Horse Life Expectancy
Posted by Bill on Jan 02 2007 at 04:10 pm | Tagged as: Horse Health
When we first started talking about buying a horse, we sought out advice on the internet and from people we knew with horses. It was universally suggested that we should purchase an older horse, 15-20 years old, especially if we we’re mostly interested in pleasure riding. It is reasoned that older horses are generally more gentle and usually have more riding experience. This made perfect sense to us, even though we ignored it to buy the horse (now horses) we have now. As regular readers will know, we have two horses, 6 and 8 years old. That’s pretty young even in “horse years”. One benefit to their youth, however, is that we probably have many years to look forward to, if we keep them (and we plan on keeping them). Just how long could that be? In my quest to answer that question, here’s what I discovered:
- Although some sources indicate the average horse life expectancy to be between 20-30 years, I found accounts of horses living much longer.
- The Guinness Book of Records shows a record of 62 years old. The horse was named “Old Billy”, born in 1760. This, however, is not the norm.
- One of the Champion horses lived to be 41! See Just Like Gene and Roy.
- Some locals here in Tennessee report horses normally live into their 30’s.
- We’ve been told that a “Horse year” is equal to 3 human years. This is the “dog years” approach, where we compare horse life expectancy to human life expectancy. The average American is living to be around 78 these days. In “horse years” that’s 26.
To be honest with you, some quick internet research shows “horse life expectancy” estimates all over the place. I’ve seen 20 years old and I’ve seen 46. My non-technical way of making sense of the wild variation is to average it out. My un-educated guess is that, barring unforeseen circumstances, our horses should live to be up to 30 years old. For me, that means when Moonshine is a senior citizen, I will be able to sympathize, as I will almost be one myself.
What have you heard or experienced?
I’d heard horses live to be about 30, but there’s a horse at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary (http://bestfriends.org/) that’s 45! By the way…if you’re ever in SE Utah, go to Kanab and visit/volunteer at Best Friends. This place is HUGE (30,000 acres+). You can volunteer for an hour, a day, a week, or whatever. You also choose which animals you want to work with (cats, dogs, birds). I’m not sure if they have volunteers in the horse area.
I’ve heard 30ish too, and I know several horses that are 30 or close. BTW, we too got all that buy an older horse advice.
We bought a 5 year old.
I think the average age life expectancy is 28-30. Though I know many that have lived passed 30 and still riding. We bought a horse for my daughter that we were told was 18 but come to find out the vet said he was around 22. So he would be about 24 now if the vet was right. He has a little arthitis but it doesn’t bother him much. He has a wonderful temperment but also has a wild side. When ever I take my mare out for a trail ride the stallion (he’s just a wanna be stallion)in him comes out. He will not stop running and whinning until she comes back. When his coat is thick like it is now he gets very sweaty.
So don’t let age fool you. Those older horse can have a lot of spunky. I think if you take good care of a horse they can easily life to 30 or older.
I just recently had to put down my 28 year old horse. We only quit riding him a year and half ago and that was simply because his legs were starting to get bad, he would stumble constantly and wasn’t as sure footed as he used to be. But he was so full of spunk when we were out working the cattle to the point of bucking at times, but in the next instant you could put one of my neices on him and he was a perfect gentleman. Don’t ever let age fool you, it all depends on the size of their heart and my horse had the biggest heart ever. Sadly I think cancer got him in the end, but he’s better off now.
ive heard that in Quebec there are at least 3 canadian horses on active stud duty that are over 30 years old.
Thanks for sharing, guys.
I was curious just as you were just to get a technical “horse year” equation. I’ve always heard 25-30. We have a horse, who will turn 29 in June. We just recently quit riding him within the last year and a half, not because he stumbles, but because he seems to have almost no eyesight. Some neighbor kids walk around on him, but he pretty much just hangs out. He was always very gitty, scared of everything. So needless to say, being almost completely deaf and blind, things would easily scare him now. Uncommon when healthy, you can actually sneak up on the old boy. His companion was the same age within a couple months. She died 4 years ago. So we do not ride him, but he can still run as he took off today in the field scared of some noise. He is a full blooded Quarter Horse, which I’m sure may make some difference in age. I would say it has to do with work and stress and diet and breed.
