Classic ride: Old horses find new life in show ring

Shelbyville veterinarian Jim Baum rides Highjacked to the win in the Elite Owner-Amateur Riders on Walking Mares or Geldings class Thursday night at the Clebration. The elite class is for older riders, but Baum and his family also show older 'classic' horses.
(T-G Photo by Mary Reeves)

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The Tennessee walking horse industry is one of the few in which you will find complete show classes dedicated to the classic horse -- the horse that is 15 years or older. And not only do these senior citizens of the equine set compete against each other in their own Golden Ages class, but they often compete against younger horses -- and win.

"They love it," said Lisa Baum. She and her husband, local veterinarian Jim Baum, and their son Jacob often show classic horses. At the Friday night show, Lisa and Network, 22, won fourth in the classic class and Jacob and Master's Gunsmoke, 18, won seventh. (Elvis Pusher with Clay Sanderson up won first.)

"Jacob and Gunsmoke won a world championship in the youth division, but Jacob's an adult now," said Lisa. "But he wanted to show him one more time. It was kind of sad. This was their last class together."

They could continue to show Jacob's horse, but then, they have two more they're planning to show next year.

"Yes, we have some new old horses," she said, laughing.

Some people may wonder why these older show horses aren't retired to enjoy their golden years in green meadows with only some light riding for exercise. Some of the horses are -- but some don't want to be.

"We pull their shoes every winter and turn them out to be just regular horses," said Lisa. "By February, they're rattling the gate to get in the practice ring. They love it."

She said the horses know what it means when they come down the chute to the ring, and they know what the crowd means.

"Network is blind in one eye, so he looks all around at the crowd and I let him," said Lisa. "I spoil him. If he wanted to sleep in the house, I'd let him."

The friendship between these older horses and their owners is one reason they do keep them. The Baums have anywhere between 30 and 40 horses at a given time, but the older ones have a special place.

"They become part of the family," she said. "We've had offers to sell them, but there were reasons we bought them and there are reasons we keep them."

Of course, it's easier to keep older horses healthy when you have a vet in the family, but Jim said they don't require too much extra attention.

"You've got to watch their diet a little more carefully," he said. "Just like older people, they need food that's easier to digest."

Jim is somewhat of a classic contender himself -- just minutes after his wife and son won their ribbons in the classic class, he won first place in the Elite Owner-Amateur Gentlemen Riders on Walking Mares or Geldings Class -- for men age 50 or older.

Because a horse's teeth will continue to grow most of its life, he has to watch out for dental problems, and as the animals get older, there could be issues with the endocrine system, such as diabetes and Cushing's disease.

The padded shoes the performance horses wear actually contribute to their longevity in the show ring, said Lisa.

"They're not like high heels," she said. "They're more like tennis shoes -- they cushion the hoof."

She has shown Arabians, hunter-jumpers, dressage horses and quarter horses and said those breeds tend to break down at a younger age because the shoes the show horses are permitted to wear are often not adequate.

There is another benefit to having an older show horse, especially a new rider. The rider can learn from his mount.

"With a good, solid, older horse, you know what they're going to do," said Jim. "They're going to teach you."