Boarding stables, if available, may be expensive or inconvenient. Exercise areas are essential. If the horse must be hauled to an exercise area, a trailer or other vehicle is needed. A horse's condition and training are more important than its age. Prime age for a horse is about seven to nine years, but this is not necessarily the ideal age.
Horses frequently are active into their late twenties if they get proper care.
A buyer can often buy a top-quality older horse at the same price or less than he would pay for a younger horse of lesser quality. Although most older horses can't perform as actively as they did when younger, they may have many years of useful service left. Be ready to decide whether you prefer a younger horse or if an older one would do as well. This decision can't be made until you evaluate each individual horse. The age of the horse you buy depends on what you can afford and what horses you find available.