What are some fun horses facts?
What are some fun horses facts?

52 Horse Facts Every New Owner (and Curious Fan) Should Know

Karin Lehnardt
By Karin Lehnardt, Senior Writer—Reviewed for accuracy by the FactRetriever editorial team
Published March 31, 2017Updated December 29, 2025

Thinking about owning a horse, or already caring for one? Horses are powerful, intelligent animals with unique biological needs, emotional awareness, and daily care requirements that can surprise even experienced owners. Understanding how horses sleep, eat, communicate, and move can prevent costly mistakes and improve both safety and well-being. From fascinating horse biology to real-world ownership realities, these essential horse facts explain what makes horses extraordinary, and what every new owner and curious fan should know before stepping into the stable.

  • Horse Biology & Anatomy

    Horses Can Sleep Standing Up

    Why it matters: They lock their joints while standing up, a survival adaptation to stay alert, even while resting

    What to know: Horses still need to lie down daily to reach deep REM sleep.[8]

  • Horses Have Nearly 360-Degree Vision

    Why it matters: Sudden movements in blind spots can startle them.

    What to know: Always approach horses calmly from the side.[19]

  • A Horse Has Only One Functional Toe: Its Hoof

    Why it matters: Hoof health directly affects mobility, circulation, and comfort.

    What to know: Regular farrier care isn't option; it is essential.[11]

  • Horses Have the Largest Eyes of Any Land Mammal

    Why it matters: Their eyesight is designed to detect motion from far away

    What to know: Horses see differently than humans and may spook at things we overlook.[19]
    • Interesting Horse Eye Fact
    Horses have the largest eyes of any land mammal

  • Horses Cannot Vomit

    Why it matters: Digestive blockages are extremely dangerous and can be fatal.

    What to know: Feeding routines, hydration, and diet consistency are critical to preventing colic.[10]

  • A Horse’s Teeth Never Stop Growing

    Why it matters: Uneven wear can cause pain and weight loss.

    What to know: Regular dental checks are part of proper horse care.[8]
    • How do horse hooves work?
    A horse's hoof acts as a type of pump

  • A Horses' Hoof Acts Like a Blood Pump

    Why it matters: Movement helps circulate blood back up the legs.

    What to know: Long periods of stall confinement can negatively affect circulation.[8]

  • Horses Can Only Breathe Their Noses

    Why it matters: Any nasal blockage is medical emergency because there is no alternate airway.

    What to know: Horses can't pant like dogs to cool down.[13]

  • Horse Behavior, Intelligence, & Emotions

    Horses Can Read Human Emotions

    Why it matters: Horses react to body language and emotional cues.

    What to know: Calm handling leads to calmer horses. Horses can read human emotions, such as sadness or nervousness, even before we’ve even consciously registered them.[3]

  • Horses Use Facial Expressions Like Humans

    Why matters: Subtle changes in ears, eyes, and nostrils signal mood.

    What to know: Learning these cues improves safety and trust.[19]

  • Horses Form Complex Social Hierarchies

    What it matters: Herd dynamics affect feeding, stress, and safety.

    What to know: Not all dominance is aggressive; it's often subtle.[18]

  • Horses have excellent memories

    Why it matters: They remember both positive and negative experiences.

    What to know: Consistent, kind training has long-term benefits[4]

  • Horse Health, Care & Daily Needs

    Horses Drink at 5-25 Gallons of Water a Day

    Why it matters: Water makes up 50% of a horse's total body weight and regulates temperature, digestion, and overall bodily functions. Even mild dehydration can cause serious health issues, such a colic or kidney problems.

    What to know: Water intake changes with weather, diet, and workload.[8]

  • Horses Produce about 10 Gallons of Saliva—Per Day

    Why it matters: Saliva is essential for digestion and protecting teeth.

    What to know: Chewing forage (hay, grass) is essential.[17]

  • Horses Can Live 25-30 Years

    Why it matters: Horse ownership is a long-term commitment.

