Updated 5/6/2018
I love trivia and find that my mind can retain lots of information (of varying degrees of usefulness). I like to joke that I have a trivial mind. Recently I found Amazing Horse Facts and Trivia by Gary Mullen. I learned a ton of fun things about horses and wanted to take a moment to share some of my favorite facts from the book, as well as a few interesting trivia tidbits I’ve picked up over the years.
- Equinophobia the term for a fear of horses.
- The unit of horsepower is defined as the power needed to lift 165 pounds to a height of 27 inches in a second. It was developed by James Watt in the late 18th century as a way to compare the performance of steam engines being developed at the time to draft horses which were the main source of industrial power. The average horse can produce 10-13 units of horsepower.
- The Saddlebred horse is one of the most glamorous breads. They are known for their gentle nature and have one of the kindest temperaments of any horse. They are also considered one of the most intelligent breeds. This great combination is probably why these horse are regarded for their fiery spirit. You can learn about other interesting breeds at Horse Breeds
- “Rain Rot” is caused by mud that dries on the horse. It causes clogged pores and damages hair follicles leaving bald spots. Rain rot can be prevented by regular brushing. If your horse gets rain rot Not So Sweet Itch Gel is very helpful for soothing the skin and promoting cell regeneration and hair regrowth,
- One of the rarest horse colors in Gulla (pronounce Grew-ya). It’s a Spanish word referring to a slate gray crane. Gulla horses are also called blue horses due to the smokey blue gray undertone in their coat.
- Buck, the famous Buckskin horse ridden by Loren Green’s character Ben Cartwright on Bonanza was donated to the Fran Joswick Therapeutic Riding Center in California when the series ended. Buck lived to the age 45 and was a therapy horse for children with disabilities.
- Appaloosas are not a color breed like the Palomino. Instead, they are regarded as a breed with a color preference.
- Horses have a more powerful sense of smell than humans. They use smell to detect danger, recognize other horses and humans, and distinguish what foods are safe to eat. This is why aromatherapy is so effective with horses.
Do you have a favorite bit of horse trivia? Share it in the comments below!
So, a horse has 13 horse powers. Interesting.