How Long Do Horses Live?

Have you found the perfect mount for all your equestrian activities? Everything is going well, but plenty of questions still come up, such as the life expectancy of a horse. As with humans, better nutrition and better care have gradually increased a horse's lifespan over time. In this article, find out how many years a horse lives, how to calculate a horse's age in human years and what you can do to help him live longer. 

How long does a horse live?

On average, a horse's life expectancy is between 25 and 30 years. It is not uncommon to see horses living beyond 40 years. The maximum recorded age of a horse is 62 years, a record held by Old Billy. 🐴

How to calculate a horse's age in human years

One horse year is equivalent to 6 human years during the first 3 years of a horse's life. From about 4 years old, a horse then ages at a rate of 2.5 human years per year. This means a 5-year-old horse is roughly 23 in human years. If your horse reaches the age of 30, its human age equivalent would be 85.5! 😵

Horse age in human years table

The life stages of a horse

A horse is not considered an adult before the age of 4. A female foal is called a filly, and a male foal is called a colt. As they grow up, they become mares (females) and stallions (uncastrated males) or geldings (castrated males). Castration is usually performed on a male horse between 6 and 12 months of age, unless the horse shows real breeding promise for the future.

When a horse reaches the age of 15 to 18, most people consider that it is entering its senior years. It may start to slow down and perform a little less at work, but many horses keep competing successfully well into old age. It really varies from one horse to another.

How to tell the age of a horse

If a horse has registration papers or a passport for travel, its age or date of birth will be listed on those documents. If they are not available, however, there are other ways to work out a horse's age.

Using the teeth to estimate a horse's age

A horse's teeth go through very specific changes as the animal ages, and those changes give clear clues to its age. Here are a few pointers to help you understand how to calculate a horse's age.

In short, by looking inside a horse's mouth, you can spot several features that give a rough estimate of its age. For example, when a horse is five years old, each of its six front incisors carries a small hollow known as a "cup", which shows up as a dark spot easily seen on the lower row of teeth. 😀

Year after year, the cups wear away one pair of teeth at a time, starting with the central pair. The following year, the pair just outside the middle wears down in turn, and so on. Once all the cups have worn away, the horse is roughly eight to ten years old. 

At around eleven years old, the upper incisors start to form a hook on the back edge of the tooth, along with the appearance of what is known as the Galvayne's groove. This is a line that begins near the gum line and slowly moves down the tooth. A groove that has reached halfway down suggests the horse is about 15 years old, and by the age of 20, the groove has travelled all the way to the tip of the tooth. The length and shape of the teeth also give a good indication of a horse's age.

Other factors to consider as a horse ages

Just like humans, a horse's body changes as it ages. It may not have the same grey hairs or wrinkles as we do, but there are a few common signs. 😥

Sway-back

A horse's back tends to dip with gravity as it ages, and the withers become more prominent.

Coarser coat

A horse often loses some of its shine and takes on a rougher, hairier look as it ages. The coat is generally thicker and denser with age, and some of the hair around the face may turn grey.

Loss of muscle mass

The muscles become looser and harder to keep toned than in earlier years.

Lameness

In some cases, the horse starts to develop soundness issues.

The following signs can also point to aging:

• Drooping lips
• Drooping ears
• Declining eyesight
• Weakened immunity (more susceptible to disease)

Common causes of early death in horses

There are some common causes of death in horses, several of which can be treated by a veterinarian if they are caught early enough. The most common causes of death in horses are colic and other gastrointestinal problems, Cushing's disease and laminitis (founder). That is why good veterinary care is so important.

How to help a horse live longer

A horse's nutrition and regular veterinary check-ups can make a real difference. It is also important to keep up with dental care, since a horse's teeth keep growing throughout its life. A proper diet and close monitoring of the immune system can play a key role in extending your horse's longevity. 👍