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Did you know that the average horse's head weighs 11.84 pounds? Interesting considering the variation of breeds presently dotted in stables, paddocks and pastures around the world. In fact there are actually more than 350 horse breeds currently registered and these range from the miniature Falabella of Argentina to the heavy Shire horses of England. The horse is a steed of stature and no other animal has played such a significant role in the history of humanity. While once it was an important tool for transport, agriculture and war, now there are still thousands of horse enthusiasts taking part in horse sports and leisure activities around the world. Here are a few more interesting facts about horses.

Horses usually live between 20 and 25 years but the oldest recorded age was 62. You can tell the age of a horse by its teeth. By the time it's 5 a horse will have all of its teeth and then as its gets older its teeth get longer. I guess that's why they say if you're "long in the tooth" then you're pretty old.

If you're born on January 1st then you share your birthday with all the horses in the Northern Hemisphere. For the Southern Hemisphere it's August 1st. This is so there is no confusion when it comes to age organized horse events.

Horses are measured in hands and fingers. One Hand equals approximately 4 inches. A horse that is 15.2 hands high is actually 61 inches (15 hands and 2 fingers). The tallest known horse was a shire horse called Samson who weighed in at over 1 and half tonnes and stood at a height of 21.2 hands. The smallest recorded horse was 3.1 hands (14 inches) and weighed only 20 pounds.

There is no such thing as a truly white horse as the pure albino gene is lethal to horses. Most horses that look white are called grey because they have blackish skin under their pale coat. Only rarely do horses have pink skin under their coat.

Horses use their ears, nostrils and eyes to communicate their mood. That's why a horse with its ears straight back should not be messed with! Swishing their tail is also used to communicate to other horses. A study has found (www.buzzle.com) that horses expend more energy lying down than standing!

Horses have 2 blind spots: one directly in front and one directly behind. Perhaps this is why they feel safer in herds. Within their herds there is usually one dominant stallion but it is the mares that decide when to move on to better pastures.

Foals, in most cases, are born at night. This is nature's way of keeping them as safe as possible from predators. A foal can also stand and walk only after 1 to 2 hours of life but because their legs are so long they can't reach grass to eat for a little while longer. A foal becomes a fully matured horse by 3-4 years. Mares have a gestation period of 11 months.

In some cultures horses are a source of food while in others they are worshiped. Horses have played prominent roles in religion, mythology, art and literature. For example Poseidon was the horse god of Greek mythology and some very famous fictional horses include Black Beauty, Pegasus (winged horse), Silver, and Flicka. Unicorns and centaurs are also mythical creatures with horse characteristics and have recently made appearances in the Harry Potter books.

Ultimately horses continue to play significant roles in both real life and literature and continue to provide hours of pleasure for millions of people around the world. Long live the horse.

Learn more about this author, Rachel Walker.
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