5thCLASS_97_185_jg:Layout 1 5/3/12 17:45 Page 131


Colours Horses come in different colours, including black, brown, chestnut (reddish-brown), dun (yellowish-grey), grey and white. Adult horses with white coats are usually called ‘greys’. Piebald horses have large, irregular patches of black and white, while skewbald horses have large patches of white and any colour other than black.


Piebald


Skewbald


1. Ears


Horses have a keen sense of hearing. A horse’s ear can turn to detect where a sound is coming from. Certain positions of the ears can tell about a horse’s mood; for example, an angry horse lays his ears back flat.


2. Withers


Horses are measured in hands. One hand is equal to 10cm, the average width of a man’s hand. Measurement is made from the ground to the highest point of the withers.


3. Coat A horse’s body is covered in a coat of hair. A thick winter coat grows every autumn and is shed every spring.


4. Tail


A horse uses its tail to brush away flies. 5. Hind legs


These provide power for running and jumping. Horses can reach speeds of 65 kilometres an hour.


6. Forelegs These carry most of the horse’s weight. Horses can sleep while standing up. They lock special joints in their legs to keep themselves upright.


7. Hooves


Each foot has a strong hard hoof made of bone. Most horses wear horseshoes which are made of metal and fitted by farriers.


8. Teeth


Horses have strong teeth. Most male horses have 40 teeth while most females have 36. Horses eat only grain and plants, never meat. Experts can tell the age of a horse by the number and size of its teeth, together with the way they have been worn down with use.


9. Mane


The hair of a horse’s mane or the tail is never shed. If the hair becomes too thick, it may be pulled. This does not hurt a horse as there are no nerves at the roots of its hair.


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