    What to know: Senior horses require specialized care.[16]

  • Horses Experience REM Sleep, Which Means They Most Likely Dream

    Why it matters: REM sleep helps support health and learning.

    What to know:Horses need a safe place to lie down.[19]

  • Horses need regular hoof trimming

    Why it matters: Overgrown horse hooves cause pain and long-term damage.

    What to know: Most horses need trimming every 6-8 weeks.[9]
    • What is the evolution of the horse?
    The earliest member of the horse family is the appropriately named “dawn horse,” or “Eohippus”

  • Horse History & Evolution (Quick Context)

    Horses Evolved over 55 Million Years Ago

    Why it matters: Modern horses are adapted to open landscapes and grazing.

    What to know: Their digestive system reflects this evolution.[19]

  • Horses Were Domesticated Around 3,500 B.C.

    Why it matters: Humans shaped horse behavior through selective breeding.

    What to know: Different breeds excel at different tasks.[8]

  • Every Horse in North America is a Descendant of European Horses

    Why it matters: Even wild horses in North America are horses whose ancestors escaped from captivity.

    What to know: Conservation efforts on preserving unique genetics.[19]

  • Famous Historical Horses

    Famous owner/horse partnerships include Alexander the Great and his horse Bucephalus (“ox head”), El Cid and Babieca (“stupid”), and Napoleon and Marengo (named after a battle) who after its death, had its skeleton displayed in London.

    Why it matters: Horses were central to transportation, warfare, and culture.[7]

  • All Modern Horses Belong to the Same Species

    Why it matters:Horses, zebras, donkeys all share ancestry.

    What to know: Crossbreeds like mules reflect this connection.[8]

  • Horse Ownership Reality Checks

    Horses Are Expensive to Maintain

    Why it matters: Costs include feed, vet care, farriers, and boarding.

    What to know: Annual costs often reach thousands of dollars.[19]

  • Horses Required Daily Care

    Why it matters: Skipping care can lead to health emergencies.

    What to know: Ownership is a lifestyle, not a hobby.[2]

  • Horses Can Be Dangerous Without Training

    Why it matters: Even gentle horses can injure people accidentally.

    What to know: Education and proper handling can reduce risk.[2]

  • Horses Thrive on Routine

    Why it matters: Sudden changes can cause stress and illness.

    What to know: Consistency improves health and behavior.[2]
    • What are baby horse hooves called?
    The rubbery layers of a newborn foal's hoof are called eponychium

  • Fun Horse Facts You Might Not Know

    Newborn Foals Have "Fairy Fingers" on Their Hooves

    Newborn foals are born with deciduous hoof capsules, which look like rubbery fingerlike projections that look like wet feathers stuck together. Nicknamed “fairy fingers” or “golden slippers, they both protect the mother during the pregnancy and birth. Within hours they fall off naturally.[7]

  • Horses Have 10 Ear Muscles

    While humans have just 3 ear muscles, horses have 10. This means they can move their ears 180 degrees and can single out a special area to listen to. They also use their ears to communicate with other horses.[8]

  • A Horse's Heart is about the Size of a Basketball

    A horse’s heart typically weighs between 9 or 10 pounds and is about the size of a basketball. A human heart weighs about 11 ounces and is about the size of a clenched fist.[8]

  • Unlike Humans, Horses have a Functioning Appendix

    Their appendix digests leaves, leading some scientist to believe that the human appendix may have had a similar function.[8]
    • Interesting Flehmen Response Fact
    This is also called the "the flehmen response"

  • Horses Use the Flehmen Response

    When a horse curls up its upper lip and bares its teeth, it’s not laughing at you; it’s directing scents toward a special olfactory gland in the back of its nasal passage.[20]

  • Przewalski's Horse is the Only True Wild Horse

    There is only one single-sub-species of horse that has never been domesticated by humans. These are the endangered Przewalski’s horse, which is native to Mongolia.[19]

