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The short answer: most horses live into their early 20s, and many reach their late 20s or 30s. The best survival figure we found is a median age at death of 18.8 years in insured Swedish horses, and UC Davis uses a mean lifespan of 25 years. Horses in their 40s exist but are rare, and the longest verified lifespan is 62 years. The risk climbs with age: in the USDA's 2015 survey, 3.1% of horses aged 20 or older died in a year, against 0.8% of horses aged 5 to under 20. Joint problems were the most common cause of death in the Swedish study.
Written by Marc Brannigan, Co-Founder & CEO of HempMy Pet. Last updated 28 October 2026.
How Long Do Horses Live? The Numbers, Side by Side
Horse longevity data is thinner than for dogs and cats. These are the figures we could verify from primary sources.
| Measure | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Median age at death, insured Swedish horses enrolled before age 1 | 18.8 years | Egenvall et al. 2006, Veterinary Record |
| Mean lifespan used for the human-age comparison | 25 years (equated to 71 human years) | UC Davis Center for Equine Health |
| Oldest horses in research cited by UC Davis | Mostly in their mid-40s | UC Davis Center for Equine Health |
| Longest verified lifespan | 62 years — Old Billy (1760–1822) | Historical record |
| Share of horses 20 or older that died in a year | 3.1% (vs 0.8% for ages 5 to under 20) | USDA NAHMS Equine 2015 |
| Overall annual mortality, US operations with 5+ equids | 1.4% of resident equids | USDA NAHMS Equine 2015 |
The Swedish figure covers horses with full life insurance, so it leans toward horses someone cared enough to insure. The USDA figure is owner-reported and the cause of death was not always confirmed by a vet.
Read this before you trust any single number
- Insured and surveyed horses are not all horses. The Swedish data is a single insurer's book from 1997–2000; the USDA survey covers 28 US states and operations with five or more equids.
- The two studies measure different things. One reports age at death; the other reports the share of each age group that dies in a year. They cannot be averaged together.
- Breed, use and care change the picture. The Swedish authors found mortality rates differed widely between breeds.
- There is no horse equivalent of a cat or dog life table. Anyone quoting a precise lifespan to the decimal is estimating.
How Does Risk Change With Age?
The USDA's 2015 national survey counted horses that died or were euthanized in the previous 12 months, as a share of each age group.
| Age group | Share that died or were euthanized in 12 months |
|---|---|
| Under 6 months | 2.8% |
| 6 months to under 1 year | 1.2% |
| 1 year to under 5 years | 0.5% |
| 5 years to under 20 years | 0.8% |
| 20 years or older | 3.1% |
Source: USDA NAHMS Equine 2015. Percent of the age-class inventory on 1 May 2015. Cause of death was owner-reported.
The pattern is a U: risk is highest in foals, lowest in young adults, and rises again after 20. In horses 20 and older, owners reported colic, neurologic problems, cancer and chronic weight loss as leading causes, and "old age" was the most common specified condition in the "other" group, which made up 26.6% of deaths. In horses aged 1 to under 20, colic, injury and respiratory problems led.
Horse Years to Human Years
UC Davis's Center for Equine Health uses a mean lifespan of 25 years, equated with 71 human years.
| Horse's age | Rough human equivalent | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| 20 years | About 57 | UC Davis |
| 30 years | About 85 | UC Davis |
| 32 years | About 90 | Our extension of the same scale — an estimate |
Source: UC Davis Center for Equine Health. Conversions are conventions, not biology.
What the Data Say About Cause of Death
In the insurance study, joint problems accounted for 140 deaths per 10,000 horse-years, out of a total of 415. A horse that cannot move comfortably is often euthanized for that reason alone.
Owners in the USDA survey reported colic among the leading causes of death in horses aged 1 to under 20, and again in horses 20 and older.
Diagnosed deaths per 10,000 horse-years were 459 in geldings, 345 in mares and 214 in stallions. These are rates across all ages, not lifespans.
Where Hemp Fits — and Where It Doesn't
No study shows hemp or CBD makes a horse live longer, prevents colic or treats cancer. Those need a vet. Hemp is never a substitute for dental care, bloodwork or a lameness exam.
Since joint problems lead the Swedish mortality data, comfort and movement matter in older horses. For a vet-checked senior that is stiff, owners use a weight-based serving of full-spectrum hemp to help support comfort and easy movement. See hemp for senior horses.
CBD is prohibited under USEF and FEI rules, so it is not for horses that compete under them. Check your own rulebook before use.
The honest limit: published equine hemp work is small and short, and the 93% result in the author box below is from a dog joint trial, not a horse trial. Read whether CBD is safe for horses and our horse serving guide, and talk to your vet first if your horse is on medication or has metabolic disease. For the calm and stall-stress side, see cribbing and stall stress.
For a vet-checked senior horse that needs everyday comfort — not a lifespan fix
Everything for horses → Grown on our own Colorado farm and third-party tested every batch.
Hemp for Horses → Hemp for Senior Horses
When to Call the Vet
Call now if:
- Colic signs — pawing, rolling, looking at the flank, no manure, sweating
- A horse that is down and cannot rise, or is severely lame on three legs
- Choke, laboured breathing, or a nasal discharge with a fever
- A horse that stops eating or drinking
Book this week if:
- Weight loss, a long or curly coat that is not shedding, or increased drinking and urinating (possible Cushing's disease)
- Dropping feed, quidding, or foul breath (dental problems)
- New stiffness, a shortened stride, or reluctance to turn or lie down
- A change in behaviour or balance in a horse over 20
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do horses live on average?
