Fun Fact: A wild horse’s winter coat
The Salt River wild horses, even the babies, are perfectly equipped to deal with a rainstorm.
This is one of the few foals we will see this year. We don’t get a lot of rain but when cold weather does strike, you’ll probably notice the horse’s coats “standing up,” and making them look fuzzier, softer, and “woolier” than normal.
This is because the individual hairs in the winter coat actually spring up in cold weather, creating air pockets that provide extra insulation and therefore keep natural body heat from escaping. This is the same way that putting on a winter jacket works for you—the jacket itself doesn’t actually provide any heat, it simply keeps your own body heat contained.
The Salt River wild horses are ready to weather any storm.
Picture provided by Franklin E Cunningham.
SRWHMG.