The horse is one of the noblest animals, a faithful friend and companion of man for a long time. They were used in battles and battles, for agricultural work, and in America and several other countries horses were even used in the police. There were, and still exist in some countries in very small quantities, mounted patrols. Now horses are mainly used in various competitions, sports, for breeding or for active recreation.
Horse lifespan
Previously, when the horse was used for hard work and spent a huge amount of physical strength every day, in the absence of medicine and good care, the life expectancy of a horse was on average 11-12 years. At this age, the horse was already considered worn out and unsuitable for work and was sent to “retirement” or slaughter.
In the modern world, the average life expectancy of an ordinary horse has tripled. According to statistics, at least until 20 years of age 70% of horses survive, despite the fact that they have normal living conditions and are not exposed to great physical stress on an ongoing basis. Ponies and other racing breeds usually live 5-6 years longer. Competition horses and wild mustangs usually do not live past ten years of age. And wild horses, which do not have a permanent owner and, accordingly, no care, live on average 15 years.
Facts affecting the lifespan of a horse
In order for a horse to be loyal and serve its owner for as long as possible, it needs proper care, attention, affection and care.
For the horse’s body to function normally, you must first take care of its nutrition. Horses need to be fed regularly, at the same time, without disrupting their diet. You need to choose the food that is most suitable for your horse; you should not skimp on nutrition. A sudden transition from one familiar food to another is not recommended. The horse's digestive system is designed in such a way that it must be constantly working. But if you overfeed a horse, colic may occur, and in especially severe cases, intestinal volvulus. The best help in this case will be grass and hay. The horse must be given water before every meal. You should not feed your horse before any physical activity. After feeding, the horse should rest for at least an hour. 
Vitamins. To maintain and improve health, horses, like people and any other domestic animals, need vitamins. The best vitamins for a horse are carrots and apples; they should be given daily. You can also buy vitamins in a special store, but do not overdo it with them.
Purity. To exclude all kinds of diseases, the room in which you keep your horse must be cleaned daily. In addition, the feeder, buckets, sawdust, etc. should also be kept clean.
Care. The six and hooves of a horse require very careful care. The horse's coat must be brushed every day.
Medical care. Horses need modern medicine no less than people. Monitoring the horse’s health, its appearance, and paying attention to minor changes in your pet’s behavior is necessary in order to identify the problem in time. If the horse loses its appetite, is too agitated and aggressive, or, on the contrary, behaves very lethargically, it should be taken for examination. In addition, at least once a year, the horse needs a preventive examination. 
How to determine the age of a horse?
If you decide to purchase a horse that does not have any documents confirming its age, then you can only rely on the words of the seller and your own intuition. Often in such a situation you can be left in an unfortunate position, because the seller may downplay the age of the horse, and in the end it will not be able to serve you long enough and efficiently.
The most optimal age for a horse is 9 years. It is at this age that a horse can work at full strength and bring as much benefit to the owner as possible.
- Teeth. To understand how old a horse actually is, you first need to pay attention to its teeth. This is quite an old but true method. Horses are one of those animals in which all changes associated with teeth occur quite accurately and within a certain time frame. Therefore, by the number, position, and external condition of the teeth, you can determine the age of the horse.
- Leather. The skin of young horses should be elastic and soft. Also pay attention to the tail and mane, chin and brow ridges: gray hair may be visible there.
- Silhouette. Assess the horse's overall appearance. In older horses, the muscles are flabby, and, accordingly, the belly and back sag. An older horse usually looks thinner, even if it is of normal weight. As for the muzzle, older horses have very deepened eye sockets and throat.
Record horses
Billy is the horse that lived longer than any other horse in the world. He was 62 years old when he died. At the same time, Billy carried heavy barges every day all his life. 
Brooklyn Supreme is the most well-fed stallion. His weight at the age of ten was almost one and a half tons.
Sampson - Mammoth - the tallest horse. When he was 4 years old, his height reached 2.19 meters. So far no one has managed to surpass him.
