What is the average lifespan of a horse??

[charliesarmy]

Just wondering really when I was younger (I'm not dead old honest!!) it seemed lucky if your horse reached mid twenties, but now it seems much older..I know you may get the odd really old horse but what is the average lifespan of horses these days??

 

[ATrueClassAct]

Well mines 22 and still in full work and no where near being retired so id say about mid 30s now

 

[LOZHUG]

Interesting post we have a 30 yr old mare where I keep my horse. She is 30 going on 3!!

 

[Charem]

I think its around 27, though you do hear of horses in their late 30s early 40s.

 

[Piaffe63]

The oldest horse ever was called Old Joe and he was 62!!

 

[charliesarmy]

The oldest horse ever was called Old Joe and he was 62!!

Really

 

[Capriole]

In the last few years weve lost two 22 yr olds through injury or illness, and a mid 40 yr old.


I thought it was old billy?

 

[Charem]

The oldest horse ever was called Old Joe and he was 62!!

I thought he was called Old Billy. He was a barge horse born in 1760, who died in 1822.

What i'd give to have my boy for that long (providing he was still enjoying a decent quality of life).

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I have a happy 27 yr old, her dam dropped dead in the field at the age of 38....

 

[charliesarmy]

One of my reasons for asking, my mare is 25 next year she's 17'3 buillt like a brick ****house and looks pretty good,has a few lumps and bumps but still fine...vet seemed pretty amazed by her age/looks which just got me wondering really..as I know breed/size can make quite a difference too

 

[Capriole]

.as I know breed/size can make quite a difference too

#

definitely, some little ponies seem to go on forever

the ones we lost were (22yrs) TB, 16.2,broken leg. Fit as a fiddle should have gone on for years yet
22yrs TBxWelsh,15.1, fit as a fiddle till he got ill and didnt recover, I was hoping Id have him forever
mid 40s ArabxWelsh 14h, very tired ole lady so pts

 

[ATrueClassAct]

Mines a Arab x Welsh, they seem to go on for enternity.

 

[charliesarmy]

#

definitely, some little ponies seem to go on forever

the ones we lost were (22yrs) TB, 16.2,broken leg. Fit as a fiddle should have gone on for years yet
22yrs TBxWelsh,15.1, fit as a fiddle till he got ill and didnt recover, I was hoping Id have him forever
mid 40s ArabxWelsh 14h, very tired ole lady so pts

Awe bless em all..mid 40's wow thats some going, but still sad...

 

[Piaffe63]

I thought it was old billy?

Oh, well I'm not sure, but he lived a long time

 

[Capriole]

Awe bless em all..mid 40's wow thats some going, but still sad...

It wasnt actually sad, she was tired and ready to go so it was a relief that she wasnt going to have to struggle through another winter really. Sounds a bit awful and weird saying it was a relief but she was ready to go and starting to struggle to get up and we didnt want to find her in distress at having been trying to get up for hours and exhausting herself.
Mad as a hatter the old bird, thinking about her makes me smile

thereaper: I know, Loads of the really old ones seem to be welshxarab

 

[Capriole]

Oh, well I'm not sure, but he lived a long time

I saw his skull in a museum in manchester when I was a kid and thought he must have been an amazing horse

 

[FanyDuChamp]

I thought he was called Old Billy. He was a barge horse born in 1760, who died in 1822.

What i'd give to have my boy for that long (providing he was still enjoying a decent quality of life).

Me too, my lad is nearly 18 but is mainly retired due to being very high mileage because of being a pro-CDE horse from an early age. So 62 yrs would suit us down to the ground, can't begin to imagine my life without him!
FDC

 

[ATrueClassAct]

Maybe we should all do some research into breeds and lifespan. Could be interesting to see!

 

[charliesarmy]

It wasnt actually sad, she was tired and ready to go so it was a relief that she wasnt going to have to struggle through another winter really. Sounds a bit awful and weird saying it was a relief but she was ready to go and starting to struggle to get up and we didnt want to find her in distress at having been trying to get up for hours and exhausting herself.
Mad as a hatter the old bird, thinking about her makes me smile

nope I get that just didnt want to seem blase, I know I will have to make the decision about my girl,but hopfully not for ages yet ,and hoping that memories keep me brave,and that she has bred me a fab baby