We love horses for their beauty, personality and the way they make our world a better place. Think you know everything about horses? Well, did you know that a horse’s teeth take up more space inside their head than their brains–or that stallions have more teeth than mares? If you’d like to know more about these beautiful creatures, keep reading these fun facts about horses you may not have known.
#1 – Horses’ favorite flavors are fenugreek, banana, and cherry. (Equus Magazine)
A University of Southampton study rounded out the list with rosemary, cumin, carrot, peppermint, and oregano, in that order. Since horses prefer variety in their forage ration, varying the flavor of the diet may keep them happy without the risk of colic that a full change in diet can cause.
#2 – Horses produce 3-10 gallons of saliva every day. (The Horse)
Saliva makes food easier for a horse to swallow and prevents ulcerations in the digestive tract. Unlike humans, saliva production only occurs during chewing.
#3 – Horses have 8 different blood types. (Dr. D’Adamo)
Humans only have 4. Also, each blood group can occur in several different forms. A horse may have more than one blood type.
#4 – The original “horse box” was invented in England in 1836. (Kevin Parker Horse Boxes)
Lord George Bentinck used the custom-built carriage, pulled by 6 other horses, to transport his horse, Elis, to a race 200 miles away secretly and without tiring him on the long journey. Since nobody saw Elis making the journey in the days leading up to the race, the odds of him winning lengthened to 12-1. When the rested Elis won the race, Bentinck won not only the purse but £12,000 from his bet!
#5 – Mown grass cuttings can cause colic. (RSPCA)
Fresh lawn mower clippings are actively fermenting, which is why they feel warm. The horse doesn’t need to do much chewing since the grass is already short, and without saliva to dilute the clippings, the fermentation continues unabated in the horse’s stomach, much earlier in the digestive tract than usual. The gas given off by the fermentation can cause colic, in some cases so severe that the stomach may rupture.
#6 – A horse’s ears point where he’s looking. (Don Blazer)
A relaxed horse will have his ears rotating freely, checking out his surroundings. Both ears forward mean your horse is very attentive to something.
#7 – An adult horse’s brain weighs the same as a small child’s brain. (EBHRC)
The biggest difference between a human brain and a horse brain is that most of the horse’s brain is used for analyzing information it receives from the environment, while most of the human brain is used for fine-motor skills and language development.
Are there any fun facts about horses that you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments below!
