It is difficult to overestimate the importance of horses for humanity. For centuries, these animals have served people faithfully, and in our time, in some parts of the Earth, they are still extremely important for survival. Of course, with the development of technology, the role of horses in the economy has decreased, but in some countries these animals are still widely used in the economy.

Horse Facts

• In the culture of more than two dozen peoples, the horse is considered a sacred animal.
• The country with the most horses is China ().
• Horses were domesticated about 6,000 years ago.
• The African Maasai tribe believes that a person killed by a horse will definitely go to heaven.
• V North America the horses were brought in by Europeans. The famous mustangs are the feral descendants of these horses.
• Horses have colored dreams.
• Many horses like coffee.
• This is one of the few animals that can recognize themselves in a photograph.
• Ancestors modern horses appeared on our planet about 60 million years ago. They differed in their modest size - 30-35 cm in height and about 5 kg in weight.
• The only breed of these animals that has never been tamed is the Asian wild.
• Horse eyes can move independently of each other ().
• Horses living with people are able to distinguish between different emotions sounding in a human voice.
• Many horses love music, but not any - relaxing melodies are to their taste, but hard rock usually annoys them.
• The horse's hooves act as a pump to help circulate blood - when a horse steps on a hoof, blood is forced out of it up into the leg.
• These animals really know how to sleep while standing.

• There are about 160 horse breeds in the world.
• Officially registered Weight Limit horse - 1520 kg. It was a stallion named Samson, and he was just huge and muscular, but not fat.
• In Hinduism White horse considered one of the incarnations of the god Vishnu.
• More than once, cases have been recorded when horses, who got the hang of opening the doors of their stables, used this knowledge to release their locked brethren into the wild.
• In packs of wild horses, both the male and the female can be the leader.
• Especially large horses brought out in the Middle Ages in Europe, as the troops needed powerful horses capable of carrying heavily armed knights ().
• Their bones are stronger than those of most other living things on Earth, but in the event of a fracture, they grow together very slowly.
• The smallest horses in the world are falabella, they are about the height of an adult's knee.
• The age of a horse is easily determined by an experienced health professional based on the condition of its teeth.
• Unlike most other herd animals, horses do not necessarily have a male leader.
• The wool of New Zealand horses is almost impossible to get wet - it repels water falling on it.
• There is chronicle evidence confirming the fact that the mighty horses of the crusaders, clad in armor, not only carried armored knights, but also at a gallop pierced the adobe walls of the Saracen fortresses.

1. Due to the special structure of the legs, horses are very well adapted to high-speed running.

2. Their digestive system is designed for the constant processing of food. Therefore, they eat plant foods, almost continuously, but in small portions.

3. They have an excellent instinct and better than any compass they are guided in any weather, and at any time of the day: early morning or late at night.

4. Horses have the finest hearing: they are able to pick up sounds that humans cannot hear. Their auricles are designed in such a way that they not only capture sound waves, but even enhance their effect.

5. Horses feel and understand danger very well.

6. Unlike most animals, they see the world in color, not black and white, however, they poorly distinguish between blue and red.

7. A horse, like a dog, has an excellent sense of smell, so old individuals with poor eyesight are guided only by their subtle sense of smell. They also recognize by smell: their saddle, harness, from a great distance they distinguish edible and inedible herbs.

8. They have a very strong sense of touch. The most sensitive in this regard are the hooves and lips.

9. The horse is also able to heal itself. For example, after a long work, she happily walks around for several minutes, that is, makes herself a massage that restores blood circulation.

10. There are frequent cases of affection and friendship among horses.

11. By the horse's body movements and posture, one can learn about its mood and intentions.

12. Very effective weapon they have a hind hoof kick, but they only use it as a last resort.

13. Able to see everything that surrounds them both in front and behind, since the angle of view is almost 360 degrees.

14. Horses are afraid to death of bees, dozens of such bites can kill an adult.

15. The reliably known maximum life expectancy for a horse was 62 years, on average it is up to 25 years.

16. According to statistics, death from a blow with a barefoot of a horse occurs more often than from a blow with a shoe.

