How Long Do Horses Live

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How Long Do Horses Live
How Long Do Horses Live

Video: How Long Do Horses Live

Video: How Long Do Horses Live
Video: How long do horses live? 2024, May
Anonim

The domestic horse belongs to the group of equids that have been domesticated by humans. It is also the only surviving subspecies of the wild horse, or Equus ferus. The exception to this rule is only a small number of Przewalski's horses.

How long do horses live
How long do horses live

Instructions

Step 1

It is believed that horses can live quite a long time - up to 25-30 years, although in this they are "bypassed" by Scottish ponies for a decade, whose life can last up to 40 years. Unfortunately, this information is not completely and absolutely objective, since wild conditions with predators, diseases and other dangers affect the life expectancy of horses, some of which die naturally. The situation is similar with domesticated individuals. Humanity uses these animals for their amusement or difficult work, which almost always negatively affects the health of horses.

Step 2

For example, young horses are actively used in agricultural work or sports competitions as early as 3-4 years of age, which for these animals is a very young age, similar to 12-16 human years. At this time, the horse has not yet fully formed joints, therefore strong physical and emotional stress, one might say, quickly drive it "into the grave", not to mention, often, simply terrible conditions of keeping animals, improper feeding and other factors.

Step 3

For example, on the territory of the former hippodrome of the city of Samara, there is a small monument to a long-lived horse that has lived for 10 years! Physiologically, this age for horses is youth and not even maturity, but even it constitutes a kind of record for Oryol trotters.

Step 4

Horses live a little, but still longer in territories belonging to the steppe or nomadic peoples, who divide these animals into meat and dairy. The latter usually graze on vast pastures all year round, and people watch the appearance of predators. Such a life is not too stressful, horses do not carry heavy loads, do not become part of unnatural human amusements, and therefore live longer. But, unfortunately, dairy or kumis animals are constantly milked, mares constantly give birth, not missing a single "hunt", which also affects the "wear and tear" of the horse's body.

Step 5

Perhaps someday scientists will be able to get an accurate idea of how long horses can live if they live in the most comfortable conditions - with useful physical activity, excellent nutrition, absence of stress and health hazards, as well as other factors. But this requires not one, not ten, but several hundred observations of horses, which will live their lives in the most comfortable conditions.

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