Gordy, thanks for sharing your story. It’s both sad and touching. I’m happy to hear you’re able to let him live out his years on your farm. “Work and stress and diet”…sounds like us too, doesn’t it?
I have a mare that will be 32 this spring. She’s been with me since she was 8. She has arthitis, and gets meds daily. But, she is full of spunk! Gotta keep an eye on her…at least other’s have to…she loves me (her momma) and is very gentle around me. When her time comes…it’ll be just like losing one of my children.
Hi, I am about to buy a horse for my wife, I am getting her an 11 year old mare. Any tips on what I should feed her to keep her healthy for years to come?
i just recently got into horses and already had bad experinces, such as loosing mother and foal. We perchased a registered palomino quarter horse, we found her mom that is for sale. we thought it would be neat to have them. shes 17, and i thought that may be a little old and didnt want to spend alot of money, on something that wouldnt last long. but many people that have horses, have told me that expectancy is about 30. so now i feel better about buying the mare
Thanks for your comments everyone.
Amanda, sorry to hear about your losses. 17 doesn’t sound so old at all to me. At a 1:3 horse to human life ratio, it sounds like your horse is about 50 in human equivalent years. You probably don’t want to race her but there’s a good chance she has a lot more years in her.
I have a gelding that will 30 this fall. He has some muscle proplems in his hind legs but he’s still going strong. He is a good pet now. I got him as a young child when he was 1yr old and it will defintly be very hard to loose him because we grew up together. He doesn’t seem to have any major hearing problems he just ignors you, he has always been a sound sleeper so you don’t walk up to him while he’s sleeping. He’s calm and kool doesn’t mind much of anything except the neighborhod dogs that he likes to chase. I haven’t rode him steady in several years due to his muscle spasms in his rear legs. Just wanted to let everyone know that horses are great and can live a long happy life. Good luck to everyone.
Thanks for the note, Gretchen. Wow, 30! It sounds like you’re going to let him live out his days in peace. 30 years seems like a long time and yet not nearly long enough.
Last Sunday I made a very difficult decision to put my best friend of 17 years down. He was 35. He came to me in 1990, I used him for trail riding until my daughter grew out of her pony, then she rode him at pony club. They won most showjumping and horse trials comps that they entered, and also went to state games.
Cobber was born in the wild, a brumby, in Queensland Australia, and was transported to Victoria, Australia with his mother as a foal with many other brumby’s. Cobber was nearly trampled to death, so a vet took him home and gave him to his son, Robert, who nursed him back to health and broke him in. Robert’s 3 sons rode Cobber in his hey day, then at 18 they gave him to me. He was a tough old boy, never sick, had the strongest feet and was a real character. He touched so many lives in those 35 years.
The last 5 years he just bummed around in his paddock with his ex-race horse mate, River, only being ridden very occassionally over this time. In the past few years he became quite stiff in the back end, the vet and farrier confirming that he seems very happy.
In the past week he has become quite wobbly in his back end and I noticed that he hasn’t been lieing down and seemed to be in a lot of pain. It was time!! My daughter and I feel so empty, and his paddock mate keeps watch over his grave, it is heart breaking.
My Cobber, was the best horse in the world, I think.
Thanks for that mum. Got me all teary again. Yes he was the best horse and friend anyone could ever wish for. He had a cheeky personality that you could not help but fall in love with. He was a boof head but if you were sad or feeling low, he was so gentle and was always there to make all your worries go away. He never stopped giving.
Love you Cobber, you will stay in my heart, always and for ever.
Hi,
Loved reading your story, just stumbled onto it when i was goggling trying to find out how old our pony is in human years. My grandmother bought him for my 8th birthday and he was 2 then. I am now celebrating my 40th, and even though he is not ridden anymore he is still a healthy pony.Like the other stories i have read he can still get a bit spirited but mainly now just grazes all day. It will be a sad day when the day comes to say goodbye as he has given many years of pleasure to myself and my cousin who now looks after him.
