# Strange/ Wierd horse facts



## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

One that always weirds non-horsepeople out is when you tell them that horses can't throw up. 

Their esophagus isn't designed for it, which is why when they ingest something not good for them, it's a really BAD thing since they can't sick it back up.

They can't burp either, which means excess gas can turn into colic.


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

the average horse can jump over 6 feet from a standstill !


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

gypsygirl said:


> the average horse can jump over 6 feet from a standstill !


I'm afraid that I have a really hard time believing that one. The record for the Puissance is 7'7". Jumping over 7' is considered exceptional - and that is on a well trained/conditioned horse.


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## BlueJayWay (Feb 8, 2010)

-Horses can't breath through their mouth
- the Arabian has 17 ribs instead of 18 like most horses.


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## JustLeaveIt2Mya (Jun 6, 2009)

cool! keep them coming!


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## My Beau (Jan 2, 2009)

There are approximately 75,000,000 horses in the world!

The intestines of a full grown horse are 89 feet long on average!


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

The chestnuts and ergots are the remnants of the other toes the horse had in primitive times, grown up the leg.

I always thought that was cool, lol.


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## My Beau (Jan 2, 2009)

Registered thoroughbreds can only have 18 characters in their names (including spaces).

A horse heart weighs 10 pounds.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

A newborn foals legs are already 80 to 90% of the length they will be when full grown.

Horses like classical music. 

The oldest horse was named Old Billy. He was a cross breed, he was born in 1760 and lived to 62. 

The oldest pony ever recorded was named Teddy E. Bear. He lived to be 55 and was owned by Kathy Pennington of Virginia Beach, VA. He was still alive in 1998.

The World's Largest Horse was a purebred Belgian stallion named Brooklyn Supreme. He stood 19.2hh (6'6") at his withers. He weighed over 3,200 pounds and is entered in the Guiness Book of World Records. He was foaled in 1928 and died in 1948. He lived in Iowa, USA. (I'm not sure about this one as the stats are always changing and no one can seem to find out who the REAL tallest horse is)

Oldest winning thoroughbred racehorses:
The 18-year-olds - Revenge, at Shrewsbury, England 1790; Marksman, at Ashford, Kent, England, 1826; and Jorrocks, at Bathurst, Australia, 1851. 
Also at 18yrs old; Wild Aster won three hurdle races in 1919, and Sonny Somers won two steeplechases in February 1980.


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## thunderhooves (Aug 9, 2009)

The World's Tallest Jump:
Huaso, the horse, and his rider Captain Alberton Larraguibel Morales, jumping the world-record breaking jump of 8 feet 1 1/4inches, or 2.47 meters. The red marks the top of the jump.
http://www.ultimatehorsesite.com/images_info/worldrecord_jump2.jpg

This horse was a Thoroughbred born in Chile, and originally called "Faithful". He was a racehorse and retired from racing in 1944 to begin training in the Chilean Cavalry School. There he was taught dressage and jumping. His training was overseen by Chilean Cavalry Officer Major RAFAEL MONTTI, who was in charge of several other horses at the time and hoped to train one that could beat the current world record, set by Captain Antonio Gutierrez of the Italian Cavalry on an Irish horse named Osoppo.
After setting the record, (he was 16 years old when he jumped) Huaso was retired and never ridden again. He died of natural causes at the ripe age of 29.
Vid made from stills:
http://www.ultimatehorsesite.com/images_info/worldrecordjump.gif


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## rocky pony (Oct 5, 2007)

^^^ my goodness, you would think his legs would snap!
Very impressive


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

iridehorses said:


> I'm afraid that I have a really hard time believing that one. The record for the Puissance is 7'7". Jumping over 7' is considered exceptional - and that is on a well trained/conditioned horse.


im talking about with out a rider


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

gypsygirl said:


> im talking about with out a rider


Still having trouble believing that. I'm not saying that it isn't true, I've just never seen that fact anywhere.


