over ten years younger.

I rode my mare into her late 20s and only then did she start to show a preference for retirement. She still likes bolting around the paddock at a good gallop regularly.

17? Not even old enough to vote yet ;-)


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

The age of the horse is great. If you want to compete, it is a matter of whether the previous owners have ridden her on damaged tendons, etc and messed her up. I would take a veterinarian or at least a very experienced horseman with me to look at the horse. If you will be paying a lot of money for the horse, it would be well worth paying for a complete prepurchase exam including x-rays. If this is a lower priced horse, the exam may cost more than the horse, so you have to decide what risks you are willing to take.

I have a 27 year old mare that I use for beginner trail rides. She is worth her weight in gold.


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## ridemcowgirl069 (Jul 29, 2013)

It depends. 18 is not old for a riding horse but it is for a performance horse. If I was going to buy a trail horse I wouldn't care if it was 18 as long as the owners have vet records, its not lame, and as long as its the right price. Basically I wouldn't pay the same price for an 18yo as i would an 8yo. But an old horse is a great horse for trail rides and you should be able to get at least ten good riding years out of the horse
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Livinitup (Feb 11, 2014)

Not too old, especially for newbies to horses!

You probably would be shocked at how many aged horses compete at shows and still could hold their own against the youngsters. It's about how well they are taken care of over time.


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## Roux (Aug 23, 2013)

When I was looking for a horse for my mom last year I didn't look at anything under 15yrs. Her horse is 16 now and he is sooo safe and reliable but he will sprint and jump and works just as hard as the rest of them. I think it is the perfect age, they have been there done that have a mature brain and their body is still good to go!


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## polowrapfiend (Nov 7, 2013)

that is not too old at all, one of our school horses is like 32 and is still going strong. (we use her for the brand new kids & mostly just walking)


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## Viranh (Apr 7, 2013)

I'd be careful and pay for some x-rays. The problem is you are wanting a performance horse, and many of them start to break down in their teens and require injections and a lot of maintenance. I recently had to sell a 14 year old mare who test rode fine, but had significant arthritis in her hocks that would start to bother her in consistent training. The only way to have spotted this before purchase would have been to x-ray them. Of course, if this mare is a trained barrel horse, it might be worth the maintenance for the confidence building as long as you are aware that you'll have to retire her to trails and small stuff eventually, or deal with the hassle of re-homing.


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