HOW LONG DOES A HORSE LIVE?

Horses are used for many different purposes. A human can’t find a better companion than a four footed creature known as horse. In addition to the services of companionship, they are also used for transport purposes. Moreover, entertainment in the form of horse racing has become everyone’s favorite. As we know that nothing is more important than health so, it is important for the owner of horses to monitor their horse’s health conditions. If the health of horse is continuously being considered then it may live long. The average lifespan of horse is 20 to 30 years. However, the lifespan of horse depends on many factors. These include,

• Breed
• Nutrition
• Diseases
• Horse’s movement or Physical activity
• Dental fitness
• The no. of times the horse has undergone reproduction

Breed:

Horses of different breeds are available. Different breeds may be distinguished by their sizes, color’s and shapes. There are two important breeds of horses. These are,

1. Draft horses
2. Arabian horses

Draft horses:

Drafts are those horses that are bigger in size. They have shorter lifespan.

Arabian horses:

Arabian horses are those horses that have small sizes. They live longer.

The breed of horses that are used for race purposes:

The breed of horses that are used for race purposes are thoroughbred horses. They are trained horses. They have undergone athletic conditioning to become competitive horses. The competitive horses require proper care. If proper care is provided then they can live above 30 years.

Nutrition:

The diet of horse includes grains, grass and hay. The food rich in carbohydrates like grains are very important because they are energy boosters. Make sure to carry proper food and water with yourself while riding. If there is lack of water, it will cause dehydration because of loss of electrolytes and salts which in turn cause some serious ailments.

Diseases:

Horses are more prone towards life threatening diseases like Cushing’s disease. This disease is fatal and can also cause other life problems. Some rare problems like joint, ligament, tendon pain, eye problems can also occur. These diseases affect the average lifespan of horses.

Horse’s movement or Physical activity:

Movement is the major factor which determines the average lifespan of horses. Daily exercises are very helpful for the fitness of horses. This will prevent the horse’s muscles from stiffening. Moreover, exercise or riding will make their bones strong that leads to excellent health conditions. When horse is in its excellent health condition then it can live longer.

Dental fitness:

Horses need dental care throughout their life. If their dental care is taken into consideration continuously then they can live longer because the chances of developing diseases associated with deteriorated teeth minimizes. The horse’s teeth have to go through the process of floating. It is the process of filling any sharp edge on their teeth.

The no. of times the horse has undergone reproduction:

It is important to note whether the horse is suitable for the breeding or not. Certain horses fall after mating. Some horses fall only when they go through this process for the first time but some horses fall every time. This is because the stress they feel after mating converts into more chronic stress that is harmful for their health. So, it is important to control breeding patterns to make sure their fitness and greater life expectancy.

As stated above, there are many factors that determine the age of horse. Taking all these factors into consideration, we can say that on an average horse lives for about 20 to 30 years.

HOW LONG DOES A HORSE LIVE ON AVERAGE?

On an average horse can live for about 20 to 30 years. This lifespan can be increased or decreased. If you want to increase your horse’s life expectancy then you should provide it proper diet including grass and grains. In addition, water should also be provided to prevent dehydration. If you want to ride on your horse more often then you should make sure that your horse would take proper rest in order to avoid any kind of disease.

If you want your horse to live longer then its dental care should be your first priority. Make sure that your horse would go through the process of floating once a year to remove sharp edges on its teeth. It’s done to avoid the diseases that have the ability to recur. Further, make sure that your horse would not remain static. Movements help them to prevent muscle stiffening so that they will stay healthy for longer times. Muscle stiffening is more common in older horses.

That’s why they can develop arthritis easily. In addition, make sure to control the breeding patterns of your horse because excess of mating would make your horse sick because of chronic stress. Lastly, the cleaning of horse hooves is essential in maintaining the health of horses. If hooves are not in a good condition, then horses would fail to exercise which leads to fitness problems.

HOW LONG DOES A HORSE LIVE IN THE WILD?

Wild horses are also called as “Mustang”. They are stronger than domestic horses. Wild horses mostly spend their time travelling different terrains. They barely rest. That’s why they often look dirty. As they love travelling a lot, their hooves are specially designed in the way that can bear any harsh terrain. They have the hardest hooves. Wild horses are mostly shy. If you are planning to approach a wild horse, you must approach them with utmost care and affection. When it comes to defense, their response is usually a flight. The horses live in the wild to the fullest. Their average life span is 15 to 16 years.

HOW LONG DOES A HORSE LIVE IN HUMAN YEARS?

The age of the horse is measured in equine year which is different from the age measurement of humans which is in human years. It is important to note that when horse is 1 year old then it is equal to 6.5 human years. When horse is 2 years old then it is equal to 13 human years. However it is important to note that this is not accurate all the time because age is determined by many factors like breed, general fitness, nutrition, physical activity etc.

