1. Horses can smell both happiness and fear through chemosignaling, and will respond emotionally according to the odor. This highlights their remarkable emotional intelligence, evident in their ability to not just sense but also interpret and respond to human emotions.
2. At racing speeds 38 mph, the hoof hits the ground approximately 150 times a minute. The hoof remains grounded for the ENTIRE stance phase for only 1/6′ sec each time!
3. Horses rely on a continuous secretion of bile from the liver to aid in fat digestion. This unique aspect of their digestive system allows them to effectively process and absorb relatively significant amounts of fat in their diets.
4. Your horse’s teeth take up more space in his head than his brain does.
5. As prey animals, horses possess incredibly swift reflexes, enabling them to transition from a stationary state to full gallop in just 0.3 seconds. This rapid response to potential threats underscores their acute survival instincts, setting them apart from the comparatively slower human reaction time, typically around 1.6 seconds.
6. Horses lack a gallbladder, so their liver constantly secretes bile to aid in fat digestion. This mechanism enables them to efficiently process and absorb fairly substantial amounts of fat in their diets.
7. Equines are the only animals that have a single solid hoof on each foot.
8. Studies have shown that a tight nose band can actually heat up a horse’s eyeball.
9. Relaxed muscles are more receptive to sensory feedback and can provide more accurate proprioceptive information to your horse’s brain. They also respond more efficiently to action signals sent from the brain.
10. The Gluteus Medius muscle is one of the largest muscles in the horse’s body, accounting for approximately 15% of his total muscle mass.
11. Your horse can lose 10-25 liters of sweat per hour in hot and humid conditions!
12. Horses can’t vomit due to them having a strong band of muscles around their esophagus. This band is so strong that a horse’s stomach would burst before they could vomit.
13. When a horse runs, its legs move too quickly for human eyes to follow. This curiosity about horse movement spurred the creation of the first sequence of images ever captured on film.”
14. The amount of air moved in and out of the lungs of an unfit horse at a fixed speed will be the same amount of air that moves in and out of their lungs six months later when he’s become fully fit.
15. Research indicates that horses trained using positive reinforcement tend to learn tasks more quickly, retain them for longer periods, exhibit lower stress levels, and demonstrate the ability to apply this training to a variety of related situations.
16. Did you know that a horse’s tongue has around 25,000 taste receptors as opposed to humans who have around 8,000?! Their taste receptors are mostly located on the roof of the mouth and the rear portion of the tongue. Hence their ability to lick pure salt without grimacing!
17. There are two sides to touch. One is the actual physical stimulation received by the mechanoreceptors. The second is how the horse interprets the sensation based on context, previous learning and emotion. Touch interpretation involves previous experiences and learned behavior and expectations.
18. Due to their size horse’s can only lay down fully out for about 45 minutes a time or they risk crushing internal organs. Horses with physical injuries, musculoskeletal discomfort, illnesses like respiratory (ex. COPD) or digestive issues or who are overweight may have difficulty finding a comfortable sleeping position.
19. The average circulation time for blood to circulate through a horse’s body is approximately 25-30 seconds.
20. Muscles make up as much as 50% or more of your horse’s weight, while bones only account for approximately 8% of their total weight
Soft tissue manipulation, using massage with myofascial techniques, is the most effective musculoskeletal therapy available to help you keep your horse working and feeling his best.
Benefits of massage with myofascial release include improved exercise recovery and tolerance, improved alignment, increased range of motion, stronger muscles, more efficient energy use, increased stride length, reduced discomfort, enhanced relaxation and well-being and improved overall performance. Leaving it out of your regular care and exercise routine leaves a huge hole and a missed opportunity.
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