Buying a young horse can sound like the best idea in the world, all of your own hard work producing your dream horse. But here’s why it’s hard to beat a golden oldie...
1. Been there and done it
Of course it can be rewarding teaching a young horse the ropes but that can take a lot of time and dedication that your day-to-day life might not always allow. An older horse is perfect if you are looking for something that has already seen the sights and is ready to go out and compete.
2. And old does not for one second mean past it…
Some of the world’s top competition horses don’t reach their prime until their mid-teens. For a start, Chilli Morning was 16 years old when he competed in Rio. And we’ll never forget the diminutive showjumper Stroller who lived until the grand age of 36 — and aged 20 managed to win the Hamburg Derby.
3. Look forward to leisurely hacks
(Hopefully) the spook-busting has been done for you. You can go out for a leisurely hack on a long rein on a Sunday morning and rest assured that your trusty oldie will not be spooking at Pokémon hiding in the hedges.
4. They may laugh at the plodding…
Your friends may chuckle at your old boy who perhaps doesn’t always show the greatest enthusiasm as he plods around the school… But take him to a beach and watch him turn into Red Rum and they chuckle no more.
5. Veteran classes
There are now a huge range of veteran classes for you and your golden oldie to enjoy at various shows across the country. Visit veteran-horse-society.co.uk to find out more.
6. That smug feeling
There is nothing quite like the feeling when someone asks for the age of your loyal companion and you get to see the surprise in their eyes when you fondly tell them that your beautiful horse is 20 years old and still looks and acts like a sprightly 10 year old.
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When they're hunting, jumping and impressing in the dressage and showing arenas, it's hard to believe the age of some
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20 golden oldies with Peter Pan genes
7. And finally…
What better excuse for you taking a breather when you’re keeling over mid-schooling session, than saying that you’re just ‘giving the old boy a break’.
