How Long Do Horses Live

Horses dramatically play an important role in our lives. But have you ever asked the question, how long do horses live? The life span of these four-legged friends depends on various factors such as environment, breed, diet type, exercise, and many more.

There are more than 350 different horse breeds worldwide. Some of the popular breeds are Morgans, Arabians, Quarter horses, Saddlebreds, Painted horses, Standardbreds and more. Among them, Morgans live long since they generally are not prone to illness.

On the other hand, domesticated horses have longer lifespans than wild horses due to lack of proper care. The proper care from caretakers and veterinarians is to be provided to have a better chance of living a long lifespan of horses.

The average life span of various horse breeds depends on several steps. You can make sure your horse will have a long life and be healthy regardless of the breed. Let’s go through the deep dive into all the things needed to know about how long horses live!

7 Factors For the Life Span Of Horses:

Go through the following discussion to learn various important factors that define the lifespan of horses. You will get the answer to the question, how long do horses live? 

1. Diet:

The exact dietary requirement can vary for each horse. Grass, hay, legumes, and high-quality grains can provide daily caloric intake for domestic horses. You can consult with a veterinarian for adequate nutrition for your four-legged friend. The wild horse’s diet consists of grasses and other vegetation available in their habitat.

2. Breed:

The life span of the horses critically depends on their breed type. The domesticated horses have a longer life than wild ones. The average lifespan of a domesticated horse is about 30 years and that for wild horses is typically closer to 15 years.

3. Living Environment:

It is more important to have free access to water and shelter for horses. They do not regulate temperature, particularly older horses. So proper care should be taken as per the seasonal changes.

4. Veterinary Care.

A regular exam by a veterinarian regarding any health issue is to be carried out at least once a year. Horses should be vaccinated regardless of their age. 

5. Exercise:

Exercise categories depend on the age variation of the horse’s life. Light exercise is suitable for older horses to protect against muscle loss.

6. Oral Health: 

Regular dental maintenance helps to prevent tooth infections and decay due to gradual increases in age. 

7. Foot Maintenance:

Foot maintenance is an important factor in maintaining strong and healthy feet. Overgrown feet can create discomfort and cause arthritis problems. 

Why is the longevity of wild horses less than that of domestic horses?

Grasses and other vegetation are the main diets of wild horses. They can forage their food in their habitat. However, the availability of these foods fluctuates due to seasonal changes and natural calamity.

Domestic horses get proper care from the caretaker and they are kept under the supervision of a veterinarian. Whereas wild horses are dependent on nature. The life expectancy of domestic horses will be more than that of wild horses. 

5 Stages of Maturity in Horse Life:

There are five different stages throughout the life of a horse; those are the indicators to calculate how long do horses live!

1. Newborn – Birth to weaning.
2. Weanling – 4 to 7 months old
3. Youth – Weaning to 3 years
4. Adults 3 – 15 years
5. Geriatric – 15+ years 

Various Indicators To Define How Long Horses Live:

So many physical signs can indicate and may lead to the belief that the horse is ageing. These include:

• A Sagging back.
• Clouding of the eyes.
• Muscle wasting.
• Grey hair and mane.
• Hollowing of the saloon.
• Slower chewing.
• Development of arthritis in various parts of the body.
• Increased urine or water intake.

Apart from the above-mentioned physical problems, hormonal problems, kidney and liver diseases, and even tumors appearing anywhere on the horse’s body can also define your aging horse.

Tips To Increase the Life Expectancy Of Your Horse:

The ageing itself cannot be avoided to think about how long horses live. But the horse’s life span depends heavily on the following factors:

• Proper care of teeth by an equine dentist.
• Foot maintenance in a scientific way.
• Providing the right foods for the right breed.
• Regular exercise and training are needed to avoid muscle atrophy.
• Regular veterinary care.
• A stress-free environment.

Some Popular Horse Breeds:

Here the same question we can ask is, how long do horses live? The life expectancy of horses depends on their breeds also. Some of the breeds of horses have been mentioned below:

• American Quarter Horse.
• Thoroughbred.
• Arabian.
• Morgan.
• Appaloosa.
• Ponies.
• Warmbloods.
• Draft Breeds.
• Gaited Breeds.
• Grade Horses.

The Way To Determine How Long Do Horses Live: A Horse’s Lifespan

There are some ways to determine the lifespan of a horse. These include:

Number Of Permanent Teeth:

The occurrence of permanent teeth can help to identify the age of a horse. Generally, the horse has permanent teeth by age five.

Teeth Surface: 

The shape of the surface of a horse’s teeth can change dramatically depending on their age.

Incidence Angle:

The incisors seem to tilt forward and outward when a horse becomes older. 

Cups in Jaw:

The cups in the lower jaw are worn reasonably smooth at the age of six and disappear completely by age fifteen.

Takeaways:

The lifespan of a horse or to define how long horses live, can be extended by following various tips as mentioned in this article. Hence caring for the physical, social, and health are playing a crucial role in extending the lifespan of horses.

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