How long would you say the average horse is owned for?

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Mango_goose

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My horse is coming up on eight years with me (2010 gelding) and although he used to be difficult and dangerous, he’s now in a place where he would be a beautiful mother - daughter horse and he has no problem stepping up and down paces. He could suit a noob, is completely bomb proof, but steps up a pace when someone more advanced hops on. No vices, never lame, the perfect horse in many ways. He’s also a real looker and is buckskin and white.He’s a gentleman, I’ve had my 80 y/o non-horsey grandma handle him with no trouble and he’s taught my partner to ride (and helped a friend get her confidence back). Hes competed too. I could easily get £8k for him in my area.

I don’t even ride much now, only for 12 weeks in summer due to my travelling, career, lifestyle. Luckily he rides the same wether it’s been 12 hours or 12 months.

But after eight years together, no way I’d ever part with him. Not for £8 mil. He’ll be with me until the end. But I read somewhere horses tend to be owned for 5-7 years ?
 
I'd take £8 mil for any of mine ;)

I'd say my average is about 4 years but with a massive range from 6 months to 20 years (and still counting) - and not so many in the middle of that. Perhaps you either sell quite quickly if s/he doesn't suit you, or if they do, they don't go anywhere.
 
I've had all of mine for longer than 7 years.

Pony 1 - Owned for 14 years. Got wild off Dartmoor at 18 months and he's now 16.
Pony 2 - Owned 14 years. Straight off the New Forest at 10 months and he's now 15
Mare - Got her on loan 12 years ago and she's now 24.
Gelding - Loaned him for a year then bought him 7 years ago so had him for 8 years. He's now 17

I wouldn't part with any of them...although I might be tempted to take 8 mil for Pony 2 as he decided at 5 he was done with being ridden and has thrown everybody off whose tried for the passed 10 years!...when I took them on it was with the knowledge they would be with me till the end.
 
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Mine all stay until the end even if that isn't the original intention. They are part of the family.

Although the kids ponies usually hung around for 2 or 3 years until they were outgrown - I' be able to repopulate the new forest if I kept all of them 🤣
 
Gosh that is hard to put a figure on...

Horse 1 - too much for me and as I was young (16) and inexperienced, he was sold after 1yr
Horse 2 - owned for 22.5yrs, lost her age 29
Horse 3 - owned for 21yrs, lost him age 26
Horse 4 - owned for 6yrs, he is 12 now and will be with me until the end

So my average is currently 12.63yrs 🤣
 
No.1- 2 years
No.2- 13 years and still going
No.3- 3 months
No.4- 5 years and still going

That makes my average 5 years.

Although if you split it by gender, 1 year for geldings and 9 years for mares!
 
Never sold one, hence I have quite a collection, would I sell one, nope.
they even have provision in my will to ensure they are looked after, when I am hurling across rainbow bridge with my herd that's already up their.
 
I’ve only ever sold one so it’s been dependent on lifespan!
Pony 1 - 12 years I think?
Pony 2 - 10 years
Horse 1 - still going, 15 years although he’s been on loan for 10 of those
Horse 2 - 9 years, lost her far too soon

Currently have;
Mare - 2 years (she is supposed to be a resale project…)
Homebred - 3 years, home for life no matter what
Homebred’s pet - 2.5 years (god knows with him, he’s struggling to grow big enough for me but he’s a fab companion and easy to do)


I am terrible at selling!
 
Mine read like a horror movie and my average is low.

One - Goldie - TB 11rs Owned 3 months, was sold as brood mare due to back issues which I now suspect were Kissing Spine.
Two - Biggles 14yr old WB Grade B SJ. 17hh. Pts following traumatic injury on a fun ride 3 wks later. Owned 2yrs 6 months
Three - Miki - 6yr old HIS registered. 16.3hh. Pts following broken leg in field. Owned 11 months.
Four - Billy - 10yr old WB. Died with suspected heart attack in field. Owned 2yrs 10 months.
Five - Rommy - 8yr old 16.3hh WB. Pts aged 10 following untreatable wobblers. Owned 2 yrs 4 months. My heart horse.
Six- Bailey. 17.1hh WB. Owned for 17 yrs. Pts as 24yr old due to unrecoverable soft tissue injury in foot which couldn'tbe controlled with pain relief.
Seven - current horse WB Lari. Was 11 now 14, Owned 3.6 years. Expensive pet. Unrideable but very, very, much loved.

Sadly it's not uncommon to lose horse, my friend lost five, I know others that have lost three or four and not many who have lost due to longevity, i.e old age.
 
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I’d say the average is honestly like 3 years
But are we factoring in horses that go through dealers yards? As they technically buy the horse but may only keep for a few weeks
 
Only had 2 due to my youth, with 3rd moving here soon.

