Fact About Horses
1.Horses have excellent memories
They are able to remember people, places, and other horses that they have met even years before.
2.Horses can communicate with body language
They use their ears, tail, and posture to express their emotions and intentions. For example, ears pointed forward generally indicate attentiveness or curiosity, while ears pinned back can signal anger or fear.
3.Horses can sleep standing up
They can lock their legs to remain standing while sleeping and only need a few hours of sleep each day.
4. Horses have excellent hearing
Horses have excellent hearing, with the ability to rotate their ears 180 degrees to detect sounds in different directions. They are capable of hearing sounds at much higher frequencies than humans, which helps them to detect predators or other potential dangers. At our sanctuary, Harry the pony can hear the rattle of a feed bucket from the other side of the paddock, and it doesn’t take him long to come running!
5. Reflexes Of Horses Are Lightning Fast
Horses are amazing animals that react quickly. Their flight-or-fight response increases their reflex response. When horses are standing and transition to their fight mode, they can deliver a deadly kick in just 0.3 seconds. Meanwhile, human beings take almost 1.6 seconds to react.
6.Start Walking Within a Few Hours After Birth
Most foals aren’t immature or weak from birth.Most of them are mature.They are at risk of predators from the moment they are born.
That’s why they must learn to walk and run, a crucial survival skill.Hooves of foals are covered with soft tissues which are important as they eliminate any chances of damage to the birth canal of the mother.
7.Ancestor Of The Horse Lived 47 Million Years Ago
It is believed that one of the earliest ancestors of horses lived almost 55 million years ago. But it’s just an estimation.Their ancestor was so small and almost the size of the dog breed Labrador.Among all breeds of horses, the smallest horse on record is Falabella.In comparison to their ancestors, modern horses are much larger.
8.Find the Age Of the Horse By Its Teeth
It’s not easy to tell the exact age of the horse.But by looking at its teeth, you can estimate its age.For horses, proper equine dental care is extremely crucial.However, sometimes due to negligence and poor dental care, teeth fall off and are severely damaged.
9.Live More Than 30 Years
It is one of the most common questions that horsey friends usually ask.
How long can a horse live?
The answer surprises most people.They can live for almost 30 years.However, different factors play a great role in this and increase equine longevity.
10.They Are Measured In “Hands”
There is a standard to measure everything, i.e., centimetres, inches, etc.The measurement determination for horses is known as hand.Let’s understand how you can measure your horse.One hand is equal to almost 4 inches.A pony is a horse with less than 14.2 hands.
However, miniature horses are the only equine that can’t be measured using hands.They are measured in either centimetres or inches.
11. The Respiratory Rate Of a Horse Is 8-14 Breaths.
The resting respiratory rate of the horse is about 8-14 breaths per minutes per day. The resting respiration rate of horses can also lower; in some horses, it can be even less than 8 breaths per minute.
12.Horses Have 205 Bones
The number of bones in adult humans is 205.In horses, the number of bones is 205, only one bone less than a human skeleton.
13.They Can Not Burp Or Vomit
Yes, no matter how surprising it sounds, they can’t burp.To be more specific, they burp differently and can not vomit.Many vertebrae animals can vomit but horses lose this ability over time.The digestive system of a horse is like a one-way street due to a strong band of muscles around the esophagus.They can not squeeze their stomach with abdominal muscles to induce vomiting.
They are different from other animals as they chew back the food.Because their way of processing food is extremely efficient, the rough fibrous food becomes forage, and due to this long system, colic issues can also arise.
14.Forelock Are Like Bangs
Forelock is the area of the mane that comes down between horses’ ears.These look extremely similar to human bangs. Many riders take extra care of the forelock and braid them to increase their beauty and charm.
15.A horse’s brain weighs around 623g, half the weight of a human brain.
16.Horses don’t have collarbones.Their shoulders are held to the rest of their skeleton via a sling of muscles and ligaments instead.
17.When foals are born, their hooves are covered with soft tissue to stop them damaging their mother’s birth canal and uterus. Names for this tissue include fairy slippers, golden hooves, foal slipper, leaves, gills, and fingers.
Plus some weird location-based horse facts you probably didn’t know about until now…
18.In Wilbur, Washington, it is illegal to ride an ‘ugly horse. ’ Do so and you risk a $300 fine.
19. In Oklahoma, it’s illegal to let a donkey sleep in a bathtub after 7pm.
20.In New York, it’s illegal to open or close an umbrella in the presence of a horse.
21.Horses in Burns, Oregon, are allowed into the town’s taverns with their owner — provided their owner has paid for their admission, of course.
Shinehope Equine specializes in providing horse stable, show jumping obstacles, horse walkers, rubber mats, horse bathing stands and so on. Please feel free to contact us.