THE HORSE
The thoroughbred Racehorse is one of the most pampered animals! They are known for their agility, speed and spirit.
Horses are pack animals and love to run in groups. And if a horse does not want to run, there is very little that the rider can do about it. You will see a 'will to win' in many of the horses who are enjoying competing and trying their best.
FACTS - 10 things you might not know about horses
- All racehorses celebrate their birthday on 1st January regardless of the actual date that they were born.
- Many racehorses are retired to riding stables, show jumping stables or simply turned out in their owners fields. Moorcroft Racehorse Welfare Centre retrains ex racehorses and all Racecourses pay a fee pre race day to help with the rehabilitation of racehorses
- Racehorses can weigh up to about 1 tonne.
- A Racehorse is measured in 'hands' - 1 'hand' is 4 inches.
- You may see your horse wearing something on it's face: blinkers, hood, visor, eyecover are all permitted equipment that are designed to make a racehorse concentrate. Indeed some horses even wear earplugs!
- Horses generally live to between 15 and 20 yrs old
- Horses have 2 blind spots - one directly in front of them and one directly behind them!
- A horse shows it's feelings through it's ears, eyes and nose - beware a horse with flared nostrils and it's ears flat back!
- Horses sleep standing up - in fact they expend more energy lying down than they do stood up
- Horses cannot breath through their mouths
