Horses are amazing animals—I think anyone reading this blog knows that. But to further illustrate this point, I’ve compiled a few fun and interesting facts about them.
Record-Holding Horses
- The record for the highest jump ever made is held by a horse named Huaso, ridden by Captain Alberto Larraguibel. On February 5th, 1949, the duo jumped 8 feet, 1.25 inches (2.47 meters) in Vina del Mar, Chile.
- Sampson the Shire holds the world record as the largest horse. Foaled in 1846 in Bedfordshire, England, Sampson stood at 21.2 1/2 hands (86.5 inches) and weighed approximately 3,360 lbs.
- The word’s smallest horse is believed to be Einstein, a New Hampshire miniature who weighed only 6 lbs (2.7 kg) and was 14 inches (35.5 cm) tall at birth.
- The fastest race speed on record was achieved by a Thoroughbred named Winning Brew. On May 14, 2008, the then two-year-old mare ran two furlongs at 70.76 km/hr. during a race at Penn National Race Course in Grantville, Pennsylvania.
Longest Living Horses
Though it can be difficult to verify a horse’s age, especially when they aren’t registered, some of the oldest living horses are believed to include:
- Shayne, an Irish-Draught cross gelding recognized in 2012 by the Guinness Book of World Records as living until age 51. However, older records state that a barge horse named Billy was 62 years old when he died in 1822.
- Born on March 4, 1978 and living until age 38, Prospect Point is believed to be the oldest living Thoroughbred.
One-of-a-Kind Breeds
Many horse breeds are known for their special characteristics, but here are a few that can boast of being quite unique:
- Arabians have one fewer vertebrae, rib and tail bone than other breeds of horses.
- Originating in Turkmenistan, the Akhal-Teke horse is known for its incredibly beautiful coat which has an almost metallic sheen to it.
- The Bashkir Curly horse is the only breed of horse with a curly coat.
- One of the world’s oldest breeds, the Norwegian Fjord can be identified by its dun color and two-toned mane. The outside hairs of the mane are cream-colored, but there’s an inner streak of dark brown or black.
- A rare, but old breed from India, the Marwari horse, is easily identifiable by its distinctive, inward-curling ears.
