And for just plain osmosis, there's nothing better than having a good old horse around to show junior the ropes. It's just too bad our good horses can't last forever, but at least today, they are lasting longer . Many of today's horses get high quality care and, like humans, they are living to ripe old ages. In the past a horse in its late teens was approaching the end of his life but now the average lifespan is the mid-twenties with many ponies and Arabians in their thirties. Some senior horses are raring to go while others prefer to vegetate.
Horses can reproduce later in life than humans can.
Healthy mares kept on a regular breeding program can foal well into their twenties and semen can be viable in stallions as old as 30. Seniors often grow thicker, longer winter coats and might hold onto them past spring. Just as we gray around the temples at varying ages and degrees, some horses gray around the muzzle, lower jaw and eye sockets. Other cosmetic changes include hollow depressions above the eyes, a hanging lower lip and loss of skin and muscle tone. Common problems of aging are arthritis, colic, heaves, laminitis, lameness, general stiffness, poor digestion, decreased kidney function, and an overall lack of energy.