Foals can stand and walk within hours of birth, and typically start running within a day. Growing quickly, foals reach about 90% of their adult height within their first year, developing both physical stability and mobility at an impressive rate.

Horses have a small stomach for their size, requiring them to graze throughout the day to meet nutritional needs. Lack of regular grazing or an imbalanced diet can make them susceptible to digestive issues, including colic and diarrhoea.

Horses possess remarkable memories, allowing them to recognise people, other horses, and even specific places years later. This strong memory aids in their training and deepens their bonds with familiar faces over time.

With large eyes around 2 inches in diameter, horses can see well in low light and sense predators from afar. Their eye placement gives them an almost 360-degree field of view, enhancing their ability to detect movements and changes in their environment.

Horses communicate through body language, using their ears, tail, and stance. Forward-facing ears show curiosity, while ears pinned back can signal anger or fear, helping them express intentions and emotions.

Horses can sleep while standing by locking their legs, which keeps them stable without lying down. They require only a few hours of sleep each day, making them well-adapted to resting on their feet when needed.

Horses are highly social animals that form deep bonds within their herd, often becoming anxious when separated. They groom each other, play and even sleep close together. At our sanctuary, Twinkle and Morris, two rescued equines, stay so connected that they call out if separated.

In the wild, horses thrive in social groups known as herds, typically led by a dominant mare. These herds are highly mobile, traveling up to 50 miles a day to find food and water, showcasing their adaptability and need for social interaction in their natural habitat.

Most horses possess impressive swimming abilities, allowing many wild horses to swim across rivers and various bodies of water. This skill helps them reach food sources and resources, demonstrating their adaptability in the wild and their strength in overcoming natural barriers.

Horses have impressive hearing, able to rotate their ears 180 degrees to detect sounds from various directions. They can hear higher frequencies than humans, making them skilled at sensing danger.