Happy birthday to the faithful “Cobber”

Kerrs Creek resident Robyn Ostini brought in the above photograph to the Orange City Life Office this past week, showing her one-year-old grandson Finn on the family’s faithful and long-lived horse “Cobber.”

Purchased from Forbes nearly 30 years ago for their daughter, “Cobber” will turn 40 on October 10 - a significant milestone for a horse with the average ages considered to be 25 to 30 years.

“We bought him years ago for our daughter, who was 12, and the horse was 12 at the time,” Robyn said.

“It's been one of the kids' ponies all that time…  Our three children and grandchildren and they've been through all the Pony clubs. We've just looked after him, and he’s been spoiled… but he's showing his age now well and truly.”

While a horse of 40 years of age is still rare, with better nutrition and veterinary treatments available these days, it’s not as uncommon as it once was.

But believe it or not, the longest-living horse on record was born in the year 1760 and lived to be 62 years of age! “Old Billy” belonged to the Mersey and Irwell Navigation Company and worked pulling canal barges and as a “gin horse” (“Gin” in this sense being short for “engine”). Before steam and combustion engines, horses were harnessed to a wheel or treadmill used to power a mill or machine.

“Old Billy” became somewhat of a celebrity in his latter years and was the subject of paintings by a number of artists. He was still at work at 59 years of age but spent his final years on the estate of one of the company directors. He died on November 27, 1822.