What age should you retire a horse

Sometimes the decision isnt as clear. There are monetary obligations involved in keeping a senior horse with osteoarthritis going.

At what age is a horse considered a senior.

What age should you retire a horse. 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. Although your horse may begin to show signs of age that indicate a. 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.

As a sweeping generalization most people will stop competing a horse - or retire him from intense work of any description - in his late teenage years but alter his workload so he can be ridden well into his twenties or even thirties if well enough to do so. For ponies you should be able to add another ten years or so on to each example. Veterinarians consider the horses age overall physical condition past and current lamenessmedical issues and the level of work.

We merge these facts with our own opinion and make a recommendation to our client the horse owner. The horse owner weighs our inputalong with contributions from friends trainers blogs chat rooms and magazine articlesand makes the decision. But its not easy.

What may be retirement criteria for one horse may be less of an issue for another horse. The time to retire a senior horse can become a combination of finances and the horses welfare. There are monetary obligations involved in keeping a senior horse with osteoarthritis going.

Most seniors will likely require injections of at least two joints to keep performing soundly. 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. 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. 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.

Sometimes deciding when to retire your horse is an obvious decision. 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.

When Horses Reach Retirement Age. Eventually every horse gets to the point where it is time to retire but when and how depends on the individual. A horses health and soundness dictate retirement more so than age.

Most horses do better when retirement happens gradually through a slow decrease in activity level based on the horses physical. Horses easily live into their 30s and early 40s is not improbable. Thus when you retire a horse even as late as age 25 you could be looking at 10 more years of board bills ahead of you.

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.

However there are other factors like behavioral issues and intermittent health conditions that can make things tricky. Retiring a horse too soon could mean giving up years of quality riding time. On the other hand no rider should.

Vokoun and Cowles agree that age alone isnt a determining factor. Its more about a horses physical condition and ability Cowles says. Technically your horse is still middle-aged.

Horses live about one year for every three years that humans live so hes only 51 in human years. Scientists dont consider horses aged or old until they turn 20 because we see no signs of deteriorating aerobic ability before then. STALLIONS If youre fortunate enough to have a horse that is genuinely qualified to stand at stud at the very least meets the minimum suggested requirements in the FAQ on standing stallions it can be a big decision as to whether you should retire a horse now or race another year and rack up more glory and purse money.

Again there isnt any right answer to whatever decision one. 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.

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.