Conference noted::equitation

    Hi,
    
    Horses can live into their thirties.  However, 'what is a good age'
    is completely dependent on what you want the horse for.  For draft
    horses anything older than eight to ten years is generally regarded as 
    a 'good' age for reliable work - but a race horse is washed up by
    the time he's four!  For pleasure horses 4 years old is the lowest
    I'd go for a green horse, and some horses in their thirties are
    still able to go for quiet hacks.  Depends a lot on the horse,
    too.  Some 16 year olds are as whacky as foals, and some are the
    sweetest things going...
    
    Dana

    
    Hi,
    
    I've owned two teen-agers and I've been happy with both of them.
    Moccasion was 20 when I donated to a college. She is very happy
    and now teach college students the basics of riding. She is now
    longer able to do 3 foot jumps but is very capable of flat work
    and small (2foot) jumps and will be for many years to come.
    
    Most of the competing horses in the barn I'm at are between 8 and
    12.
    
    nancy
    

    If I remember correctly, isn't one of the Grand Prix horses 15 years
    old?  I think it's Touch of Class, but am probably wrong.
    
    About being spunky, my horse, Jasper is 16 years old and acts like he's
    5 years old at times. The last trail ride I went on (2 weeks ago), it
    took about 4 miles to calm him down. Boy, 3 months ago I would say he
    acted ancient but now.... I can't wait for the first snow!
    
    I really believe that it's not the age that brings horses down but lack
    of exercise. ( Of course, age does matter but ....)
    					Cindy
    

    
    
    Ponies generally live longer then horses (as long as you
    can keep them healthy and don't let them founder!!).
    
    I have two Welsh ponies, one is 26 years old and the other
    27.  The 27 year old thinks he is 5 at times!!..and as
    mentioned in the previous replies, exercise is usually
    the best thing for them!                              
    
    Jenny

    Age is state of mind in horses and people! My 21 year old pony of
    unknown breeding is still taking ribbons from the younger guys in
    games and hunter hack. I look forward to several years of use from
    him. My 15 year old mare is just learning dressage and really enjoying
    herself. Older horses make better pets in my experience, and really
    unless you are a working cowboy thats what a horse really is. A
    BIG pet!
    
    Sandy
    

    I am no expert, but my observations are that horses have very
    long spans of time when they are "useful".  Go to a show, and
    you will see excellent performances from 4 to 20-year olds.
    Go to a riding school, and you will find that many of the best horses
    are in their early to late teens, and into their 20's.
    
    My own horse is 13, and my instructor enjoys working with him 
    more than any other, because he has such a good heart and is
    willing to work.  
    
    Regarding an earlier note about a Grand Prix jumper, I believe
    it is "touch of Class" that is 15, and I think Abdullah is
    16!  Some of the best Medal/Maclay horses are in their mid-teens,
    others mere youths...
    
    So, buy what you want, and don't make age the prime consideration!
    
    Regards,
    
    Jennie
    

    Generally, the useful life span of a horse is limited by lameness
    and the horses attitude.  I have a 16 year old Saddlebred mare who
    still shows and is perfectly sound, except on the coldest of winter
    days when she starts out a little stiff and she still firmly believes
    she is a two year old.  I also have a 12 year old Saddlebred gelding
    who has hock problems, arthritis, and is recovering from torn ligaments
    in the hindleg which attach to the sesamoid bones.  He is far more
    settled than the mare and is a very reliable horse.  The mare has
    been shown for twice as many years as the gelding, but as in people,
    some horses are harder hit by arthritis at an earlier age than others.
    For pleasure riding, I would recommend something in the 8 to 10
    range so you make sure you have plenty of enjoyable, useful time
    with your horse.
    

    
    re .6
    
    Abdullah is now 19. Looks incredible!!
    My last QH just turned 20, he's at a local farm teaching adult
    beginners the joys of riding, believe me if given the chance,
    he'll still let out a good buck!
    
    -Marianne-
    

    
    My cousin has a horse (quarter horse/connemara cross?) that is going
    on 30.  He looks better this year than he has in 10 years.  He is
    still ridden fairly regularly for trail rides, still trys to buck
    people off, and still tears around the pasture with his 5 year old
    buddy.  
    
    

    My Morgan/Connemara gelding at 25-28 years old (vet estimate)
    still loves to go trail riding, that's to say when he's not too
    busy rearing and bucking! He generally thinks he's a stallion and
    chases my 9yr old qh around the pasture.
                             
