Riding older horses

[carlos martinez]

My gelding is 25 years old and in good health. I ride him three times a week for 30 minutes up to an hour, mostly at a brisk walk with light trotting and very little canter. If I don't ride him I often lunge him for 30 minutes, mostly at a light trot and canter. I never ride him anywhere near the point where he is noticeably winded.

I would like to take him on a few trail rides but that would involve trailering and riding time of at least 4 to 5 continuous hours. I don't know personnally of anyone that has ridden a horse at that age. My question is am I being too conservative and doing him more harm than good by riding him so lightly?

Can anyone with experience riding older horses offer some advice?
Thank you

[Elana55]

If the horse is physically sound, and is not in pain after being ridden, you can go ahead and use him regardless of his age. I have ahd horses that worked cattle for me right into their late 20's.

I would suggest you condition him more b4 getting into 4-5 hour rides. You need to work him on hills and long trots.. trotting up hill is wonderful for building both strength and stamina. It also get the horse to lengthen his topline and stretch his back while building his stomach muscles, which support the back.

Gradually build your horse up by increasing the amount you ride him. He will need to become winded to get in condition. I would start by riding him 1/2 hour a day 6 days a week with 10 minutes of trotting and the rest of the time walking.. gradually adding more trotting with walking in between. After a week at 1/2 hour each day, increase the length of time to an hour and eventually an hour and a half a day.. with trotting and walking. As your horse gains condition you will be able to ride him up a hill and at the top, when he is winded, you should be able to let him rest and within a few minutes his respiration and pulse should slow quickly.

Horses are athletes and at any age they can be put in healthy shape for riding but you have to be wise and bring them up slowly.

Lunging is fine, but it does put a lot of strain on the horse's legs when done at a trot or a canter (lope) for too long. I would replace the lunging with riding up hills.. first at a walk and then at a trot.

[carlos martinez]

Thanks Elana. Its impossible for me to ride him every day and where I live there are no hills at all. However its good to know that his age is not so much of a handicap as long as I use good sense. I think I will increase time of riding sessions to one hour each and continue to progress from there.

Do you recommend any particular vitamin supplement(s) that might help keep him stay in shape and maybe improve his (dry) coat?

Thank you again for your advise.

[Elana55]

I used Wheat Germ Oil supplemented with Vitamine A, D and E (it usually comes with these vitamins added in). You can use corn oil, but corn oil can interfere with the absorption of Vitamins A and E so you need to add those if you use corn oil.

Another product that worked well for me in the past was MirraCoat (R). You can also use this product on dogs to improve their coats.

Winter coats tend to be long and can be dry. If your horse seems to retain his witner coat year round, you should have him checked by a vet as he may have Cushing's Disease which can be common in older horses. This disease is caused by a tumor on the pituitary gland and can cause other issues such as unthriftiness or excessive weight gain and founder. I believe there are ways to help manage Cushing's but there is no cure and the tumor is inoperable.

[Dustyangel24]

I have an older gelding too. Mine is a OTTB! He is in great shape, and he just went on a 25 mile, 7 hour trail ride. He still wanted to go further. Age does not matter. If he is sound, conditioned, and not in pain, I day 'ride em'!!!
Obviously don't take an out of shape horse on a 20 mile ride, but a 10 mile or less leisurley ride will be fine.
Good luck, and let us know if you decide to ride him on the trails.

[nana]

I retired a 25 year old only because shes 16+h and I can not get up there any more . I let friends ride her and she still has a big motor. At home the kids ride her bareback but when the old gal goes trailrideing she wants to boogie.

[cutting_horse_maniac]

HI~

I have never riden an eldery horse, but I know of a gal that rode a 28 year old gelding. She rode him almost every day and would run about 20 second barrel times on him in a big arena. He would go out on multiple mile trail rides and he has been hauled from Kansas to North Carolina and back. He was taken a mother and a daughter on a 3 hour trail ride.
If your horse is in as heathy of a condition as you say then I would not worry. As long as he has good weight and a sparkle in his eye don't worry. Go have fyn with him and enjoy life.

Keep Grin'n
cutting_horse_maniac