A typical horse lives into its early 20s, and the best published survival figure is a median age at death of 18.8 years for insured Swedish horses enrolled before their first birthday (Egenvall et al. 2006). That figure counts horses that die of any cause, including colic and injury, so a horse that stays healthy into adulthood often lives longer. UC Davis's Center for Equine Health works from a mean lifespan of 25 years, and many well-kept horses reach their late 20s or 30s.
Can a horse live to 40 years old?
Rarely, but yes. UC Davis's Center for Equine Health notes that the oldest horses studied were mostly in their mid-40s, and horses living into their 20s and 30s are now common. A 40-year-old horse is an outlier: the survival data above show that most horses die well before that. The longest verified lifespan we found is 62 years, for a working horse named Old Billy, born in 1760.
How old is a 32-year-old horse in human years?
About 90. UC Davis equates a 20-year-old horse with a 57-year-old person and a 30-year-old horse with an 85-year-old person, which is roughly 2.8 human years for each horse year in that range. Extending the same scale to 32 gives about 90. That last step is our arithmetic, not a published figure, and any horse-to-human conversion is a rough guide, not biology.
What is the average age when a horse dies?
In the Swedish insurance study the median age at death was 18.8 years for horses enrolled before age one. The USDA's 2015 national survey measures it differently: of horses aged 20 or older, 3.1% died or were euthanized in the previous 12 months, compared with 0.8% of horses aged 5 to under 20. Old age, colic, neurologic problems, cancer and chronic weight loss were the leading reported causes in the oldest group.
Can a horse live for 100 years?
No. No horse has come close. The longest verified lifespan is 62 years for Old Billy, who was born in 1760 and died in 1822. Claims above that are not documented, and modern horses that reach 40 are already exceptional.
What is the leading cause of death in horses?
In the Swedish insurance data, joint problems were the most common cause of death or euthanasia, at 140 deaths per 10,000 horse-years at risk, out of a total mortality of 415 per 10,000 horse-years. In the USDA 2015 survey, owners reported colic, injury and respiratory problems as the leading causes in horses aged 1 to under 20, and colic, neurologic problems, cancer and chronic weight loss in horses aged 20 and up.
Do geldings, mares and stallions live equally long?
Not in the Swedish data. Among insured horses, diagnosed deaths ran at 459 per 10,000 horse-years in geldings, 345 in mares and 214 in stallions. Those are death rates across all ages, not lifespans, and the insured horses differ by breed and use, so the study cannot say sex alone causes the gap.
When is a horse considered a senior?
Most vets and feed companies treat a horse as a senior from about 15 to 20 years old, though there is no single cut-off. The practical signs are weight loss, dental wear, stiffness, a long or curly coat that does not shed, and slower recovery after work. A senior-focused exam with dental care and bloodwork is more useful than the number on the passport.
What helps a horse live longer?
The data do not isolate a single cause, but the leading risks point to the priorities: joint soundness, colic prevention, dental care and weight management. The Swedish study found joint problems the most common cause of death, and colic is among the leading causes in the USDA survey. Regular dental and hoof care, parasite control based on fecal counts, steady forage and a vet who knows the horse are what the evidence supports.
Can hemp or CBD help my horse live longer?
No study shows that hemp or CBD lengthens a horse's life, and we will not claim it. Where hemp can fit is everyday comfort and easy movement in a vet-checked older horse that is not in competition. Published equine work is small and short, and CBD is prohibited by USEF and FEI rules, so it is not for horses that compete under those rules. Start with our horse serving guide and read whether CBD is safe for horses first.
Hemp for Horses → How Long Do Cats Live
Hemp for Senior Horses · Hemp Serving for Horses · Is CBD Safe for Horses? · Cribbing and Stall Stress
Marc co-founded HempMy Pet in 2016 with his business partner Natalie Mondine, the company's COO. HempMy Pet breeds its own hemp genetics, grows them on its certified-organic Colorado farm, and formulates every batch in-house under human-grade standards — seed to sale, nothing sourced overseas. Every batch is third-party tested and the certificates of analysis are published. More about us.
HempMy Pet ran its own 90-day study of 37 dogs with chronic joint discomfort. Of the 32 that completed it, 30 (93%) showed a benefit, and 94% of owners reported their dog's quality of life had improved. It was overseen by Dr. Robin Downing, DVM, MS of the Downing Center for Animal Pain Management, with Lori Kogan, Ph.D. and Peter W. Hellyer, DVM of Colorado State University's College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, and published in the Journal of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association. Read the methodology.
Why Dr. Downing: in 2005 she became only the third veterinarian in the world credentialed as a Diplomate of the American Academy of Pain Management. She founded the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management, is a Diplomate of the ACVSMR, a Certified Veterinary Pain Practitioner and a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner, and was the AVMA's 2020 Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year. Chronic joint pain is her life's work. Read the published paper (PDF).
This article is general information for horse owners, not veterinary advice. It is reviewed and updated as new peer-reviewed evidence is published, and where the evidence is thin or negative we say so.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This article is general information, not veterinary advice. If your horse is unwell, contact your veterinarian.
