If you've retired a horse - how'd you decide when?

I have a pony who is 26 years old who I first got when he was 3, sold him at 12 and got him back at 19. During the 7 years I didn't have him, he foundered badly and developed cushing's disease. However, he has been very healthy, sound and spunky until this year, but has lost a lot of muscle tone and doesn't keep weight on well. This summer he choked twice and colicked once. All three incidents were mild and I got them resolved without calling the vet. Then I had his teeth floated and switched to a senior feed, which seemed to make a difference. He's not stiff or lame and still nickers when I call his name. My 6 year old son rides him about once a week. Just walk/trot so far, and usually in short sessions unless we go for a mostly walking trail ride. We went on a trail ride last Sunday, for the first time with me riding my horse instead of walking along beside him or leading the pony from my horse.

If you've retired a horse - how'd you decide when?
I would just monitor him. He sounds like he is still enjoying life and your son sounds like he is enjoying him. Once a week is not much at all and if he is healthy then he should be fine. If he starts to get winded easily or comes up even a little lame then stop. I mean I do not want him to be forced to go until he is lame, but I feel for the very little your son is riding him it is no different then what he might do outside in a paddock. Sometimes doing that little bit of work helps them feel still needed, especially if he likes it. Moving also helps the joints, the movement help keep the joint fluid moving. If your son is going to move up and start riding harder then invest in another animal but for now he seems fine. I have seen horse be ridden until they are well into their 30's. So just watch him and figure out what is best for him by what he tells you. He may have attached himself to your son sort of as his protector. They love little kids and are really good with them. (most horses, and old horses)
Reply:The pony sounds like he is wanting to be put to pasture now, he wont go away too well away from home, but you said once he headed for home and knew it, he responded well..He wanted to get back to the barn and rest, he is worn out.........One of my horses went at 27 yrs, I was so heartbroken, my dad put him to lot feed only, for about 8u mos before he died....he did not want to respond either, but my dad did not have the heart to put him down....He finally got he did not want to eat well and we lost him that Spring...Just enjoy the pony as much as you can, and dont wear him down too much.......god bless and I wish your pony the best....
Reply:I think as long as he is showing interest in life and nickering at you all systems are go. I am in the same boat as you with a 26 year old pony. To keep the choking to a min. I soak hay cubes in water, we call it "pony soup". My son and I just started trail riding and this old guy is a real trooper. We do have to make concessions for him, such as waiting on hills for him to catch his breath. Being a pony he hairs up more then the horses and he has to trot to keep up. I make sure he goes out with one of my other older horses to make him move around. If left to himself he will find a sunny spot and not move all day. With our pony the day the sparkle goes out of his eye or he becomes too stiff or lame to ride that will be the time. It sucks but this is part of the package of being a horse owner.
Reply:Your concern should be keeping the pony comfortable and the older they become oft times arithritis and other general bone degeneration occurs. Can happen within any joint...knees, hocks, hips, fetlocks, patella. His weight loss may be due to his body not utilizing feed as effectively. Senior feeds should help him. You'll know when to retire him as his "job" (being ridden once a week)will become increasingly difficult for him; he will not move as freely and will demonstrate reluctance to move.





I think however, you're doing a good job with the pony!!
Reply:I honestly wouldn't be that worried. I know much younger horses that don't want to leave the barn and then get excited on the return. Most associate being home with food, which is why they want to be there. Plus it's where they feel comfortable and feel that they are safe. I particularly would not be worried since you just changed your usual routine from leading or ponying him to letting him be ridden independently by a young child. A horse knows when there is someone who can really ride and will make him work vs. someone just learning on their back. If he starts showing signs of lameness or shows a drop in health, then it might be time to retire him for good, but if he still looks and acts healthy, there is nothing at all wrong with a light work once a week- it's actually better for him than standing around all day. It will help him to retain some muscle mass and will stretch his legs and warm up his muscles a bit (as long as he's sound and healthy). When it's time, he'll let you know.
Reply:you might want to retire your pony, because he is 26 years old. And even though he's 26, to him he probably feels he's 100! It sometimes is rare for a pony or horse to live that long. Like there is a Shetland pony at my stable, and she's 40!!! You could have your son ride the other horse. But that depends on the horses behavior. like if he's fast and shies, you wouldn't want your son to ride him. But if he's calm and easy going, he's probably a good choice. Or if there is a stable near you, you could have your son ride there. But if you decide to retire the pony to a place far away, i'll understand that if you do do that, you will be giving away lots of memorys. I would retire him before the snow comes, because since he's old, his bones are fragle. So he could slip and fall. Then you might have to put it to sleep.
Reply:My parents still own a gelding I grew up with, he is now 26 years old, and I saw him during Thanksgiving when I went to my parents' ranch. We took a long ride in the afternoon, and I was suggesting that my husband (still learning to ride horses) ride Kokomo. My sister looked at me like I was silly. I said, "Why not, is he in the china cabinet already?" She said, "Yes, unless he wants to kick him all the way, don't ride him." It seems Kokomo is officially retired. He just has creaky old joints and he refuses to push himself out of a shuffle any longer. He is half Arabian, half Quarter Horse, and is in excellent health. A year ago, he looked about half his age....at Thanksgiving he had a lot of fuzzy winter fur on him, so it's hard to tell, but his weight and muscle is good. Has never had any health problems. But he just takes care of himself. Won't hurry, doesn't walk as fast as the other horses, so he can't keep up without really pushing him, which gets old after a mile or so. So he's retired.