17. Horses from New Zealand have a water-repellent coat.

18. People who work with horses have 50% less diabetes than others.

19. Horses communicate with each other using body movements, as well as voice. For example, to get a friend's attention, a horse uses a low, soft whinny.

20. Horses lack the collarbone, unlike other mammals.

21. A horse's pregnancy lasts an average of 340 days. In most cases, one, rarely two foals are born. A few minutes after birth, they can move independently.

22. At the age of three, a horse is capable of breeding

23. The smallest breed - "Falabela", their maximum height is 75-76 cm, but the smallest among them was a stallion whose height is only 35 cm, with a weight of 9 kg

24. The heaviest stallion is considered to be of the Belgian heavy draft breed, which was born in 1928. His height was without two centimeters - 2 meters, and his weight was almost one and a half tons

25. Most of all horses in the world are in China

Horses are incredibly interesting and unique animals, looking at them few people can remain indifferent. They have been helping people for many years. And they are especially appreciated where you cannot do without them: in North Africa and the Middle East. What other interesting and informative facts about horses exist? We know at least ten and we are in a hurry to introduce you to them!

Believe it or not, horses have a great sense of smell. Thanks to this wonderful property, they can easily find their way home to their home, which helps them and good memory... And even if these animals do not see very well at night, they have excellent sense of smell, and therefore they are perfectly oriented on the terrain with the help of their nose.

In addition, horses have an excellent sense of touch - they feel good touch on the entire surface of the body: skin, lips and even hooves. It is on the high sensitivity of the lips that the control system of this animal is built. Now you know how sensitive these animals are to touch. We advise you to use this knowledge more often: the encouragement of affectionate stroking will help establish friendly relations with the horse.

Healing horses

Probably everyone has heard about the ability of cats to "heal", but what can be said in this regard about horses? There is no doubt that the horses here are no worse than domestic small tailed beasts! There is even a science called hippotherapy, which in a more understandable language can be interpreted as "horse riding therapy."

But to improve your mood and find peace of mind, it is not at all necessary to sit on horseback. It is enough just to be close to these beautiful animals to feel relaxation and escape from everyday problems. Such a pleasant healing property is associated with the special biofield of horses.

Interesting Facts about horses are backed up by statistics. People working with these ungulates do not suffer from colds and 50% less diabetes.

IQ horses

The calm disposition of horses is often mistaken for low intelligence. At first glance, the calm standing of the animal in the stable can really be taken for meaningless obedience and disinterest. But only people who spend a lot of time with horses have the good fortune to learn the open character, intelligence and ingenuity of these beautiful ungulates.

It has been proven that among animals, horses occupy the fifth place in terms of intelligence, ahead of a dog. They are able to analyze human actions and even situations, often saving the rider from trouble. They can also be friends: they often have a warm relationship with cats. Ungulates allow them not only to rub at their feet, but also often let them warm themselves on their backs.

Horses' amazing eyes

What secrets are hidden in such thoughtful and large eyes of these ungulates? It is worth emphasizing that they are really large in size - even larger than it seems at first glance. The organ of vision in these animals is even larger than that of an elephant, and almost half of its size is hidden under the skin. This size allows the horse to see much more clearly distant objects that are indistinguishable to humans.

In addition, the facts about horses say that they have color vision, and their viewing angle reaches almost 360 degrees. The "blind" area remains directly behind the tail and about two meters behind it. That is why it is impossible to approach the horses from behind without first calling out to them: from fright and surprise, the animal will immediately hit its hoof.

Musical taste

Horses are able to discern music and even have some preferences. To some extent, this ability is associated with their well-developed hearing: it is he who makes it possible to distinguish the steps of a predator and quickly escape. But when choosing music for a pet, it is worth considering that hard rock is unlikely to be to his taste, as a sensitive ear will be too annoying. It is worth choosing melodic and calm compositions.

Horse Honor Service - Mounted Police

High intelligence, learning ability, as well as a noble appearance allowed these animals to stand guard over order since the beginning of the 17th century. Riding on horseback makes it possible to drive through the narrowest streets, which is successfully used, for example, by the police in Paris. But not only the mobility of these animals plays into the hands of the police: the guardian of order on a horse looks more impressive and noble.