Hi! We bought my daughter’s first horse when daughter was nine and horse (Penny) was 16. Penny is 31 now, and still pretty spunky. Horses begin losing their molars in their mid-late twenties, and need extra care that they get proper nutrition from then on. In the wild, they would starve without the ability to grind pasture. With the senior feeds now available, I think the age limits will rise. Enjoy your horse!
Have been reading all your comments on older horses.
We have been offered a 24year Highland Pony Mare - she has been there and done it - riding schools etc. Very laid back with a bit of go if required!! I am very tempted but worried about her age - how many years has she got with us ? A little arthiritis in her leg has been spotted and is she too old for my boys (age 10 and 12) to ride out on her? . Has anyone any idea how many riding years we can expect out of her and when it would be kind to just let her retire and graze? She is very sweet but I feel her age may not suit out needs - any comments would be greatly appreciated.
My mare Comet lived to be 32. I got her when I was young. She saw me thru my teens, twenties, thirties, and into my forties. I couldn’t put her down, I had to let God choose that day. She looked as if she were 4 when she died. She never got poor, or lame and she never even acted as if she didn’t like to be rode. At least on the outside. I rode her till she was 26. She never complained, but I could tell she was not the same. So I quit riding her. Something in my heart told me so. But she looked as if she was a 4 year old even at 32. Her body was fat, her hair slick, and she moved with no pain, she was not lame. She became blind though at about 29, moonblindness. Appy’s are a breed that gets it alot. She was the best horse I will ever have and the one that fit me the like a glove. I have many horses now, and I keep looking for my Comet, yet I think like most things in life, you get one of the best and the next one will only be workable. Not to say the other horses are not good, but they will never be my Comet.
My Appaloosa mare Patches is 34 and I have had her since her birth (I was in college). Although she has been retired for many years now, she was the perfect horse for adults and children. She has the usual problems associated with old age: deafness, growths in eyes (not painful according to vet), and some problems with chewing. She eats Senior Equine pellets twice a day. In addition, we plant seasonal grass for her so she always has something tender to eat. She spends most of her day sleeping and occasionally grazing. Caring for her requires time and patience, but we do not mind. She earned her right to live our her life by babysitting our boys as they learned to ride the speed events on her. She was not the fastest horse around but she was consistent. Also, not many horses will stop and wait when their rider falls off. I hope she will live for many more years.
My mare name is john and I had him every since i was 12 years old he is really fun to ride and i am glad that i got him when he was young becasue now he is like too old to do anything but i still have him becasue he was a gift from my parents and i love him so much. Now I want to share this experiece with my kids and I am thinking about giving them a horse and I do not know what horse to give them. But I want to give them one that is young so that they can have fun with him like their mother did… But when I became older my heart told me that maybe i should give my horse a break so that is what I did and stopped riding her… But I know that my Horse will always be apart of my family no matter how old he gets… I will always love my horse…
Thanks for all the stories. I just got my first horse last summer. I always wanted one and we both are learning and growing together. Jasper is 4 this year and I am 42. I figure we will be ready to give up riding at about the same time according to the stories here. I have already told my family to just put us both out to pasture.
I have a half arab/half TB gelding that just turned 30 years old this past February. He is still being ridden by several young girls who are learning dressage on him on our farm. He is doing great and is very healthy. Most people say that he looks about 15! We have been together since I was 9 and he was 6. (So we have been buds for 24 years now.) Reading these stories about others who have had horses a long time really touched my heart. I hope that General will be in my life for more years to come. Horses can live well past their 30’s and can still lead productive lives indeed. However, I agree, it does help if you take good care of them overall throughout their life. Good luck to those of you in search of your horse friend. I could’nt have asked for a better companion!
We were given a 23 year old gelding for my 9 year old daughter. He is an absolute god send. Mac is sound and we ride him 5 days a week. He still has all of his teeth and acts like a spring chicken. The nice part about his age is he is teaching us, an absolute must have for the novice horse owner. He is the perfect match for my daughter as they are quite the pair. But don’t let age fool you, no horse is bomb proof, he has actually crow hopped with my daughter in the show ring. We worked through it and we are becoming better riders. We are careful not to overwork him due to his age as we want to make him last forever….