A new Horse/Human Age Relationship Chart has just been released that seeks to better explain the relationship between the stages of life for humans and horses. This new information reveals that, beginning at birth, horses age 6.5 years for each human year until puberty. Once a horse reaches age four, that rate slows to 2.5 years for each human year.

Horse/Human Age Relationship Chart

 

Courtesy Pfizer Animal Health

The Age Relationship Chart, created by equine veterinarians, is intended to help horse owners better relate to and understand the health issues their horses might experience at each stage of life, said Dan Kramer, equine market manager at Pfizer Animal Health, who released the information.

"Horses go through the same life cycles as do humans. They have distinct childhood, adolescence, puberty, maturity, and geriatric phases of their lives, " Kramer said. "This chart will give horse owners added insight into their horse's life stages and greater understanding of the issues at each stage. For example, a 22-year old horse would equate to a human of age 65.5. A horse that is 36 years old would be celebrating its 100th birthday if it was a person."

Like humans, advancements in health care are allowing horses to live fruitful and productive–even competitive–lives well into their golden years. From this perspective, the chart offers not only a point of reference, but also a challenge for horse owners, equine veterinarians, and equ