Wild Horses by Millie
Wild horses live in groups called bands.
~Names~A foal is a baby horse. A female foal is called a fillie. A male foal is called a colt and a grown female horse is called a mare.
~Scientific Name~
The scientific name is Equus Caballus.
~Common Name~
The common name is wild horse,feral horse ,or mustang.
~Size~
Their height is from about 58 inches to 62 inches tall.(measured from the bottom of the hoof to the front of the back) Adult wild horses weigh from 700 to 1,000 pounds.
~Lifespan~
Many wild horses live from 12-15 years.Some live to the age of 20.
~Special Features~
Wild horses have developed strong leg bones,hard hooves,and great perseverance through times of living a tough life. And like any other wild horses they have the largest eyes of any land animal.They can see almost completely behind themselves without moving their heads.Their eyes are actually bifocals,which means they can see two different ways at once.Each ear can swivel around independently,so they can accurately locate sounds. Horses can also sleep standing up as well as laying down.
~Habitat~
Wild horses live in grasslands,small hills,and small forests and on sandy barrier islands in the U.S.
Wild Horses are also found in similar places such as South America,Africa,Asia,Australia,and New Zealand.
~Food~
Wild horses eat grasses,little plants,leaves,wild flowers,and twigs.They drink 10 gallons of water if they can get it.
~Population~
There are about 30,000 wild horses living free on land in the west.Another 30,000 or more are kept in holding pens by the Bureau of Land Management.Several hundred wild horses roam on barrier islands and forested areas in the east.
~Biggest Threats~
The wild horses in America have few natural enemies. In the west, mountain lions sometimes attack horses.Wolves may someday be a pest too. But the biggest threat is the loss of lands they live on.
I got the information from the book National Geographic Face To Face With Wild Horses By Yva Momatiuk and John Eastcott.