My 21 yr old Lusitano stallion showed thru I-1. During COVID I decided he had topped out and I wanted him to stay sound a long time. So we worked on a 4th level Freestyle, showed that some. Still playing with piaffe/passage and in solid work. He gets his hocks done 1x per year, and is a rock.
I usually dont mention names, but w/in the last 12 months, Jean Brinkman of Fla did her century ride on a lovely mare over the age of 20, at PSG! That was impressive.
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Oh how I love to hear this. Not only a senior but an OTTB talented enough for GP! I do not care one tiny bit that 60% is a reach- heās still doing it!
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I board at a small facility with a limited number of horses in full-training. There are currently two GP horses over the age of 15 who are still competing. One is still competing at GP. The other competed to GP under our trainer and has helped her owner get her bronze and silver, and they are actively working towards their gold.
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My 19yo Thoroughbred just had his Third Level debut after a long eventing career. Certainly does need maintenance, but still happy to get out and work. I unfortunately donāt know his bloodlines.
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Well mine is still sound at 24, with maintenance. He was an A/O hunter/derby horse until 18. He had a left rear hind suspensory injury in 2011 which laid him up for a year. I got him in 2013 and my daughter showed him until 2017 when she went off to nursing school. His two shows with her he was champion in the USHJA National Hunter Derby, Reserve Champion 3ā3ā A/O Hunters and won the classic. He also got 8th out of 18 in a 3ā6ā adult medal finals. I currently only do training, first with him. My friend easily got her qualifying scores at second. I opted to not do third with him as I can barely do first, so what would be the point. His changes are already in place. He is a German Hanoverian. Sire is Escudo II and his dam is out of Wanderer. Here is his pedigree.
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6 years ago I sold my PSG Lusitano gelding to another boarder. He is now 22 and youād never know it. He has the strongest topline ever, though he is only doing 2nd-3rd with his current owner. His favorite movements are piaffe and Spanish walk. He went through a round of Adequan a couple years ago after he had a slip/fall in turnout, but thatās all.
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I have 3 sound dressage horses. They are 24 (Trakehner/Arab), 21 (KWPN), and 20 (Appaloosa). All of them work daily, the KWPN mare was my best FEI horse. Good quality work makes for sound horses.
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19 y/o Lusitano competing at GP. Minimal maintenance
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Mine is 15. Has competed through I1. Hanno/arab cross. There are two other older horses in the barn competing at FEI levels. They all get some regular maintenance, joint injections, etc. No DSLD in any of them.
The ones you should be more concerned about are the 6-10 year old extra large models, who seem much more fragile and are already getting joint maintenance.
(The first three I mentioned are sensibly sized, well conformed horses. There have been some giants come into the barn recently and they are the ones that to me seem to struggle. We are in a small training barn with excellent footing and impeccable care.)
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Not my horses but Damsey was no.3 in the world at 18 or 19 and I believe Blue Horse Zack was 19 at the Olympics. I am sure both horses have better health care than I do but medications allowed are very limited at that level so both must be very sound horses. Valegro was in 3? Olympics. There are horses out there but they have had exemplary management besides being tough horses.
Training makes a big difference in how long a horse lasts not to mention FOOTING! Pounding the ground for years takes its toll. And even worse - too deep footing. There are quite a few horses for sale on different websites working in really deep footing - some in sand that comes over the hoof. Holy suspensory people! Depending on how long the horse worked in it I would be very scared to buy that horse. If they donāt stay sound that is not the fault of the horseās genetics.
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My last horse was in the ātoo bigā category. He was serviceably sound until he was 19 and is now retired. Never did get a reliable FC on him going right and I suspect that was due to structural weakness.
He is an Oldenburg.
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Blu Hors Zack is 19 now and just did a GP test at the KWPN Stallion Show. Sharing a FB link from Liz VW at the KWPN-NA that has been shared in my dressage breeding group, so not private:
Zack KWPN
He looks fabulous.
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Not sure if this counts, but I have an almost 19yo TB by Academy Award, schooling 2nd, and probably would be competing 2nd pretty easily with a more competent rider 
Iām still trying to ride first decently in competition, but thatās on me.
Heās not on any joint support.
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There are several Trakehners I can think of that fall in this category. I love this story https://eventingnation.com/the-ride-of-the-century-an-olympian-and-a-usdf-gold-medalist-earn-their-place-in-the-century-club/
I know you specified 2nd Levelā¦but he is 30 so thought that Training might still be impressive.
Jean Brinkman did her Century Ride on 21 yr old Faithkeeper at PSG 
https://www.dressagefoundation.org/grants-and-programs/century-club/new-members/2021-rides/jean-brinkman-and-faitherkeeper.html
The approved stallion Stiletto PgE* also has a great record in his years over 15. Look his record up on USEF!
Just a few, there are many more!
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Me. Bravo is 18 this year. SOund with minimal maintenance. He was competing PSG last year; now leased to a friend hapily showing her the ropes at Second and Third level. He is mostly Lusitano with 1/4 Andalusian, from the Do Retiro stud in Brazil.
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Windfall looked GREAT in that video. Never would have guessed he was 30, much less evented at the level he did.
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I saw the Windfall video a little while ago and LOVED it. Both have competed at much higher levels, but given their ages, the Training level test was quite wonderful.
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Love these stories. They help alleviate the gloom inspired by that other thread!
My 19 year old Welsh Cob was sound sound when he died Sunday of horrific colic. We were schooling for our upcoming show doing 3-1 that saturday. It was remarked by everyone who worked on him, rode him that they couldnāt believe he was 19.
I thought heād live forever.
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I am so very sorry to hear that. You must be devastated. My sincerest condolences.
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