Horses are strong, fast and gentle animals that have been friends and helpers to people for thousands of years. They love to run, munch on grass and spend time with their herd. Let's gallop into some fun horse facts!
🐴 Horse quick facts
- Animal type
- Mammal
- Home
- Farms, ranches and grasslands all over the world
- Food
- Grass, hay, oats and treats like apples and carrots
- Size
- Measured in 'hands'; most horses are about 14 to 17 hands (4.7 to 5.7 feet) tall at the shoulder
- Life span
- About 25 to 30 years
25 Horse Facts for Kids
- A baby horse is called a foal.
- A young female horse is called a filly, and a young male is called a colt.
- Foals can stand up and walk within about an hour of being born.
- Horses can sleep standing up, thanks to special locking joints in their legs.
- Horses also lie down for deep sleep, but usually only for a short time.
- Horses are measured in 'hands.' One hand is 4 inches (about 10 cm).
- A pony is a small horse that is under about 14.2 hands tall.
- There are hundreds of horse breeds, like Arabians, Clydesdales and Shetland ponies.
- Horses have the largest eyes of any land mammal.
- Because their eyes are on the sides of their heads, horses can see almost all the way around them.
- Horses can't breathe through their mouths, only through their noses.
- A horse's hooves are made of the same material as your fingernails, called keratin.
- Horseshoes protect a horse's hooves, a bit like shoes protect your feet.
- Horses can run at about 30 miles per hour (48 km/h) at a gallop.
- The four main ways horses move are walk, trot, canter and gallop.
- Horses are herbivores and love grass and hay.
- Horses can't burp or throw up!
- A horse's teeth keep growing, and grinding their food wears them down.
- You can guess a horse's age by looking at its teeth.
- Horses use their ears, eyes and nostrils to show how they feel.
- When a horse's ears are pointed forward, it is curious or interested.
- Horses live in groups called herds and like to have friends.
- Wild horses called mustangs roam the western United States.
- Horses have helped people farm, travel and deliver mail for thousands of years.
- Horses can remember people and places for many years.
Questions kids ask about horses
What is a baby horse called?
A baby horse is called a foal. A young girl horse is a filly and a young boy horse is a colt.
Do horses sleep standing up?
Yes, horses can doze standing up because their legs lock in place. They lie down for short periods of deep sleep.
What do horses eat?
Horses mostly eat grass and hay. They also enjoy oats and treats like apples and carrots.
What is the difference between a horse and a pony?
A pony is a small horse. Horses under about 14.2 hands (about 4 feet 10 inches) at the shoulder are usually called ponies.
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