This is a very old saying based on superstition and it appears that the phrase “hag-ridden” applies to both people and horses. A hag-ridden person is one afflicted by nightmares or anxieties. A typical sentence might read, “He was hag-ridden by his early success”. It …
We can start the answer by checking out the Guinness World Record which is 43.97 mph (70.76 km/h) over 2 furlongs. The horse was a thoroughbred racehorse named Winning Brew, a two-year-old filly. The world record occurred at the Penn National Racecourse, Grant Bill, Pennsylvania, …
Donkeys are sentient beings. They have feelings and if you don’t believe that I would respectfully suggest that you are badly mistaken. As they have feelings they have the potential to love although the word “love” is a very elastic word. It means to have …
Like humans, horses can have facial expressions but they are not as elaborate as those of humans. Nonetheless, the expressions provide us with information about how a horse is feeling. Snapping Young foals can perform a snapping action with their mouths. They open their mouth …
Dr Sue Dyson is an internationally renowned equine veterinarian. She was carrying out research into how the weight of a horse rider affects a horse’s health. The research was partly funded by the British Equestrian Federation and World Horse Welfare. She submitted her research paper …
A horse’s leg movements carry messages to the recipients be they another horse or a person. Pawing on the ground This action originates in a horse scratching the surface of the ground to test its resistance or to understand what is beneath their feet. But …
I’ll describe 4 horse body signals and what they mean. General demeanour When a horse takes up a more elevated posture, standing tall and proudly with the head held high and the tail standing up it reflects an elevated and more excited mood. The opposite …
We know that the horse has a very strong and long neck. This allows the animal to signal its emotions via its neck and head. Head shake The head shake has its origins in the irritation caused by flies which buzz around a horse’s eyes, …
Do horses understand that they are running in a race and that there is a winner or loser? Dr Desmond Morris in his book Horsewatching is very firm and clear with his advice, which is that horse racing is an entirely human construct and horses …
