Waverly horse still 'Sassy' — and enjoying newfound celebrity — at 41 years old

Drive along state Route 34 just north of Waverly and you might spot a horse lying in its pasture.

If you think the horse looks dead, you're not alone.

In fact, owner Susan Vanderpool gets so many inquiries from concerned passersby that she's had to post signs around her property letting people know "Sassy" isn't dead or abused.

She's just really old.

Sassy, a registered quarter horse whose full name is "Bars Sarsaparilla," just turned 41, and Vanderpool believes that makes her one of the oldest equines in the country.

"There's a Central New York horse owners group on Facebook. Nobody in it had a horse that age," Vanderpool said. "I looked at a lot of sites and it seems like she's one of the 10 oldest horses in the U.S.

"I had five horses at one point," she added. "They all died at 30. (Sassy) is definitely the exception."

A lifetime of love

Vanderpool got Sassy in 1983 when the horse was only six weeks old. She had another young horse at that time and planned to sell one of them, but became attached to both and kept them. The other horse died 11 years ago.

Vanderpool, who retired three years ago from a teaching job at Vestal High School, also has three dogs and two cats, but most of her attention these days is on her senior citizen horse.

When Sassy was younger, Vanderpool would take her to horse shows and did a lot of trail riding with her.

These days, Sassy spends most of her days grazing quietly in her pasture or sleeping in the sun, and Vanderpool spends most of her time keeping watch over her longtime hooved companion.

"I can keep an eye on her more closely," said Vanderpool, who has spent her entire life on the farm that's been in her family for generations. "I have a family of snowbirds in Florida. I don't go down. I couldn't trust someone else to take care of her.

"I have four webcams that cover her pasture and two inside barn cams, so I monitor her very closely if I’m not home," she said. "I actually never leave the place for more than a couple of hours at a time because of her, and then check on her several times in case she lays down and needs help getting up."

The talk of the town

Given her longevity and gentle demeanor, Sassy is a well-known character around the Waverly area.

She has her own Facebook page and lots of people have been following her antics, especially as her April 12 birthday approached.

"She has a little fan club. People will ask how Sassy's doing before they ask how I'm doing," Vanderpool said with a chuckle.

Sassy's habit of lying perfectly still in her pasture has also attracted unwanted attention of another kind, from people concerned about her welfare.

Vanderpool said she even got a visit from a Tioga County sheriff's deputy recently after someone reported her horse was abused or neglected, but once he met Sassy, he was satisfied she was well cared for.

"Sassy is in pretty good shape, and wears her red jacket most days when she’s out and about. She loves to sun bathe on warm days, and people often stop to tell me she’s dead when they see that," Vanderpool said. "At this age, anything is possible, but she’s always found to be sleeping and gets up, sometimes with my help, and wanders off. She truly has a village of neighbors looking out after her."

If Sassy has generated a lot of notoriety for her longevity, it's for good reason. The average lifespan of a horse is 25 to 30 years.

The oldest confirmed horse on record, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, was "Old Billy," who was born in England in 1760 and lived to be 62.

Horses do seem to be living longer, most likely due to better nutrition and healthcare, said Kyla Jones, manager of communications for the American Quarter Horse Association.

"We have heard of a few cases of horses living into their 40s and it is a wonderful milestone to celebrate," Jones said. "We are very glad to hear that Bars Sarsaparilla, Sassy, is still happy and healthy at 41."

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What the future holds

Even though reports of Sassy's death have been — as Mark Twain said — "greatly exaggerated," Vanderpool still holds her breath any time she sees the horse lying still in the grass.

She knows one day Sassy won't get up again, but is hopeful that day is still a long way off.

"She's remarkably healthy," Vanderpool said. "Some folks suggested I euthanize her on a nice day when she's feeling fine. I can't do that, although it would make my life easier. When she can't get up, or stopped eating, I'll know it's time."

When Sassy does finally take her last breath, Vanderpool doesn't believe she will get another horse.

But she admits she might be tempted to change her mind.

"They're a lot of work. They tie you down," she said. "I don't have anyone to ride with anymore. If the right horse came along, I could see myself doing it."

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For now, Vanderpool is happy taking it one day at a time with Sassy, and trying not to think too much about what things will be like after the horse that has been a constant companion for two thirds of her life is gone.

"It's going to be very strange not looking out the window every half hour," she said. "She's such a cool horse. She's super gentle. She's still going, she's got perseverance. Sassy could be here for her 45th birthday. You never know."

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This article originally appeared on Elmira Star-Gazette: Waverly horse Sassy is 'remarkably healthy', still going strong at 41