The relationship between humans and horses goes back centuries. As wild horses evolved and became domesticated, their relationship with man became like no other. Humans began to tame and ride horses as early as 10,200 B.C. One special fact about horses is that they are one of the few mammals that can form a lifelong and deep emotional connection with a human. What else make horses so special? Read on for more interesting horse facts!
6 Fun Horse Facts
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- Horses communicate with their eyes, ears and vocal cords. (source) They have better vision than cats and dogs and they communicate with other horses with their eye movement, ear direction, snorts and whinnies.
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- The United States had 3.8 million horses in 2020, the most in the world. (source) China and Mexico have the next largest numbers of horse populations.
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- The biggest horse ever recorded was named Samson and was born in 1846. (source) He is in the Guinness Book of Records documented at the tallest horse standing 2.19 meters tall.
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- The oldest horse in the world lived to be 62 years old in Lancashire, England and his name was Old Billy. (source) A typical lifespan for a horse is 25 to 33 years.
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- Horses eat between 16 to 18 hours per day. (source) They need to keep their stomachs full in order to sustain the energy they need to operate.
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- Horses prefer the company of other horses and live in herds in the wild. (source) Horses will never be alone by choice and if you own a horse, you should keep it living with others in a barn setting.
