Horse Facts

This page brings you a list of interesting horse facts.

Classification of the Horse

Horse Facts: Age

• You can tell the age of a horse by examining his teeth

• Domesticated horses have an average life expectancy of 25 to 30 years

• The oldest recorded horse was "Old Billy" who lived to the age of 62

• Foal is the term that describes a male or female horse that is less than one year old

• Yearling is the term that describes a male or female horse that between one and two years old
  

• A mare is a female horse who is four years or older
  

• A filly is a female horse who is under four years old
  

• A stallion is a male horse who is four years or older
  

• A colt is a male horse who is under four years old
  

• A gelding is a male horse who has been castrated
  

Size

• Horses are measured in hands - one hand being equal 4 inches (10cm)

• The measurement is taken from the ground to the top of the withers

• "Pony" is the term generally used to describe an animal that measures 14.2h or under

• "Horse" is the term used to describe an animal that measures over 14.2h

• Miniature horses measure in at less than 30"
  

Colors

• Bay - body color ranges from light reddish-brown to dark brown and the legs, tail and mane are black

• Brown - body color ranges from light reddish-brown to dark brown

• Chestnut - body color ranges from light reddish-brown to dark brown with no black points. Mane and tail are the same shade or lighter.

• Grey - can range from white to dark grey but all have black skin

• Black - coat, mane and tail are all black

• Buckskin - cream coat with black legs, mane and tail

• Dun - cream coat with black legs, mane and tail plus black stripe along spine

• Cremello - very light cream coat and most often with blue eyes

• Leopard/Appaloosa - horse has spots, mottled skin around the eyes, lips and genitalia and also has a white sclera of the eye

• Palomino - golden, yellow or tan shade with flaxen or white mane and tail

• Pinto - multi-colored horse with large patches usually either brown and white or black and white
  

• Roan - has white hairs evenly intermixed with body color and solid-colored head
  

• White - very rare and has white coat with pink skin
  

Horse Facts: Reproduction

• Pregnancy lasts for approx 335-340 days

• Foals are able to stand and run within a very short time after birth
  

• Horses are considered mature at around four years old but their skeleton doesn't finishing developing until they are around six
  

Anatomy

• Horses have 205 bones in their skeleton

• Horses have a special locking mechanism in their legs which enable them to sleep standing up
  

Digestion

• Horses are herbivores which means they only eat plants

• They have a small stomach so require a steady flow of food throughout the day and night

• They require approx 2 percent of their body weight in food per day
  

• A 1,000 pound horse require approx 10-12 gallons of water per day
  

Senses

• Horses have the largest eyes of any land mammal and have excellent day and night vision

• Their range of vision is 350 degrees with two small blind spots, one directly in front and one directly behind them

• Their ears can rotate up to 180 degrees to provide 360 degree hearing with having to move their head
  

Horse Facts: Movement

• Horses have four basic gaits: walk, trot, canter and gallop

• The walk is a four beat gait with three feet on the ground at any one time

• The trot is a two beat gait with diagonally opposite feet on the ground at the same time

• The canter or lope is a three beat gait with a moment of suspension where all four feet are off the ground

• The gallop is a four beat gait and is the fastest gait for the horse
  

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