It’s time to bust some horse myths that have been floating around the industry for far too long! It’s likely you’ve heard these statements made a time or two from a friend, stranger, or even trainer. These myths are easy to believe, so don’t be tricked!
Horse Myths
- Horse hooves are solid. – Nope, they consists of many layers, including different bones and tissue.
- Riding is only for the rich. – Many barns allow riders to work off their lesson costs through stall cleaning. You can also find used and affordable tack at swaps and online.
- They’re like big dogs. – Horses are herbivores and communicate much different than predators like dogs and humans.
- Riding is just sitting. – This is a common myth made by non-riders. Once they try it, their opinion usually changes. Your muscles really get a workout!
- Horses aren’t smart. – They actually have clear communicators, though not everyone knows how to listen.
- They only sleep standing. – Horses often lay down to get REM sleep.
- Don’t let a horse with colic lay down. – Vets agree that as long as the horse isn’t thrashing, they can rest calmly and quietly.
- They’re colorblind. – Not true! They see color, but not the same as people do.
- Horses should be stabled in bad weather. – Most are just fine with shelter like a run-in or trees.
- You only need to vaccinate horses that leave the farm. – There are many disease they can contract right at home like tetanus and West Nile.
- Horses should be wormed every 4-6 weeks. – The best approach is actually performing a fecal worm egg count and monitoring the levels. You should only worm when necessary.
- Mares in foal can’t get laminitis. – Research shows that it may actually increase their chances, unlike previously thought.
Which one of these did you think was true? It’s okay, some of them are pretty convincing!