Horse 1: 1.5 years (lost him too soon, it was home for life with him though regardless of our issues :) )

Horse 2: 2 years and counting, she’s here for life and been retired to some extent the entire time but she’s happy so all good :-)
 
Not long enough, in my opinion. I find it so odd that we class them as pets, but so many people don't treat them as such. One of my biggest bugbears is people selling 'their best friend'... you wouldn't sell your best friend, so please just be honest in your adverts!

Anyway, mine are here for life:

Horse 1 (retired due to arthritis): he's 19 now and I've had him since he was 2.5 years old
Horse 2 (still busy doing whatever he is enjoying): he's 20 and I've had him since he was 9

Neither of them are 'ideal' for me - I'm 5'9 and neither are above 15 hands, but we make it work because they feel safe and secure and I absolutely bloody adore them (ridden or otherwise)
 
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I had my first pony 19 years
My second for 15. Both pts to old age.
I’ve had my 3rd for 4 years. There is no price you could pay me to part with her.
4th one I’ve had 2 years.

I’m not sure I would be able to sell a horse, unless it was very much in their best interests.
 
I plan to own Dex for 20+ years if I get the opportunity and nothing in my life changes for the worse and even then I'd want to loan him out not sell, I plan to be his only owner other than the person I bought him from who had him since a foal.

That being said, we were chatting at the yard yesterday and I said I'd start considering selling at £50k and if it were a good home - as someone who's on a single salary with no prospect of significant financial changes, I would have to consider how much of a step up that would give me that could pay dividends down the road.

Irrelevant really as he won't ever be worth that, but that is where I'd start considering it.

My other two I owned for 2yrs each, one PTS with wobblers and significant navicular changes that didn't respond to any efforts to rehab at 7yo, and the other just due to a hard life on a big horse and being broken just about everywhere at 11yo
 
1. bought age 3 - owned 33 years - pts old age (originally meant to be with me for just 2 weeks 😂 )
2. bought age 3 - owned 26 years - pts old age
3. bought age 17 - owned 13 years - pts old age
4. owned 14 years (her whole life) - pts colic
5. owned 24 years (her whole life) - pts PPID/IR
6. current horse - bought age 9 (allegedly) - owned so far 25 years (he was only staying 6 months to get him right 😂)
 
1. bought unbacked age 7 - owned 19 years - pts old age
2. bought age 2 - owned 4 years - sold as too small and still in touch with new owner
3. bought age 2 - owned 20 years
4. bought unbacked age 5 - owned 3 years
 
Burnttoast said:
My guy is 21 and his average stay in a home has been 2.6 years. 10.5 of those with me. So not surprising he was a bit defensive when I got him.
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That’s horrific! Well done on you for being his forever home! Mine came to me after being turned away for 6 years, roughly broken, and the then sold within 6 months. He was damaged goods but I wasn’t going to let him become defensive like your poor chap
 
Yes, the only reason I’d ever give one of mine up would be to benefit them. I’ve had my OG for 8 years and my second, a rescue, for 6. Rescue is a bit of a gooseberry and honestly a horrid little thing sometimes. Mean, cranky, unpredictable, and impossible to work with (found myself chasing him around the field this morning with a head collar because hilariously, he wouldn’t come in for five minutes so I could do our usual morning routine. He then proceeded to rear up, break his lead rope, and bolt once he was caught.) however, the rescue will be staying put as my old boy adores him to pieces and they love each other very much. Sure, the rescue is a pain in my butt, but he’s very happy and so is my OG so they might as well stick together ❤️
Peglo said:
I had my first pony 19 years
My second for 15. Both pts to old age.
I’ve had my 3rd for 4 years. There is no price you could pay me to part with her.
4th one I’ve had 2 years.

I’m not sure I would be able to sell a horse, unless it was very much in their best interests
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Trot_on said:
Not long enough, in my opinion. I find it so odd that we class them as pets, but so many people don't treat them as such. One of my biggest bugbears is people selling 'their best friend'... you wouldn't sell your best friend, so please just be honest in your adverts!

Anyway, mine are here for life:

Horse 1 (retired due to arthritis): he's 19 now and I've had him since he was 2.5 years old
Horse 2 (still busy doing whatever he is enjoying): he's 20 and I've had him since he was 9

Neither of them are 'ideal' for me - I'm 5'9 and neither are above 15 hands, but we make it work because they feel safe and secure and I absolutely bloody adore them (ridden or otherwise)
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I’m surprised by this too. They’re pets but traded as if cars (it does sicken me slightly!). I have my beautifully tempered OG and a mean little rescue pony who was sent by the devil himself - but my old boy isn’t going anywhere ever because I’m attached, and the second, although mean, is happy with the OG, the OG loves him, and he is a pet anyway so I’m stuck with the pair of them lol
 
Mango_goose said:
My horse is coming up on eight years with me (2010 gelding) and although he used to be difficult and dangerous, he’s now in a place where he would be a beautiful mother - daughter horse and he has no problem stepping up and down paces. He could suit a noob, is completely bomb proof, but steps up a pace when someone more advanced hops on. No vices, never lame, the perfect horse in many ways. He’s also a real looker and is buckskin and white.He’s a gentleman, I’ve had my 80 y/o non-horsey grandma handle him with no trouble and he’s taught my partner to ride (and helped a friend get her confidence back). Hes competed too. I could easily get £8k for him in my area.

