Horse Facts
Top Seven Horse Facts to Know
Horse facts that most people know are basic; good pets, hardworking animals and live both as domestic and wild animals. There is more to know about these fascinating creatures, and a good place to start is with the top ten horse facts.
On of the top horse facts is how names apply to the different stages of the horse’s life. Some of the names that are associated with the horse are:
**Stallion…..a male horse still capable of reproducing young
**Sire…..the father of a foal
**Gelding…..a male horse that has been gelded, or rendered unable to reproduce young
**Mare…..a female horse
**Dam…..the mother of a foal
**Filly…..a female foal
**Colt…..a male foal
**Pony…..a full grown horse of small stature
The second of the top horse facts is that the age of a horse is determined by its teeth. Foals are born with no teeth. The teeth form and grow as the foal does, with development of the milk teeth complete by six to nine months of age. These teeth will be replaced by permanent teeth by the time the horse reaches six years old.
The third item in the top horse facts relates to a horse’s expected life span. Most domestic horses will live to be around 25 years old, with most of these being useful years. The oldest horse known reached 62 years; a barge horse from England named Old Billy.
The diet of the equines becomes the fourth of the top horse facts. Grass is the favored diet of horses, especially shorter grasses which they will graze upon for hours each day. During winter months when these grasses die back and become scarce, the horses are generally stabled and fed a diet of hay. Grains such as oats, barley and maize supplement the horse’s diet.
Number five in the top horse facts is that there are over 350 breeds of horses around the world that are categorized in four classes: light horses such as Thoroughbreds and Arabians; heavy horses such as Clydesdales and Draft; small horses such as Shetlands; and feral horses, which are wild and also called Mustangs.
Horse tails make up the 6th in top horse facts. The tail is used commonly for swatting flies and other pesky insects from the horse, but also to communicate with each other.
Rounding out the top seven horse facts is its four methods of pace. While horses can be taught and trained in other gaits, the natural types are the walk, the trot, the canter and the gallop.
Horses are fascinating creatures which have helped mankind tremendously throughout history. Getting to know them through some basic horse facts can only bring greater understanding and respect for their part in human civilization.