  • The Horses’ Closest Relative is the Rhinoceros

    It is not the not the cow, pig, or goat, which is surprising to many.[14]
    • Interesting Old Billy Fact
    The oldest horse on record was “Old Billy"

  • The Oldest Horse on Record was “Old Billy”

    He died in 1822 at the ripe old age of 62 years. Most horses live to around 25 years.[19]

  • The Shire Horse is the Tallest and Largest Horse Breed

    They get their name from the rural "shires," or counties, in England, where they were traditionally used for farming, war, and heavy hauling. Today, there are less than 1,500 Shires globally.[3]

  • The American Quarter Horse is the World’s Most Popular Horse Breed

    It is known for its speed, versatility, and a calm temperament.[8]

  • Akhal-Teke Horses Have Metallic Coats

    The Akhal-Teke horse is considered a “supermodel” horse because of its beautiful, shimmering metallic coat. Unfortunately, the breed was almost wiped out when the Soviet Union began slaughtering them for meat.[5]

  • Arabian Horses are Incredible Endurance Runners

    Arab horses are one of the strongest endurance runners in the animal kingdom and are capable of running over 100 miles (160 km) without rest. Their lightweight skeleton, efficient respiratory system, and powerful heart allow them to sustain high speeds over long distances. They are legends in both racing and in historical warfare.[8]

  • There are about 58 Million Horses in the World

    Populations include domestic, feral, and wild horses across the globe.[8]

  • In 1900, New York City's Horses Produced a Manure Mountain

    In 1900, there were 15,000 horses in New York City. They produced enough manure in one year to create a pile 175 feet high, covering an acre of land, and breeding 16 billion flies.[1]

  • Over 6 Million Horses Were Used in WWII

    Over the course of WW II, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union used more the 6 million horses. Millions of horses and donkeys died during service on all sides.[6]

  • Horses Have Walked Beside Humans for Millenia

    Author John Trotwood Moore once states “Wherever Man has left his footprint in the long ascent from barbarism or civilization, we find the hoof print of a horse beside it.”[19]

  • Horses Symbolize Power, Beauty, and Freedom

    In literature, art, and dream theory, the horse is often a symbol imbued with various meanings, ranging from power to beauty and even sexual prowess.[19]
    • In riding a horse, we borrow freedom.

    - Helen Thompson

  • Demeter Had a Black Mare's Head

    The goddess Demeter (the goddess of fertility, grain, and the pure) had as her image a black mare’s head, and her priestesses were considered her “foals.”[15]

  • Horses Can't Eat Freshly Cut Grass

    Feeding a horse cut grass can give them colic and digestive distress.[8]

  • Arabian Horses are Unique

    There are nearly 160 distinctive breeds and types of horses around the world, but the Arabian horse is unique in that it is the purest of all of the breeds.[19]

  • The Oldest Animal Carving is a Horse

    The oldest animal carving ever found is of horse. It dates back 31,000 years in southern Germany. Horses have fascinated humans for tens of thousands of years, and they serve as symbols of power, freedom, and survival.[19]

  • A Horse’s Teeth Take Up More Room in its Head Than its Brain

    Evolution prioritized their ability to chew tough grasses and vegetation.[8]

  • Equinophobia is the Fear of Horses

    While many people admire horses, some people experience intense anxiety or panic.[12]

  • Arabian Horses Have a Unique Skeletal Structure

    The Arabian horse is not just beautiful, but their skeletal structure differs from other horses. Its ribs are wider, stronger, and deeper than other horses. They also have fewer lumbar bones and tail vertebrae.[8]
    • Interesting Arabian Horse Fact
    Arabian horses are one of the oldest breeds

  • Any Horse that is Shorter than 14.2 Hands (58 inches tall at the withers), is Considered a Pony

    Ponies are not just a type of small horses; they have distinct body proportions.[19]

  • Thinking About Owning a Horse?

    Horse ownership is rewarding; but it’s also a serious responsibility involving time, money, and long-term care. If you’re considering it, learning about horse costs, feeding, health, and daily care is just as important as admiring their beauty.[2]
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