Not every horse is honored to carry out such a service. The most balanced, large and beautiful geldings are selected for her.

Horses and the law

These animals, although sometimes they work for the law, but sometimes they are also regulated by it. For example, in America there are some rather ridiculous rules regarding riding. So, in the state of Utah, unmarried women on Sundays are prohibited from riding a horse, and some others - married men are required to take with them horse ride spouse. Leaving a life partner is possible only if the legal marriage lasts more than a year.

They do not look at a given horse's teeth

Where did this proverb come from? It's very simple, because by the teeth of these animals you can determine their age. Even Saint Jerome emphasized that one should not condemn someone's gifts, saying: "Do not check the teeth of a gift horse." So this phrase has come down to our time, only slightly changed, but not losing its essence.

Have you ever seen such a sight when a horse lifts its upper lip, stretches its neck and literally makes a smile? This unusual gesture is one of the funniest, which makes everyone smile. However, in fact, this is not the laughter of animals, but a special way of capturing odors.

In the scientific world, this phenomenon is referred to as the Flemen reaction. Horses lift their lips and expose their teeth not when they laugh, but to channel odors to special olfactory glands. They are located at the end of the nasal canal, so it is more convenient for horses to curl their lips and tilt their heads in order to recognize the smell as best as possible. Therefore, when you approach an animal, and it “laughs”, it means that it is trying to understand what and how you smell.

Do horses laugh at all? Yes, they certainly have a sense of joy. But this is manifested more by the cockiness and playfulness of animals. When a horse lifts its tail, begins to jump and "goat", this always indicates its high spirits.

Seeing horses

Guides can be not only dogs, but also horses. Yes, yes, this particularly important role in America, for example, is played by the smallest falabella horses. They are specially trained to carry out various commands, recognize signals and road signs are not afraid of noise and crowds. In addition, they wear special sneakers so that the clatter of hooves does not disturb public order. They are allowed to ride in vehicles, enter premises and shops.

As practice shows, these animals give a lot of pleasure to their owners. They are kept as pets. Unlike dogs, they do not have fleas, they live up to 35 years on average and do not smell. Just like domestic dogs, Falabella do not stain the house, but go to the toilet in a special place. Such interesting facts about horses are not known to many.

Police horse

In almost every developed country there is a separate detachment of police on horseback - the mounted police. It is very convenient and maneuverable in places where a car or motorcycle cannot pass. For example, such patrols always protect order in parks and recreation areas, on city streets and avenues loaded with traffic. The first police horses appeared in the 17th century, and the first mounted police were organized in 1805. At first, it existed only in England, and then America and Australia adopted the experience.

However, not every horse can get into the police squad. For this, the most daring and most balanced animals are selected that pass special training... On these horses you can really go into fire and into water without fear. As a rule, powerful and beautiful geldings, as well as elegant filly are selected for this work.

Perfect sense of smell and memory

Have you ever heard that horses during the war years came home themselves or looked for the owner in very remote places? Yes, there are many such cases, and all this speaks of the excellent memory and sense of smell of horses. Animals have poor vision at night, but with the help of their sense of smell, they can easily find their way home. Or in difficult-to-pass places, they can easily take out the rider. Horses are extremely sensitive, so they always feel the mood and feelings of a person.

Moreover, as many interesting facts about horses say, they have an excellent memory. If you've ever offended a horse or made fun of him, be ready for revenge. Horses remember their offenders very well, so next time they will definitely remember this. Do not think that the animal will forget something in a year. They can remember the resentment or, on the contrary, friendship all their lives. They also remember actions, such as how to open the latch or untie the harness.

A very important organ - the hoof

Did you know that the hoof is not just the stratum corneum on the legs of horses, but also a very important "organ". We call this part of the body an organ, as it is extremely complex in structure. Moreover, it is a very sensitive area that affects the work of the entire leg. The fact is that when the weight of the animal presses on the hoof, then blood in the required amount circulates through the veins of the leg. Thus, the hoof acts as a kind of pump.

