Monday 16 May 2011

Eye of the Horse


Don’t horses have such big, loving eyes? Well yes they do have big eyes maybe not loving but BIG! So big that the horse has the largest eyes of all land mammals. The horse’s eyes are set on the sides of its head this allows it about a 350 degree range of vision, with something like 65 of that being binocular vision and the rest being monocular vision, all this provides the horse with a good chance of spotting predators.



Horses have a high proportion of rods to cones in their eyes, they also have a tapetum lucidum, the tapetum lucidum is a layer of tissue that lies behind or in the retina, it reflects light back through the retina, this gives the photoreceptors more light, and improves low-light vision to the horse. But horses are not as adjustable to sudden changes in light, such as going from the paddock in to a dark stable.



Most horses have dark brown eyes, but that doesn’t mean they all have to have them, the most recognized different colour is normally blue, but horses can have hazel, amber, or even green eyes. Anyway that’ll about do it on horse eyes for now, maybe a bit more sometime later.

Thank you all for the comments on my last post.

Sherri, thanks for the link I am now following that blog, and yes they do some crazy things with their lips but it sure is funny to see.

Abby, that is why horses are great because they will almost always get on in the end, and yes it really is nice to see Pip and Murphy sharing with one another.

Autumn Mist, it’s good for Pip that they are all so good with him, when Murphy was put in with Niko and Madeline for the first time Madeline kicked Murphy, and knocked him on his side he couldn’t get up for a bit because she had winded him.

3 comments:

Sherri B. said...

Your photos are great..you have a very good way with the camera, the eye shot is priceless!!

Anonymous said...

I didn't know that horses have the biggest eyes of all land mammals, you learn something everyday! It's amazing to think they are bigger than Elephant or Giraffe eyes! Great photos. Hannah.

RDA Pony Tales said...

I think you can tell alot about a horses character by their eyes. Some have very kind eyes, some full of mischief and some have sad eyes. The horses I avoid are the ones with a wicked look in their eyes, which fortunately are few and far between. I think Niko and Madeline have very kind eyes, Murphy and Pip too, but also with a glint of mischief (still both adorable ponies though!). Of course I can only judge from your photos, so as they are your horses and ponies what do you think? Sometimes Spotty looks at me with very sad eyes, he had a hard life before I got him and I think he remembers it. Horses are like elephants and unfortunately they never forget.
Abby.
ps. I meant to ask, is your finger totally mended now?