How old is too old?

[Matthew]

I know this is a question that is hard to answer but I was wondering what peoples thoughts were on the subject. I have been looking for a single belgin horse for a while and had my sights set on a yong horse less than ten years old. The age thing was more because if I had a good horse I wanted to keep him for a long time and wanted the most of his usefull years. I have found a ton of teenage horses and have passed on them because I figure in a few years they would be getting on senior age and need lighter work. What have your experences been with working horses past thair twenties and should I hold out for a five or six year old or settle for a horse in thair mid teens?

[jac]

Hi Mathew.. I dropped a picture of a street parade we did 2 years ago now and the the off side horse is Tyde. He is 20 plus. I tried to find the fotos of him haymaking last year. I think you need to know the individual horse. Seeing a potential horse at his owners yard is one thing, spending years with a horse and basicly being with him as the years roll, on puts you in a better position to judge if he is up to the workload. Some horses are in decline at 15.. others are still rocking at 20 plus… that old black horse can still kick up a storm. A lot depends on the planned work. Old age doesnt come itself and 15 plus can rear a few problems.. teeth cavities being one. In Clydes CPL is another real issue… Me personally I would go for the younger horses and keep him, that way you and hi grow into the older horse situation.. best of luck..
John

[Joshua Kingsley]

Well, it all depends on the horse. My old Randy horse that passed feb 25th of last year worked up till 08 and he was about 30 then. I had him in the woods in May and then I got hurt in June, my dad swears that if I had kept him going and I was able too he would still be alive today. He loved to work and it is hard to know if he would have stroked if he had been working or not but I do know that it was easier to keep him in shape and in a good weight when we were working every day. Once he was in retirement he would run laps in the pasture out of bordom and he got thin on me. He was a great horse and I have often considered working horses till they showed me that they were ready to work less.

[grey]

A horse that is kept in good working condition will age much more gracefully than one that is worked harshly or only intermittently… or not worked at all.

So it really depends on the life history of the individual animal.

Sorry for what might seem like a cop-out answer, but there really is no way to simplify the situation with any useful accuracy. I’ve seen 20-year-olds that I wouldn’t hesitate to take out on a 5-day wagon trip through the mountains and one 9-year-old that was so badly used-up that he needed the kindness of a bullet.

[Big Horses]

I have to agree with what’s been said…. it depends on the horse and what you’re going to do with it.
JAC, that is a good lookin’ outfit! Our sleigh horses are a pair of 20 year old Clydes…the work isn’t too strenuous, but they enjoy it and it’s alot better for them than just standing and eating!
John

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