Horse healer

Everyone has probably heard such a concept as hippotherapy or horse riding treatment. If not, then you can familiarize yourself with this in our previous publication "". However, not only horseback riding is good for human health, but also the very stay with these animals. It is enough to sit with the horse for a few minutes, and depression and fatigue dissipate in an amazing way. All this is associated with the special biofield of the animal.

The horse in an unusual way is able to influence the human biofield, thereby "healing" mental trauma. Many people have noticed that companionship with horses gives strength after a hard work week and fills with positive energy. But that's not all.

People who work in stables do not suffer from colds, bronchopulmonary diseases and have 50% less diabetes. This is due to the usefulness of the vapors of sweat and horse manure. The warmth from the manure and the special "aromas" of horses have a beneficial effect on respiratory system person. Hippocrates described these interesting facts about horses in his writings.

Unusual hair and bones

Did you know that horses' bones can easily be compared to granite in terms of strength. According to scientists, their strength is twice as high as granite, and in terms of stretching they are not inferior to brass and cast iron. The same goes for the hair. Strong dense hair can easily replace a fishing line. Not surprisingly, in the past, bowstrings were made exclusively from horsehair.

Language of sounds and gestures

Horses have a very varied language of sounds and gestures. People who spend a lot of time with these animals can easily recognize the various signals and desires of horses. Moreover, a certain sound is also accompanied by body language and sign language. The same signal can be interpreted in different ways if the animal changes posture or movement. For example, to transmit sounds, they change the tone of the neigh.

This is especially noticeable when the mare communicates with her foal. If the horse is thirsty or hungry, it can make a slightly hissing sound, only slightly reminiscent of a neigh. If the animal is angry, it wheezes and gives out a hoarse whinny. A short whinny like "gy-gy-gy" is a warning sign of alarm. Horses meet familiar people or relatives with loud, cheerful neighing like "Igi-gi-gi".

Circus is horses

Did you know that the first circus and the very concept of the arena was originally invented for equestrian numbers and tricks. For the first time, the modern appearance of a circus performance arose in the 18th century and its ancestor was the Englishman Philip Astley. He noticed that it is most convenient for horses to run at a gallop in a circle with a diameter of 13 meters. This is the diameter that all modern arenas have. Therefore, initially the concept of circus was based on equestrian performances.

My Kingdom for ... a portrait

Sculptures and paintings with horses have always been considered among the most valuable. Not every artist could depict a horse or make a sculpture of it. As experts say, horses have a very complex body structure, which is not so easy to convey the beauty and grace of which. This is evidenced by the average price for paintings and images of these animals. Equestrian portraits were always the most expensive, so only noble individuals, kings and dukes could afford them.

Today this trend has not been lost either, as evidenced by the last Russian auction of Sothbey's. For example, Nikolai Sverchkov became the most expensive artist who depicted horses. His painting "Three in a Blizzard" in a Moscow store is estimated at $ 49,800. Find out more interesting facts about horses from the video.

Video "Funny Horses"

Want to cheer yourself up and have a little laugh? Then we offer you to view a selection of funny videos with the participation of these beautiful and noble animals.

It is believed that for the first time ancient man tamed wild horse about 5500 years ago, and this happened on the territory of Northern Kazakhstan. During the time of coexistence side by side with frisky horses, people have discovered many amazing facts associated with these unique animals from the Equidae family of the Equid-hoofed order. So what is interesting about these creatures?

Origin

Beautiful and stately stallions trace their history from an unsightly ancestor, whose name is Eogippus. This creature, which lived on Earth about 60 million years ago, looked like a hairy dog. Even the hooves of the animal were not yet actually hooves, but were thin paws with toes at the ends. The growth of Eogippus, inhabiting Western European lands, barely reached 1 m.This creature had an arched back, short neck and a small head. The animal ate soft leaves and fruits, because his teeth were completely different from the strong and powerful teeth of modern horses. Therefore, the Eogippus did not chew the food they obtained, but rather rubbed them with their jaws.

