but also according to the maintenance and care they receive (regular monitoring and work). In the past, the life expectancy of a horse was around 25 years, but today it has evolved to around 30 years.
Australian Stock Horses will live between 20-30 years and do not have any specific equine health problems other than that suffered through natural ageing.
What is the average lifespan of a horse? The average equine lifespan is 20-30 years, depending on factor such as breed, size, nutrition, genetics, and workload.
The Chilean Horse is the oldest breed of horse from South America and the oldest registered stock horse of all the Western Hemisphere. However its pure genealogy precedes the date of its formal registry as a breed.
It used to be the case that horses were considered “aged” at 15 years. However, often horses and ponies of 15 years of age work normally and show no outward signs of old age until well into their twenties.
There is no set age for retiring your horse. Some horses have physical conditions or diseases that require an early retirement. Other horses can be ridden late into their life without issues. As a general rule, most horses should stop being ridden between 20 to 25 years old.
The Waler (from New South Wales) was considered to be the finest cavalry horse in the world, winning International acclaim for its endurance, reliability and hardiness during the Indian Mutiny, the Boer war and the First World War.
An equine veterinarian says Calypso's 50 years is the equivalent of 150 years of a human life. The young quarter horse was bought from a riding school in the 1970s after the Nakic family found it was being mistreated.
Weak horses were culled but the stronger types were used to breed sturdy saddle horses which were essential for the colony's development. Despite the mixed origins of these horses, they developed into a strong and handsome type that was eventually called the Waler after the colony of New South Wales.
Seniors (22-28)
And although these horses may be slowing down, it is important that they remain engaged and active. As they get older, taking the time to recognize age-related challenges and metabolic diseases like Cushings is very important.
Most Australian Stock Horses have a good temperament, and more often than not have inherited a gentle nature. Beginners should ride horses that are co-operative so the rider does not lose confidence.
Beyond age 6 3/4 the speed figure differences are once again negative, because a typical horse is past his peak age and is consequently slowing down. Horses older than 9 years run an average 7.1 points slower than their career mean and 12.1 points slower than the peak age category.
Modern Uses of the Australian Stock Horse
Aside from work, the Australian Stock Horse is used as a competitive breed. You will often find the Stock Horse competing in campdrafting, dressage, endurance racing, eventing, polo, polocrosse and show jumping.
As well as being used as working horses and pleasure mounts, Stock Horses compete in many disciplines including polo, polocrosse, campdrafting, dressage, show jumping, eventing and endurance riding.
Modern day Brumby: While most Brumbies remain wild, those that are domesticated are put to many uses. They make fantastic stock horses, especially in arid environments where other horses may not thrive.
Typically, a horse will begin to be considered a senior between the ages of 15-18. By age 20, a horse is definitely a senior, but that does not mean that they cannot be ridden or still enjoyed. Many horses in their teens and 20s today are continuing to live active lives.
Snitzel x Rising Romance colt: At $2.5 million, Lot 45 at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale was the highest-priced yearling purchased in Australia in 2021.
Goldin Farms, formerly Lindsay Park Stud, is an esteemed 1257.5-acre horse breeding and training ground in South Australia. Established in 1965 by legendary Australian trainer Colin Hayes AM OBE, it is a world-class breeding and training complex that today draws accolades from industry experts the world over.
HERITAGE STOCK HORSE (HSH) – is a Stud Book Australian Stock Horse and a STOCK HORSE (SH) – is a Special Merit, Exceptional Horses, First and Second Cross Australian Stock Horse. The breed criteria for Heritage Stock Horse and Stock Horse is defined below and eligible horses must satisfy all requirements.
There are two main options 1) group cremation where the body is cremated with others. This option does not offer any ashes back. 2) individual cremation where the body is cremated individually and the ashes are returned to the owner.
Just as with human seniors, exercise can help keep its muscles strong and its joints flexible. Many people are only able to ride our horses on the weekends, but your senior horse would probably be better off ridden lightly a few times a week, rather than just one long, hard ride on Sunday afternoon.
Dental issues, nutritional deficits, osteoarthritis, ocular changes, and airway problems like Equine Asthma also appear frequently as horses get older. “Often, patients have comorbidities or multiple related issues, requiring specialized care,” she said.