Horses are big animals. A grown horse can weigh from 227 to 900 kilograms. It can stand 0.9 to 1.7 meters tall.

Horses are grazers. That means they mostly eat grass. A horse has a mane of rough hair along its neck.

A horse stands on one toe on each foot. A hoof covers the toe.

A mare gives birth to a baby horse. The baby is called a foal. A foal can stand up within about an hour.

Wild horses live in herds. A herd has one or two stallions. It also has a group of mares and their foals.

Przewalski's horses live in groups too. A group has several mares and their young. It also has one stallion who leads. They eat mostly grass and some leaves.

A horse depends on running away to stay safe. It uses its ears to hear. Ears pointed stiffly forward mean the horse is alert.

A horse sees mostly with each eye on its own. This gives it a very wide view. It has blind spots right in front of it and right behind it.

Horses can doze while standing up. Riders wear a helmet and ride with a grown-up to help. Next time you see a horse, look at how it stands.

Words to know

• foal: baby horse
• herd: horse group
• stallions: male horses
• alert: ready to act
• grazers: grass eaters