How long do horses live? Lifespan and caring for an older horse

How many years do horses live?

The Merck Veterinary Manual (owners' edition) gives the 25 to 30 year average, with lifespan depending on health, care and size. The RSPCA (UK) writes that horses and ponies can live well into their thirties or longer, and the British Horse Society (BHS) that better veterinary care, nutrition and management mean many now reach their thirties.

A study of a real population gives a lower figure, but it measures something different. A Swedish study of one insurer's database (Egenvall et al., Veterinary Record, 2006) estimated a median age at death of 18.8 years for horses enrolled in complete life insurance before their first birthday; euthanasia counts as a death. Merck's owner edition gives no source or method for its 25 to 30 year average, so the two figures cannot be reconciled: one is an unreferenced general average, the other a survival-analysis median for insured horses in one country in 1997–2000. A median means that half of such horses die or are put down at a younger age. Together the figures show mainly that individual lifespans vary widely, not which figure applies to your horse. We found no comparable statistics for Slovenia or Croatia; the studies we used come mainly from the UK and Sweden.

None of these figures predicts how long your own horse will live. What you can follow is its condition, with a full veterinary check-up at least once a year (Merck).

What affects lifespan

Merck names health, care and size, and the BHS adds that genetics, management and environment affect ageing. The table lists what the sources say about each factor; these are associations reported in studies and advice, not proven causes of a longer life.

In one British cohort of 908 horses aged 15 and over (118 deaths in 18 months), most deaths were euthanasias, most often for lameness (24%) and colic (21%) (Ireland et al., Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 2011), so feet, joints and digestion feature again in the care advice below.

Ponies, horses and breeds

Size is the one difference the sources explicitly link to lifespan: Merck lists it alongside health and care. The M. R. Paradis proceedings (dvm360) say no horse breed appears to carry a “longevity” gene, except ponies, which in several studies have a higher share of animals over 30. A Swedish insurance study found large differences in mortality between breeds, but that is a single study, not a rule.

Most of our breed pages say that no breed-specific figure exists, so Merck's general range applies; a few carry a breed-society or single-source figure. Three examples:

If a breeder or seller promises a particular age, ask what it rests on. The Connemara page calls 25 to 30 years “a general figure for horses, not one specific to the Connemara”.

The oldest horse on record

Guinness World Records lists 62 years as the greatest age reliably recorded for a horse: Old Billy, foaled in 1760 and bred near Warrington, died on 27 November 1822. Historic UK calls the evidence for his age good, because the same man, Henry Harrison, appears at the start and at the end of the horse's life; the starting age, however, is Harrison's own account, as he supposed the horse to be about two years old when he trained it for the plough. Such a case marks an upper limit, not what to expect.

Milestones in a horse's life

There is no single official division of a horse's life. The rows below are milestones the sources mention; choosing them and calling them stages is our editorial decision, and only the thresholds of 15 and 30 years are definitions used in research (McGowan).

These boundaries are conventions. Merck stresses that every horse ages as an individual and that there is no specific age at which a horse becomes a “senior”. In a 2000 survey of owners of older horses, owners considered a horse generally old at 22 (Paradis). We give no chart converting horse years into human years, because the sources we used contain none.

Working life and lifespan

The RSPCA warns that a horse's working life, while it can be ridden or driven, may be much shorter than its lifespan. The BHS advises working an older horse only if it is sound, healthy and under veterinary guidance, with the workload reviewed regularly and, at some stage, reduced; because the horse's shape changes, it calls regular saddle-fitting checks necessary. The review by McGowan (Animals, 2011) says a horse will usually outlive its performance or reproductive capability by more than a decade, and sometimes by 2 or 3 decades.

Older horses are often still ridden. In a study of horse owners summarised in the M. R. Paradis proceedings (dvm360), more than half of the horses over 20 were still used for pleasure riding, and 37% were retired.

