Very interesting facts about horses that you won’t find in textbooks
Since ancient times, horses have been considered one of the most noble and useful animals to humans. After all, they serve as a means of transportation, attract considerable sporting interest through their participation in horse racing, and are used as farm animals… And how graceful and intelligent they are!
It is no wonder that they are the subject of paintings and literature. (Incidentally, equestrian sports have even been included in the Olympic Games programme.) This shows that the lives of horses are closely linked to the lives of humans.
Horses have 10 different muscles in their ears.
As a result, they can move their ears independently of each other and turn them almost 180 degrees. Humans have only three muscles in their ears.
Horses cannot breathe through their mouths.
Horses breathe only through their noses because they cannot breathe through their mouths like humans.
Horses can see in almost all directions.
This is because their eyes are located on the sides of their heads. However, they have two blind spots: one directly behind them and the other directly in front of and below their nose. As a result, they cannot see the carrot you are holding out to them or the grass they are grazing on! Instead, they decide what they want to eat using their flexible and sensitive lips, whiskers and sense of smell.
If you love sports and excitement, then this site is for you: Online Sportsbook
The most expensive horse ever sold cost £70 million.
The thoroughbred racehorse named Fusaichi Pegasus was purchased by Coolmore Stud in Ireland in 2000 for a staggering $70 million. However, he was the sire of three Grade 1 winners and the grandsire of Ruler on Ice, the Belmont Stakes champion.
Horses are capable of understanding and interpreting human emotions.
A study conducted by the Universities of Sussex and Portsmouth found that horses have the ability to read human facial expressions and remember a person’s previous emotional state in order to modify their behaviour. Horses are naturally gifted with this skill because they are capable of making complex facial expressions.
Smith and his colleagues (2016) found in another study that horses’ hearts beat faster when they see angry human faces rather than happy ones. According to the study’s findings, horses can recognise both positive and negative emotions on a human’s face and become more anxious when they see angry faces.
Horses can sleep standing up.
A system of tendons and ligaments known as the ‘support apparatus’ allows horses to hold their legs in place so they can relax without falling. Horses use this device to relax when they are not resting, so they do not get tired from standing in one place for long periods of time. This allows them to conserve energy when they are standing. Horses actually spend a small amount of time each day lying down for deeper sleep, contrary to the common belief that they never do so.
Horses have quick reflexes.
When faced with danger, they can strike a powerful blow in just 0.3 seconds from a standing position, compared to a human reaction time of 1.6 seconds.
The oldest horse in history was 62 years old.
Old Billy (1760-1822), the oldest horse in history, now holds that title. He was from Woolston, Lancashire, England, and pulled barges up and down the canals.
It was most likely a Shire horse (heavy draft horse) with a brown coat and white markings, although its exact breed is unknown. In human years, it was approximately 165 years old.