cover image Horsewatching: Why Does a Horse Whinny and Everything Else You Ever Wanted to Know

Horsewatching: Why Does a Horse Whinny and Everything Else You Ever Wanted to Know

Desmond Morris, Howard Morris. Crown Publishers, $15 (160pp) ISBN 978-0-517-57267-2

Compared to The Naked Ape, the . . . Watching books (previous titles examined cats and dogs) are a step backwards for Morris. The title in hand offers questions and answers about the physiology and behavior of horses plus horse lore. Morris tells us that the horse's eye is one of the largest in the animal kingdom--bigger than the eye of the elephant or whale--and concludes that horses are nocturnal animals. On the subject of feeding, he notes that horses cannot vomit, that their natural feeding behavior is endless, varied grazing, that they are low-grade food specialists. There is material on cold-bloods, hot-bloods and breeds (207, of which 67 are ponies, 36 working horses, 104 sports horses). Discussing human-horse relationships, Morris states the secret of equine appeal is that the animal slaves for us while still looking noble. Illustrated. (May)