As for the mares, they are also not averse to competing, but not in height and weight, but in the number of offspring born into the world. It is known that the record holder mare in this regard gave birth in her entire life 19 foals. Unfortunately, her nickname has not been preserved.
Horses are considered one of the animals closest to humans. They can have a beneficial effect on the human psyche, they become attached to their owner and are distinguished by special devotion and fidelity to the one who takes care of them.
The horse is one of the first animals domesticated by humans. For a long time, these faithful and reliable friends were assistants in the household and other activities. In ancient times they were the only mode of transport. Currently, the scope of use of draft power has significantly decreased. Sports competitions, horse racing, entertainment events and active recreation - there we can still meet these hard-working animals. In some countries, mounted patrols remain.
Everyone who is somehow connected with horse breeding has a question: how long do horses live? It is impossible to give a definite answer, because their life expectancy depends on various reasons.
The life of any wild animal is full of difficulties and dangers. A horse's life span decreases depending on the conditions in which they are forced to live. Lack of food, disease, natural disasters and weather conditions force fight for survival. Therefore, life expectancy is shorter than that of their domestic counterparts.
The harsh climate and scarce food do not allow trotters to live long. Death from various viruses and infections also contributes to the extinction of individual individuals. In some cases, animals die from the teeth of predators.
How long do wild mustangs live? It is noted that this period ranges from 10 to 15 years. But nature has allowed a much longer life expectancy.
Lifestyle of the Budennovsk horse breed, its breeding and sale
How long do horses live at home?
At home, the lifespan of a horse depends on the following factors:
A century ago, the age of 12 years was considered a respectable age for a horse. Physical labor depleted the body animals. Old and sick individuals were sent for slaughter or retirement. Nowadays, with the advent of mechanization, tractors and machines have taken over the heavy work. A variety of feeds, the absence of excessive stress and careful care increased the life expectancy of horses to 20, and in some cases up to 30 years.
In general, the average life expectancy of a domestic horse also depends on how the owner treats his ward. Love and care should come first. All loads must be within normal limits. Creation comfortable conditions and good nutrition. Only then can they live as long as nature allotted to them. There are facts when famous horses in old age, ending up with a bad owner, died before their due date. The stable in which animals live must meet certain standards. Being in a damp, dirty and cold room can lead to joint diseases.
The daily routine of horses should be designed in such a way that diet and physical activity are regular. Even if it is an old nag or gelding, they will definitely should run. Half an hour of jogging will not harm your health.
How many nipples does a cow, goat, or horse have?
Proper nutrition is an integral part of the health and longevity of horses. Since they are herbivores, due to the structural features of the stomach, not any food is suitable. Necessary include in the diet good quality grain, hay, succulent grasses, feed, and vitamins. In the summer, a walk in the pasture is required.
They are considered to be long-lived Arabian horses. They were bred for racing, so they have good health and a strong cardiovascular system. How old are the Arabian and Akhal-Teke breeds? On average, this figure is 35 years.
How to determine age
- According to the horse's croup;
- In the teeth;
- By the appearance of the ears and lips;
- On the legs
How can one determine a horse’s age externally? If the horse’s body is muscular and smooth, the skin is shiny, and there are no unnecessary folds, then it is a middle-aged stallion from 10 to 12 years old. Old horses recognized by teeth: their front incisors wear down because the main nutritional elements are plant products with coarse fibers. As nags age, the muscles in the lips and ears weaken. If they are flabby and saggy, it means that this is already a respectable pensioner or a gelding of advanced age. The joints on the legs can indicate old age: if noticeable growths or thickenings are visible, then the horse is no longer young.
There is another variety of odd-toed ungulates called ponies. It should be noted that a horse at 30 years old is considered a long-liver, and the average life expectancy of a pony is 35 years. Some animals reach the age of 40, or even 50. There are known cases of such longevity.
For any horse owner, its health is important. By investing time, effort and money in care, we hope that she will be a loyal friend for a long time. Finding out how long horses live is not a problem. Qualitative statistics will help determine not only the maximum lifespan of a stallion, but also obtain information on how to extend it.
