Are you the new owner of a horse or planning to get one in the near future? Perhaps you already have a horse and have spent time in the past deliberating on what to call it. A recent survey compiled the most popular names for horses within the UK. Here are the top 10:

Rosie; Charlie; Molly; Jack; Murphy; Billy; Toby; Misty; Ben; Holly.

All but one of them is a traditional human name, highlighting a new trend, given that horse names have conventionally been quite abstract. Misty is the only name in the list that wouldn't usually be given to a child. Murphy is perhaps the only other contentious name, although, it is a common surname, particularly in Ireland. In fact, all these names barring Murphy and Misty appeared in the 100 most popular names of babies born in the same year.

Perhaps the trend can be attributed to horses becoming more like one of the family and, as a result, we are humanising them more than in the past. Alternatively, those people who grew up calling horses non-human names simply want a change in style and the trend has caught on.

Dr Rachel Wagner claims to own the world´s smallest horse that looks like he could fit inside a large boot. Einstein was born in Barnstead, New Hampshire at a small farm called Tiz Miniature Horse Farm. He is a black and white stallion and sizes up to only 14 inches and weighs only 6 pounds.

The Guinness World Records had held the world's smallest newborn horse Thumbelina at 9 pounds and with a height of 17 inches making three inches bigger than Einstein. Yet amazingly Einstein, according to professional breeders, has no signs of dwarfism unlike the current record holder, Thumbelina. He is still just as adorable as ever. Though the world's smallest horse title is no longer fitting, he has still got to be one of the cutest horses you'll ever hope to see. But all that is history now that Einstein is born and since he´s not physically growth stunted, he might still grow to a normal sized horse with the proper nutrition.

Other small horses include Black Beauty, born in 1996, only 12 inches tall and weighed only 10 pounds (she was in the Guinness World Records in 2001) and Twinkie, who is a Seeing Eye horse and was incorporated as a character in Patricia Cornwell´s novel Isle of Dogs.

Another famous (and very small) horse was Bond Tiny Tim. He was born in 1970 and stood 19 inches tall. At the time he was the smallest horse to ever be recorded. Bond Tiny Tim was bred extensively and appears in many pedigrees of miniature horses. Many of his sires went on to be national champions such as Bond Miss Rie who won the Reserve National Grand Champion title in 1984 and her daughter Bond Little Lucy Rie who also won miniature horse championships.

If you love horses, you're going to find the following facts fascinating! Let's go!

• Arabian horses have fewer bones than other horses- one less neck & back vertebrae, and one less rib!

• Horses have a way to keep standing while sleeping—they ‘lock' their leg joints.

• Horses can see almost 360 degrees, but watch out: they can't see directly in front of them or directly behind, & could ‘spook' or kick if startled when you're in those areas.

• One front leg is shorter than the other, & its mane falls to the shorter leg side.

• The upper lips of a horse are very sensitive & can ‘feel' different objects. They can also take hold of something with their lips.

• Wherever horses are looking, that's where their ears will be pointed towards.

• Horses' eyes can't adapt to the dark as well as humans, but they see better in the dark.

• Horses can't breathe through their mouths, only through their nostrils.

• Telling a horse's age is tricky, & depends on the number, position, & length of their teeth.

• You think you have it bad! Horses only sleep four hours a night in a 24 hour period.

• A horse's hoof is like our fingernails, in that it keeps growing & needs to be clipped.

• Horses use facial expressions to communicate. Their moods can be gauged by assessing their nostrils, eyes, & ears. Ears back & nostrils flaring means they're angry and could attack!

• A breed of horses in Russia, named Akhal-Teke, can last without food or water days on end.

• Horses produce nearly 10 gallons of saliva daily.

You have a love for horses, and want to work with them—but how can you make it as your profession?

To get started, it's recommended to read and study all the books you can on horses to get more educated in this sector. Meanwhile, hang out around horses as much as possible - observe their habits, individuality, reactions, and what makes them ‘tick.' Volunteer at stables and riding centres. If you work hard, you will get some experience and you will eventually be able to tell if you have a talent for the job.

The main challenge in learning to train horses is to build up a trust in the horse towards you (and hopefully toward other humans as well.) Remember the norm for any horse is nervous, and you could even say ‘flighty.' They are fearful, and need to know some good reasons why not to be, and you are the one to lead him to that steady, peaceful disposition.

You will have to learn effective techniques for helping horses, and become a person that horses can trust. It will take a giving and dedicated attitude toward the horse - where he knows you're there for him. Any other motivation will come through if you are not. Horses are sensitive and can smell out a fake. They can also sense someone who loves them and cares about them, and this is the best basis for a trainer to work from.

Reminiscent of the marches and causes of the 60s and 70s, the Occupy Wall Street movement – or, alternatively, simply the ‘Occupy' movement – has captivated the global imagination and given rise to a number of derivative movements and protests. With the original movement now rather close to defunct, Occupy has catapulted the frustration of a generation and the hatred of greed into the worldwide spotlight, and is not likely to be forgotten any time soon.

The Occupy movement was originally conceived by a Canadian organisation known as Adbusters. Repulsed what they saw as the commercialisation of the nation and the greed of what they referred to ‘the 1%', they called for a full-scale ‘occupation' of Wall Street - the centre of the stock market for North America – starting September 17th, 2011. This occupation did indeed take place, with droves of protesters of all ages flooding into Zuccotti Park, armed with tents, placard, portable kitchens and generators. The protests quickly gained momentum, and the number of participants increased in a sharp manner.

Though the original protests started off as a thoroughly grass roots movement, it soon caught on with a vengeance. First, the movement spread to other U.S. cities like Los Angeles and Philadelphia. They, unfortunately, did not have the success of the New York event, and the Philadelphia chapter came to a head with some rather violent altercations between the police and the protesters. The movement even caught on overseas, cropping up in such diverse cities as Dublin, London and Buenos Aires.

