So, how long will you keep and ride horses? Til a ripe old age or give it up at some point.
Till they pry the reins out of my cold, dead fingers! 
But your riding will change from your teens and twenties, through your thirties and forties when you discover self-preservation, and by your fifties mostly lose the feeling you have anything to “prove.”
I find I appreciate the company of the horses themselves more as I get older.
I hope until a ripe old age. Of course I know a lot will depend on having the right horse/horses, but that is my plant.
as long as possible…
I cannot imagine a future without horses. Our local click’s fearless leader, Dixie, is 68 and still goes off by herself on 30 plus day trail ride trips. She rides harder and longer than all of us younger girls. I want to be Dixie when I grow up!!!
Even if I were unable to ride, I enjoy just taking care of horses.
I’m 53, and all of it is so much harder than it used to be. But I’ve chosen a good breed for an old lady, and the work I do with him now, I hope to enjoy the benefits of when I’m 70 and he’s 25.
If I get to where I can’t ride, hopefully I’ll still be able to stand outside with him and adore him. I can still obsess over his feeding, his hooves, his mane and tail, his comfort, his happiness, his health, right?
I want to grow up to be like Barbara, she’s right behind the Master jumping full wire. She’s 83.
Of course, I haven’t jumped for some years but I reckon I’m only in my mid-forties…plenty of time for me to find big girl undies and grow up:winkgrin:
I have plenty of local older riders doing multi-day treks, including a bunch of guys in their late 60s early 70s who just did a 500km trek.
I will ride until I can no longer get off. I have discovered getting on is easy, getting off is a lot harder. Apparently the trick is to never stop riding, if you have a break for whatever reason it’s a lot harder to get going again.
I’m 51 and have been riding all my life. I still start/back the young ones. I don’t have anything to prove but would like to earn my gold (dressage) to put next to my bronze and silver as a personal goal. If I reach a point where I can no longer ride I will still likely be involved in whatever form or fashion is feasible. Fortunately my daughter co-owns my stallion and my hope is she’ll continue where I leave off and I can share pride in her accomplishments.
[QUOTE=Dreamwalker;7668360]
Apparently the trick is to never stop riding, if you have a break for whatever reason it’s a lot harder to get going again.[/QUOTE]
I think this is very true. An accident with a long recovery, or a major illness, and you are not the rider you want to be. Sigh…
I love the foxhunting obituaries that tell of a 98 year old who died after falling from their favorite horse out hunting after leading an interesting life.
We should all be so lucky.
[QUOTE=exvet;7668363]
I’m 51 and have been riding all my life. I still start/back the young ones. I don’t have anything to prove but would like to earn my gold (dressage) to put next to my bronze and silver as a personal goal. If I reach a point where I can no longer ride I will still likely be involved in whatever form or fashion is feasible. Fortunately my daughter co-owns my stallion and my hope is she’ll continue where I leave off and I can share pride in her accomplishments.[/QUOTE]
Although I am younger, this is pretty much how I feel. I have a few goals I would still like to accomplish and will keep riding and trying to accomplish them for as long as I am physically able and have the heart for it. After that, I will try to stay involved with horses in any way possible, even if that means owning a horse for someone else to ride.
As long as humanly possible and when I can’t ride anymore, I’ll get a pony or mini and drive! I can’t imagine not having a horse in my life, no matter how old I get 
I plan to ride as long as possible and then drive, if physically able. Like others I will have a horse as long as I breathe.
PShaw. Riding keeps me going. If I have to get a pony to climb on, I will.
I have all six dressage medals, so I guess I should go for the century club. Let’s see, 50 now. Young ones are 4 and 6. Hmm. So, I have about 22 years to get that one. I should be able to sit a trot on a 26 year year old at 72 no problem! Hopefully it won’t be training level, but something higher!
I’m 62 and just bought a 6 year old gelding to add to my little herd of three. If he goes as long as some of my others have, I’ll be in my 80’s. As others have said, if I can’t ride I’ll learn to drive them. Keeps me feeling young.
As long as my old body will allow. I recently turned 60 and my main horse(TB) is 20 this year. She is starting to show her age a bit and it occurred to me that she may not be my last horse. So in November, I purchased a 6yo OTTB to be bringing along to step into my other horse’s hoof prints when the time comes. If I can no longer sling my leg over the saddle, I hope to be able to learn to drive.
[QUOTE=fooler;7668437]
I plan to ride as long as possible and then drive, if physically able. Like others I will have a horse as long as I breathe.[/QUOTE]
Same here.
Until I can’t
My goal now is to do a Century Ride - which gives me & current horse 8 years to get there.
[QUOTE=anna’s girl;7668511]
Same here.[/QUOTE]
Me three.
I’m 70. Just got a new OTTB. Arthritis in my hip makes mounting and dismounting difficult. Looking forward to eventing BN this spring.