Average life expectancy
There is no one exact number for all horses. After all, everything depends on the conditions in which they live. For example, you cannot compare a wild mare with one that grew up near people, or a calm pony and a sports stallion.
According to statistics, the average life expectancy of any horse is 35–40 years. But this figure rather shows the very advanced age to which only a few survive. To find out exactly how long your horse will live, just check some details.
In the wild
Many people mistakenly assume that wild horses are the hardiest and live the longest. But this is not the case. They are not eating well and their food is not balanced. Without a roof over their heads, wild horses are freezing. They are forced to cope with the weather conditions in the open air.
So, how old do wild horses live on average? If these are warm countries with a good climate, but they can reach 25 years of age. But the real picture shows that even the condition of strong stallions after 15 years of age deteriorates sharply. As for cold countries, the situation there is much more complicated. In addition to problems with food and shelter, difficulties arise with various infections that slowly kill the body, because there is no one to treat them.
At home
It is domestic horses that break all records of longevity. And there are reasons for this. They constantly receive food, never go hungry, have their own warm place where they can hide in bad weather, and most importantly, they are constantly under the supervision of the owner.
If you are wondering how long horses can live at home, you need to know the breed and profession of your pet. Thoroughbred stallions reach the greatest age. After all, their cost forces people to take special care. Selected nutrition and personal doctors guarantee the horse for 30 years, or even more. Arabian horses can outpace all their relatives by 10 years.
Typical domestic horses live 20–25 years. But this is only if the owner understands well what he is doing. After all, caring for an animal can bring not only benefits, but also harm. If you do not treat your pet in time, or you are careless about its food, then your health can be ruined. Also, don’t overwhelm your horse with a huge amount of work. You need to properly alternate between rest and work.
Sports horses are very popular and interesting. But there is not even an approximate figure here. The lifespan of a horse directly depends on its success in sports. If she won important competitions, then she can be bought as a trophy. Care is guaranteed here. But those who could not show any special results will have to work as a training horse. Although even this is not so bad, considering that many sport horses suffer injuries that cannot be corrected.
Factors influencing longevity
The main reason for longevity is animal care. It doesn’t matter how many years horses live if the owner doesn’t take care of his pet. You can often hear that famous stallions died a few years after they were sold. This speaks of irresponsibility. If a person decides to buy a horse, he must pay attention to every detail.
The stable should always be clean and dry. If a horse sleeps in a dirty and wet place, then its legs will be exposed to many misfortunes. Popular among them are swollen joints, sore bones, etc.
It is also important to create a daily routine that includes physical activity. Even an elderly horse needs to be walked. A short jog will not take away his strength, but, on the contrary, will prolong his life.
Nutrition
Even the most expensive food can cause harm to the body. Grains, hay and grass are suitable for proper digestion. Also, don't forget about extra vitamins and supplements. To prolong the life of your pet, it is best to be close to the pasture, because an adult horse eats at least 25 kg of grass per day.
Long-living horse records
Horse owners are often interested in looking at those representatives who were able to live a long life. Any mare over 40 years old can be called a long-liver. But there are cases when a horse simply surprised everyone.
For example, if you visit the Belford Museum, you can admire a stuffed stallion named Old Billy, who lived for 62 years. It's hard to believe that a simple workhorse is capable of this.
A horse is a special animal that becomes a friend and an integral part of his life for every owner. That is why every person, when purchasing an animal, tries to be close to it for as long as possible. The question “how long do horses live?” for most it is very important. Let's try to answer it right now.
The average lifespan of a horse is determined primarily by its breed, living conditions and use or purpose. Today, a distinction is made between working, sporting and breeding animals. And they all have different life spans. Moreover, this figure is very different between domestic and wild horses. But let's talk about everything in order.
So, the average biological lifespan of horses is approximately 35-40 years. However, unfortunately, not all animals live to such an old age. This is determined, first of all, by the way they live. For example, breeding stallions and mares live about 25 years. While their fellow athletes are 18-20 years old, and calm little ponies are 35-38 years old.
