var arrayFacts=[ "What's your shoe size?

Horse’s have sharp hooves that are incredibly susceptible to cold, heat, and varying terrains. Therefore, the animal must wear shoes to protect their hooves from the elements, otherwise the hooves will be ragged, unstable, and unsafe for the horse.

A horse’s hooves are constantly growing so they need to be trimmed regularly. A blacksmith can make shoes that are fit specifically for each horse’s hooves no matter their length or size.", "Belly up to the bar.

In Temple, Texas you can't ride a horse and buggy through the town square, but it is okay to ride your horse into a saloon.", "Work off the extra weight.

A horse that is 1200 lbs eats over 7 times its weight each year. A horse that is grazing in the field all day will be constantly eating, in spite of their very small stomach.

This is because they have very quick digestive systems. Once the food passes through their stomach, it needs to be filled up again.", "And they're off...

The Nadam Horse Race is held annually to determine the three fastest horses in Inner Mongolia. Children, ages 5-12, ride on specially trained horses in a grueling 16 mile race.

The children are excellent riders, but ultimately it is a 'horse race.' If a child falls off the horse, and that horse crosses the finish line first, the horse is still proclaimed the winner.

The winning horse receives the title, 'Forehead of ten thousand racehorses.' The rider and four runners up receive a bowl of ariag (fermented mare's milk).", "Can’t we all just get along?

Horses are very sensitive animals and can easily pick up on how a person is feeling.

When you are happy, they are happy, when you are angry, so are they. So be aware of your attitude when riding a horse. It may not be a good idea to ride while you are feeling frustrated.

The horse will also let you know whether they like you or not. Just hold out your hand to a horse, palm up; if he comes over and blows air into your hand, you’ve made a new friend!", "Let's give 'em a hand.

Horses are measured by the length of the average human hand, not by inches or feet.

The average hand is around 4 inches. Therefore, for every human hand (hh) a horse is measured in, you can multiply 4 inches to determine the horse’s approximate height in inches or feet!

The average size for the various types of non-pony horses range in height from 15-18 hh, though some horses may be a bit taller. Ponies are under 14 hh.", "Eat several small meals a day, just like horses.

Horses can eat a wide variety of things including grass, nuts, oats, barley, hay, chaff, and bran. They have small stomachs for their size, which means they need to be fed quite often in small amounts.

The most common thing a horse will eat is grass, although when they are in the stables it is common for them to eat hay since they obviously cannot get grass. If a horse works a lot, it is going to need extra energy. This is why oats, nuts, barley, chaff, and bran are good. It keeps their energy levels up.", "Look that way and that way!

Horses can see in two directions at once.", "Look straight ahead.

Horses cannot see directly in front of them.

If you have ever seen the large dark eyes of a horse, you would know they are located directly on either side of the horse’s muzzle. The separation between the horse’s eyes prevents them from seeing directly in front of them. They can see in every other direction, however, except of course, directly behind them.", "Quicksilver.

Horses are part of the equus family. Equus means quickness in Greek.

The name of the family fits horses because they are naturally quick animals. Horses are commonly used in racing for this very reason.

The average horse can run over 30 mph, while a race horse can reach up to 45!", "Spring Forward!

The best time to breed your horse is 11 months prior to spring, because spring is the best time for birth. In spring' the grass is growing and is fresh for the mother to feed on during the last part of her pregnancy and just after birth. This is when she needs her strength the most.

Foals are usually born in the evening since a mare in the wild is vulnerable during the day. Also wild horses run in packs and the mares and foals need to be ready to take off.

The birth of a foal is a very private thing to the mare so only a few people should be present.", "No horses allowed.

Over a thousand years ago, Vikings brought horses to Iceland. In the ninth-century, a law was passed in Iceland that banned the importation of any animal to Iceland.

Not only did they do this to keep the breed pure, but also to keep out diseases.

The law is still in effect today, and if anyone takes a horse out of the country for a competition they can never return. People tried overturning the law, but when disease was brought in on the horses' equipment, they agreed to retain the law and actually modified it. It now states that any equipment taken out with the horse, cannot reenter Iceland.", "I want a pony.

Ponies are not baby horses. They are actually a full-grown type of horse.

Many people wrongly call baby horses ponies. They are not ponies. Baby horses are actually called foals. A female foal is called a filly. A male foal is called a colt.

A pony is a full-grown breed that is under 14.2 hh at its full height. This is 58 inches in height or about the size of a child - 4 feet 10 inches tall!", "Feeling Lucky?

