Can horses pee while running?

Nope, they have to stop and adapt a specific stance to do so. In fact, riders have to stand up in the stirrups to free their back up while they do it. Fortunately they only do it a couple of times a day.

Can horses poop while running?

Yes, although they generally prefer not to. Horses are perfectly capable of defecating at any speed, and you'll sometimes see show jumpers poop in the middle of a round. However, given the choice (i.e., not pursued by a predator or in the middle of something) they prefer to stop.

Can horses only see sideways?

Because some people seem to think this: No.

Horses do see a much wider range than we do and have only a relatively small area of binocular vision, but they can see where they are going well enough to be able to, you know, jump.

Can horses eat honey?

Absolutely. In fact, a lot of commercial horse treats are sweetened with honey. Some upper level endurance riders think feeding a bit of honey before the race helps the horses with their endurance - this may not be true, but it's certainly safe (as long as you don't overdo it, of course).

Can Horses Faint?

Yes. Horses can faint - primary because they get insufficient blood flow to the brain. Horses do not faint from emotional shock the way humans can, though. (Horses that receive emotional shock are more likely to run or freeze up/go catatonic). Fainting in a horse is often a sign of some kind of heart problem.

Do horses kiss?

No, they don't. They don't "kiss" the way dogs do by face licking, either. Horses simply don't use their lips to show affection, although they can use their lips to manipulate objects in ways we can't.

Can horses detect natural disasters?

There are lots of stories about horses predicting natural disasters. In fact, horses do have a good weather sense - I've had horses warn me about an incoming storm before. They are also aware of earthquakes well before we are.

They aren't psychic - they just have better hearing and can hear distant thunder, rain, or the rumble of a quake before we can. Horses may get very antsy during a storm - wild horses would try to move out of its path as much as possible and domestic ones don't always seem to quite grasp that the barn has a roof on it!

Why do horses flap their lips?

Some horses will deliberately flap their lips while being ridden, or constantly. Why do they do this?

There are several reasons. I knew one pony who flapped his lips when asked to do tedious or repetitive work - so I suspect he was doing it out of boredom. He didn't do it if the job was more interesting.

Some horses flap their lips out of anxiety - it's not uncommon for horses to flap their lips when learning a complex new maneuver.

Horses may also flap their lips after being given oral medication - perhaps a signal of disgust at the lousy taste.

Why do horses like to roll over?

Usually for one of two reasons:

1. They want a nice layer of dirt on themselves to protect them from biting insects , sun or cold.
2. They have an itch on their back.

Horses tend to roll repeatedly in the same spot, and a rolling spot in a pasture can often be spotted by the lack of grass.

Why are horses so afraid of plastic bags?

For some reason, a lot of horses spook at plastic bags (unless the bag is in your pocket and might contain a treat). Why are horses afraid of something so harmless?

The answer is that plastic bags don't smell like animals, but they have a habit of moving on their own. Horses aren't smart enough to understand that the wind is doing it. All they know is that this silly thing that smells funny is chasing them around. And anything a horse doesn't understand becomes a monster to run from - that's just how they're wired.

What is a twitch?

A twitch is a rope placed around a horse's lower lip or, in extreme cases, the ear. Traditionally, it was used to ensure horses stood still for veterinary treatment. Many people now think twitching a horse should be done only as a last resort if nothing else will get the animal to stand safely.

Do horses like cows?

Horses will generally learn to handle being turned out with cows. Horses from cow lines, though, may attempt to herd them (which might not be appreciated by the cows).

A few horses seem to be inexplicably afraid of cows. Also, turning horses out with cows increases the risk of attracting a fly that likes to lay its eggs under the skin on the animal's back - a problem when it's where the saddle goes...

Why do some horses only have shoes on their front feet?

If you look around at horses, you might notice that some horses only have shoes on their front hooves. There are two reasons for this:

1. The front feet take more of the horse's and rider's weight, so some horses may have strong enough hooves to not need shoes on the hind end, but still need them on the front.

2. Not putting shoes on the rear hooves reduces the risk of injury if horses get into a fight out in pasture.

What are "road studs"?

Road studs are small studs attached to a horse's shoes. They're designed to increase traction on tarmac/asphalt, and thus are most often seen on carriage horses or trekking/trail riding horses that have to work on the road.

Where do horses like being petted?

Not, as many people, think, their nose. A horse's nose is very sensitive. Most horses would rather be petted on the cheek or the neck. Some horses like to wrap their neck around you or hang their head over your shoulder.

And almost all horses like to be scratched at the base of the mane about halfway down the neck.

Never pet close to a horse's eye - they have very big eyes and its easy to accidentally poke them.

Do horses get jealous?

Well, we can only judge by their behavior - but I'd say yes. I've witnessed horses give dirty looks to people who were petting the barn cat (instead of them). I knew one horse who would look quite depressed and pouty if one of the nearby horses was being taken for a ride. So, I'd say they definitely get jealous when people pay more attention to others. Especially if they happen to like you.

Do horses have identical twins?

Surviving identical twins have never been reported in horses.

Horses have a difficult enough time carrying fraternal twins to term. Identical twins share a placenta, and thus do not get enough nutrition. (In fact, routine production of identical twins only occurs in humans and one species of armadillo). All horse twins are fraternal (if they survive).

Do horses get AIDS or similar?

There is no specific virus in horses that causes acquired immunodeficiency like HIV. There is EIA (which affects red blood cells instead) - this is a lentivirus, like HIV.

Do horses get STDs?

Yes - there are a few things that can be sexually transmitted in horses, including sometimes via AI (AI can both reduce the risk and increase it).

The most common is Contagious Equine Metritis - inflammation of the uterine lining that can cause miscarriage and lower fertility. Other bacteria can cause inflammation of the uterus or the placenta. Stallions carry the disease but show no symptoms.

Other STDS include EVA (which still gives me personal nightmares), dourine (which thankfully is rare) and, yes, herpes.

Horses do not, however, get anything like AIDS.

How many equine genetic disorders are there?

We aren't sure, but we've identified more than 30 different genetic disorders, some of which are no big deal and some of which are fatal. Genetic testing, fortunately, is reducing the incidence of foals affected by HYPP in stock horses or FID in Dales and Fell ponies, amongst others. In many cases, merely avoiding pairing two carriers can be enough.