Senior Horse Care: How Long Horses Live and How to Keep an Older Horse Healthy

By Gayle Woods Editors Updated 6 min read

Horses live longer than they used to. Better feed, dental care, vaccines and parasite control mean that a horse in its late 20s is now common, and many reach their 30s still sound enough for light riding. A senior horse needs some changes to its care, though, and the earlier you make them, the better it tends to do.

How long horses live

Most horses live 25 to 30 years. Ponies and small breeds often live longer than large breeds, and a well-cared-for pony in its late 30s is not unusual. Draft horses tend to have shorter lives, often in their early 20s.

The oldest horse on record is usually said to be Old Billy, an English barge horse who reportedly lived to 62 in the 1800s. That is an extreme exception.

There's no single age when a horse becomes "old." Most vets start thinking of horses as seniors somewhere between 15 and 20, and many horses show their age most clearly in their 20s. A common rough rule compares a 20-year-old horse to a person in their 60s, but horses age at different rates, just as people do.

The yearly senior checkup

Schedule a full exam at least once a year, and twice a year after about age 20. Ask your vet to look at:

  • Teeth. See the next section.
  • Body condition and weight, recorded each visit so you can compare.
  • Heart, lungs and eyes. Heart murmurs, heaves (a chronic breathing condition) and cataracts are more common in older horses.
  • Joints and soundness.
  • Bloodwork, including a test for PPID if there are signs.
  • Vaccines. Older horses' immune systems weaken, so keeping up core vaccines matters more, not less.

Teeth: the turning point for most seniors

Horses' teeth erupt slowly through life, and the horse grinds them down as it chews. By the late 20s, many horses have teeth that are worn smooth, loose or missing. A horse that can't grind hay properly loses weight, drops half-chewed wads of hay called quids, and is at higher risk of choke and impaction colic.

  • Have the teeth checked and floated every 6 to 12 months.
  • Watch for quidding, slow eating, long fiber in the manure and weight loss even with plenty of hay.
  • When the horse can no longer chew hay well, replace part or all of the hay with soaked hay cubes, soaked beet pulp or a complete senior feed made to be fed as the entire diet. Soak pellets and cubes into a mash to reduce the risk of choke.

See our guide to horse teeth and dental care.

Feeding an older horse

Older horses digest fiber and protein less efficiently, so the same hay can carry them less far than it used to.

  • Senior feeds are designed for this. They're easier to chew, higher in fiber and fat, have more digestible protein, and many are formulated to be fed as the whole diet when hay isn't working.
  • Feed by the bag directions. A complete feed fed at a pound or two a day won't supply what the horse needs.
  • Split meals. Three or four smaller meals are easier on an aging gut than two large ones.
  • Add calories carefully with fat sources such as rice bran or vegetable oil. See how to put weight on a horse.
  • Keep water appealing. A senior that drinks less is at higher risk of impaction. Warm water in winter helps.

Weigh or tape the horse every few weeks through fall and winter, when seniors most often drop weight.

PPID (Cushing's disease)

Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, usually called PPID or equine Cushing's disease, is the most common hormone disorder in older horses. A part of the pituitary gland at the base of the brain becomes overactive and releases too much of several hormones.

Signs include:

  • A long, curly coat that doesn't shed out normally in spring (often the first sign people notice)
  • Loss of muscle along the topline, with a pot belly
  • Drinking and urinating more
  • Sweating more than expected
  • Repeated hoof abscesses or laminitis
  • Slow wound healing and more infections

Your vet diagnoses PPID with a blood test. It can't be cured, but a daily medication called pergolide controls it well in most horses. The biggest risk with untreated PPID is laminitis, so early diagnosis is worth a lot. See our guide to laminitis.

Arthritis and stiffness

Most older horses have some arthritis. It shows as stiffness when the horse first moves, trouble picking up feet for the farrier, and shorter strides.

  • Keep the horse moving. Daily turnout with room to walk is better than a stall. A senior who stands still all day gets stiffer.
  • Light work helps many seniors stay fit and supple. Walk and gentle trot, on good footing, with a longer warm-up.
  • Talk to your vet about pain relief. Anti-inflammatory drugs, joint injections and other treatments can make an older horse much more comfortable. Some owners also use joint supplements; evidence for them is mixed, but some horses seem to benefit.
  • Make farrier visits easier by letting the horse rest its leg low, or using a hoof stand.

Weather, herd and comfort

  • Cold. Seniors with less body fat and a thinner coat may need a blanket sooner. See the blanketing guide.
  • Heat. Older horses handle heat less well too. Provide shade, fans and electrolytes on hot days.
  • The herd. A senior may get pushed off the hay by younger horses. Feed it separately, or put it with quieter companions.
  • Feet and skin. Keep a regular farrier schedule and look for rain rot and sores under long coats. Clipping a horse with PPID in summer keeps it more comfortable.

Knowing when it's time

This is the hardest part of owning an old horse. The goal is to give the horse a good life and a peaceful end, before it suffers.

Questions to ask yourself and your vet:

  • Can the horse get up and down without help, and move around comfortably?
  • Is it eating and holding its weight, even with changes to its diet?
  • Is pain controlled with medication?
  • Does it still show interest in its surroundings, its herd and its food?
  • Are bad days starting to outnumber good ones?

Some owners score their horse's quality of life every week to keep their judgment honest. Conditions such as advanced degenerative suspensory ligament disease (DSLD) or severe navicular disease that no longer respond to treatment are common reasons owners and vets decide it's time.

Plan the practical details before you need them: where it will happen, who will be there, and what you'll do with the body. Burial rules vary by state and county, and rendering or cremation services need to be arranged. Making these decisions in advance means you can focus on your horse on the day itself.

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Frequently Asked Questions