[SaddleOnline]

As long as she is healthy and you keep her in good physical condition (get her in shape and keep her there) there is no reason why you wouldn't have a decade or more of good riding years left with her.

Ride her until the vet or your trainer tells you it is no longer a good idea (chances are you'll know its coming well in advance).

 

[brackenbramley]

just wanted to post you a message from my gelding

Im 22 in the top pic and 26 in the others (both this year) x 27 early 2012

 

[brackenbramley]

apologise for dreadful riding in bottom pic he's crazy strong x

 

[Jessie13]

My event horse is 21 and went round our last cross country course like a complete maniac. The comentator thought at one point that he had the wrong horse because a jump got broken and we got stopped on course - Ringo was rearing and spinning and when we were told that we could go...we WENT, three fences at a full pelt gallop.
I also have a 26 year old who is still ridden, and my shetland was put down at 35.
All horses are different, and it entirely depends on their treatment throughout life.
My instructor told me that 'your horse is you calender' she was saying about training them (they will tell you when they are ready to learn something new) but the same would apply here, your horse will tell you when she needs to retire although horses do go down hill once they do retire.
It's just about assessing your horses needs, she could have loads of years left, but you will have to realise that at some point, you will need to start decreasing her work.

 

[Kimberly]

Thank you so much for your post. Kay Cee is a great mare i am getting her body back in shape now. She has been fun for the past couple weeks, she really works hard for me, someone has done her rite her training has definitely paid off. Some of you had asked for a picture, in my album on my profile she is the solid black mare with me in the arena. Also she is the daughter of Kay cee leaguer by ima big leaguer. Top and bottom. Thank you soooo much for the encouragement. I will post new pictures soon.
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[HarleyWood]

thats not old! i trained my TWH at age 16 to do barrels and we beat my trainer and her 7 year old many times and she kept telling me he wont beable to he wont get it, but he was really good and loved it. he was my first horse and i was 10 when i tought him to barrel race. he did it for 2 years and i got my horse now. if he was still alive and i hadnt gave him back to my aunt i would still be gaming off of him until he couldnt or didnt want to.

good luck with your horse.

 

[paintluver]

We just rode our 26 year old on a 2 hour trail yesterday cantering and galloping! 17 is not too old =)

 

[HarleyWood]

that sounds fun! i rode a TB last year that we got they said he was 17-19 years old i though perfect!! great trail horse maybe a show horse if he can handle it! we had the dentist come an dcheck his teeth he pulled two and told us he was older then 25 he guessed about 30 years old. and before that i rode him bareback and i had a bit in and he wouldnt take any streing so i took it out and put a hack on and he rode like a pro he troted a bit and would let me on bareback and just walked around where ever he wanted to and i just sat there and thats all he wanted. saddly he passed last january. but he proves any horse is never to old to be ridding.

 

[Courtney]

My mare is 16 years old, but don't tell her that! Very often, I arrive at the barn to see her leading the other horses in a race through the field. They're loping and she's pacing away, looking happier than anything. Granted, she was bred to pace and she can pace a mile in just under 1:58... but her age is not a factor. She goes just as well as a younger horse, but without the crazy spooks. If she sees something that could potentially eat her, like a flag blowing in the wind, she's more apt to stare at it and slowly creep up behind it than she is to bolt away. Her brain is settled, she's outgrown her crazy baby stage and she's ready to work.

I prefer the older horses. Take care of them, and they will give you many years.

 

[Barrel Baby]

OMG thaTS not old at allll!!! my mare is 23 and still does barrel racing..poles..keyhole ETC!!!!! keep her in good shape and ride often if your worried!!! my mare still kicks BIG BUTT when we run barrels!!!!! LOVE MY OLDIE!!!!

 

[della]

I have a question that i hope someone can help with. I had a twh that was 25 and she died saturday. i got her when i was 16 and broke her myself. she was the best natured horse and a smooth ride. this summer my 8 year old daughter learned to ride on her. it was great. she was so gentle with her. saturday my husband took her out for a short ride. she coughed once going up a hill and started bleeding out her nose. he stopped and she started picking grass. didnt seem to be getting any worse and she didnt appear to be in pain. he thought she must have hit her nose on a gate or something. anyway he went on a little further and about a mile she coughed again. blood started pouring out her nose and mouth this time. he stopped her and got a ride to the trailor. she loaded and rode home fine. got out of the trailor and went to the gate. just through the gate she collasped dead. bled to death i guess as much blood. any ideas where it came from and what caused it? please help.

 

[natisha]

I have a question that i hope someone can help with. I had a twh that was 25 and she died saturday. i got her when i was 16 and broke her myself. she was the best natured horse and a smooth ride. this summer my 8 year old daughter learned to ride on her. it was great. she was so gentle with her. saturday my husband took her out for a short ride. she coughed once going up a hill and started bleeding out her nose. he stopped and she started picking grass. didnt seem to be getting any worse and she didnt appear to be in pain. he thought she must have hit her nose on a gate or something. anyway he went on a little further and about a mile she coughed again. blood started pouring out her nose and mouth this time. he stopped her and got a ride to the trailor. she loaded and rode home fine. got out of the trailor and went to the gate. just through the gate she collasped dead. bled to death i guess as much blood. any ideas where it came from and what caused it? please help.

This would be better in the Health section, more ideas there.
Anyway, I'm sorry for your loss. It could have been a number of causes. Guttural pouch disease, a tumor that invaded a blood vessel, a burst artery, that kind of stuff. No way to tell for sure without a necropsy but be assured that she probably felt no pain.
Again, I'm so sorry.

 

[nicole25]

My OTTB is 17 and we ride just about everyday and that includes conditioning, trails, jumping, etc.

 

[Saddlebag]

You are doing it right with the trotting/walking transitions. If you use your watch and time each phase you will gradually be able to increase the trotting. Trotting up low hills will help build the hindquarters as well.

 

[diggerchick]

My showjumper is about 15 and he still does 3 foot. I once had a horse at my old barn i was jumping, he wasnt mine, and he was 26 and could still do 2ft 3!

 

[trailhorserider]

I think it depends on the health of the horse. If they are healthy, they can still do a full workload at that age. My current riding horses are 17 and 18. I still ride them for 5 hour trail rides in the mountains. I figure when they are in their early 20's I will need to start cutting down the length of the rides, but hopefully by then I will also have a younger horse I can ride.

 

[NCPH]

With proper care, you could get many more years out of her. The first thing I would tell you is to really take care of her joints and muscles. Always make sure you do plenty of stretching out prior to any strenuous tasks. This means:
10-15 minutes of walking, moving up into some bending and counter bending toward the end. Really make her flex and bend her neck. She needs to really warm up her muscles controlling her shoulders and hips.
5-10 minutes of simple jogging, doing some half halts and bending both directions.
Do your work out, but if it is going to be longer than I'd say a half hour take a break to let her walk out and relax those muscles. Old muscles can be stressed easily, you need to give her time to recover.
Once your work out is finished, let her walk out for a good 10-15 minutes so she doesn't get stiff.
A joint supplement would also be a good idea. Depending on how much she has been used, keeping those joints well oiled can really improve her performance. Good luck with her! Hope you get a lot of enjoyment with her.