How many of you retire your endurance equine in their late teens? It's not something you need to do just because your equine is getting older. It depends a lot more on how your equine is aging than its actual age.

A growing number of equines are now being competed well into their twenties with very good results. These equines are winning a few best conditions and finishing at a rate comparable to much younger equines. Part of this may be better care for our older equines and part due to a change in rider perception of how long they feel their equine partners can compete.

Looking at statistics on AERC rides from 2002 to the present, the number of equines competing past age 20 has grown from 68 in 2002 to 92 in 2004 for a 35% increase in three years. While equines 20 or older were only 2% of the total population competing in 2004, it's still a significant number.

The most common age for competing equines is from 6 to 12 years with almost 50% in this age range. Only one equine in 16, or 6.4%, is younger than 6. About 10% of equines who compete are 16 or older.

The typical number of rides per year for equines older than 20 is similar to younger equines although these equines compete in more LD rides. The one exception is 100 mile rides. Only seven to nine 100 mile rides are attempted every year with equines over 20 with an average completion rate of 32%. No equines over 22 attempted 100 mile rides. Some equines older than 20 competed in up to 12 to 13 rides a year during the 2004 ride year.

Completion rates are about 80% in 50 mile and shorter rides which is only slightly lower than the younger population completion rate. About 80% are geldings, 18% mares, and 2% stallions compared to 67.5%, 30%, and 2.5% in the complete population. Mares are underrepresented and geldings are overrepresented in the older-than-20 equines.

About 47% of these older equines compete in limited distance, a little more than 50% in 50 mile rides and only 2.5% in 100 mile rides. As expected, LDs are more common in this population than in the total equine population.

For equine competition records, the oldest competing in any given year seems to be 27 or 28. Some of these oldest equines are competing only in LD but a surprising number are still doing 50 mile rides.

So don't retire your older endurance equine just because he has reached some number of years. Let it depend on whether your equine is still having fun and is in good health. And, of course, watch carefully during your ride to be sure everything's fine. Your older equine may not have the reserves that he had 10 years ago.