24 facts about horses

We offer you a selection of interesting facts about horses.

1. has appeared 60 million years ago, zoologists first horse named Eogippus (Dawn Horse). She was tiny: the weight of a little more than 5 kilograms and an increase of 35 cm. Eogippusa had four fingers on the front feet and three on the rear.

2. The horses, which are considered today the wild, are actually feral. For example, the mustangs are actually descendants of the horses, which were brought to America the Spaniards in the XVI century. The only really never tame view horse - is the Asian wild horse.

3. Before domestication 4,000 years ago BC in the Middle and Far East, they were hunted and sacrificed to the gods and are often placed in the burial with the dead. In the Caucasus, the horses were sacrificed up to the beginning of the XIX century.

4. The famous association with the owner of the horse, who entered the history of the world include the legendary Alexander the Great and Bucephalus, El Cid (the hero of the Spanish Reconquista) and its Babeku, Napoleon and the Marengo (named in honor of the battle). The skeleton of Marengo has long been one of the museums exhibit in London.

5. An indicator of the age of the horse are its teeth. St Jerome in the 4th century, which never took money for his book, launched into circulation the famous expression, I do not advise to inspect the teeth brought a gift horse.

6. Although horses mostly live only 25-30 years, there is written evidence that one of them lived in '62. It was "Old Billy," who was born in England and was a draft horses. The first year of life of the horse can be compared with the 12 years of human life, the second - comparable to the 7 years. The next three years are still twelve, and for each subsequent year, you can add 2, 5 human years. This means that the calculated Old Billy lived 173, 5 years.

7. horse eye more than most other animals, and they can move independently of each other, allowing the horse to cover only the surface panoramic views. Since the lens remains unchanged, the horse can focus on, only turning his head so that the direct rays of light fell on the central part of the retina. Horses can also be seen in color.

8. The horse an exceptional sense of smell, which helps smell nervous rider, in the old days the owners in the management of a difficult horse greased hands aromatic liquid. Horses are also very nervous at the smell of blood.

9. In the world there are about 160 express species and breeds of horses, but the breed Arabian horses is very clean and unique.

10. The Persians were great horsemen, and they dominated in the east largely due Nizeyskoy horse - "superloshadi" antiquity. The horse was a status symbol of the Persian Empire, and only nobles were entitled to inherit it. Horses Persians were also used to play in the early forms of polo.

11. It is said that Islam was "based on the hoof prints of the Arab horse" and taking care of the horses was even included in the sacred Hadith. Prophet Muhammad came down to earth in a ring of fire on the creature looked like a horse.

12. goddess Demeter had one of his images of a head of black mare, and her priestesses were considered her "colts».

13. White horses are sometimes drowned in the sea as a sacrifice to Poseidon, the creator god of the sea horses.

14. The Indians associated with the cosmos horse and a white horse was considered as the latest incarnation of the god Vishnu.

15. in the literature, art and theory of sleep is often a symbol of the horse, carrying different meanings, ranging from the power of beauty and ending sexual art. Color horse also symbolic: black - is mystery and danger; White - the forerunner of the birth of a new life. The Bible describes the color of the horses Horsemen of the Apocalypse: white, red, black, and "pale».

16. Some horses are able to learn how to open the door to other horses and release them into the wild.

17. The horses are able to distinguish emotions in the human voice.

18. Dream horse can be divided into two types: the "short wave sleep" and "rapid eye movement", so it is likely that they are dreaming. They are short of four hours of sleep per night and can sleep standing up, thanks to a special device locks the joints.

19. Horses love music, but their taste is selective. They prefer calming or inspiring instrumental music, but annoyed by the loud rock.

20. The hoof of a horse - this is an extremely complex and sensitive organ. When the horse's weight presses on the hoof, he is forced out of the blood up the veins. Thus, the hoof plays a role of the circulating pump.

21. The herd is usually not one sex dominates the other; for example, the female can sometimes quoted higher than the male, and in all other cases, the opposite is true.

22. The name of markings on the head of horses usually depends on their location and size, and includes the following adjectives: spark, star and graft.

23. Although the word «hippopotamus» means "river horse" hippo is more closely related to the pig than the horse.

24. In America, there are many "crazy" horse-laws, including one of the laws of the State of Utah, under which an unmarried woman may be imprisoned for a ride on horseback on Sunday. And in some states, new husband can not ride a horse alone, as long as it will not be married to more than twelve months.

via factroom.ru