How old is too old to go into the show ring?

[Frankie]

Do you think there is a certain age for a horse to start showing?

Or is it ok for them to show for the first time at any age?

Harder or easier if they are older?

To this point, all of mine that I have shown started showing as a yearling or younger.

Considering a 3 year old. It would be this horses first time shown.

Any problems you can see by doing that? Are there any true disadvantages?

thanks for your input

 

[kaykay]

i showed a 3 yr old for the first time last year and it was horrible. She shook and stressed the entire time. I was scared to death shed colic etc. It was just a one day show and I never showed her again. i even stalled her with a buddy. Shes not like that at all at home so it was a big suprise. But I think every horse is different. I do think after that experience its better to show them young and then they arent in shock over it

 

[chandab]

Each horse will be different, as some like the commotion of showing and others don't. I think any age can start showing, some horses may be better off waiting til they are a little older to start going to shows, as they are more settled.

I haven't show my minis, but... I did show my half-Arab gelding and he went into the show ring the first time as a four year old and did just fine. My AQHA mare never saw a show ring til she was 7 or 8. My APHA mare went to her only shows as a yearling. I know of ranch raised horses that were never off the ranch til they became mounts for 4-H kids as teenagers (the horses in their teen years) and did fine when they were taken into the show ring. It all depends on the individual horse and their temperament.

While, I didn't show her, I took my 2 year old silver dapple mini mare to the Exceptional Rodeo for the more timid people to meet and pet and she did great with the crowds. [Exceptional Rodeo is a local event for area disabled people - horseback riding (on leads), wagon rides, clowns (it's held the day before the fair rodeo, so the rodeo clowns come a day early and perform for the crowd) and more.]

I have a nervous 2 year old filly, that at this time, I wouldn't even consider taking her to a show or any other crowded event, it would probably send her over the top.

 

[Frankie]

My first thought was by starting them young, they may get use to all the hoop-la!

But then, why couldn't a 3 year old get use to it as well?

This is a very easy going horse, not much gets to him at all.

I think it is the horse itself,,,,,,,not so much the age, but still wanted to know what you guys thought and wanted to hear your experiences with starting an older horse in the ring.

 

[DakotahMoon_Ranch]

Well all I can say is that I'm going to find out. I'm taking one of my boys (in my avatar) to an AMHR show in May....he was shown when he was younger, he's 8 this year and one of those types that stays in naturally fit condition year around. I just clipped him the other day and I am always so pleasantly surprised to see how he looks under the winter hair. He's just

:

But to answer your question, I have seen/heard of aged horses (5-15 years) going into the ring and doing well, so why not? I say GO FOR IT !!

 

[Leeana]

I took Royal into the ring last year as a 5-year-old. He really just was not sure of how to handle the show scene and all the other horses ext. I am excited to be able to get our yearling colt into the ring this year as a yearling early so he can get use to everything. Royal became a total spaz at the shows last year, this year he is only doing Congress because of that ...to much stress for me and him, he can be pretty tempermental at the shows. He enjoyed them ..just maybe a little to much.

There are senior classes for a reason, as long as the horse still has plenty of life and spice to them, in good shape (mentally AND physically) and still has presence to them they should be fine in the ring. Of course, i may be being bias because i like my horses a little 'hott', but as long as they still enjoy being at the shows i dont see any reason why they shouldnt be.

 

[Dona]

CockRobin was 11 years old before he was shown for the first time....and he won Grand Champion Sr. Stallion! As showing was new to me too at the time, Robin was never shown a lot... a few AMHR, and AMHA shows before I started showing his babies. But everytime he showed....he did great!

:

I don't think you can put an age limit on a show horse....they either have it in them, or they don't.

:

 

[Kim]

Horses absolutely do not need to have showring experience as a yearling or two year old in order to do well as an older horse. A horse's reaction to being shown will depend far more on their disposition than their age. I have seen many horses make their showring debut past the age of one or two and do just fine. I bought a 13 year old mare who had just been sitting around a pasture for her whole life, started training her to drive in the spring, showed her that summer and the next, and by the second fall she won 6 Top Tens at Nationals (Worlds). She continues to be a great show horse and loves it.

