🐴 Useless Horse Facts — Facts nobody needs. But every horse person loves.

There's knowledge you need for exams. There's knowledge that makes daily stable life easier. And then there's this knowledge. It doesn't make life easier. But it guaranteed makes it more entertaining.
Everything that follows is scientifically proven, historically documented – or simply too good not to share.
Let's go.

Horses cannot vomit

This is one of the most important useless facts of all. Horses have a very strong sphincter (muscle that closes the stomach entrance) between the esophagus and the stomach. That's why they practically cannot vomit.
What is normal for us is anatomically almost impossible for horses. Actually quite impractical. Especially when you consider that horses try all sorts of things.

Horses sleep standing up – but dream lying down

Yes. Horses can doze while standing. They have a so-called stay apparatus for this (an ingenious system of tendons and ligaments that keeps the legs stable without much muscular effort).
However, they only achieve true REM sleep (dream sleep) when lying down.
This means: If your horse is stretched out on its side, it might be dreaming.
About what? Maybe about the juiciest grass in the world. Maybe about its best friend. Maybe about the farrier not showing up today. 😄

Horses have almost a panoramic view

With their eyes positioned on the sides, horses see almost 350 degrees of their surroundings. Only two small areas remain hidden: directly in front of their nose and directly behind their tail.
Perhaps this explains why your horse suddenly gets startled when you appear exactly there. Not malice. Geometry.

Horses cannot breathe through their mouth

Horses are obligate nasal breathers (animals that can only breathe through their nose). A marathon runner with a cold would probably have similar sensations.

A horse's heart beats surprisingly slowly

A relaxed horse usually has only about 28 to 44 heartbeats per minute. For comparison: Humans are usually between 60 and 80.
No wonder. Horses rarely get upset about emails. Or about socks left lying around.

Horses recognize humans in photos

In fact, studies show that horses can recognize familiar faces. So maybe your horse knows exactly who brings the carrots. And who only announces the vet.

Horses have favorite friends

Not every horse loves every horse. Some friendships last many years. They graze together. They groom each other. They rest next to each other.
Basically like us. Just with significantly less drama.

Horses like music – but not all of it

Studies show that calm classical music can relax many horses. Heavy metal is rather not among their favorites.
Did Mozart himself ride? Unfortunately, no. But his horse would probably have liked to hear him.

Horses drink surprisingly fast

A large horse can drink several liters of water in one minute. This explains why freshly cleaned water troughs never stay clean for long.

Yawning is still a mystery

Why horses yawn is not yet fully scientifically understood. Tiredness. Relaxation. Stress relief. Communication. Probably a bit of everything is involved.
The best thing about science: It can sometimes honestly say: "We don't know yet."

Horses recognize their human's voice

Studies show that horses can distinguish familiar voices from unfamiliar ones. So perhaps it's worth talking to your horse more often. Not because it understands every word. But because it recognizes you.

Horses have more than 700 muscles

And yet they manage to roll in the mud precisely when you've just groomed them. That's probably not a muscle thing, but a life philosophy. 😄

Horses cannot belch

In case you ever wondered: No. Horses practically cannot do that either. The strong stomach entrance not only prevents vomiting. It also prevents classic burping.
Actually enviable. Except when you have flatulence.

Horses do not have a gallbladder

Yes, you read that right. Horses are among the few mammals that live without a gallbladder (storage organ for bile produced by the liver). The liver still produces bile – but it flows continuously directly into the intestine.
This fits wonderfully with their natural way of life. Horses don't eat three large meals a day. They graze small amounts almost constantly. Nature apparently thought: "We don't need a pantry here."
Did Lenitas know she didn't have a gallbladder? Probably not. She probably only cared that the apple tasted good. 😄

Do Arabians really have one less rib?

This myth has persisted for centuries. Many people believe Arabian purebreds have one less rib, one less lumbar vertebra, and one less tail vertebra.
Science now says: No. At least, this is not generally true. Most Arabians have exactly the same number of ribs as other horses.
One less myth. A shame, really.

Zebras are actually horses

Or more precisely: Like donkeys and horses, they belong to the genus Equus. So they are close relatives. Just much harder to groom.
Just imagine a gray horse with zebra stripes. The dirt would stand no chance.

