23
Feb
At what age is a horse considered a senior. As long as the horse still enjoys their job and can handleexecute it theres no reason they have to quit.
So if you retire while the horse is racing well only to find out that nobody is interested because he doesnt nick well youll probably be wishing that you hadnt retired him just yet.
How old should you retire a horse. At what age is a horse considered a senior. How do you retire a horse. Some horses will compete into their 20s yet some have to retire at 7 due to injury or wear and tear.
Most are in their late teens before youd consider retirement but theres really no exact time. In an ideal world there would be a simple you should stop riding your horse at X years of age but this is by no means an ideal world so there is no one answer that fits all. Instead there is a range of factors that need to be taken into consideration before deciding if now is the right to retire your horse.
There is no set age for retiring your horse. Some horses have physical conditions or diseases that require an early retirement. Other horses can be ridden late into their life without issues.
As a general rule most horses should stop being ridden between 20 to 25 years old. Any horse no matter their age still requires a decent amount of exercise. But its not easy.
What may be retirement criteria for one horse may be less of an issue for another horse. The two most common causes of retirement are old agediminishing physical capabilities and ongoing unresolvable lamenesses. An injury or personal situation may force you to transition your riding horse into a pasture ornament.
Sometimes the decision isnt as clear. Some horses fade into retirement. Today there are many different options for horse retirement.
When the winning thoroughbred stallion retires he may spend a number of happy years as a prolific stud before. OH rides a horse in his twenties that has been brought back out of retirement because horse didnt like it. That horse likes to canter.
And some horses it seems die younger just like people and it is no reflection on the yard - A yard can have ponies over 30 and yet one need to be retired at 16. Some companies will only cover horses over a certain age for injuries so you would not be able to claim for treatment relating to certain conditions such as arthritis that are common in older. Ive helped see to the retirement of a number of top performers including my wife Danas 19-year-old world champion working cow horse Brother White Preacher.
Based on my experiences and using Danas gelding as an example Ill share advice you can take into account when its time for your horse to retire. OP you sound like you have a loved horse that is pretty healthy for a 25yo. Should you wish to then there is no harm in keeping her ticking over.
But equally if you donât have the motivation to then it is in no way shape or form a âfailingâ to decide to retire her. We do not need to be martyrs to horses. It is important to know how old you can breed your mare until.
PLEASE dont breed ANY horse. Old young good bad. Maybe helping him shop for German dressage horses would be a good way to spend the day after his retirement party soon.
Chris February 17 2021 at 911 pm. If the horse is healthy sound kept on a regular exercise program given any needed supplementstreatments. Then there is NO age limit.
As long as the horse still enjoys their job and can handleexecute it theres no reason they have to quit. Vokoun and Cowles agree that age alone isnt a determining factor. Its more about a horses physical condition and ability Cowles says.
By age definition senior horse has been defined as 15 years of age. Due to improvements in veterinary care and nutrition horse routinely live 25-30 years of age some into their 40s. It is not uncommon to see horses in late teens and twenties performing at high levels.
Can a horse with arthritis still be ridden. Horses are designed to continue exercising late into their lives. Our prime example at the Rutgers Equine Center is Lord Nelson a 40-year-old Quarter Horse who still gallops up to the gate every morning for breakfast.
The biggest problems we see in aging horses actually result from too little exercise and too much food. Perhaps an older rider that just wants a quiet hack is a good match for a horse nearing retirement. Of course some horses dont know they are older and act like silly 2-year-olds.
So the type of semi-retirement suitable for any given horse has to be based on its capabilities. Most often light work is good for both the horses body and mind. Age soundness and chronic conditions are just a few that can influence your decision.
The two most common reasons for retiring your horse include old age and ongoing lameness. Its simple- the horses body is no longer able to keep up with the demands of being ridden. Its the most practical and humane thing to do.
I hear people say all the time My horse is 18. Its time to retire him says David Trachtenberg DVM owner of Trachtenberg Veterinary Associates in Penfield New York. But the age in and of itself is meaningless.
What matters is his health status. If hes in good shape and is handling his workload with ease theres no reason to retire him. So if you retire while the horse is racing well only to find out that nobody is interested because he doesnt nick well youll probably be wishing that you hadnt retired him just yet.
Some players feel its better to retire a top horse as soon as he has nothing left to prove since itll be that much more time that he can earn stud fees. Maybe hes just feeling his age After all given that every year of a horses life translates into roughly 3 or 4 human years that means your 24-year-old horse is akin to a 72- to 96-year-old human. Imagine riding your 80-year-old grandpa down the trail.
It seems like a match made in heaven so now you are full of questions wondering how long you can expect your horse to live. The average lifespan of a horse is between 25 to 30 years although it varies between breeds. Its not uncommon for horses to live beyond 40 years of age and the oldest horse ever Old Billy lived to the age of 62.