After 20 million years, climatic conditions on the planet changed, in connection with which the appearance of Eogippus was also transformed. More precisely, several new and independent species arose at once - mesohippus, parahippus and anchiteria. All these animals were united by the fact that they no longer ate fruits or juicy leaves, because the arrival of cold weather forced them to abandon these rare delicacies and get used to dry, hard grass. This led to the development and improvement of the chewing apparatus. The surface of the Earth was firmly solidified, in connection with which, the mesohippus, parahippus and anchiteria began to rely mainly on the middle fingers, which ended in hooves. The creatures also became larger in size - they already reached 1.2 m in height.

Ancestor, in appearance which you can already find all the signs inherent in modern horses, was the hipparion, who lived about 5 million years ago in the era of the Upper Miocene. The remains of this animal were found in several regions at once - this is Europe, Asia, and even America, where ancient creatures fell through a narrow isthmus that once connected America and Eurasia at the Bering Strait.

Three-toed species were finally supplanted by single-toed species, the limbs of which ended in horny and strong hooves. The use of the foot as a support turned out to be more untenable, because this way the animals could not run fast, so they became prey to ancient predators, in particular, wolves. At the same time, hipparions and their closest descendants, the pliohippuses, learned not only to run with their hooves, but also to use them for survival - for example, for loosening snow and getting grass. It was these creatures that subsequently populated the planet and left behind rich offspring in the form of wild forest horses.

Hearing

Several interesting facts are connected with the keen hearing of horses. With its help, animals can recognize high-frequency sounds (up to 25 kHz) that humans cannot hear - it can only pick up sounds with a frequency of up to 20 kHz. In turn, low-frequency sounds, such as a dull rumble, etc., reach the ears of the horses faster than the hearing of a person. All this is necessary for the animal in order to react to danger in time. The horse can also turn each ear separately towards the stimulus to focus on a particular sound. But if the horse is angry, he begins to hear worse, because his external auditory canal is blocked due to the intense pressing of the ears to the head.

It is known that horses are even connoisseurs of music! Animals like to listen to calm melodies, while loud and heavy songs make them feel anxious and uneasy.

Hearing is a vital biological feeling not only for the horse itself, but also for its owner. It is by capturing the intonation of the voice and recognizing the spoken words that the horse reacts to commands given to it or to its own nickname. Even in sleep, this equid-hoofed mammal does not stop wiggling its ears, which testifies to the tireless work of the auditory organs!

With the help of acoustic perception of the world, horses are able to anticipate natural disasters - earthquakes, landslides, avalanches, rising groundwater, etc. then distant signals and sounds not yet discernible to human hearing.

Dream

The next interesting fact about horses is related to how they rest and sleep. If you observe a pet during the day, you will notice that from time to time it falls into a state of short and light half-nap, which lasts from a few minutes to half an hour. In this case, the horse does not lie down on the soft grass, but remains on its feet and simply closes its eyes.

There is a scientific explanation for this - the whole point lies in the fact that natural instincts and habits are especially strong in horses. A long time ago, these mammals simply could not afford to lie down and sleep for several hours, because such shortsightedness could cost them their lives. As a result, the horses learned to doze on their feet, because in this way they could always jerk off and escape from danger.

A horse's full sleep in most cases also passes on his legs, even though the average weight of an adult is 400 kg! To prevent this from causing inconvenience and pain to the animal, nature has provided its body with the ability to "pinch" the joints. Thanks to this mechanism, the load exerted by the body mass is evenly distributed, and knee joints- are blocked. The horse ceases to feel excessive weight.

In some cases, when the horse feels the need for full sleep, as well as confidence in the safety of the environment, he lies on the ground and falls into a deep sleep. As a rule, this happens when the animal is in the company of their fellows. Horses are creatures that lead a gregarious lifestyle in the wild, so it is important for them to feel the presence of representatives of their own species nearby. An adult only needs a few hours of such a state to fully replenish its strength. In addition, excessive lying down is fraught with problems, because after 6 hours the horse may have pulmonary edema.

It is interesting! It has been scientifically proven that horses are able to dream when lying down (i.e. in deep sleep phases). This becomes obvious from the quiet snort and those involuntary movements that they make with their ears, jaws, hooves, imitating running, etc.

