[abv1269]

Thank you for this thread. My girl turns 17 next week and has been acting like a much younger horse -- this gives me so much hope that we'll have many more years together.

[billiebob]

My first 3ft horse was an 18 y/o TB. The only thing rusty about him were his brakes...I came out of the ring for my last class and commented to my trainer "well I guess he doesn't get tired!"

He showed for a few more years after that too before being retired do to a heart murmur.

My barn used to have a wonderful TB schoolie. He was just a plain little 15.2 bay, didn't look like anything fancy, but MAN did he love to jump. He used to rip around the schooling 2'6-2'9 and would just get faster and faster with each class. Ears pricked, having the time of his life. At one show, the gate person told my trainer not to worry because "those TBs all get so much calmer when they get older."

My trainer, bless her heart, said to the woman, "He's 26, how much older can he get?" Gotta love those old campaigners that love their job!

[chunky munky]

I had a wonderful horse that showed at the highest level with many wins in the A/O hunters until he was 20. Then he did the Adults for a year before retiring.

[yellowbritches]

My little appy was still eventing at 21 at the novice (3ft) level. The only reason I retired him was I ran out of people for him to teach!

He'll be 27 in April, and I hope to put him back into some kind of work, even if it is just bopping around the farm, this spring.

[Thoroughbred1201]

Way back in the late 80s, my first AA horse out of college was a 22 year old TB who was well known in our area, and had been extremely sucessful in the Jrs and Regs. His name was Good Tidings, and by the time I got him, he could still buck anybody off anytime he chose. They'd tried to retire him, and he didn't like it. I would never had gotten a horse of that caliber otherwise. It worked great for both of us!

[staceymc]

One word for you: Lyle. He's 20+ now and still winning everything in the Juniors.

[JenRose]

My sis's former Jr/AO jumper mare is 21 and is packing (errrr, dragging) my hunter princess ass around the low schooling jumpers. I hope to move up to the child/adults this year. She LOVES to show. Hates to be left home.

My goal is to get my TB hunter back in the show ring this year. I have owned him since he was 3 fresh off the track and hauled him all over the country doing the Jrs, A/Os and then adults. Due to my finances he had to stay home the past 5ish years but is ready to head back in the 3' ring now as a 20 year old. Had him flexed and xrayed during his annual check up last year and the vet said he would have passed most any PPE. Plays harder than any horse on the farm. I keep waiting on him to start acting his age!

At 32 years old I need more maintenance/meds than the 2 above horses!

[flash1]

My 22yr old TB is still showing...this season will do Novice eventing, some dressage and Adult W-T with a friend who's beginning...He's healthy lots of go left so I dont see why not....

[supershorty628]

My mare is 18 and will be doing the 1.45m stuff this summer with a few of the smaller GPs thrown in. She thinks she's about 8.

[eclipse]

I am currently riding and showing my trainers 22 year old hunter. While his legs look like they really shouldn't be strong....(think large old old bows on both fronts, from before trainer got him at 4), they have never caused him any issues due to proper care and management. You would never dream of doing the undersaddles with him as he moves "like a bulldog" but over fences..........dreamy and still at 22, unbeatable! I adore him.

[RugBug]

I have a barn mate that purchased an older horse by mistake. He was originally described as 6, then the PPE vet said 13-ish, then after purchase she was able to figure out the faint tattoo and realized he was 18 which was confirmed by his regular vet. Sigh.

He is an awesome horse, and quite honestly, the perfect horse for her. She has a one week on, one week off type work schedule, so she rides 3-4 times during the off week and then he gets lots of turn out the on week. It's the perfect program for his older self (and one many younger horses wouldn't tolerate). He's sound, he's happy and I'm a bit jealous.

[horsepoor]

I have a barn mate that purchased an older horse by mistake. He was originally described as 6, then the PPE vet said 13-ish, then after purchase she was able to figure out the faint tattoo and realized he was 18 which was confirmed by his regular vet. Sigh.

This is similar to what happened with a horse I leased way back when. Family bought him as a 12 year old, or so they were told, and then changed trainers and horse didn't work in that program. I leased him, and followed up a bit on his history, contacting an old owner, getting his Jockey Club name (tattoo was illegible), etc. Instead of 12, he was 17. While I was leasing him, another gal bought him, but continued to let me half lease and show him. He was a great horse. Moved like a sewing machine, so no hack points for him if there were more horses than ribbons (or someone got bucked off!). But great jump, honest, and I had so much fun with him. He won in some pretty darn good company and I made it to more shows with him than I did with all the younger, supposedly sounder horses I bought for myself after him! He showed into his early 20s, then the owner moved him closer to her and I lost track, but last heard he was doing dressage (never would have expected that) in his late 20s.

I think part of the key with him was keeping him going - he got regular exercise 6 days a week and turnout every day. Not a lot of jumping, he didn't need it, but just keeping him limber. We weren't into all the maintenance that happens now. I can't remember ever injecting anything with him - he got oral joint supplements, a bit of bute at the shows outside (hard ground), and plain old steel shoes (aluminum was a waste on a mover like him!). What a great old campaigner he was -- and it was especially fun beating the amateurs from the barn that kicked him out to pasture as he didn't fit their program!