    Tina
    

    	We have two 22 year olds. One a blind mare is quite healthy
    and has lots of spirit. My gelding was working cattle with me until
    two years ago when our friend and neighbor went out of the business.
    He still loves to buck a little on a cold morning.
    	We just had a Shetland pony pass away this week who was ancient.
    We got him a couple of years ago, and since I couldn't tell his
    age from his teeth, I asked the vet. He checked and said that the
    molars were worn to the gums, and he couldn't tell very accurately.
    He did say that the pony was at least 30.
    
    	George
    

    
    
      I have two older horses (one late teens the other early twenties)
    that are still going strong.  In fact, I am going to go and get them
    in Iowa in the spring and bring them out to Colorado where they
    will start a new life as teachers.  I will be free leasing them
    to some friends who need need exactly the kind of experience and
    patience that you get with older horses.  These will be my friends
    first horses ever and they will be using them for trail riding and
    general hacking around.  A perfect match for both horse and rider.
    
    Pat

      I have an 8 year old appaloosa that can't be worn down.  There
    are 15 horses in the stable and her trail smarts and attitude
    UNDER TACK can't be beat.  She is real fussy without tack but is
    smarter on trails than any of her riders.  The other horses in the
    stable run from 3 to 21 years old and are all different breeds.
    Cody won every speed event in our annual fun show and is never
    malicious.  I think she may be just now hitting her prime!
    
    Rick

    Eight is just old enough to be sensible and young enough to learn
    anything. That sounds like prime time to me. What do you mean by
    "fussy without tack" ?
    
    Sandy
    

    Is it a direct comparison of 1 horse year to one human year? 
    Or do they age faster (or slower) than us?  Like cats are supposed
    to age 7 years (guesstimate) for every one human year...
    

    8=24 ..... Its 3:1 A 25 yr old horse is compareable to a 75 yr old
    person.Guesstimate!!!
    
    Sandy
    

    re: 14
    
    Cody can be very stubborn about being caught and too smart to trick
    anymore.  She is never mean, never rears, bites, kicks or anything
    else nasty.  She does like to take a teat out of your hand and take
    off around the pasture.  It's more a game to her than anything.
    As I said, once SHE decides she's fooled with you enough, (knowing
    you'll quit if she doesn't give, and leave her)  she behaves nicely.
    When she is saddled she isn't rammy anymore and takes very good
    care of you.  My son was riding her one afternoon and was leaning
    over to pick berries along the way.  In his attempts to reach
    berries he fell off... Cody stumbled a little and but her hoof down
    on his leg by accident.  She realized he was under her and never
    put her weight on that foot, instead she moved over a step and stood
    very still so he could safely escape and remount.  The others riding
    with him were amazed that this was the same horse that was charging
    around the pasture teasing him for 20 minutes just an hour before.
    We have tried everything and can't figure her out, but are happy
    she is such a pleasure to ride.  We even tried wearing her out one
    afternoon chasing her in the pasture, not allowing her to stop unless
    we could put her halter on... result... 4 very tired people and
    one playful horse, still full of energy.
    
    Rick

    Rick,
    I have a pony that like to play the same game. After 23 yrs he knows
    what you want he just likes to make you beg. My solution was to
    put his treat in a bucket and hold it against me so he has to come
    right up to me. I do not chase him ever. This stops the game of
    tag and forces him to come on my terms. If he doesn't want to come
    I will walk thru the pasture not looking at him but elsewhere and
    before you know it he is following me to see what I am interested
    in. Then I can get him.
    
    Sandy
    

    
    	My 2 cents..
    
    	I do agree with one noter - my Cody got his brains when he
    	turned 8...
    
    	I bought Nashoba, my other cridder when he was 10.... he turns
    	33 this year and still is sound, healthy (doesn't have much
    	in the teeth department tho...) and a kinda chubby nag..
    
    	If your looking for long term - you would look for a younger
    	horse - but even if the horse is 18 - it may be healthy and
    	rideable until 30+....  It really depends on the horse and
    	how it ages and what type of work that is demanded of it.
                              
    	My friend has a horse (Otis) that really AGED when he turned 16...
    	so much so - she bought another one for her to ride (a 14 year
    	old).  Otis seemed to get really sunken around the withers and
    	back but it was just his back changing as he got older..  (Some
    	horses really show a difference and some none...)  Now Otis 
    	carries handicapped kids around in Maine and is still used and 
    	healthy (I am sure for many years!)                
    
    	Susan