Age

[andyp]

Not sure if this is a silly question, but i will ask it anyway cos i cant look as silly as vegy! :D

1. Do horses have peak ages in their career? People say footballers hit their peak usually at around the age of 27/28. Just wondered if a horse had a peak age?

2. Is their a certain time in a horses life when on a percentage basis it will struggle to win if its too old? i.e Will 9 year old horses and above lose more races than young whipper snappers on average?

3. Can horses be too young?

4. What is the ideal age of a horse to win the majority of its races? 2-8 yrs / 3-9yrs... etc, if any?

[bigcumba]

on the flat 2 year olds only race against each other.... and they are very much juveniles at that age, 3yo's will race each other and against older horses in many races - in handicaps there is a weight allowance against age... some horses will race on to 10+ on the flat, and of course over jumps they tend not to be fully mature till they're at least 6, and can race till 13 or 14... as for when they peak - on the flat I guess 3-5, and jumps more like 7-11... I'm sure some of the others will have their own ideas on this as well!

[Onlyforfun]

Seen on an information board next to the paddock at Newmarket and some Discovery Channel guff.


The size of a horses heart is directly related to its ability. It is thought that the size of its heart contributes around 25% of a horses overall "class". If you consider that when galloping a horses breathing is regulated by its stride rather than its diaphragm (it can only take one breath per complete action) this suddenly seems viable. A horses heart will grow until it is 4 or 5, giving room for improvement up until that age. Of course, there is no way to know the size of its heart until it dies.

However, imo, some older horses increase in "heart" in the figurative sense, as in, they don't like the young horses being in front as they are older and wiser so put in that extra bit of effort.

Horses are heirarchical beasts and if you find one that doesn't like other horses in front of it because it thinks its the daddy (see Persian Punch) you are on to a good thing.

Bit of digression there, but something to think about.

In addition, a 3yo is still growing and maturing, so all these ones retired to stud are probably capable of better, or maybe not. It snot uncommon for a gifted 2yo to have a poor 3yo season and then go on to win at a high level at 4 and 5. Look at Soviet Song and New Seeker for example.

[Win2Win]

A horse isn't fully grown until it is 5, but this does not mean a form peak as they will have different times, hence the change in the top 100 ratings each year.

However, the proof is the fact that Godolphin, and now Coolmore, keep their older horses in training longer, usually till the end of the 5th year, and the top class races are all the better for it.

NH horse don't really peak till 7+ in this country, however in France it is 5+, so it's mostly down to training as well.

[andyp]

Thanks for the information guys, it was very useful.

1. what is the legal age before i can go out with a horse? :D (JOKE)

[jonahjones]

Thanks for the information guys, it was very useful.

1. what is the legal age before i can go out with a horse? :D (JOKE)


I think Prince Charles waited until she was in her late forties Andy! :)

[andyp]

I think Prince Charles waited until she was in her late forties Andy! :)

:laugh