As strange as it may sound to many, in the wild, horses rarely live to see their prime. Everything is connected, of course, with living conditions. In households, a person takes care of an animal, tries to feed it properly, treats it, loves it, and so on. And in nature, horses often have to freeze and be content with meager pasture.
To tell how many years horses live in the wild, you need to know their habitat. In warm countries with abundant vegetation, the lifespan of animals is 7-10 years longer than that of their relatives in cold regions. But this figure is also rarely even 15 years, for example, for Mustangs. However, both in cold countries and in warm ones, wild animals are most often plagued by various diseases. These include colds and viral infections.
At home, as we have already said, the life of a horse is determined by its profession and breed.
Purebred and purebred animals, due to human efforts and careful selection, today can boast of a fairly long lifespan. On average it is about 25-30 years. But breeds such as the Akhal-Teke and Arabian can live up to 35 years.
At home, the life of a horse lies in the hands of its owner. Nutrition, work, care, maintenance - all this either takes years away from the animal or adds it. On average - about 20-25 years.
In this case, it’s worth saying a terrible phrase - how lucky. And that's true. If you become a great athlete and champion, you will have a chance to live to a ripe old age, somewhere in a warm stable, carrying beginners and children in the saddle. If you don’t show any special results, you will go away as a training horse or into private hands. Well, if you’re really unlucky and get injured, you’ll be completely written off in the prime of your life.
Like other animals, horses also have long-lived lives. For example, the record holder for this is a horse named Old Billy. His age is no less than 62 years. The stallion was an ordinary workhorse who worked at Woolston on the river. Today in the Belford Museum you can see the stuffed head of the animal and be convinced of its old age.
There is also a record case among ponies. The stallion lived in France for 52 years. Among the thoroughbreds, one can remember the gelding Duke Tango, who lived in Australia for 42 years. Although this is the norm for the general age of horses, it is a lot for an athlete. Long-living mares are also known. For example, there is information that one broodmare lived for 46 years and, moreover, gave birth to her last foal at 42 years old.
Domestic horses can also boast of longevity. For example, the thoroughbred riding stallion Budynok lived 32 years and achieved a brilliant sports career. Or, for example, the Arabian mare Sahara, who reached 31 years old. As you can see, good care and proper maintenance can add ten years to life even for sports horses.
There are many cases where famous and renowned horses, retiring, died before reaching old age. Most often this is due to the fact that they fell into “bad” hands. As practice shows, the lack of proper human care and love rapidly shortens the life of animals. It’s another matter if the horse is looked after, treated for senile and sports diseases, loved and pampered. Such horses live out their lives calmly and die in old age.
What constitutes the concept of correct conditions of detention? Firstly, it is clean and dry. Horses cannot live in cold, wet and dirty stables. Their feet are very sensitive to various unfavorable factors. Joints may swell and bones may ache.
Animals must also have a proper daily routine, mandatory exercise, and physical activity. Even if the horse is “retired”, it must run. Let it be a regular 20-minute jog on the cord or training with children.
A horse is, first of all, a herbivore, so in order to prolong its life, you need to monitor proper nutrition. These animals have a special stomach structure, so not all conventional foods are suitable for them. The basis of the diet should be high-quality grain, hay, grass, feed and grass. And also vitamin supplements and premixes. Pasture is a must, as one horse requires at least 25 kg of grass per day.
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Need some advice?
And if we compare the life expectancy of riding horses and draft horses, which ones have more?
If we compare these two types of horses, the lifespan of heavy draft horses is several years longer than that of riding horses. This is primarily due to the work of the heart. In lighter racing animals, the heart works faster, and therefore there is more wear and tear. In addition, according to experts, the body constitution of working horses is more correct.
Horses are animals that are always under the close attention of humans. They need our care and love. All loads must be within normal limits, the conditions for their life must be comfortable, and nutrition must be nutritious. Only then can they live as long as nature allotted to them.
In our villages, horses most often live for a maximum of 2 years, because... they are eaten young))))) Dietary meat.