Horses have played such an important role in civilizations that they have been and remain revered animals.

This belief stems from the myth that the first horseshoe was forged in a sacred fire with precious metals.

Sailors would nail horseshoes on ships for protection. And some people would nail a horseshoe to their front door, with the ends turned up, in belief that it would bring good fortune to their household. This practice is often continued today.

Another belief was that if you found a horseshoe on the road, you would receive good luck.

Some would spit on it, and cast it over their left shoulder while making a wish. If the person took that shoe and made a ring out of it, it was said to make the good luck last longer.", "The grand daddy of them all!

The Arabian horse is believed to be the oldest breed of horse alive today. Some horse historians suggest their lineage go as far back as 2500 BC.

Arabians are beautiful horses with excellent skeletal structures. They have large eyes, bodies that tapers to the head, and they usually stand between 14.2 and 15 hh tall. The Arabian has one less rib (17), one less lumbar bone (5), and two fewer tail vertebrae (16) than most breeds (excluding ponies) and are therefore smaller.

Many of the horses today are believed to be descended from Arabians.", "Excuse me, shire.

The largest breed of horse is the Shire. Since the English have a strong reputation for breeding the shire horse, many historians believe this is where the horse originated.

Records of the horse reach back to medieval times, when it was known as the 'Great Horse'. During this time, the English army bred the animals to grow bigger and bigger, since their riders often wore 400 lbs of armor.

Today, the standard size for a Shire is 17-19 hh (human hands) tall and between 1700-2400 lbs.", "For the record...

The oldest horse on record was a barge horse called 'Old Billy' and lived for 62 years!

Horses are full grown when they are around 3-4 years old. Most horses live between 20-25 years, though it is common to have a horse live as many as 30.", "Heads or tails.

The tail of a horse has multiple purposes.

A horse uses its tail to swat away flies, gnats, and other annoying bugs that try to swarm around them. It also keeps the horse's hind end warm. This area gives off excessive heat and can chill a horse extensively if the horse’s tail is not long enough. The tail is even used to send out signals to other horses!

Excessive trimming of the tail is not good for a horse. In fact, tail docking (cutting a horse’s tail very short) is illegal in many parts of the world. This is because their tail is so important to them. ", "A touch of makeup.

The white markings on a horse’s face have their own names. These markings are used to identify horses that are similar in appearance.

The star is a diamond shaped mark between a horse’s eyes, which stretches up towards the top of their head. A snip is a small mark located on a horse’s muzzle. A stripe looks like a white strip down the horse’s nose and starts between the eyes. A white mark that covers most of a horse’s face is called a white face. A broad/blaze marking starts above the eyes at the top of the head and extends down between the eyes and over the muzzle in a thick stripe. The star and stripe combines a star with a stripe marking. Finally, the star, stripe, and snap can also be combined to form one main marking on a horse.", "March to the beat...

A horse uses four main paces when in motion.

The four main paces are the gallop, walk, trot, and canter. Each of these styles differ not only in speed, but also in how the movement is executed.

The gallop is best described as a bounding gait - quick and often used in long distance travel. The walk is a slow and steady pace used when a horse is walking around in a pen or on a leisurely stroll. The trot is a semi-quick movement that gets the rider somewhere but also allows the rider to enjoy the scenery. Finally, the canter is similar to the gallop though it is slower and a much smoother ride.", "All shapes and sizes.

There are over 350 breeds of horses in the world. The various types of horses are split up into four different groups and categorized by weight and height.

There are light horses, which weigh up to 1300 lbs and heavy horses, which weigh from 1300 lbs to 2400 lbs. Ponies are horses under 14.2 hh (58 inches). And finally, there are feral horses, like mustangs, that have escaped domestication and returned to their wild state.", "Stand on your own four feet.

Within 1-2 hours after a foal (baby horse) is born it can stand up and walk!

The mare's (female horse) pregnancy usually lasts 11 months. Foals are born with long legs that allow them to stand within a few hours of birth.

They will drink milk from their mother for nourishment and try to feed on grass even though it can be hard to reach since their legs are so long.", "How long was the fastest Pony Express ride?

The fastest Pony Express ride was 7 days, 17 hours and carried Lincoln's inaugural address.

The nation at the time was on the brink of Civil War and no one was sure which side California would take. Therefore, they hoped to get Lincoln's address to them as soon as possible.

As soon as the speech was telegraphed to St. Joseph, Missouri, the Pony Express Rider took off and got it to Sacramento, California in that record time."];