10 fascinating facts about horses that you might not know

With the uncanny power to sense even a whiff of medicine in their feed, or identify a rogue crisp packet from what feels like a mile away, you’d be forgiven for suspecting that horses are here to keep us on our toes – and it might just be true!

Below, we’ve rounded up 10 horse facts that you might not know yet...

1. Horses can’t vomit

Unlike many other mammals, horses lack the ability to be sick or vomit. This is due to certain physiological differences in their digestive system that ensures any food they ingest stays down.

A horse’s lower oesophageal sphincter muscles are much stronger than in other animals, making it nearly impossible to open that valve under backward pressure from the stomach. The equine oesophagus also joins the stomach at a much lower angle, so when the stomach is distended it presses the valve even more tightly closed.

Plus, due to its location deep inside the rib cage, the equine stomach cannot be readily squeezed by the abdominal muscles. Because horses cannot vomit, if the stomach becomes distended when the horse is unwell – normally during a colic episode – the stomach is at serious risk from rupture.

2. Horses can read and remember your emotions

Researchers have found that horses can read our facial expressions and tell when we’re happy or angry. Not only that, they can also remember our emotional state and adjust their behaviour according to our mood. A horse’s heart rate also increases when they look at an angry person.

We’ve always known that our horses can tell what mood we’re in, and now we have the science to help us understand them even better.

3. Horses only sleep deeply when lying down

Horses need at least 30 minutes of deep ‘REM’ sleep every day – and they only get that from sleeping while lying down.

During REM sleep, horses experience a range of physiological and neurological changes that help to support their overall health and wellbeing. For example, REM sleep is believed to play a role in memory consolidation, emotional regulation and learning.

4. The world’s oldest horse lived to be 62 years old

The average lifespan for domestic horses is around 25 to 30 years, but the oldest horse in the world lived for an impressive 62 years.

‘Old Billy’ was born in 1760 near Woolston in Cheshire. It’s said that he worked as a barge horse. He became famous in his local area and was painted by a number of artists. Sadly, Old Billy died in 1822 near Manchester.

5. Horses have the largest eyes of any land mammal

The size and placement of the horse's eyes gives them an almost 350° field of vision. Scientists have discovered that the size of a mammal's eye is dependent on the size of their bodies and their maximum running speed. Fast-running animals such as horses and cheetahs need to have good vision to prevent them running into obstacles.

Horses' eyes are also extremely sensitive to motion, to help them spot predators before the predators spot them – as all riders have experienced when riding past a rogue plastic bag in the hedgerow!

6. Horses can’t breathe through their mouth

Unlike people, horses can only breathe through their nose. A flap of tissue called the soft palate blocks off the pharynx (throat) from the mouth (oral cavity) of the horse, except when swallowing. This helps to prevent the horse from inhaling food but does not allow use of the mouth to breathe when in respiratory distress.

7. Horses graze for up to 15 hours every day

In the wild, horses spend the majority of their time grazing and can travel up to seven miles every day as they select the best grasses.

Their digestive systems are designed to have a nearly constant flow of small amounts of food which help to buffer the acid that is constantly produced in their stomachs. A lack of forage for domestic horses can lead to a build-up of digestive acids that, over time, can cause gastric ulcers. Stress can also cause ulcers, which are thought to affect up to 37% of leisure horses.

8. Horses’ ears move through 180 degrees

If you’ve ever ridden your horse and marvelled at how much they move their ears, you’re not alone.

While human ears only have three muscles connected to them, horses have 10. They can swivel their ears independently, keeping one ear on you and the other on the sounds of the feed room.

Horses use their ears as an expressive way to communicate with us and each other, revealing whether they’re relaxed, nervous or tense.

9. It takes nine to 12 months to regrow an entire hoof

A horse’s hoof grows between 0.6cm and 1.2cm per month. This can vary through the year, as they are known to grow faster during the spring and summer months when the grass is at its most nutritious. This is why it is important that your horse’s feet are shod or trimmed regularly to prevent them growing out of balance or cracking.

10. Horses have a strong sense of smell

Ever tried to sneak some medicine into your horse’s feed only for them to refuse to eat it? That’s because horses have a far better sense of smell than we do.

A horse can easily pick up the unusual scent of medication before they’ve even tasted their food, which can make feeding supplements or medication difficult – especially if your horse is a fussy eater. Their large nasal cavity allows them to inhale a lot of air as they work out what they’re smelling. According to a 2011 study, they can even recognise the manure of horses they’ve met before.