Getting to know your horse's personality helps both of you to build a stronger relationship, and to reach the goals that you hope to attain. Whether or not those goals are even realistic for your 4-hoofed friend, all depends on which type of horse he (or she) falls under. One expert, J. Warren Evans, says horses can be generally categorised under these six types:

• quiet

• interested

• nervous

• extremely nervous

• stubborn

• treacherous

Of course, every horse has its own individual personality, so it would also be safe to say that in assessing which category your horse comes, it may be a combination of the above. Here's what to expect from each:

Quiet — steady as a rock, doesn't react to anything, no matter what kind of rider. This one is safe for kids & beginners.

Interested — they are not as dull as the quiet ones, but are still very dependable if treated with care. They don't tend to ‘spook' very easily.

Nervous — represent the norm for horses. If they are afraid, they can run away with you. This kind is difficult for beginner riders, because they take their cue from the rider. If you are nervous, so will they be. If you are confident & relaxed, they will be too. They like a gentle, experienced rider.

Stubborn — resents work, and can get grumpy, or even angry, and not want to do what is needed. Riders must be very patient, yet firm in instructions, to deal with this one.

Treacherous — these kinds are rare. They will not take their place as ‘under' humans, but resent them instead; and may attack, biting or stomping people. They may need to be put down.

One very important part of horse care is daily grooming; as this keeps a horse's skin and coat healthy, prevents chaffing and keeps them looking handsome and comfortable. Horses generally need to be groomed daily and especially before and after a run or workout.

There are a quite a few instruments used when grooming a horse that have been developed mainly with the comfort of the horse in mind.

Sweat Scraper: This is used to remove water or sweat from the horse and is normally made of curved metal or plastic about 18 inches long attached to a handle which can have dual layers of metal and plastic.

Shedding Blade: It is a metal toothed blade used to remove loose clumps of hair or caked mud and must be used with care as the teeth can irritate the horse.

Bot Brick: A small block of thick Styrofoam or stone ribbed on a horse to pickup botfly eggs that are sometimes laid on its legs. A variation of this is the bot knife that does the same job by shaving the eggs off.

Clippers: All clippers are now mostly electric and are used to trim winter coats, ears and jaw line.

Dandy Brush: Used to remove dirt and hair off the main parts of the body and is commonly made of plastic bristles.

Soft Brush: This is a more fine bristled brush that is used to remove smaller particles and give shine to the horse's coat. The brush is typically made of synthetic fibres or animal hair.

Mane Comb: A wide toothed comb can be metal or plastic used in brushing the tail or mane.

Hoof Pick: A hooked metal tool used to clear the hooves of mud or caked dirt; it should be done before and after riding.

An ancient and endangered species of horse known as the Prezwalski has had much research and more domestic type in the domestic horse, but has been proven to be much more distant than previously thought. The famed horse, also known as a Dzungarian, is a rare and endangered species of the wild horse family. It was found primarily dominated by the Mongols due to their wild nature and dire need, but also is a common native of the whole of China, specifically the north.

This fact was discovered as recent scientists began studying the mitochondrial DNA that the mother passes to the offspring and contrasting it to the DNA that a domestic horse or common horse passes to its own offspring. These genes though featuring much similarity have obviously had a radical split many thousands of years ago from the path that is common to the domestic horse. This news has baffled scientists and opens whole new fields of study and research to them. Where the horses tree branch is speculated to be anywhere from 6,000 to 10,000 years ago, with both sharing a very ancient ancestor, with the split being due to clamatorial changes and lifestyle needs adversely affecting both fields of horses. The domestic were thought to have lived in more easy terrain, while the Prezwalski horse is speculated to have moved predominantly in flight of its predators, making its way higher and higher, thus having its home in the Chinese and Mongolian heights. The reason of the harsh conditions affecting it has also made it as rare a species as it is today.

We all love the cinema, don't we? Probably the most cherished pastime of adults and children alike is the watching of films or TV programmes. What each likes and holds as their favourite style of these is, by and large, a matter of their own taste and personal preference. One person may like detective thrillers, while another prefers a light comedy. One person prefers a good science fiction film while the other swoons over a romantic drama. However, among the favourite films are those which feature horses. Quite a few of these films have been made – more than about any other animal – and some of the best ones will be listed below.

Though not very well-known these days, one of the finest and best directed horse films ever is The Man from Snowy River. This film revolves around the adventures of people living on a cattle ranch in the mountains of Southern Australia. It was filmed on location, and displays the incredible, stunning beauty of the place in which the action takes place. Apart from this, the cinematography itself is stunning. If you watch the film, wait for the rounding up of a herd of wild horses towards the end. It portrays one of the most incredible incidences of film photography ever done.

If you're a horse owner, then you know the importance of taking good care of your horse. You have to groom them in order to maintain their appearance and aesthetic beauty. You have to feed them properly, in order to maintain their stamina, growth and well-being. You have to house them properly, to ensure their resistance of the harsher elements. You have to exercise them, in order to keep them in good physical shape for whatever tasks they perform. And, finally, you have to take care of their internal health, by determining whether they suffer from any diseases that might impair their health. Luckily, most of these diseases are relatively easy to spot.

One of the most common parts of a horse's anatomy that succumbs to sickness is the hoof. There are certain conditions which can be easily ascertained by a simple examination of the hoof. One of these conditions is known as brittle hoof. This can easily be confirmed or refuted by checking out the hoof. When shaved, the horn of the hoof appears stiff and stone-like or lacking in sheen. If searching for a spongy hoof, then the test would be to see how soft the hoof is to the touch.