Certain breeds live long like draft horses unlike Arabian horses. The horses which are provided with proper diet are more likely to live longer because they are less likely to develop diseases. Trained horses are more likely to live longer because they become the endurance horses after having athletic conditioning. Moreover, those horses which are subjected to continuous movements are more likely to live long because they don’t develop the musculoskeletal problems.

HOW LONG DOES A HORSE LIVE WITH CUSHINGS?

Cushing disease is also called as Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID). In this disease, the pituitary gland starts releasing excess Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ADH). This will increase the insulin levels in the blood and levels of blood sugar cannot be controlled. Generally the cause of developing Cushing disease is improper nutrition or prolonged ulcers.

This disease is not fatal at its beginning but prolonged progression of this disease can cause life threatening problems. It will also affect the horse’s immune system. The horse will appear older than its original age and can’t be able to perform any task. The diagnosis of this disease is done by a test called dexamethasone suppression test which can cause laminitis. So, it is not very promising.

The life expectancy of the horse with Cushing disease is determined by its owner. If the owner is able to take care of his horse and minimize the disease symptoms then the horse’s lifespan would increase.

HOW LONG DOES A HORSE LIVE WITH EPM?

The Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis is a life threatening disease. It is caused by the ingestion of parasite through contaminated food and water. It is a disease that affects the brain and spinal cord mostly. The parasite named “Opossum” is the major cause of this disease which is either ingested by horses or come in contact with horses. The symptoms of this disease include ataxia (loss of movement), abnormal gaits, lameness etc. The life expectancy of the horse suffering from EPM depends on the owner’s ability to give his horse proper treatment. If the horse has mild symptoms then it may live longer as compared to the horses with chronic symptoms.

HOW LONG DOES A HORSE LIVE WITH A HEART MURMUR?

Heart murmurs are caused when there is high flow of blood than normal. For the diagnosis of heart murmurs, it is important to note where the murmur is taking place. In addition, the time at which the murmur develops is also important for diagnostic purposes. The murmurs can be systolic or diastolic. The symptoms of this disease include coughing, fatigue, nausea, heart diseases, weakness etc.

The main causes which cause heart murmurs are hardening of heart valves, heart diseases, prolonged rheumatic fever etc. When it comes to the life expectancy of the horse suffering from heart murmurs then it depends on the owner’s ability to provide his horse proper treatment. Moreover the horses with benign murmurs are safe to ride but the horses with congestive heart failure because of murmurs cannot be used for riding purposes.

HOW LONG DOES AN ARABIAN HORSE LIVE?

Arabian horses are well known for their energy, persistence, patience and courage. These horses have the most graceful nature. They have distinguished features like long tail, arched neck, and short back. They have strong bones and hooves. They are mostly used in races because of the athletic conditioning they undergo. They are the perfect examples of endurance horses. These horses are well known for their calm nature. They are safer for children and beginner riders. On an average an Arabian horse lives for about 30 years. However this age can increase or decrease with proper or improper supply of nutrition, controlled or uncontrolled breeding patterns, maintenance of physical fitness etc.

HOW LONG DOES A RACE HORSE LIVE FOR?

Race horses are those horses which are specially designed for competition. They are subjected to training for months. They are also called endurance or competitive horses. They must undergo athletic conditioning. Thoroughbreds are the best example of race horses. They have short back, long legs and their hooves are proportionate to body size. They are called as hot blooded and are well known for their boldness and high spiritedness.

They can travel longer distances with greater speed. They are also very intelligent which makes them ideal for the riders. They are not suitable for beginner riders because of their nature. So, the retired horses are supplied to beginners. On an average a race horse can live for 20 to 30 years provided with the proper nutrition, exercise, physical training, physical fitness etc.

HOW LONG DOES A QUARTER HORSE LIVE FOR?

The Quarter horses are short sized, having deep chest and larger muscular development. They are very docile and trainable. Their nature is very calm which makes them suitable for beginner riders unlike some race horses. They are used to travel shorter distances with greater speed. They are used in Quarter mile races. On an average the Quarter horse lives for about 25 to 35 years. The life expectancy of Quarter horse depends on nutrition, fitness, physical activity, training. Physically fit and trained horses who have undergone athletic conditioning to become competitive horses may live longer provided by proper nutrition and water to avoid any serious ailment.

CONCLUSION:

It’s a universal fact that everyone feels devastated when he loses someone dear to him. When it comes to our close friends, the ones we call our companions, their departure affects us both physically and mentally. If you don’t want to lose your best companion, your horse, that always encourages you to leave everything behind that puts you down and fly with it to enjoy your life to the fullest then take a good care of it. Death is a fact but we can play our role to protect our loved ones from any kind of harm so that we don’t lose them earlier.