I don’t even ride much now, only for 12 weeks in summer due to my travelling, career, lifestyle. Luckily he rides the same wether it’s been 12 hours or 12 months.

But after eight years together, no way I’d ever part with him. Not for £8 mil. He’ll be with me until the end. But I read somewhere horses tend to be owned for 5-7 years ?
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My 1st mare 1983 - 1995(pts) illness 25 years old ...................................... with me to the end
2nd mare 1989 - 2012 infected pedal bone to lami (25 years) pts ....................................... with me to the end
Donkey 1993 - 2014 colic 25 years old .......................................... with me to the end
my boy 2001 - 2022 (pts) colic 21 ywith me to the end . ....................................... with me to the end
pony 2007 - 2007 colic 5 years old pts ................................... with me to the end
welsh pony 2009 - present 20 y ............................... with me to the end
rescue mare 2003- 2012, ( sold my half of her ) due to vet bills of 2nd mare. 18 y
current ID mare 2015 - present 15 y ...................................... with me to the end
connie 2018 - present 20 y ....................................... with me to the end
ISH 2024 - 25 (11 years) ..................................... selling as not right for me.
Next ID once sold ISH
 
1. 29 years - watched her being born.
2. 28 years - been a Livery for 14 years.
3. 17 years - watched him being born.
4. 14 years - arrived when he was 4.
5. 12 years - arrived when she was 8.
6. 12 years - arrived when he was 7
7. 13 years - arrived 3 years ago, rose her from own home for a year before that, known her all her life.
 
Currently have 7,all at home.
Horse 1. : Had him 14 years, retired for most of those as a rather elaborate field ornament . Arrived at 5
Horse 2: 10 years, now retired. Arrived at 12
Horse 3 : 7 years, semi retired. Arrived at 12
Horse 4: 4 years, after injury is now a hack. Arrived at 7
Horse 5: 2 years. Arrived at 8
Horse6: 1 year. Arrived at 5
Horse 7: owned since a foal now 2

With our own land they do tend to have a home for life, otherwise a few would have been moved on by now 😜
 
I suppose I’m not average as I’ve never sold any of mine.
Horse 1 owned for 14 years
Horse 2 owned for 22 years
Horse 3 owned for 23 years
Horse 4 owned for 14 years
 
Horse 1: I was an over horsed teenager. Sold him to a friend after 2 years. They had him till he died 14 years later
Horse 2: 14 years and counting. She will be going no where.
 
Mango_goose said:
My horse is coming up on eight years with me (2010 gelding) and although he used to be difficult and dangerous, he’s now in a place where he would be a beautiful mother - daughter horse and he has no problem stepping up and down paces. He could suit a noob, is completely bomb proof, but steps up a pace when someone more advanced hops on. No vices, never lame, the perfect horse in many ways. He’s also a real looker and is buckskin and white.He’s a gentleman, I’ve had my 80 y/o non-horsey grandma handle him with no trouble and he’s taught my partner to ride (and helped a friend get her confidence back). Hes competed too. I could easily get £8k for him in my area.

I don’t even ride much now, only for 12 weeks in summer due to my travelling, career, lifestyle. Luckily he rides the same wether it’s been 12 hours or 12 months.

But after eight years together, no way I’d ever part with him. Not for £8 mil. He’ll be with me until the end. But I read somewhere horses tend to be owned for 5-7 years ?
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Very interesting question for your first post on the forum - don't think I've seen it mentioned before. Welcome to the forum and thank you for bringing us a new topic!

Just in reference to your horse - if he's as perfect as you say, with a pretty colour, competition record and only 15 years old, he'd probably sell for twice the £8k!

