Too Old to Purchase???

Would you buy a 20 year old horse for a child. We have found a child broke horse, but he is 20 years old. I am leary of buying a horse that old but my husband says he would be perfect and still has years to live. My question, when is a horse too old? If we do purchase him, should we limit the amound of time he is riden or the weight we put on him?
Thanks
Rasha

If he is sound or has very minor ailments then he would be ideal. I know of some that are still competing at that age so it is more a matter of the individual than the specific age.

Limit time on the horse ?...depends of its health. A healthy 20 year old should be ridden normally with just a bit more care on what sort of riding you are doing. I would not be wanting to jump a horse this age 4-5 times a week but flat work should be no problem. You just have to use common sense here.

For a young kid you want to be them an older horse that has been there done that and knows lots. That is a great age of horse for a kid.

20 years old doesn't mean much, especially since unless he is registered, there is no way to tell if he is 20 or 25... What is far more important is his health and your recognition that things can change quickly if he is not properly cared for. Invest in a FULL vet check. You need to know if there will be things you need to deal with before you are ready. Generally speaking though, 20 years old is not too old, especially for a child. It's actually better for a child to have the older horse. However, keep in mind that if the child is 8 now, when (s)he hits the teenage years, the horse may not be able to keep up.

My horse banjo is 24, we got him when he was 20. He is really safte to ride! And you can still do anything you want on him. The amount of weight put on him doesnt matter either (within reason). He is as fit and healthy as any other horse. And I ride him about 5 times a week or something and usually give him a good work out. I know someone who was still riding their horse and doing everything with her horse when it was 30 years old! No problems there either! I wouldnt hesitate at all in buying a 20 year old horse for a younger kid. I say go for it if he is healthy.

20 isn't too old. I was 14 when I was given my first horse. He was about 18-19 yrs. And I loved that boy more than anything else. He taught me alot because he'd been there and back again. Never spooked beyond reason (he was a trail horse). Had more paitence then you could ask from a horse. Being older than the other horses we rode with, when they wouldn't step over something or go through a stream, it was up to my boy to show them how to get it done.

Nope that isnt old. If he's sound and healthy it shouldnt be an issue. We have a 25 year old at the barn and he loves to be rode. He's a 16.2 hand percheron gelding and acts like he's still 5.

Get a vet check to make sure there are no major issues - like advanced arthritis or some other problem that could create major vet bills in the future. Otherwise - a 20 year old would be a great child's horse. I've ridden horses that were around 30 years in age that were still going strong.

It depends on the price. I wouldnt pay huge huge bucks for him but I've seen them go for 800 as a 20 year old. You have to think, if it's for a child, safe is the most important thing.

I have a 25 year old that can still ride w/ the best of them. I've also got a 30 year old that was just retired a year or so ago but he's still got a lot of heart and spunk left in him, the arthritis is just getting to him.... Old horses bring a lot of experience and can really teach a child some great lessons...

I agree, that 20 yrs old is a perfect age, as long as he's in good health. However, one thing to consider too is that just because a horse is 20 doesn't mean he's bombproof or "kid safe." I know of a horse that spooks and bolts when ridden and she's close to 30. Some older horses can be stubborn, grumpy and herd sour (this is a generalization, but a couple of horses are my barn are like this). Just make sure that you really like this horse's personality. That he is gentle and forgiving and an easy, dependable ride. Hope that makes sense. Good luck!