What changes with age

The BHS lists reduced immunity, a dull coat and poor skin, reduced vision and hearing, dental disorders, a hollow or sway back, reduced ability to carry a rider and joint problems among the signs of old age. Each horse ages differently, and signs may be obvious in some and invisible in others. Merck adds that older horses may hear less well, so approach them where they can see you.

Owners often miss age-related problems. In a British study (Ireland et al., Equine Veterinary Journal, 2012) vets examined 200 horses aged 15 and over and compared findings with owners' answers.

The authors conclude that owners may under-recognise or under-report health problems, which could delay a vet visit. The BHS suggests considering an annual health check to identify developing problems early.

Caring for an older horse

The UK Government's DEFRA code of practice (2017) says a horse's needs may grow with age: it may need more supervision and veterinary care, may develop age-related conditions such as dental problems, and its immune system may become less efficient.

Retirement and the end of life

DEFRA says that at the end of a horse's active working life, or when very elderly, consideration should be given to whether it can have a good quality of life in retirement. The McGowan review reports declining management as horses age, particularly retired horses: in the surveys it summarises, dental visits and vaccination were less likely in retired horses, although reduced immune function would not support giving less vaccination.

DEFRA notes that research suggests only 9% of horses die of natural causes, so planning for timely euthanasia is a key responsibility of ownership. In a British cohort of older horses (Ireland et al., 2011) 94% of deaths were euthanasias; vets' advice was important for acute illness, and poor quality of life for chronic disease and lameness.

DEFRA adds that euthanasia should be considered when quality of life has deteriorated significantly from chronic or age-related conditions, and that owners should plan for the end of life well ahead. The decision is made with a vet. We did not check rules in Slovenia or Croatia, so ask your vet.

What this means for an owner

A horse taken on at six or seven may need care for well over a decade, possibly two: the sources' figures range from a median age at death of 18.8 years (insured Swedish horses) to 25 to 30 years on average (Merck), with no guarantee either way. DEFRA says owners need to consider alternative care in case they fall ill or go away, or if the horse outlives them.

What to check before you take a horse on is in What you need before buying your first horse.

Closer to home: In January 2018, answering claims of poor care, the Lipica Stud Farm in Slovenia said its stallion 085 Favory Caniss XXII lived to 25 years and seven months; the necropsy by the National Veterinary Institute found acute heart failure. It is one example from a Slovenian breeding stud, not a breed average.

Frequently asked questions about a horse's age

How long do ponies live?

The sources we used give no lifespan figure for ponies as a group. The Paradis proceedings say that in several studies ponies have a higher share of animals over 30. Merck's 40 years or more is stated for miniature horses, not ponies, and the Connemara page gives only the general range for horses.

Until what age can you ride a horse?

No age applies to every horse. The BHS counts reduced ability to carry a rider among the signs of old age; a vet and a qualified coach should judge the workload, and only a sound, healthy horse should work. In the Paradis study, more than half of the horses over 20 were still used for pleasure riding.

How can you tell a horse's age?

A recorded date of birth is a firmer basis than any estimate from the teeth. According to Merck, ageing by teeth is most accurate while teeth are erupting, and the permanent teeth typically finish by 5. After that the estimate is less accurate because of malocclusion (a misaligned bite), dental floating, husbandry and individual or breed variation; Merck calls Galvayne's groove and the “7-year hook” variable, inconsistent and of little value.

Does breed affect lifespan?

Reliable breed figures mostly do not exist. Merck points to size and care, not breed; breed differences were found only in a Swedish study of insured horses. Claims of 35 or 40 years are often breeders' experience, so ask for the source.

How often should an older horse see the vet?

Merck says an adult horse should have a full check-up at least once a year and a horse over 20 twice a year or more; dental checks are set out above. If signs of illness last more than a day or two, Merck advises arranging an examination.

When does a horse count as old?

There is no single age. Research counts horses of 15 and over as aged and 30 and over as very old (McGowan), and the BHS places the first signs of ageing in the mid to late teens. Merck says there is no specific age at which a horse becomes a senior, though most show physical signs of ageing by 20.