What do you consider too old for a prospect?

[Aubreyyy]

I'm looking at a 10 year old TB (he's actually still 9, but you know how JC aging goes).

Would you consider this too old to be a prospect? I've normally preferred single digit horses, but he's perfect in just about every other way. He's been off the track for a couple of years, trail ridden around the farm western and english, and I don't think it'll take him too long to learn his job, but 10 seems a little old!

(I don't intend to use him for upper level showing AT ALL. Puddle jumpers, under 3' stuff.)

[AmandaandTuff]

I'd say go for it, but I'm also a low level rider. I started my paint gelding over fences when he was 15, he did up to 3' and did well until his vision began to fail.

[kashmere]

I started my TB mare when she was 10; having only been a broodmare with some "get on and kick her while she gallops down a gravel road" training :rolleyes:.

Working with green or semi-green older horse has its own set of challenges, as does working with a green baby. If you like the horse and have the time and money... why not? :)

[Giddy-up]

If I was keeping him for myself & with your intended goals--not a 2nd thought.

If he is for re-sale--I would probably pass. A 10 YO TB that is just starting a new career might not be a quick sale.

[Aubreyyy]

If I was keeping him for myself & with your intended goals--not a 2nd thought.



He's definitely not a resale.

Ok, I feel much better now! (I haven't been a horse mommy in a while and I'm overthinking EVERYTHING!!)

[iridehorses]

i got my horse for pretty cheap when he was 10, he did basically nothing. now, hes 11 and getting better & better. you have to review your goals & the limits this horse will have.

[chawley]

If the horse has good confirmation and is sound, go for it! Many TBs are just getting good at 9 or 10. We've raised TBs for the hunter ring for many years and most of them showed at the highest level way into their 20s. Even the working hunters who are jumping 4'. My current TB is 15, and while he has a few issues, they are related to his age. I consider him in his prime!

A friend sold a 12 yr. old TB mare as a high level jumper prospect last year. She's very sound and should have many good years in her.

Another good friend showed her TB at the 3'6" until he was 27 yrs old. They had to stop because she got hurt! He's still doing low level stuff with a green rider.

Good luck and have fun!

[Pirateer]

If the horse has good confirmation and is sound,
conFORmation...

If the horse is for your own use I'd say that the only way its too old to be a prospect is if the animal is underground ;)

[chawley]

conFORmation...

If the horse is for your own use I'd say that the only way its too old to be a prospect is if the animal is underground ;)

Haha...thanks Pirateer. I'm writing a press release at work right now and had to include the word confirmation....it carried over to my post. Probably should get back to work.....TGIF everyone!

[Hauwse]

As stated by a number of posters age tends to be a factor only when resale comes into question.

I could go on for days telling success stories of horses, specifically OTTB's, that have started a second career "late".

I personally think it can be a huge advantage, as it seems that an OTTB that is around 10 has generally proven their soundness, matured, and is confident. As a result it seems every little bit of training that goes into them sticks.

I knew an OTTB that came off the track at 12, still running succesfully, and within 6 months was in the ring doing, at the time open hunters, and open jumpers, and went on doing them succesfully well into his 20's, and retired to a life as a trail horse which he loved and did until he was 30+.

[zahena]

My prospect is 10 and I bought him as a resale project. I really just needed a horse to get back in the game. I think he's got a pretty sound mind and he seems to be confident like Hawse mentioned.

I'm in the process of selling him and even with the down economy I still get plenty of calls on him, i just haven't foudn a buyer yet!

[Dispatcher]

10 is not old. The horse probably has a lot of sense now AND has a lot of life left in him. Certainly worth considering.

[EAY]

I got my OTTB when he was 12. He raced until he was about 8 and then was turned out for a few years. He was a bit difficult at first but he learned quickly and was jumping 3' courses with changes within a year. Now at 14 he's ready to move up to the 3'6 and has (knock on wood) never taken a bad step. I think that it helps that he has good conformation and retired sound from racing with clean legs.

I do think that resale could be a factor, particularly for my horse who can still be a tough ride and probably will never be completely kid/ammie friendly, but like the OP it's not really an issue for me since I'm hoping to provide him a forever home.

I also tend to agree with other posters that TBs don't usually come into their own until at least 9 or 10.

[QHEventr]

I event, but I just picked up a 14 yr old OTTB in Aug 2008 (straight off the track). He was for myself, not for resale....I would do it again in a heart beat! He is exactly what I wanted. He took to eventing right away, and finished his first event in October at Starter Level (2'3") on his dressage score....no jump penalties.....He loves it! I'd say go for it...if he's calling to you!

