FAQ

How long do horses live

Jaime BeamerMay 9, 2022

0 408 13 minutes read

The average horse lives for 25 to 30 years. However, in rare cases, domestic horses have lived into their 50s or 60s. There are many factors that affect the lifespan of a horse including: Nutrition.

Believe it or not, more than 7 million domesticated horses live in the United States as working animals and pets. They live comfortably on about 450,000 horse farms or are owned by about a million horse owners. On the other hand, wild horses live freely in nature. Unfortunately, this comes at a cost, with a shorter lifespan due to an unbalanced diet and lack of shelter and veterinary care.

It’s hard to answer the question of how long a horse can live. Horses have a life expectancy of about 20 to 30 years, depending on the breed, but small horse breeds generally live longer than larger horse breeds. It is reported that the longest-lived domestic horse lived to be 62 years old, and the wild horse was 36 years old.

Horse life.

The lifespan of a horse depends largely on genetics, diet, exercise, veterinary care and living conditions. About 20 to 30 years, but many animals live far longer than average. One thing is for sure. Today, horses are living longer than ever before.

For example, ponies generally live longer and you can use them as principals even in their 30s. Some of them live beyond the age of 40. Unfortunately, large horses, especially pack horses, don’t live long, but some people live happily ever after in their forties. Due to their demanding lifestyle, wild horses have a much shorter lifespan. Their approximate lifespan is about 15 years.

The oldest horse ever.

Old Billy, a large Shire-type horse, worked well even when he was older. This charming 62-year-old lived a hard life in 18th-century England as a barge horse, dragging barges across river channels. It became famous during its lifetime and was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest horse in the world.

Sugar Puff is a British born Shetland Exmor pony cross. Thanks 56 years for the second longest horse ever.

The oldest filly in the world, Orchid, lived to be around 50 years old. Worth mentioning are the Polish-Arab magician who lived to the age of 46 and the purebred Prospect Point who spent 38 years in South Carolina, USA.

There is one more question that may interest you. Knowing when a horse is considered an old horse is crucial. Basically, it depends on the breed and type. Most breeders consider a 25-year-old horse to be old. That’s roughly the age of a human being 70 years old.

Factors that Affect Horse Longevity

1. Breed

Today, more than 300 equine breeds are recognized worldwide. Their life expectancy varies by breed and type. As I mentioned earlier, smaller horses will live longer than larger horses, many of which can live into their 30s.

2.Workload

As you probably know, some breeds are bred for specific purposes and types of jobs. Those who do risky and energy-intensive tasks generally live shorter lives.

For example, most racing horses have careers between the ages of 2 and 10. Horse racing is a dangerous sport and animals are often injured with no chance of recovery. Once these horses retire, breeders usually stop caring about their welfare.

They ignore, abuse and even eat former champions because they no longer make money. On the other hand, in decent living conditions, these horses can live up to 30 years.

3.Nutrition

A horse’s diet consists primarily of hay or grass and grains. They must be free of dust and mold. Your best bet is to provide your horse with constant feed, or several small meals throughout the day to prevent ulcers from developing if he is hungry for too long.

Keep in mind that grains are high in carbohydrates, so don’t include them in your regular horse’s diet too often. Otherwise your horse may experience joint problems. Don’t change standard foods too quickly to prevent digestive problems.

Make sure the horse has constant access to fresh water and let it graze for as long as possible. However, not every ranch is good enough, so you should check their quality.

Older horses need quality nutrition and supplements when they need it. If possible, make sure to feed them at the same time each day to strengthen their digestive system.

Lactating maes need extra calories to produce milk, and growing ponies need high-quality feed to develop properly.
Never overeat in calories, as overweight horses are prone to illness. The calculation is not complicated. The average daily requirement for feed for a horse is 1.5% to 2% of its body weight. Therefore, a 1,000 lb (453.5 kg) horse needs about 15 to 20 lbs (6.8 – 9 kg) of feed per day.

4.Training and rest periods

A horse needs regular daily exercise. Ride to a nearby fenced pasture and let it run for as long as possible. It should never be placed in a compartment unless recommended by a veterinarian while recovering from injury or illness.

Training intensity doesn’t matter, but at least one or two 20-minute rides a day can keep your animals healthy.

Older horses are often prone to degenerative musculoskeletal disorders, including arthritis and laminitis. You should try your best to prevent these situations by keeping the animal moving.

Although horses are very active animals, they also need daily rest. This period depends on the age, sex, workload and condition of the horse. The only way to want a healthy, wealthy and long-lived horse is to find the right balance between daily activities and rest

5. Veterinary care

Overbreeding predisposes certain equine breeds to specific health problems and continually passes these genetic disorders from parent to offspring.

For example, some Appaloosa breeds are prone to eye problems, while some Arabian foals are born with immunodeficiencies.

Cushing’s Disease – This is a common disease in all types of horses, especially Morgan horses and ponies. It never directly kills animals, but is the basis for many more deadly health problems.
Colic – If you are not feeding your horse the right food, he is likely to suffer from colic followed by severe abdominal pain.
Laminitis – This is a serious and very painful disease associated with improper nutrition affecting the hoof.
Arthritis – Unfortunately, most older horses suffer from this disease. You can’t prevent it, but regular exercise can often delay or prevent the worst forms of the disease.

Remember that your horse will need regular veterinary care and timely deworming and vaccination against:

Equine rabies
Tetanus and botulism
Strangles
Equine herpesvirus (EHV-4 and EHV-1)
Equine influenza
Rotavirus
Potomac horse fever
Equine viral arteritis
Equine encephalomyelitis
West Nile virus

6. Dental care

Float the horse’s teeth at least once a year. That’s how veterinarians remove sharp edges from corners. As your horse ages, he will need more dental care due to tooth loss and additional chewing problems.

7. Hoof care

Poor hoof management often leads to lameness and general deterioration of the horse’s health. This is why you need to take care of your animal promptly and regularly call the farrier to check its current condition. Keep in mind that unshoeed horses generally require more frequent hoof checks.