10 yrs old... to old?

[HeartofSteel]

I would like some opinions, I have been offered a very nice 10 yr old Thoroughbred Mare. She was raced a little bit I think and has had 2 foals and has been ridden off and on. If I were to get her I would train her for hunter/jumpers and dressage but 10 yrs is kinda at the higher end for re-training and being able to re-sale her in the spring/summer. If I did get her she could also have the option of when I sell her to for a broodmare. But i'm kinda back and forth on this one so any opinions would help!

[WashingtonBay]

No, I don't think 10 is too old at all, for training, or retraining.

If she was raced and has been ridden off and on since anyhow, she's not exactly unhandled.

[Equine_Woman]

10 isn't too old at all. I was working on endurance riding until Sterling was 13, then I switched to Barrel Racing and she did fantastic. If she's athletic, it won't be a problem.

[Dakota Sunrise]

I would never consider ten too old for any discipline, retraining or not. And if she has been raced and ridden on and off, she's at least semi-trained undersaddle and should know the basics.

[HeartofSteel]

Thanks everyone so far! I think i'm a little iffy on if I would be able to re-sale her as a hunter, she would still have quite a few more years to show I would think.

[sarhound]

They're just starting to hit their stride when they're 10...

[WashingtonBay]

I guess I'd put it this way. She may have all kinds of issues a green horse will have, and I wouldn't take her on unless you feel well skilled to handle a green thoroughbred. But her age is not a limitation at all, in my mind.

[HeartofSteel]

Thanks Wbay, the owner which I am friends with says she is really easy and she learns quickly.

[TheBadLands]

10 is them in their prime. I get clients with horses in their late teens who need behavioral correction or some retraining. Horses are like people, it's not a matter of how old they are, it's a matter of how old they feel.

[Remali]

I think 10 is a great age, if I wanted a steady and reliable horse I wouldn't want one much younger than 10!

[cloedoll]

Cloe was ten when I had to break her to ride! Ha ha. I think it's a good age. =)

[Vegashorselady]

I have a friend who bought a ten year old broodmanre and started training her for cross country. The horse is 12 now and you should see her. She's beautiful at dressage and jumping! Plus, my gelding is 11 and there is no way he is done learning. I have all kinds of things I still want to do with him.

[Pi and Tofu]

Okay, I'll be a slight dissenter here.

The horse is a sale prospect. Let's face it, she's not really 10, Jan 1st is almost here so she is a green as grass 11yo. If you have the chance to put some mileage on her and campaign her as at least a children's, better yet a junior horse, then there is still money to be made as an 11yo. If you are sellling her as a baby green prospect horse at 11yo, I just don't think there is enough of a market to make back what you put into her; feed, vet, farrier, and time, after 6mos you need to be able to make a couple of thousand and who will pay that for a baby green, average, no chrome, 11yo thoroughbred?
I'm in Florida, I don't know these things-do you have shows in Oregon during winter? How much training and showing can you get in before summer-because she will need to be worked pretty constantly to pack around a children's course by summer.
I would try her out first and see how much she knows and how willing she is before I took her on as a sales prospect-unless you can turn her around in 60-90days, she better be pretty easy.

[TBgirl]

I agree with Pi and Tofu...

I definitely don't think 10 is too old. However, in my area (NY) there are so many TB's for sale that you can pick them up for $300-$2500. As long as she is quiet, a 10 year old TB would be great in my opinion...because they are at their prime! But...a green 10-11 year old would be a hard re-sale project IMO. So...if she learns fast and has a nice, quiet dispostion I'd say take her on! She's a beauty!

[HeartofSteel]

Thanks everyone! I have been definately thinking about both sides of this. I am going to call her owner and get a little more information on what she has done and what not. But I don't think I will know for sure until I actually see her.

[Annie&Dixie]

Sorry I haven't read the responses but no I don't think 10 years old is too old for any kind of training. You've seen the videos of Dixie right? Do you know her story? She's 10 years old right now, she was originally broken more than 4 years old. Her previous owners bought her and did not ride or do anything with her for four years; she was horrible for the farrier, wouldn't stand for anything, ran off with people, barely ever cantered, shouldered out every chance she got, etc. I have been in the process of re-training her and yes, I wish she was a bit younger but I would never think it was too old :)

[BalooEyes]

Yeah, heck, Baloo is 13 this year and I took him this may and completely retrained him. He was a pokey western pleasure horse, and I'm pretty much making a 3 day eventer out of him. He's definitely got plenty of great years ahead of him!

[Palogal]

The older ones are easier in some ways. They don't have all that baby-the-tree's-gonna-eat-me mindset usually.

[shewasmyshadow]

Got any pictures? What are you paying for her? Do you KNOW she's completely sound? Do you have any idea how much she was raced, how early or how hard?

I wouldn't say her age was a problem depending on her body condition at 10. Some horses bodies hold up well and some don't. My gelding is 28 and he looks 22. He has almost no sway. It just depends. I've seen some massively swayed backs from early hard work and too many foals. :(

[mandisue]

I'd make sure she's sound, but no ten is not too old, my moms gaming mare that I show is turning ten this year and she just keeps getting better!

[FredRock]

I've trained my 10 year old mare. She waseager to please and learned quickly. I love 10 year olds in general; they're young enough to have meny years ahead of them, and old enough to be out of their baby years.

[Suzi]

I also agree , in general 10 is not too old. But overall health and previous care can have a big effect on her. And those who pointed out a green 10 yr old may be tougher to market. But I would certainly give her a good look at.

[HeartofSteel]

So I'm going to try to go looks at her today. Should be hearing from the lady anytime! I will give an update when I know whats happening for sure

[HeartofSteel]

Update!!
I went and looked at her. She is approx. 16.2hh I would guess. She is very cute and her ground work was really good. I lunged her and she did pretty well, she doesn't track up at the walk and trot as much as I would had like to see. She seemed sound.... but..... I trotted her in the round pen for probably hmmm... 15 min or so and every so often there was a funny step. She seemed really stiff at first which I can understand, she hasn't done much in a very long time and it was cold. After I lunged her and let her walk she tracked up better and then I wa standing and talking to the owner for a little bit and then I led her out of the round pen and took her halter off and she was walking away and she would take a weird step everytime.... not good. So I don't think she is worth even having a vet check done because I could clearly see something wasn't right...
And the paint mare I liked sold today so I am back to the searching