[shawneeAcres]

I wouldnt say any horse is "too old" to be a prospect, however, from a sales perspective getting past 7 or 8 tends to be a bit old. However, we have a lovely Dutch WB at our farm who is 7 and I'd have to call her a "prospect" in the sense she has only been under saddle for a year and has not yet shown, but is jumping 2''6" and started changes. So part of it is definition of a prospect. The GOOD part in a horse like the one I mentioned above is that she hasn't been pounded on and so should be a very sound horse. However, an OTTB that is 10, IF it was raced up to that point may be carrying some soundness issues. If it retired a while back but just hasn't done much then it may be just fine from a soundness perspective. Also a bit of a worry about arthritic conditions that begin to show up after 10 years generally, so might want to do some xrays. So if you are buying for yourself, and horse checks out sound, I wouldnt' worry about it. If you are buying for resale, I wouldn't buy a horse of that age that is still a "prospect"

[Hauwse]

However, an OTTB that is 10, IF it was raced up to that point may be carrying some soundness issues. If it retired a while back but just hasn't done much then it may be just fine from a soundness perspective.

It is always a good idea to have a PPE, but I would say in my experience, if a horse was able to run until 10, than they are probably as sound as they come. Considering the fact that most runners have a career that lasts 3yrs if that, one that ran well enough that they continued to run them for 7/8 years must be super sound. The proof in this case is in the longevity of their racing career.

[goeslikestink]

I'm looking at a 10 year old TB (he's actually still 9, but you know how JC aging goes).

Would you consider this too old to be a prospect? I've normally preferred single digit horses, but he's perfect in just about every other way. He's been off the track for a couple of years, trail ridden around the farm western and english, and I don't think it'll take him too long to learn his job, but 10 seems a little old!

(I don't intend to use him for upper level showing AT ALL. Puddle jumpers, under 3' stuff.)

nope - i have had them at all sorts of ages my lastest rescue is 17 it depends on what you want to do with said horse

[yellowbritches]

My first horse was 10 when I got him. He'd done some trail riding and a little basic dressage, but had never really jumped. He took to it pretty quickly, especially once I figured out how to make him braver (he was at first a big spook at shows as we only had white rails at home. Going to a show with different colors and fillers was pretty scary!). He became a real little campaigner and did a little of everything with me. He ultimately was a fantastic little lower level event horse, totally trustworthy but just cheeky enough to keep you honest. I'm still sad that he and I both got a late start in the eventing, as he is a game little horse and would have probably been a fun one star horse. He is now living out his golden years in utter, spoiled, retirement bliss...though I routinely threaten to bring him home...I miss him so much and he's still a blast to ride!

So, it can totally be done and it is totally worth it if they are otherwise perfect. I wouldn't consider a horse that old and that green as a resale horse, but if it is just a fun horse for you, why not?

[seeuatx]

My personal experience is that 10ish is the age where their lightbulbs finally turn on. I like them in that 10-12 range if they don't have a ton of wear and tear or show good PPEs.

[veebug22]

So that means he was on the track until 8 or so... that's a lot of wear and tear, even if the horse is currently sound and free of visible past injuries. For a horse off the track, frankly I'm more interested if it's under 5 or 6. For a horse without time on the track, I would be more interested if it's under 7. I wouldn't consider a 10 yr old as a prospect, with or without track time, unless it was very talented, mostly because trying to resell a horse in its early teens and just starting out in a discipline is a challenge. That said, I bought my mare when she was 11 as a prospect, but I had little intention of resale. Mostly just to see what she could do for me, and I wouldn't have considered a horse that old normally, but she had very little riding mileage on her and a phenomenal jump. I pretty much couldn't afford a "made" horse of her caliber at that same age, so I was willing to take a chance.

[LookinSouth]

[quote=Aubreyyy;3935105]
(I don't intend to use him for upper level showing AT ALL. Puddle jumpers, under 3' stuff.)


If the horse is going to be used for lower level jumping and he suits you in every other way I say go for it.
Especially if he is 100% sound. IMO, a horse that retires completely sound from the track after 7 or 8 years has proven it can hold up to rigorous work and likely will for many more years to come, especially in a easier career like lower level h/j stuff and trail riding. To me soundness has nothing to do with age. It has to do with conformation, luck and good genes. I have seen many younger horses go completely lame and not hold up to regular work and I have seen 24 year olds who could make most 15 year olds look geriatric. I am of course talking about pleasure horses and lower level show horses, not upper level competition horses.

I acquired my current horse at the age of 13 (not off the track). He is now going to be 18 in April. He started jumping at about 15 and took to it like a fish to water. Granted we do lower level stuff (under 3ft) but we also do some pretty serious 2-3 hour trail rides w,t,c,g several times a week, dressage work, jumping lessons and foxhunt. He has held up phenomenally for this work level. He has never once been laid up with a injury (knocking on wood!) and never needed injections beyond yearly adequan. As every year passes I think he is going to be lazier/quieter, he is getting old... nope. Still waiting for that day.

I would get another sound as nails 13 year old with a good mind in a second if the horse suited me in every way and it wasn't for resale.

[chestnutwithchrome]

I bought my current eventer when she was 11, she'd been strictly a broodmare until she was 10, and was then started by a western trainer. I have had her for 5 years and she is jumping 3'6" and eventing novice. She's never had a lame step and I expect her to be competing for several more years :-)

[Foxtrot's]

Jack of Spades evented advanced. He bucked his shins at the track so never raced. He did nothing much and at ten he started doing more than w.t.c. What you don't use up when they are young, you get back later in life.