Intelligence and ingenuity

Horses have accompanied people throughout history, not only because they served as a means of transportation or help in the economy. Since ancient times, people have discovered that these equid-hoofed mammals have the ability to learn and a lively mind. The chronicles and chronicles are familiar with the nicknames of many horses, which acted as irreplaceable "companions" for their masters - emperors, generals, kings, scientists, etc.

Bucephalus

The favorite horse of Alexander the Great, king of Macedonia from the Argead dynasty, was called Bucephalus. An interesting fact is that, according to legend, at the age of 10, the future great ruler became the only person who could tame and saddle this incredibly obstinate and wayward horse (at that time the latter was already 11 years old).

The stallion and his master were together until Bucephalus was 30 years old - then, after all the battles and battles passed, the horse fell due to old age and heat. In honor of the faithful horse, which throughout his life was distinguished by a noble disposition and ingenuity, Alexander the Great even founded the city and gave it the appropriate name - Bucephalus.

The most interesting thing is that this settlement exists in the world to this day in Pakistan, but today it is called Jalalpur.

Savrasy

Another horse is also known, which in everything corresponded to its master - it comes about Savrasy, Subedei's faithful companion. This man was an ally of Temujin-Genghis Khan and one of the greatest Mongolian generals. As the commander's contemporaries recalled, the horse always followed the orders of its master and understood all the words addressed to it.

The loyal and brave horse even sacrificed himself when it turned out to be necessary. Once he and Subedei got bogged down in a quagmire. The commander managed to jump out of the saddle and escape, but the animal was forever drawn into the swamp.

Several interesting facts are connected with a horse named Clever Hans. This horse, which lived in Germany at the beginning of the 20th century, has won worldwide fame as one of the most intelligent and intellectually developed animals in history! Its owner was Wilhelm von Austin, a school mathematics teacher. At that time, the public was especially fascinated by the Darwinian theory, in which animals were presented as creatures clothed with reason. In this regard, von Austin decided to test the intellectual abilities of his horse.

Imagine his surprise when it turned out that Hans really has abstract thinking and outstanding natural talents! Wilhelm gave them a complete cut, namely, he developed in his horse such skills as the ability to add, subtract, multiply, divide, perform operations with fractions, indicate the exact time and date, and also perceive by ear both individual words and whole statements on German. At that time, the developmental level of Hans corresponded to the developmental level of 14-year-olds.

With his "teacher", and subsequently the general public, for which von Austin began to arrange free street performances with his ward, Hans communicated by tapping his hoof. It was in this way that he answered the questions posed. Despite the fact that the answers were not always extremely correct, in most cases Clever Hans nevertheless coped with the task.

In the homeland of Clever Hans, Germany, scientists became very interested in the phenomenon of this horse and decided to study his intelligence more closely. A specially convened commission conducted a series of practical experiments. Hans was asked questions not only by his owner, but also by other people. He was blindfolded so that he would not see the questioner and could not receive possible clues from his side. The questions were different types- to some of them the person himself knew the correct answer, while others could only be answered by observers.

The final statistics showed that when the questioner (who, as a rule, was still von Austin) knew the correct answer, the horse coped with the task 89% of the time. But if Wilhelm himself was in the dark about the issue, Hans coped with the task only 6% of the time!

This allowed the German psychologist Oskar Pfungst to conclude that in reality the animal did not have a unique intellect, but skillfully interpreted various expressions of "social communication" correctly. In other words, Clever Hans did not receive any special prompts from his master, however, over the years of communication and interaction, he learned to “read” his behavior, facial expressions, gestures and postures. By tapping the response with his hoof, the horse monitored the reaction of both its owner and the people around him in order to understand when to stop.

Apparently, Hans was very sensitive to emotional human reactions, such as excitement, tension, relaxation, a sharp look, etc. Although Pfungst released a study exposing the mathematical and linguistic abilities of Clever Hans, he admitted that this horse can still be must be considered a phenomenally intelligent creature! Von Austin himself categorically rejected the results of Pfungst's scientific research and continued to travel around the country with Hans until his death in 1909.