I’ve learned many things since I began writing western romance. I love learning through my work. One of the things fundamental to my western romance research has been facts about horses. Most things people already generally know these…like the word for the horse family (“equus”) comes from the Greeks. A horse’s height is measured by a “hand”…a very small hand like mine of four inches in height. When my husband and his family were rescuing the wild horse last month, I learned that a horse’s age is determined by its teeth. A female horse is known as a “mare;” a baby horse is a “foal;” a young female horse is a “filly;” the father of a horse is a “sire;” and the mother of a horse is known as a “dam.”
Here is a list of more horse facts you might not have known if you’re new to horses like me….
Equinophobia, is the fear of the horses.
An average horse's head weighs 11.84 pounds.
A horse's heart weighs an amazing 10 pounds.
A horse’s moods can be determined with the help of their nostrils, eyes and ears.
Horses spend more energy lying down.
The 1st of January is when all racehorses in the US celebrate their birthday.
Most foals are born at night, away from danger and prying eyes.
A horse’s mood mimics its owner’s emotions.
Horses have two blind spots; one directly in front of them, the other directly behind.
"Old Billy," was the oldest recorded horse; he lived to be 62.
*For those who are curious about the rescue horse I posted about last month, next month's blog post on the 4th will include an update on her progress. Stay tuned!
