Last Updated on March 1, 2022 by Allison Price
There are many things to consider when determining the age of your horse. The aging process will be affected by factors such as the horse’s size, genetics, and health.
Horse lovers are well aware that horses age faster than people, but many don’t know the exact calculation used to calculate a horse’s age relative to humans. To convert horse years to human years accurately, there is no precise chart. Let’s learn how to do it.
Table of Contents [ hide]
- Horse Years Compared to Human Years
- Horse Age in Human Years
- Horse Life Stages
- Factors that Affect Aging in Horses
- Summary
Horse Years Compared to Human Years
It is important to remember that there is no universal way to calculate horse years to human years. Horses and humans age differently, so equine years can be very different than human’s.
Estimated calculations do not include horse condition and other factors that could affect its price. Online Calculators You can use, but you should still enjoy all calculations.
Horse Age in Human Years
A calculation shows that nearly three human years is equal to one horse year. But horses live almost three times as long as humans, so this is not always true.
An adult equine is usually the same age as a human of 21 years old. A pony aged between 13 and 14 years can be approximately seven to eight years in human years.
Horse Years to Human Years Chart | |||
Human age | Stages of life | Horse age | Stages of life |
From 0 to 12 Months | Infant | From 0 to 6 Months | Foal |
1- 3 Years | Toddler | 7 to 9 Months | Weanling |
3 to 9 Years | Preschooler and schooler | Between 10 and 12 months | Yearling |
10-13 years | 2 years | Adolescent | |
13-18 years | Teenager | 3 years | |
Maximum 20.5 years | Young adult | 4 years | |
21- 24.5 Years | Adult | 5-6 years | Physical maturity |
28-35 years | 7-10 years | ||
36 to 43.5 | Middle-aged | 11-13 years | Middle-aged |
53 years | 17 years | ||
60 years | Senior | 20 years | Senior |
70.5 years | 24 years | ||
78 years | 27 years | An average lifespan | |
85.5 Years | For the elderly | 30 years | Extremely old age |
93 years | 33 years | ||
100.5 years | 36 years |
The problem is that horses’ and ponies age are not determined based on their birth years. This means that you must consider the year these noble animals reach adulthood.
You can only use its life expectancy to determine how many years your horse or pony has lived.
Let’s now compare the aging of horses and humans. You should know that both horses and humans have different life expectancies.
Horses and Humans: Years’ Comparison
Even though animals and humans will live to their full potential, they will age at different rates and speeds. Equine years are therefore very different from human years. It all depends on the horse’s life stage.
Many experts have attempted to calculate, but it is difficult to find exact converters. Equestrians may find it difficult to understand, since it is possible to accurately compare the human years with those of cats and dogs.
It is more complicated with horses. It is easy to see the point when horses are three years old, since one horse year equals approximately 6.5 human years.
As an example, one year of foals’ age corresponds with a child who is 6.5 years old. Yearlings are the equivalent of a child 13 years old.
But, horses aged 10 years are still not the same as humans in their 60s. Although the horse’s ageing rate slows after this period, it still ages faster than humans. When the horse turns three years old, it will have an average year of 2.5 human years.
This means that a five year-old horse is approximately equivalent to a 23-year-old human and that this aging rate will continue for the rest of its life. This can be used to convert horse years into human years.
After turning 17 years old, horses become senior. A 17-year old horse can be compared to a 53-year old human. A 26-yearold horse is comparable to 78 year-old humans. Horse age 32 is considered very high, just like humans who live to 85.
Different maturity rates
It is important not to take the chart too literally. Horses, like all humans, grow and mature at their own pace. There are many factors that could affect this growth rate.
Different horse breeds may live longer than others, or less than the average life expectancy of this species. A horse that is well taken care of will live longer and be healthier. This will likely complicate matters even further.
Horse Life Stages
Horses go through different stages of life than humans. A horse’s life can be divided into three phases.
Adolescence / Youth
A foal is the universal name for all baby horses, and a yearling is the one-year-old. You can also use two terms depending on the horse’s gender once it turns one. Fillies are horses that are one to four years old, while colts are horses that are between one and four years old.
After six months, most owners will geld their male horses. Castration (gelding) usually results in horses that are easier and more manageable to train and handle.
If the animal is a good candidate for breeding, castration should be done before the breeding period.
Because their growth hormone remains active for a longer period of time, gelded males can sometimes grow taller that intact stallions.
A mare is a horse that has four years of experience. A stallion is a horse that has four years.
Adulthood
Many people believe horses are fully grown up when they reach five years of age. Warmbloods, however, will usually spend an additional year in their youth stage.
These breeds are slower to mature. It is a great time to ride horses or take part in races and shows.
Seniors
Horses live an average of 25-30 years. If a horse reaches 17 years old, it is considered senior. There are many indicators that your horse is at the older stage of its life.
- Horses’ backs are not as strong as they used to be, since they begin to lose the largest part of their muscles.
- Over time, the skin around the eyes becomes fatter and the lower lip falls down.
- Old horses lose their teeth and their coat turns gray, especially around the eyes and nose.
Factors that Affect Aging in Horses
Horses live on average between 25 and 30 years, as you probably know. At five years old, horses become adults and can live for 20 more years.
Keep in mind that the environment, breed, diet, genetics and predispositions to certain diseases have the greatest impact on your horse’s life expectancy. To determine what type of care your horse needs, you must also understand its life stage.
Experts believe that the breed has the greatest impact on horse longevity and quality. Arabian horses, for example, have a longer life span than most horses and age slower than other breeds.
Horses will age significantly if they have regular health care, good nutrition, and are well-vaccinated. Your horse’s work experience is the last thing you should take care of. It will age quicker if it is used as a work horse for a longer period.
These are the recommendations that you can follow to increase your horse’s life expectancy.
- For your horse’s health, provide high-quality grass and hay.
- Regular vet and farrier visits
- If you suspect that your pet is suffering from a health problem, take it to the veterinarian immediately.
- Regularly clean your horse’s stalls and outside shelters
- Make sure the stable is well ventilated.
- To keep your horse healthy and happy, give it daily exercise
- At least three to five times per week, ride a horse
- If necessary, wash and bathe your animal
- For your horse’s mane and tail, call a groomer
- Particular attention should be paid to the hooves and teeth of your horse
Summary
Because of their different lifespans, it is difficult to compare human and horse years. There are too many variables that can affect them. You can now find many online calculators that can be used for this purpose.
None of these can provide exact information. However, you can still enjoy the process of calculating for fun. Comparing how old your horse is to you can be very interesting if you are a horseman.