I've only ever bought five horses, the last being over ten years ago, as I've just ended up loaning various horses/ponies since then:

Jack - owned 1 year - ISH - always dodgy, got kicked on the hock 6 weeks after I bought him, 6 months (!!!) box rest, had SI (and with hindsight probably KS) issues, never came right, PTS :(
Tilda - owned 5 years - cob/shire - my horse of a lifetime. Lost to colic 😢
Eddie - owned 1 month - ex racer. We just didn't click. Sold to a friend.
Q - owned 18 months - ex racer - gave to a friend as I felt I was too heavy for her
Rio - owned 5 years - WB - sold to my sharer when my loan horse got injured (while being ridden by sharer!) and I needed the money to fund loan horse's rehab. :(
 
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Mango_goose said:
My horse is coming up on eight years with me (2010 gelding) and although he used to be difficult and dangerous, he’s now in a place where he would be a beautiful mother - daughter horse and he has no problem stepping up and down paces. He could suit a noob, is completely bomb proof, but steps up a pace when someone more advanced hops on. No vices, never lame, the perfect horse in many ways. He’s also a real looker and is buckskin and white.He’s a gentleman, I’ve had my 80 y/o non-horsey grandma handle him with no trouble and he’s taught my partner to ride (and helped a friend get her confidence back). Hes competed too. I could easily get £8k for him in my area.

I don’t even ride much now, only for 12 weeks in summer due to my travelling, career, lifestyle. Luckily he rides the same wether it’s been 12 hours or 12 months.

But after eight years together, no way I’d ever part with him. Not for £8 mil. He’ll be with me until the end. But I read somewhere horses tend to be owned for 5-7 years ?
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Mango_goose said:
My horse is coming up on eight years with me (2010 gelding) and although he used to be difficult and dangerous, he’s now in a place where he would be a beautiful mother - daughter horse and he has no problem stepping up and down paces. He could suit a noob, is completely bomb proof, but steps up a pace when someone more advanced hops on. No vices, never lame, the perfect horse in many ways. He’s also a real looker and is buckskin and white.He’s a gentleman, I’ve had my 80 y/o non-horsey grandma handle him with no trouble and he’s taught my partner to ride (and helped a friend get her confidence back). Hes competed too. I could easily get £8k for him in my area.

I don’t even ride much now, only for 12 weeks in summer due to my travelling, career, lifestyle. Luckily he rides the same wether it’s been 12 hours or 12 months.

But after eight years together, no way I’d ever part with him. Not for £8 mil. He’ll be with me until the end. But I read somewhere horses tend to be owned for 5-7 years
Mango_goose said:
My horse is coming up on eight years with me (2010 gelding) and although he used to be difficult and dangerous, he’s now in a place where he would be a beautiful mother - daughter horse and he has no problem stepping up and down paces. He could suit a noob, is completely bomb proof, but steps up a pace when someone more advanced hops on. No vices, never lame, the perfect horse in many ways. He’s also a real looker and is buckskin and white.He’s a gentleman, I’ve had my 80 y/o non-horsey grandma handle him with no trouble and he’s taught my partner to ride (and helped a friend get her confidence back). Hes competed too. I could easily get £8k for him in my area.

I don’t even ride much now, only for 12 weeks in summer due to my travelling, career, lifestyle. Luckily he rides the same wether it’s been 12 hours or 12 months.

But after eight years together, no way I’d ever part with him. Not for £8 mil. He’ll be with me until the end. But I read somewhere horses tend to be owned for 5-7 years ?
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Wouldn't it be good if moving horses about became much less common place? Horses make friends and are sometimes very happy with strong social bonds and are moved away. All circumstances are different of course and sometimes it is very necessary for their health and well being to move. I've had all mine for over 10 years...apart from the 5 Yr old 😆
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I think an average length of a horse being owned would be pretty meaningless, tbh. We've all seen the poor souls stuck on the merry go round of dodgy dealer to inexperienced / inappropriate home to dodgy dealer again, that can be rehomed every few weeks / months. A healthy, sane horse that is easy to do and ride is more likely to spend many years with the same owner. If you average this out over many horses, it's not really going to show an accurate picture of either of the horses' lives.

For what it's worth here is for mine:
Hairy Champion, pony of my teenage years: owned for about 5.5 yo, sold when I went to uni and it broke my heart. I think he had two owners before me and two after me, though he was loaned out at least twice after I sold him.
Little Madam, still with me at 16 yo, I've owned her 7 years. One previous owner, I've know her since she was a foal.
Old Lady, still with me at 28yo, I've owned her nearly 3 years. Her previous owner had her 12-13 years I think for her paperwork and I suspect only one or two owners before that (raced and then a broodmare). I've only got her because her owner died.
Pippin, owned for the whole 2.5 months of his life so far, hoping to carry on for years and decades to come.
 
I've always thought that some horses/ponies seem to strike it lucky and find a home for life. Others- for some reason are unlucky- and never seem to find a proper home. I think ponies have it the worst as they are sold on as soon as they are out grown by most owners. It's one of the main reasons that I bought my pony. I knew him when he came up for sale and I couldn't bear the thought of seeing him appearing on my facebook page every couple of years as up for sale until he was eventually being given away as a a free companion. I'd be interested to know what the length of time is across the horse population as I don't think Forum members would really be representative.
 
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