# 15 year old horse....



## QH Lover (Aug 10, 2011)

So we found a really nice horse and we've been talking to the lady and its a very nice farm that owns him but he is 15...how much longer do you think he could be ridden fully? We were looking for something under 12 but he sounds soo perfect, and really pretty!! What do you think about getting a 15yr old horse???


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## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

It depends entirely on the individual horse. Get a pre-purchase exam done by a vet to check for soundness issues and then take care of him.

Some horses will go until 30+, some don't stay rideable past 10. There's no way to know. If he's sound now, he has a good chance of staying sound for 5-10, even 15 more years, but again, there's no way to know. It takes the right balance of quality care and luck.
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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

15 is a great age. Old enough to be well-broke, but young enough to still see a lot of use. My old BO still uses his first horse, a 33yo QH named Skeeter, on his dude string. He's used only for young kids who are ponied, but he still goes on even the four hour rides.
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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

I bought a 14 year old Paint earlier this year. I plan to have several years of happy trails with her. A few years ago we bought an Appy for my husband and the horse was at least 20. He had 5+ years with the old boy.
What do you want to do with the horse? 
I think 15 is nicely seasoned, but it would depend on the horse's training, health, discipline you ride and your experience.


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## Rachel1786 (Nov 14, 2010)

My youngest horse is 15, and I consider her young, my oldest is 42ish, he was my first horse, I got him at the age of 28 and rode him consistently until I got pregnant and stopped riding(6 years ago). My point is, I don't consider a horse old until they get to about 40 lol. Blue(my old guy) could still be ridden if it weren't for a injury that happened a little over a year ago, and it would take a while to build his muscle back up. Other then the slight hitch in his gait from that injury he would be completely sound and willing to work(and still crazy enough to gallop me home the second I let my guard down on the trail). My finial horse is in his early 20's and is also completely sound and a very easy keeper. 

In closing, I think 15 is a great age, actually if anything I consider them a bit young


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## corgi (Nov 3, 2009)

15 is still young! I bought my first horse last year and she is 24 and going strong. There is a 32 year old horse at the barn that still goes on weekly trail rides. I hope to still be riding my horse when she is 32!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

It so depends on how they are built and how they've been used for the last 10 years or so. I mean, have they been used hard? or have they been a pasture ornament? Both are not so good for longivity.

the first horse I lease was 19 when I started riding her. She was an Arab, so 19 is nothing for her. However, since she'd been mainly a pasture ornament for the last 9 years, she ended up becoming arthritic pretty quickly being ridden actively. In hindsight, I should have been a bit more respectful of her age at the time, such as warming her up and cooling her out better, and not letting her Arab hotness mean that I would let her run as much as she wanted to.

I am now riding an Appy who has been ridden all his life and is well built. I started riding him at 14. He had no end of stamina. Now, he is 19 and needs a warm up walk before any cantering. But, he still has a lot of go, and if I had time to keep him in better shape, he'd be hardly noticeabley different from 14.


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## amberly (Dec 16, 2012)

Ours are 21 and 22, and we are loping and will soon get involved in for-fun barrel racing.


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## QH Lover (Aug 10, 2011)

My fav lesson horse is actually about 20 I think and acts 10! Hes an appendix...apparently this horse has been owned by them for 3 years and has been used as a lesson horse, but out of a lot of their horses he's been used the least because he doesn't jump (which im ok with). She said he's gone on some hunter paces and has always been 100 percent sound, never lame.


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## xJumperx (Feb 19, 2012)

Definitely depends on the horse, and how they are cared for. I personally think there is a bit of tell in how they are trained as well, and at what age. For example, my old barn has a 37 year old Arabian, Star, that still gives beginner riding lessons twice a week. He was treated very well his whole life, and was trained very well.

Oatsy, my big man, is only 22. We got him at 19. BUT, his previous owner didn't give him any sort of care. The horses rarely got water, even. They would ride him hard and throw him in a field hot and sweaty. He did barrel racing, and they would run the pattern many, many times before doing just that. That said, Oats contracted BAD arthritis in his hocks at the tender age of only 15. Now we just do our very best to take excellent care of him, and he can get around perfectly as a pasture pet - but try to ride him too hard, you'll see it. 

It depends on how they are cared for, IMO. Of course, there's the odd horse that gets arthritis at 7, but I think that might suggest bad breaking. Which is a whole other topic completely.


