Horses have been man’s companion and assistance animal for over 4,000 years, essential to farmers and early villagers for generations. In fact, it has been said that the domestication of the horse ushered in an era of innovation in transportation and communication.
Horses still serve many practical functions, however are considered more of a companion animal than livestock. I have a friend that has a pet chicken that sits on the back of her lazy-boy when they are watching TV. A friend of a friend has a pet pig that lives IN HER HOUSE and another acquaintance has a pet cow that follows her around like a dog (and is treated like a dog too). I don’t hear anyone arguing that a chicken, pig, or cow aren’t livestock, so why is there such a debate regarding horses? Could it be that horses are used more for riding hobbies and sport than they are for work these days?
Whether you consider them companion animals or livestock, horses are fascinating animals and these interesting facts show just how incredible these beautiful animals are:
- Horses can sleep both lying down and standing up.
- Horses have the largest eyes of any mammal that lives on land.
- People once believed horses were colorblind. In fact, horses can see colors, but are better at detecting yellows and greens than purples and violets. (How do we know that – did that come “from the horse’s mouth”?)
- A horse’s body contains 205 bones.
- Because a horse’s eyes are on the side of its head, it is capable of seeing nearly 360 degrees at one time.
- The fastest sprinting speed ever recorded for a horse is 55 miles per hour, though they generally trot at around four miles per hour.
- Horses evolved from a very small animal about the size of a dog or baby lamb that was called a hyracotherium. This ancestor lived in tropical rain forests in North America and ate leaves.
- Hooves are made from the same protein that comprises human fingernails.
- The Przewalski’s horse is the only truly wild horse species still in existence. The last remaining population is in Mongolia.
- A male horse is called a stallion, while a young male horse is a colt. A female horse is a mare, while a young female is a filly. A male horse that has been altered is called a gelding.
- Ponies are not immature horses. They are a small variety of horse.
- Estimates suggest there are around 60 million horses in the world.
- Early civilizations used horses as a form of food. There is no specific law in the U.S. banning horse meat, but most people still steer clear of it.
- An adult horse’s brain weighs 22 ounces, or almost half the weight of a human brain.
- It takes 9-12 months to re-grow an entire horse hoof.
- Horse teeth continue to grow throughout their life.
- Horses cannot vomit. They can’t breathe through their mouth either.
- Dogs and cats drink by lapping water with their tongues while cattle and horses make use of a sucking action.
- Horses like sweet flavors, which is why you can tempt them with sweet treats like apples and peppermints.
Livestock, work horse, companion animal, pasture ornament or friend – doesn’t matter what we label ‘em – we can spoil ‘em all the same …
No-Bake Peppermint Thumbprint Treats
Ingredients:
3 cups rolled oats
¾ cups water
5 Tbsp molasses
15 peppermints
Instructions:
In a large bowl, mix the oats and water until the oats are damp.
Add molasses one tablespoon at a time, until the oats are all covered and are sticky. (If you need to add another tablespoon or two of molasses, add as much as you need.)
Roll into balls, about the size of a golf ball.
Take 1 peppermint and press it down into the middle of the cookie.
Repeat until all of the mixture has been used.
Put in the refrigerator (uncovered) for 4-6 hours, or in the freezer for 2-3 hours to harden.
Head to the barn and feed to your four-legged friend!