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Some Interesting Facts About Horse Reproduction
Horses are kind of fascinating creatures, and their reproduction is pretty interesting. Here are some basic facts that a lot of people don’t know:
Horse Gestation Is 11 Months…But
Average horse gestation is 11 months, setting mares up for one foal a year (they come into heat about a month after the foal is born).
However, normal horse gestation covers a surprisingly wide range…from a short as 10 months (anything shorter is premature) to as long as thirteen. Horse breeders can get quite frustrated when they take longer to “cook.”
Foals are Born Wearing “Slippers”
Hooves and the birth canal don’t get on. To protect both mare and foal, foals are born wearing something called a “deciduous hoof capsule.”
It looks kind of like weird rubber fingers, or maybe even short tentacles. There’s some images here, but be warned that they look kinda gross. It comes off naturally as soon as the foal stands, which brings us to…