Horses

INDUSTRY
The horse or equine industry in Louisiana has grown tremendously over the last 20 years. It can be broken down into three sectors: racing, show or competition, and recreational. 

The racing sector has the fewest horse owners at about 10%, but has the largest share of gross farm value. There are four horse racing tracks in the state.

The show or competition sector includes horse shows, rodeo, cutting, roping, team penning and other events. About 30% of horse owners in the state have show or competition horses. 

The largest portion of the state’s horse industry is recreational, which accounts for about 60% of horse owners. These horses are used for comfort, exercise and enjoyment.

BREEDS
The most popular breeds in the U.S. include the American Quarter Horse, Paints, Thoroughbreds and Arabians. All of these breeds can be classified as "light horses" and are usually used for riding. The average weight of a light horse is 1,000 pounds. 

The Quarter Horse is known as “America’s Horse” and is known for its great versatility.

In Western movies, the horses are usually Paints, with cowboys riding Tobiano-type and Indians riding Overo-type horses.

The term “Thoroughbred” refers to a specific, purebred breed used primarily for racing and jumping events.

The Arabian is known as the “Father of All Light Breeds.”

The largest breeds of horses are called draft horses and are used primarily for driving and pulling purposes. The average weight of a draft horse is 2,000 pounds. The tallest breed is the English Shire. The Belgian is the most popular breed of draft horse in the U.S.

Ponies are popular for children’s first mounts. Ponies must be less than 58-inches tall and they can be either a draft or light horse type. The Shetland Pony has been used for centuries in coal mines and is often called a “pit pony.”

Miniature horses have been used as guide animals. To be registered, they must be less than 34-inches tall.

MEASURING HORSES 
The unit of measurement used to measure horses is called a hand, which equals four inches.  The height of a horse is measured at its withers, the bony point where the neck and back of the horse meet.

When correctly noted, a horse’s height will have a whole number, indicating the number of whole hands, then a decimal point, then a number which indicates remaining inches. Because the hand is four inches, the number behind the decimal point can only be a 0, 1, 2 or 3. 

  • A pony whose height is 57-inches is 14.1 hands tall.

  • A miniature horse whose height is 32-inches is 8.0 hands tall.

  • A light horse which is 15.2 hands tall is 62-inches tall.

  • An English Shire which is 17.3 hands tall is 71-inches tall; if this horse grows 1-inch more, it would be 18.0 hands tall.

FUN FACTS 

  • Horses eat about 3% of their body weight daily.

  • Most mature, idle horses can survive on pasture and hay; however, some horses require extra energy in the form of grain or a grain mix.

  • Horses are not meal eaters. They prefer to eat continuously throughout the day. The average horse will graze for up to 18 hours per day.

  • The horse’s digestive tract is more than 100 feet long.

  • Horses’ front teeth (incisors) grow longer as horses age—hence the term “long in the tooth.”

  • Horses can sleep while standing because of a certain ligament called a check ligament that acts as a lock on the leg’s muscles and bones.

  • Horses live, on average, for about 25 years. The oldest horse recorded was 62 years old when he died.

  • Most light horses can be ridden at about 2 years of age.

  • Mares are usually pregnant for a little more than 11 months.

  • Foals are able to stand and nurse within an hour of birth.

TERMS TO KNOW

  • Colt - young male horse

  • Filly - young female horse

  • Foal - baby horse 

  • Gelding - a neutered male horse

  • Long Yearling - more than 18 months old and may be ready for the initial stages of being trained to ride

  • Mare - a mature female horse more than 4 years old

  • Stallion / Stud - a mature male horse more than 4 years old 

  • Universal Birthday - January 1 

  • Weanling - a horse that has been removed from its mother usually around 4-6 months of age, but before January 1 of the year after its birth—when it becomes a yearling

COLORING PAGE
Select the image below to download, print and color this fact sheet. Fit-to-page printing option recommended. See more commodity coloring pages!

 
 

MAKE & TAKES
Lucky Horseshoes

SOURCES