 

[Miniv]

I don't think you can put an age limit on a show horse....they either have it in them, or they don't.

:

I think Dona said it in a nutshell.......

:

MA

 

[Boinky]

Carolyn,

Fireball, my bay gelding that i drove tandem at nationals, i got fresh off a farm running wild as a 3 year old barely halterbroke... I started training him that summer..only showed him twice that fall but he never had any issues and he's been showing like an old pro ever since. I wouldnt' at all worry about an older horse showing..even one older than 3/4... I'd go for it!

 

[alongman]

Some horses need to mentally mature enough to be able to handle the stress of showing anyway. I have seen young horses get burned out early in their show careers from being pushed too hard, so we may all learn a lesson from bringing out some more "experienced" animals.

 

[shoeboxstables]

Our mare Diva had never been out of a small paddock at her last home before, but I took her to a show when we got her and she did great! She was 8 years old! So a three year old definatly can get used to it- our chicken learned really quickly!

Good luck to you!

 

[Sandee]

Quick story to relate: We took our then yearling with us to a horse fair. We were actually supposed to just drive our old gelding there but it would have left the filly at home alone which I didn't think was a good idea. They shared a split stall just like at home.

We decided to get her out and take both for a walk to a lunge area. She shook so terribly I was concerned that she wouldn't be able to go to shows. Then some little girls wanted to pet and we let them. We were stopped several times and by the time we got back to the stall she was a whole different horse. It seems she thrived on the attention and decided that little people petting her was the greatest thing.

So it definitely depends on the horse and how they perceive what's happening. If you're worried take them without going into the arena just to get used to the noise and comotion. Just walk them around and have fun and see how they react.

 

[ThreeCFarm]

I showed a 9 year old mare who had never shown before and she handled it very well. She haltered and drove. She took right to it!

 

[JWC sr.]

I agree it all depends on the horse. But to answer your question, our stallion Cheryville's Rio De Oro came out his first time as a 12 year old and the only horse that ever beat him was the world champion that year "BACCARRA". so some of them can and do well as older horses.

Then again last year our farm manager Jose Perez wanted to show "Rio" just once. So we let him bring him in from the pasture and show him last year at 19 years old. He took a reserve grand stallion with no fitting what so ever.

So I guess what I am saying is if you want to try it, do so the rewards can be a lot of fun. Just be careful working an older horse too much from a fitting standpoint if they are not used to it.

By the way that is "Rio" in my avatar at 12 years old.

:saludando:

 

[Jill]

I would absolutely go for it!!!

How the horse handles it, or any "new" situation, truly depends on the horse. I would think most of mine would handle it fine if even if the first time was at the age of 3.

The drawback to not doing it is that you'll always wonder "what if" and 3yo is prime time for many halter horses.

Good luck!

 

[joyenes]

I didn't start showing my leopard stallion in my aviator until he was 13 years old. We then progressed to driving at the young age of 15. He was unbeatable at 16. So no age is to old to start! JOyce

 

[mistyrose]

You know Shauna Crowe's gelding she shows halter, driving and Hunter is 19 this year. I think. I think health and attitude are the important things not age.

 

[dangerranger]

One of our mares is seven and showed for the first time last week. it went extremly well. shes seems to be quite a ham. Ill be looking for a liberty class for her to try. the crowd had a big efect on her. I didnt think Id like showing but she really enjoys the attention. please dont pass up a chance to show yours just because of his or her age. DR.

 

[disneyhorse]

I bought my little pinto stallion unhandled out of a pasture as a four year old in November. By March the following year he was Grand Champion in halter and Pleasure driving! He was quite wound up at his first show (much better the following shows) but ended up really enjoying the activity and attention. You never know until you try.

Andrea