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## Country Woman (Dec 14, 2011)

15 is still young 
my lesson horse Ben in my avatar is 20 years old


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

We bought our lead mare/penner at 12 yr old. She'll be 19 in April and is just as quick and sure footed as she was when we bought her.
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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Unless the horse is registered to validate his age, find someone who can read his teeth before you get the vet out. You could learn how to do this. Google Galvayne's Groove, where to find it and learn how to read it. It's one tooth on each side. Usually, the groove begins to form in the 10th year. When it reaches the bottom the horse is going into it's 20th year. Midway indicates 15. There are other indicators as well, slope of the front teeth. In youngsters they are almost straight up and down and in time they begin to develop more of a slope.


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## littrella (Aug 28, 2010)

My son's current lesson horse is 29. She's sway backed & slow as dirt, but she's got a heart of gold. She is teaching him so much & the light work is good for her.


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## Phly (Nov 14, 2012)

Our daughter rides/ barrel races a coming 24/25ish quarter pony.







Not the worlds best pic. Shes usually in the money for ponys. This will probly be the mares last season coming up. But she'll trail till we bury her. Take care of em and they'll take care of you.
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## kmdstar (Nov 17, 2009)

It depends on the horse and what age they were started (if they were started too young/ridden to hard), if they have had proper warmup time/cool down time, etc. You never know what's happened in those 15 years but your best bet is to get a PPE done. 

I am buying a 15 year old pleasure mare tomorrow. I plan on her teaching me quite a bit over the next few years. Totally depends on the horse, like someone else said...some can be sound and fine into their 20s...others become lame young. It just depends. Get a pre-purchase exam. Our 27 year old mare was ridden right up until she was 25, now only ridden lightly in the summer and that's because no one took good care of her throughout her life...rode too hard, too young and when she started to have joint problems they dumped her. She's still a spunky old lady though!


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## Calming Melody (May 20, 2012)

I ride my 21 year old TWH ! When I got out to my friends house to ride , I ride her 28 year old gelding and he's pretty fast !!


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## Northernstar (Jul 23, 2011)

My Morgan and QH are 19 and 21 - I anticipate many, many fun-filled and happy years with them yet


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## QH Lover (Aug 10, 2011)

Thanks for all the replies! I like hearing your stories! I think he is registered because she said "i think hes fifteen but i can check if you want"


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## Ace80908 (Apr 21, 2011)

How does he look? Do you have pics?

If he looks good and is sound I would have no hesitation.

My mom got an 18 year old pinto gelding at a meat auction when I was in 5th grade. Her friends laughed because she paid 800 for him (had to outbid the meat buyer). Found out at my first show with him he was a well known and accomplished show gelding (judge was floored when she found out where we got him). I won tons with him and we trail rode him all over Oregon until I left home for the Navy after graduating from high school. Best horse we ever had, and he lived to 38.


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## WesternRider88 (Oct 30, 2012)

15 is still young. I had a 21 year old TWH, and he loved to run and do barrels and poles. But he passed away due to colic. I miss him so much.


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## Cat (Jul 26, 2008)

I'm going to look at a 14 year old next week and the age isn't even the slightest concern. One of my favorite horses to ride had been a 26-28 year old. He was fun and had tons of life. I was told by my friend who owned him that he passed away this past summer in his mid 30s.


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## QH Lover (Aug 10, 2011)

Ace80908 said:


> How does he look? Do you have pics?
> 
> If he looks good and is sound I would have no hesitation.
> 
> My mom got an 18 year old pinto gelding at a meat auction when I was in 5th grade. Her friends laughed because she paid 800 for him (had to outbid the meat buyer). Found out at my first show with him he was a well known and accomplished show gelding (judge was floored when she found out where we got him). I won tons with him and we trail rode him all over Oregon until I left home for the Navy after graduating from high school. Best horse we ever had, and he lived to 38.


Aw thats a great story! 
We only have a pic of his head....


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

I would not be doing a bunch of speed events on him unless you got him into condition. 15 is a nice age. If he is sound and healthy and your Vet says he is doing good , then go for it.


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## Wanstrom Horses (Dec 23, 2012)

We have a gelding that we were roping calves on at 26! He loved his job, but we retired him and he is now happily teaching kids to rope at brandings  but it a all depends on how the horse has been taken care of. Try to get as much background info as you can and of course a vet check!!


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