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## Sophie19 (Apr 13, 2009)

The only US army survivor of Custer's last stand was a horse named Comanche. Contrary to popular belief he was not Custer's horse. He was found on the battle field and had many arrow wounds. He fully recovered and was retired from service, only brought out for parades and that sort of thing. He lived to the ripe old age of 29.


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## XxemmafuriaxX (Jan 4, 2010)

i think i read some where that if a horse is held upside down it would die its vital organs cant work upside down.


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## JustLeaveIt2Mya (Jun 6, 2009)

Sophie that's really cool!!


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## ptvintage (Feb 12, 2010)

WOW that jump is crazy! I love that someone made a video from the stills, that's incredible to watch.

I admit I was so excited about crazy horse facts, I did a search. Here's some of neat ones. 

To get an official measurement of a horses height, they must be measured without shoes.

You can tell if a horse is cold by feeling behind their ears. If that area is cold, so is the horse.

A small indent in a horses skin (usually on the neck or shoulder) is called a prophet’s mark and is considered good luck.

Horses have 7 common blood types.

When cantering, a horse takes a breath with every stride.


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## JustLeaveIt2Mya (Jun 6, 2009)

wow! these are really interesting!


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## SmoothTrails (Oct 1, 2009)

A small indent in a horses skin (usually on the neck or shoulder) is called a prophet’s mark and is considered good luck.


HAHA I guess I have a couple of really lucky horses. We always thought those spots were pretty odd.


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

iridehorses said:


> Still having trouble believing that. I'm not saying that it isn't true, I've just never seen that fact anywhere.


why ? lol

as a side note i saw my sisters fat, lame [had a suspensory tear, sesemoid fracture, and strangles] gelding jump a 5 1/2 ft fence from a standstill on concrete


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## horseluver250 (Oct 28, 2009)

"A small indent in a horses skin (usually on the neck or shoulder) is called a prophet’s mark and is considered good luck."

I've heard this called "Muhammad's thumbprint" as well. Also heard it called the "devils thumbprint" haha.


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## My Beau (Jan 2, 2009)

gypsygirl said:


> why ? lol
> 
> as a side note i saw my sisters fat, lame [had a suspensory tear, sesemoid fracture, and strangles] gelding jump a 5 1/2 ft fence from a standstill on concrete


I agree, in a life or death situation I'm sure a horse could clear 6'. It might not be pretty and the horse might be sore, but it would get to the other side and away from danger!


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## Maverick101 (Nov 8, 2009)

The profits mark...which I always heard referred to as the "pilgrims" mark. Is more prodominate in Morgans then any other breed.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## rocky pony (Oct 5, 2007)

Aww, my pony had one of those neck indents..he definitely was lucky. One of the greatest and most intelligent horses I've ever worked with. Such a shame that he's only a little thing..I would have kept him forever! But regardless..

This thread is a great idea, all very interesting facts =)


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## ALottaTrot (Feb 1, 2010)

These are some talllllllll horses.  Can you imagine feeding those mouths and cleaning up all that poop? EEK!

Priefert Ranch Equipment

Tallest horse in the world? 10ft Poe looks set to gallop into the record books | Mail Online


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## Maverick101 (Nov 8, 2009)

There are over 350 different breeds of horses and ponies.


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## roro (Aug 14, 2009)

Not really a fact, but some exotic coloring:

















A horse has 16 different muscles in each ear, allowing for 180 degrees of rotation.

The ancient ancestors of the modern horse were the size of medium dogs and were preyed on by gigantic birds.

Eohippus, ancient ancestor of horse:









Gastornis, hunted Eohippus:


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## JustLeaveIt2Mya (Jun 6, 2009)

thanks guys this thread is really turning out to be a great idea i agree


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## Citrus (Feb 26, 2010)

I was told that horses have the biggest eyes of land animals.... however, I think elephants may take that cake- I just have not researched it.


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## ridergirl23 (Sep 17, 2009)

^ im pretty sure horses have bigger eyes then elephants, elephants are big, but they have super small eyes, haha


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