How long can a horse show competitively?

Answer 1

Honestly, it depends on the horse. Many horses are started in the ring as weanlings and yearlings in in-hand classes, sporting the best of their breed. They then continue as performance horses at many different levels of shows. Many horses can continue to perform throughout their twenties, and, depending on the breed and horse, early thirties.

Health is the biggest concern among older horses. If your horse is having trouble trotting, cantering, or even walking and holding weight, it is time to consider retiring the horse from showing, or riding altogether. If your horse is lame, obviously stay off his back.

Many ponies can live into their forties, so they continue to compete through their later years, but this is just on individual cases.

So, the answer to this question isn't quite set in stone. It depends on when the horse got in the ring to begin with (were they two years old when they started or fifteen?), their overall health (do they have Cushings, laminitis, or another disease?), and temperment. (Many young horses cannot handle the stimuli of the showgrounds until they get older, and many horses just cannot handle shows at all, no matter how old or young).

Consult with your trainer, instructor, and most importantly veterinarian to see what kind of condition your horse is in before you spend the money to show, especially if you compete in a demanding area, like eventing or rodeo.