From giant shire horses to tiny Shetland ponies, horses come in all shapes and sizes. There are so many different breeds to choose from, there’s practically a perfect pony for everybody! So if you’re just about to embark on your search for the ideal equine companion, you’ll need to do some serious reading. You need to research up on their health needs, how to care for them, what horse insurance you need to buy and so on.
But before you get into all that technical stuff, here are five fast, fun facts that will help you wow your friends (and expand your own knowledge about these fascinating animals at the same time!
- Horses can sleep standing up
Have you ever been so tired that you’ve fallen asleep standing up? Well, it’s something that horses do regularly, and it’s not just because they’re over tired!
Horses only lay down when they need to go into a really deep sleep, also known as an REM sleep.
When they’re just napping in a light sleep they prefer to stand as lying down restricts their blood flow and puts extra strain on their internal organs.
Adult horses are renowned for not needing much sleep - maybe three hours out of every 24 – but foals will need more.
- You can estimate their age by their teeth
If you need to find out roughly how old your horse is, just look in its mouth. The teeth can be a good indicator of age although it might not be exactly accurate.
A foal’s milk teeth should be present when the foal reaches about nine months of age, with adult teeth grown in by the time they’re five.
The Spruce says that when you look at an adult horse’s teeth, the shape, angle and Galyvane’s groove found on the outer vertical surface should give you an idea about their age.
When the horse is about 10 years old, you’ll be able to see the Galyvane groove at the gum line.
By 15 it should be half-way down, and by the horse’s mid-twenties is will start to disappear – therefore giving you a good measure of how old your horse really is.
Horse teeth need to be checked by a vet about once a year to keep them in tip-top condition and to make sure they can chew their food and wear a bit safely.
3)They can only breathe through their noses
Horses are what’s known as obligate nasal breathers which means their anatomy only allows them to breathe through their noses.
The soft palate blocks the pharynx from the mouth, which is great for stopping the horse from inhaling food but not so good if it has respiratory problems as they won’t be able to switch to mouth breathing.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease (COPD or Heaves) is a common respiratory condition that is caused by exposure to dust and mold in a horse’s hay or bedding.
If you horse is breathing quickly, flaring their nostrils and there is excess chest movement it might be suffering from COPD or heaves and you should contact a vet as soon as possible.
4)Horse years and human years are different
We often talk about how old our dogs are by comparing dog years and human years but what about our horses?
The Spruce Pets says that by the time a horse is 1, it would have aged about 6 years in human terms.
By the time a horse is two, it would be considered a teenager in human terms, and by the time it’s 5 it’s roughly equivalent to a 25-year-old human.
