Beautiful Horses: A blog about beautiful horses.
There are beautiful horses all over the world…
There are beautiful horses in many different countries.
Horses are all kinds of colours: chestnut, bay, black, white. They’re beautiful animals.
…but here are some of my favourites.
Now, you may have noticed that I’ve been putting up photos of horses from all over the world. That’s because I don’t want to give the impression that any one country has a monopoly on “The Most Beautiful Horses.” It just so happens that my top five favorite breeds originated in these countries:
- Akhal-Teke — Turkmenistan
- Friesian — Netherlands
- Marwari — India, Nepal and Pakistan
- Lusitano — Portugal
- Andalusian / PRE (Pura Raza Española) Spain
Do horses sleep standing up?
Do horses sleep standing up?
Yes, they do—but why? Well, horses actually can’t lie down. If they try to lie down with their weight on their chest, they risk cutting off the blood flow to the heart and lungs. Instead of lying down to sleep, horses have a special resting state where they stand on three legs and rest one back leg at the hock joint—the same joint you might bend if you were sitting Indian-style. Horses also have another sleep style in which they lower their heads and close their eyes while standing. They use this pose when they are not in danger; it’s thought that this is when the majority of sleeping happens for the horse.
Lots of horses have interesting names…
Have you ever wondered where all these horse names come from? What are the origins of Ice Cream Sundae, or Apple Jacks, or Captain Morgan?
Well, they can be broken down into several categories. Some horses have names that are inspired by their appearance. For example, if a horse is mostly white with a black spot on his rump and around one eye, he may be called “Oreo”. If a horse has spots covering their body they might be called “Dalmations”. Now let’s talk about names inspired by character. Many owners will name their horses after positive qualities like friendliness or courage. Names like ‘Dusty’ (meaning dirty) and ‘Snoopy’ (meaning nosey) may indicate that the horse is a bit mischievous! Horses’ achievements can also inspire creative naming ideas. Maybe the owner’s favourite thing to do is jump and so they call their new jumper ‘Jumpity Jump’. Names can also reflect the owner’s interests – I personally know someone who named her horse Mac after her favourite computer company! Or maybe your child loves dinosaurs and wants to name their pony Brontosaurus – go for it! The options are only limited by your imagination!
…like this one.
- See that horse over there? That’s Horsley McBeal. He lives in a stable outside of Durham, England.
- What an interesting story! And what a beautiful horse.
- You’re right about that!
There’s nothing like a horse.
Even if you’ve never been within a mile of a horse, you know what they look like. You may even be able to imagine the sound of their gallop, or the smell of a barn on a summer evening. Horses are one of those things that can easily stir up powerful feelings in people from all walks of life. In fact, people spend hours upon hours each week looking at horses and thinking about horses! This is because horses are an integral part of our world, especially historically: they carried us into battle, took us home from school (or just to school if we were lucky), and helped us explore the countryside. They’re powerful symbols for bravery and nobility. On top of all this, they’re beautiful animals with gorgeous eyes and flowing manes that match their noble character perfectly. It’s no wonder so many people love them.