Horses can taste sweet

Horses have taste buds (sensory cells on the tongue) and actually like sweet tastes. That's why many horses love apples. Carrots. Or bananas.
Broccoli, on the other hand, rarely wins a popularity award.

Hooves grow faster than hair

The horn of a hoof grows on average about eight to ten millimeters per month. This means: a complete hoof renews itself approximately within one year.
So horses actually wear new shoes every year. Without a shopping mall.

The largest and smallest horse in the world

The largest horse ever measured was named Sampson – later called Mammoth. A Shire Horse from England. Height: over 2.19 meters. Weight: more than 1,500 kilograms. For comparison: That's roughly equivalent to a small car.
And the smallest? The smallest known horse was named Thumbelina. A miniature mare from the USA. She was only about 44 centimeters tall. Smaller than many dogs. Big enough to win hearts.

The oldest horses lived over 60 years

The most famous example is Old Billy from England. He is said to have lived to be 62 years old. Whether the historical information is 100% accurate is still debated by historians. It remains impressive nonetheless.

Horses can read facial expressions

Not only do we observe horses. Horses also observe us. They distinguish friendly and tense facial expressions surprisingly well.
So perhaps it's worth taking a deep breath before entering the stable. Not just for us. But also for our horse.

Why are white horses called "Schimmel"? (Gray in German, but literally "mold")

The color has nothing to do with mold fungi. A gray horse is born dark and lightens with age. Every gray horse is actually a small surprise package of genetics.

Why do horses always roll exactly there?

You've groomed your horse. For an hour. Its coat shines. Every hair is perfectly in place. And then... Plop. Right into the only mud patch in the entire paddock.
Why? Because horses want to annoy us? No. Rolling is part of their natural behavior. It helps to loosen dirt, ward off parasites (small creatures that live on or in the bodies of other animals), fluff up their coat, and sometimes simply feel good.
Lenitas, by the way, had a remarkable ability: she was guaranteed to find the only mud patch in the entire paddock. Scientifically, this cannot yet be explained. 😄
Only the timing of the rolling... that will probably remain an eternal mystery.

The oldest horse toy in the world

Archaeologists found small horse figurines made of clay, wood, and bone that are several thousand years old. Children apparently loved horses long before there were toy stores. Actually, nothing has changed since then.

Famous horses in history

Bucephalus – the companion of Alexander the Great.

According to legend, the horse was so difficult that no one could ride it. But young Alexander noticed something: The horse was frightened by its own shadow. So he turned it towards the sun. And suddenly it allowed itself to be led.
Is the story exactly true? No one knows. It's beautiful nonetheless. And perhaps it reminds us: Sometimes fear doesn't disappear through strength. But by someone looking closely.

Marengo – Napoleon's famous Arabian.

He carried Napoleon in the Battle of Waterloo, among others. Today, his skeleton lies in the National Army Museum in London.

Secretariat – perhaps the most famous racehorse of all time.

In 1973, he won the American Triple Crown. His record at the Belmont Stakes is legendary to this day. After his death, it was discovered: His heart was extraordinarily large. Almost twice as large as many other racehorses.

Totilas – the dressage horse that captivated an entire generation.

Elegant. Powerful. And still one of the most famous horses in the world.

Horses can recognize faces for years

Studies show: Horses recognize familiar people even after a long time. They remember faces, voices, and especially experiences.
So maybe your horse is truly happy when you enter the stable. But maybe it also remembers that deworming is due today. You never know. 😄

And finally...

Maybe we will never need this knowledge. Maybe no one will ever ask us if horses can breathe through their mouths or how many degrees their field of vision covers.
But maybe we will smile during our next stable visit. Maybe we will watch our horse dozing. Or dreaming. Or grooming its best friend.
And when our freshly groomed horse then enthusiastically walks towards the only mud patch in the entire paddock after exactly three seconds – then we'll just think:
It didn't want to annoy us. It just wanted to be a horse again.
Maybe we don't need more knowledge about horses. Maybe we need more time with them. Because the closer we look, the more they tell us. And perhaps that's where the greatest wonder begins: It's not the horse that changes. It's us. 🐴🤎

 

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