Anyone who breeds horses, or even just enjoys spending time around these wonderful animals, needs to know the life expectancy of their pet. Fortunately, statistics have long been able to not only accurately calculate the average life expectancy of a stallion, but also suggest to the owner ways to improve the health of the pet and extend its life.
The surest way to determine how many years a horse has lived is by its teeth, but, of course, you can’t do this without experience.
Statistically, the average lifespan of a horse is between 35 and 40 years old. However, in reality, only very few survive to this age, and for each specific animal this figure will still be individual. There are a large number of factors that can influence how long an individual will ultimately live. The most important of these, naturally, is the environment and conditions in which the horse lives, and hence the activities in which it engages. For example, the lifespan of a quiet domestic pony will certainly be different from that of a mustang.
The famous popular belief that wild horses are more adaptable and physically resilient than their domestic counterparts turns out to be erroneous. Poor and unbalanced nutrition, as well as the lack of comfortable conditions to withstand bad weather, greatly affect the life expectancy of a wild animal.
In places with a favorable climate, some horses can live up to 25 years, however, as a rule, after 15 years the animal’s health deteriorates significantly. In countries with cold climates, things are even more complicated, since the above-mentioned problems also add an increased risk of infectious diseases.
The situation with mustangs is even worse. Mustangs are former domestic horses., who once strayed from their masters and moved on to a free and uninhibited lifestyle. But mustangs that have gone completely wild over a long period of time, deprived of human care and unable to properly crossbreed, do not, as a rule, live long. Their average lifespan is about 7 years.
Life at home
At home, the lifespan of a horse is determined by its profession and breed. Usually allocated three types of domestic horses:
- Pets
- Breeding horses (pedigreed)
- Sports horses
Under human care, animals have the benefits that wild horses lack. They are always fed, they have a roof over their heads, and their health is constantly monitored. And here the life expectancy of the horse directly depends on the level of care shown to him. Therefore, usually, the more thoroughbred and more expensive the stallion, the longer he lives. Arabian horses, with ideal nutrition and around-the-clock care for their health, can live 10 years longer than their relatives.
The average domestic horse lives from 20 to 25 years if the owner takes proper care of it. A balanced diet, timely health care, proper alternation of the horse’s workload and rest - all these are the keys to ensuring that the animal lives as long as possible.
The lifespan of sports horses depends on the results they show in competitions. If there is success, then the care for such a horse will be better, and he will live longer if he does not get injured.
An interesting fact is that on average, horses of small breeds, that is, ponies, live longer than their larger relatives. What causes this is not very clear, but there is a lot of official evidence that a large number of ponies live to be 35-40 years old.
Conditions of detention
Three main factors influencing the maintenance of an animal in a healthy state:
- Proper nutrition
- Timely care for horse health
- Developed daily activity regimen
Very long life conditions have a big influence, which contain a horse. Under no circumstances should the state of the stable be neglected. It should always be dry and clean. Moisture and dirt can damage a stallion's legs and lead to bone and joint problems.
It is also necessary to remember that the horse definitely needs to move, and there should always be a place for physical activity in his daily schedule.
It is best to use hay, grass and grains as feed. They promote proper digestion. Herbs adult horse per day eats up to 25 kg, therefore, the closer the stable is to the pasture, the better it will be for the animal. Additional feed additives and vitamins also help improve health.
Long-lived horses
If a horse overcomes the age limit of 40 years, then he can rightfully be considered a long-liver. However, history also knows truly amazing cases that break all records for life expectancy in horses.
A stallion named 'Old Billy' dies at 62, although he was just an ordinary workhorse.
There is a known case of a long-lived French pony who lived up to 54 years.
Also interesting is the record of one mare who gave birth to a foal at the age of 42 years. She herself died at the age of 46.
As a conclusion, it should be noted that how long a horse ultimately lives depends entirely on its owner. In the life of an ordinary domestic mare, the human factor plays the most important role.
Therefore, the decision to get an animal should never be spontaneous, it must be carefully considered, weighing all the pros and cons. If you take care of your horse responsibly, in good conditions it will live for 30 years.