I would say in your case short rides with your son are great for your old pony. Just don't expect him to be the easiest horse for your son to ride. He's going to take care of numero uno. He will probably insist on going his own pace and heading home if he's had enough. This may be a perfect situation for your son to safely learn how to control a horse and make him mind. So teach your son how to rein him and cue him when he's trying to do his own thing. I learned to ride on a stubborn old gelding, it's good training for breaking colts later on. Good luck, and enjoy your old pony. They're priceless.
Reply:I always say retire the horse when:


The horse doesn't enjoy the ride any longer.





Of course monitor their health and make sure they are sound etc. - it sounds like you already know all that.


But,


You can tell if they just don't WANT to go riding anymore (they don't get excited anymore or don't have an interest in the adventure - then I would say "ok, just enjoy the pasture, and we won't work you anymore ol guy".





However, a little ride from a 6 year old would actually be a little healthy exercise for your pony too.
Reply:I used to show my 17yr old Arabian in just about ever class ( he is very versatile) last year our stud rammed him into the fence and he got his leg caught up in it pretty bad, it took about 3 months of being stall bound before he was healed up and being him self again. But i have retired him from showing cause i barrel race him too. but i still take him trail riding and let my nieces ride him. but no more showing. All the barrel racing would probably flare his ankle back up. As long as their still willing to get out and go for a ride even if its a short one i wouldn't throw in the towel just yet.
Reply:You'll know when its time :) I rode my roping horse until he was past 34... I didn't have a choice- he wouldnt let me use any of the other horses, he refused to admit he was getting old! He was out in a large pasture with my other horses, and he always poked around when he was around them, but when i would show up at the front gate with a halter, he was always the first one to insist that I use him, and he would chase away the other horses to get to me first! He had more spring in his step when i rode him than my 3 year olds did! I know that he actually enjoyed our strolls, I think it made him feel young again :) And then eventually he just decided he was too old for all that stuff and lost some of that spring when I rode him, so i just decided it was time to just give him all the love i could possibly give him until he passed. I admired his spunk until the day he died, which ended up being in the middle of his 37th year. :) Anyways, he had locking stifles that acted up every once in awhile, and we had him on a special diet because he wasnt keeping weight on as well as he did in his younger years also. He was also a choker until we put several mid sized rocks in his feed bucket, it makes them have to nose around for their feed and not take as big of bites. We also soaked all his feed and hay. Anyways, enjoy your pony while you have him, as long as he's happy, there's no reason he can't still be used. :)
Reply:We had to retire my husband's gelding when the arthritis in his knees got to the point that it was uncomfortable for him when riding. And he told us about it, loud and clear. He never did limp, but twice his knee "seized up" and he fell. The first time we took him in, got a thorough check up, and were told to watch him closely, try a little bute, and see how he went. The second time it happened, we figured that was probably it. A couple of weeks later the farrier came to shoe everyone, and this gelding that was always the easiest guy in the barn to work with had an absolute fit. When we tried to raise his fronts, he went down on the ground. I told my farrier....pull his shoes....he's pasture art. God love my farrier...he went through all sorts of gyrations to figure out a position to get in that allowed the old boy the most comfort. If this pony is getting along as well as you say, I see no reason why your son can't continue to ride him, so long as continues to do well. Good luck to you....gotta love those seniors!
Reply:If you know your horse well enough, they will let you know. And you will be able to tell if they are just trying to be cunning and trying to pull the wool over your eyes.
Reply:i just retired my 22yr old quarter horse this past summer. He is now strictly a trail/pleasure horse. i retired him because his navicular was taking its toll on him, we had been able to mangage it pretty well but then it started getting harder to keep him sound. he also doesn't do well in the heat, so standing out in the sun all day at a horse show was also tough on him. i had talked about retiring him before but then he was doing so well i decided not to. you just have to keep an eye on your pony. i was at a show one day this past summer and i knew he was done you could see it in his face. but he loves trail riding so he now gets ridden mayb 1x every 2 weeks walk/trot on the trail. it really depends on the individual horse. as long as your pony is healthy and happy there's no reason to retire him.