In Closing

Well, I've realized I'm dredging the barrel - I may come back if people send me more questions, but daily posting is over.

The blog will stick around as a resource and may be turned into an ebook eventually - eventually - but for now I've covered everything I intended to. Thanks for bearing with me!

Can horses eat kudzu?

Would be good, wouldn't it. Actually, yes, horses will eat kudzu. They aren't as keen on it as goats are, though. And, of course, kudzu is pretty invasive, so nobody in the US is going to be growing it for hay. But if it's in the pasture, they'll eat it.

Can horses eat garlic?

Garlic is something to think about carefully. It's actually good for horses in moderate amounts - too much garlic can cause anemia (they recommend half an ounce to two ounces a day). It can act as a natural fly repellent and can boost appetite. You can buy garlic supplements, but some people think you should just give the horse fresh crushed garlic. Obviously, some horses don't like the taste.

Can horses eat peanut butter?

Yes - in small quantities. Commercial peanut butter has a lot of sugar in it as well as rich proteins and fats, so it's not good for ponies who tend to get fat. Horses are generally not allergic to peanuts.

Also, unlike dogs or cats, horses have no problem with xylitol, an artificial sweetener often found in reduced sugar peanut butter. Make sure you don't give it to dogs, though!

Can horses change color?

Sometimes, yes - and sometimes quite dramatically. Gray horses slowly become white as they age. Appaloosas are notorious for being quite different looking as youngsters than as adults. Some horses change color dramatically with the seasons - I know an appaloosa who's entire winter undercoat is white.

Horses can also get vitiligo (which causes white patches over time).

Are horses scared of cars?

Naturally, yes, but the majority of horses quickly learn that the big roaring monsters aren't actually going to eat them. Some never do learn, though - I know a pony who failed as a carriage pony because he just could not handle sharing the road with cars and trucks.

Do horses prefer apples or carrots?

Ha. Trick question.

It...depends on the horse. I've known horses who if offered an apple or a carrot will pick the carrot every time and I recently discovered a horse I know won't eat carrots at all.

Most horses probably like them about the same, but some have distinct preferences.

When and where were horseshoes invented?

We...actually aren't sure. In fact, what people call "hoof boots" predates the nailed on horseshoe, being used by the Romans.

We know that horseshoes appeared in northern Europe just after the Roman period, so they may have been invented in wet, muddy climates where hoof boots, especially primitive ones, would tend to be pulled off of the horse's feet. But we still don't know who first nailed a crescent of iron onto a horse's hoof (or what the horse thought about it!).

What is a mullen mouth?

A mullen  mouth is a bit which is curved instead of straight. The idea is that it rests more comfortably on the horse's tongue.

Are horses native to North America?

Yes and no! Horses evolved in North America, spread across the land bridge into Asia and then - for reasons we don't know - became extinct on this continent until reintroduced by the Europeans.

Are horses born with hooves?

Yup - but they have a pad on them so they don't damage the mare's womb when they kick or during birth. It comes off pretty quickly.

They need their hooves to be able to run, after all.

Are horses loyal?

From my observation, yes. Horses can tell people apart and studies show they can recognize people who treated them well (or just treated them, ahem) after months of separation. And as herd animals they are loyal to their herd.

In fact horses, like dogs, are amongst the most loyal animals on the planet.

Are horses afraid of pigs?

It's a common understanding that horses are terrified of pigs.

Horses that aren't used to pigs will often shy away from them - perhaps because pigs are omnivores that wouldn't shy away from a meal of horse meat.

Pigs also smell funny even to humans and make strange noises. Oh, and they're inclined to come running up to say hi, which horses also don't appreciate.

However, I've also known an entire of herd horses to welcome a pet pig as a buddy...so once they get used to them they're fine. Or perhaps once they realize that pig is being well fed by the humans...

Can horses count?

The jury is actually out on whether horses can count. Most "counting" horses react to the body language of their handler. However, show jumpers often seem to know exactly how many strides they need to put in.

I suspect they can't count the way we can, but they have a sense of rhythm that can make it look like they are at times.

Can horses eat granola bars?

They eat grain, after all.

Horses can eat granola bars, although some don't like them. Others will do anything for one, or at least for a bit of one. It wouldn't be a good idea to give them too many, though - lots of calories. Also, they should be broken up - horses don't do well if they eat too quickly and swallow something that size whole.

What is the closest living relative to equines?

Not cows or pigs.

The two closest living relatives to the horse are the rhinoceros and the tapir. All three animals are part of the perissodactyl group - odd number of toes rather than even numbered.

(Despite the fact that hippopotamus means "river horse," horses are not particularly closely related to hippos).

This close relationship is why some people joke that rhinos are unicorns. (More likely the species that inspired the unicorn legends was a deer or antelope).

Do old horses get grouchy?

You know, like some old humans seem to.

I've definitely seen some horses develop grumpiness as they age or have bad days. On the other hand, I've seen grouchiness in younger animals too. One issue old horses may have is finding it harder to lie down to get REM sleep, resulting in sleep deprivation - and sleep deprivation makes all of us grumpy.

And, of course, a lot of older horses have arthritis, which isn't exactly going to improve their mood.

So, yeah, some older horses are very much inclined to do the equine equivalent of shaking a stick and telling you to go away.

Do horses have milk teeth?

Yup, just like we do. Horses have 24 milk teeth - 12 incisors and 12 premolars. They get their first permanent teeth at about 2.5 years and may not completely stop teething until 5 years old. (I've certainly observed a 5 year old gelding in discomfort from the late-growing canine teeth).

Can horses tell if you are pregnant?

I've actually seen anecdotal evidence of this - a horse that suddenly changed his behavior towards a woman when she got pregnant. In this case, he got highly anxious. There are other stories of horses being more considerate towards pregnant women.

The truth is, it might be possible for a horse to smell the hormonal changes involved in pregnancy, but it's more likely that they're picking up on the woman's emotions and behavior. A lot of women become more careful when pregnant - and horses, with their incredible sensitivity to body language, are likely to notice that and change their own behavior accordingly. Some horses will go "My rider is being cautious, I should be cautious." Others might respond with "My rider is nervous! What's to be nervous about, I can't tell, worryworryworry." And a third personality type might be "Oooh, she's being over-cautious, what can I get away with?"

So, the most likely answer is: Yes, your horse can tell that you are pregnant - because you're inadvertently telling them. Or rather, you're telling them something has changed and they're reaction to that.

Can horses navigate stairs?

It's actually a common belief that horses (and cows) can't go down stairs. Anyone who's done serious trail riding knows the idea that a horse won't go down a steep slope because "they can't see properly" is...well, not true. Horses do prefer not to go down stairs or very steep slopes, and have been known to get "stuck" on decks not because they can't get back down the stairs but because they don't want to. Donkeys have far fewer problems with steps.