# anyone who rides a horse 20yrs and up?



## xcassidyx55 (Nov 14, 2010)

I would think, as long as they are healthy and happy, do what you enjoy. 
I know a 30 year old horse that still cleans up at shows. As for conditioning, I would probably do lot's of it. Instead of a few hard working days than a rest, I would have a lot of consistency and building up. Hope this helps


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## Barrel Baby (May 16, 2011)

THank you very much! thats soo awesome that at 30 their still doing that great! thanks for your advise!


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## Zora (Mar 18, 2010)

Your mare is pretty!
My Quarter horse is 24, she is like riding a young thoroughbred most of the time
I think it's great to compete an older horse, my mare barrel raced for 9 years before I got[two years ago] originally she was a working cow horse in Nebraska. 
Now we trail ride. 
For conditioning we do lots of trotting and up hill work.
She also does carrot stretches and gets a little sunflower seeds and two scoops of beet pulp for lunch.
Here is Pesky
This year>
























last year>


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I love seeing those older horses still going strong. The oldest I am currently riding is 9 but I spent a fair amount of my youth on horses that were 20+. The best suggestion I can give as far as keeping her fit is just to be consistent. Try to work her frequently and at a fairly steady pace. Don't walk her around on trails 4 days a week and then ask her to clean house in every speed event at a full day playday :wink:. Lots of trotting and loping, hills and circles, transitions, etc.


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## megm5441 (Mar 7, 2011)

I still ride my 20 year old gelding. We did a Judged 10 mile trail ride last year. He had no idea that he was 19...it was like riding a little steam engine. Don't ask about the obstacles though...that part wasn't pretty. LOL 

And this year, I want to take dressage lessons on the old guy. As long as he stays sound and happy, I'll keep riding him. 

Sam Spring

Silly Boy

Cantering


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## arashowjumper (Apr 28, 2011)

i ride my 23 yrs old asteca mare, and work with cattle, and go to trail rides every once in a while, a helthy diet, genral vitamins and moderate exercise thts our daily routine and she is awsome


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## i luv my piccadilly (May 15, 2011)

I learned to ride on a high spirited 28 year old horse last year and he was heallthy and happy! A s long as their good and healthy i am pretty sure their good for just about anything!


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## SEAmom (Jan 8, 2011)

I ride a 23 year old NSH gelding who went Regional Top 5 as a 20/21 year old in English Pleasure (the middle saddleseat level). Granted, he used to be a park horse, but after that many years things don't always work quite as well as they used to.


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## CecilliaB (Jan 21, 2010)

I don't ride him but we have a wonderful 25 yr old arab gelding at my barn who is an absolute doll for the kids. He's patient, calm and very forgiving. He's still going strong and loves light ring work and trail rides!


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

I love these oldies threads! I have 3. Hondo is my oldest stallion, he is 29 years young. I still ride him several hours a week, he teaches my intermediate students the fine art of body control and I recently used him to move cattle for a friend. If you weren't told he was 29 you would think he was in his early teens  

Jana is a 23 yr old mare. She was my youth reining and pretty much do it all horse. She gets ridden regularly, teaches all of my youngest beginners and is the go to trail horse for beginner riders to borrow. 

Buttons is a 22 yr old mare. She was the first horse I trained myself at 14. She had a career as a wp horse & broodmare. She does beginner lessons and is my 5 yr old daughter's walk/trot horse  

I think consistent riding and keeping them legged up is key. Your mare should have lots of miles left in her if you keep her in shape.


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## Barrel Baby (May 16, 2011)

thats so cool! its amazing how they can just keep going strong!


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## Barrel Baby (May 16, 2011)

Thanks all of you for your inspiring suggestions!! I will use the tips and keep her on her feet! Thanks again!!!


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## Phantomcolt18 (Sep 25, 2007)

My boy is 25 or so (around there I'm thinking older though) and we still go to gaming shows every weekend. I've had him almost 6 yrs now. This year I decided to put him in "semi-retirement" as I like to call it. I let him decide how fast he wants to go he's been so good to me I don't want to run him into the ground by working him more than he should be worked. PLus he's developing arthritis in his back fetlock. 
































































This old girl is 32!!! and she took off with my friends son. Don't worry he was laughing afterwards saying "I went fast!!" All they do is walk and trot a bit with her for the kids but she had other plans that day and pulled away from my friends fiance and was like Buh Byez haha old girl's arabian side was showing just a bit.


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## myyky (Sep 8, 2010)

I ride a 21 year old STB, Pepper 
He only gets ridden twice a week at the moment, but copes with doing 45cm jumping, cantering up hills, and general work  I'm hoping to put him back in harness soon!! 
He goes to Pony Club once a month, which is 4 45minute lessons, and he LOVES to jump  Loves to overjump too.. Hahah 
He is teaching me how to jump, and taking me to my first shows.










This is us, at my first show.. And his second show for a very long time.


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## myyky (Sep 8, 2010)

Oh and he isn't sweaty in that photo.. It kept raining -_- Hence why my helmet looks all wrinkly. Synthetics and water don't love each other haha, I got off and my saddle got drenched. Then I got back on and my joddies got drenched! haha


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## MudPaint (Aug 14, 2010)

My first mare was 26 when she passed away and up till that point we were still jumping 3'. When she was 22 attempts were made to retire her, all we had was a crazy horse. She was the best first horse. Trust worthy but a challenge. I envy those with oldies who are happily still competing.

She's 25 in this pic. And wow was my helmet way too big.


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## GeminiJumper (Jun 12, 2008)

As long as she is in good health and you condition her correctly to compete, she should have no problem! 

I had my Saddlebred mare for 4 years and rode her till she was 24!  Plus, she only had one eye so she was a pretty special girl.


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

our 49 year old quarterhorse, Delriah is still working two days a week as a therapy/trail horse ^^ I say as long as you condition them right, and they're not in pain- go for it!


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## inaclick (Jun 6, 2010)

49!
49?
forty nine?!!
:shock:
Please, you have any pics?


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