Guinness World Records write that Echoquette, a gorgeous chocolate-colored purebred Arabian mare, truly lived the good life.
Born in Arizona, she was raised in snowy Switzerland but later called Texas, USA, home with her owners, the Haus family.
Born on 8 May 1988, she was 36 years 222 days old when she suddenly and unexpectedly passed from acute liver failure in Austin in December, marking the end of a long and extraordinary life for the oldest living horse.
The age is equivalent to a human living to approximately 110 years.
“We first saw Echoquette in April 1993, standing curiously in her stall in Switzerland. In that moment, we discovered the horse that would change our lives forever,” said her proud owner, Andrew Haus.
“She looked at us with her head tilted, almost like a curious dog, an endearing and unusual gesture that immediately caught our attention.”
“She became the first horse we ever bought, marking the beginning of a lifelong bond we couldn’t have imagined would last over three extraordinary decades,” he continued.
Born on Mother’s Day in Prescott, Arizona, Echoquette moved from the southwestern heat to the snowy mountains of Switzerland when she was a foal.
Born to Tender Love and national champion Aladdinn Echo, she took her name from her father, but her “coquette” nature remained one of her defining features throughout her life.
“Despite her advanced age, Echoquette never lost her coquette spirit, especially when a stallion was nearby,” said Andrew.
“The moment she caught his scent, her usual pace became an eager march to the fence by the road, where she could go no further. There, she performed a little dance, sniffing the air with wide eyes and ears pointed toward the stallion.”
She moved to Austin with her family in 1998, settling on their property after living in Switzerland five years.
The horse loved to spend her time basking in the bright sun, lounging and grazing around in the grassy pastures, and resting under the shady trees near her stable.
Echoquette also had a constant appetite, and was serious about her daily feeding schedule – the Haus family said that no matter the mealtime, she was known to have a special knack for securing snacks, usually a handful of her feed pellets or apples, bananas, and grapes.
“Whenever she spotted someone near the stable, she would march right over and nicker persistently until her request was granted,” said Andrew.
“The horse also seemed to have a sixth sense for detecting an open gate between the pasture and the garden. The moment one was left unattended, she would seize the opportunity to sneak in and help herself to two of her favorite treats – carrots and lettuce.”
She passed unexpectedly after starting a new medication, and her grieving family encourages all pet owners to remain vigilant about monitoring their animal’s health.
“Had a test been done, we probably would have caught this liver problem in time and could have stopped or reduced the medication, preventing her death,” said Andrew.
Even though her loved ones did all they could for the magnificent horse, she left the earth the night of 16 December.
“Veterinarians described her as one of the kindest horses, noting how she cooperated with treatments – such as joint injections – without sedation, seemingly understanding that they were done to help her, an especially remarkable trait given that other horses can remain uncooperative even with sedation,” said Andrew.