In this blog, I'm going to talk about some myths about horses that many people still believe. Let's discover them!

1. Horses are colour-blind

Actually, horses are not colour-blind; they just perceive colours differently from humans. While humans have three types of cone cells in their retinas, horses have only two. This means they can see blue and yellow, but have trouble distinguishing red. To a horse, red likely appears as a shade of grey or brown. They can also perceive yellow, but the difference between yellow and green may not be as clear to them as it is to us.

2. Laminitis is caused by proteins in spring grass

This is not true. Horses can get laminitis from excessive levels of sugars in the grass (called fructan). The amount of protein in the grass does not increase this risk. Grass fructan levels run especially high when temperatures are low while sunshine is abundant, a situation that is common in spring.

3. White hooves are weaker than dark ones

While there are many factors that contribute to the quality of a hoof, colour is not one of them. Its strength is determined by nutrition, environment and genetics.

4. Horses shouldn’t stand in the rain

Standing in the rain is not dangerous for horses. Their fur can withstand this, as they have a water-repellent layer on their skin which makes them less likely to get cold than us. But if it rains really hard, they can get a bit cold and you can protect them by means of a rain blanket or shelter.

5. Mares are always harder to handle than geldings

This is a common myth, but it’s not true. A horse's personality is shaped more by its individual traits than by its gender. Hormonal influences can sometimes affect a mare’s behavior, but that doesn't mean they are always harder to handle. Many mares are calm, friendly, and easy to train!

Thanks for reading my blog! ❤️ Did you believe one of those myths? 🙃