30 things you probably didn't know about horses
30 things you probably didn't know about horses
Horses are benevolent and wise animals. Humanity has valued them for their dazzling beauty and dignity for centuries. Horses have proven to be loyal and hardworking creatures, both as a means of transportation and in agriculture and competition. Like many other animals, horses also have a number of unique traits and characteristics. Below you will find 30 interesting facts that you probably did not know about these magnificent animals:
1. An adult horse's brain weighs only about half that of a human brain – 623 grams.
2. In 2003, a mare was cloned in Italy. It was the first cloned horse and it was
was a Haflinger horse.
3. “Horse” inspired “chivalry,” which comes from the French word “cheval,” which
means horse.
4. Horses were part of the first Olympic Games: chariot racing was the first Olympic sport.
5. They like sweets and sweet things – they refuse anything sour or bitter.
6. Horses cannot vomit. They lack the muscle in their stomach that controls the gag reflex.
Vomiting is not possible without this muscle.
7. They also cannot get frostbite on their feet . A protective mechanism prevents this, which is why
Horses can stand in icy water or snow without any problems.
8. Horses have good taste in music . They like listening to classical music, considering it
calming and balancing. Music calms nervous horses!
9. A horse's heart weighs 4.5 kg!
10. Horse intestines are incredibly long – about 27 m in a full-grown horse.
11. The length of a foal's legs at birth indicates the horse's height when fully grown, as they are already
approximately 80–90% of their final length.
12. They have a strong sense of touch: they can feel a mosquito as soon as it lands.
13. Horses cannot breathe through their mouths.
14. The Arabian horse has one less rib because it is a separate breed. Different breeds have different
characteristics: ear shape, height, tail and even features, as some are the most aggressive,
some faster.
15. The fastest horse in the world is Secretariat. His record has still not been broken.
16. Horses drink at least 94 liters of water per day, even more in hot climates.
17. A horse's teeth never stop growing .
18. Horses have been found in cave paintings dating back to around 15,000 BC .
19. You can tell if a horse is cold by touching its ears . If the ears are cold, then
The horse has it too.
20. The four horses of Revelation are symbols of the end of the world – white symbolizes conquest,
black for famine, red for war, and pale for plague.
21. A horse has 16 muscles in its ears that allow it to turn them 180 degrees .
22. Horses with pink skin can burn in the sun!
23. They have an amazing long-term memory .
24. Horses have seven blood types .
25. The oldest known horse died at the age of 62.
26. Horses are known to grieve the loss of a companion – human, equine, or other creature.
27. They also like routine. Especially routine when it comes to food: the same food, the same
time.
28. A horse's knee joint is like a human wrist and a hock joint like an ankle.
29. The Mongols were the first to domesticate this wild animal about 5,000 years ago.
30. By pinching a horse's skin, you can find out if the horse is suffering from dehydration - if the skin recovers
slowly to its original state, the horse desperately needs water!
What other facts do you know about horses?