10/19/2025
People often joke that their horse’s whorl is the spot the unicorn horn is about to grow in or has fallen off. It’s fun and understandable. We all think our good horses should be unicorns and the whorls can get pretty oddly shaped.
Did you know that horses can grow horns for real though?
Not unicorn horns, unfortunately, but close. There are a few very rare horses who grow a pair of ‘horns’, one on each side of the forehead. Usually just above the eyes.
These bony protrusions from the skull are harmless and sometimes hard to see. But they have been documented in horses for centuries.
~Famous Horned Horses~
Alexander the Great's favorite mount, Bucephalus (which means "ox head") is said to have had horns. This may be legend, or it may be legend based in reality.
Bucephalus did have an ox head brand, but this was a common brand that spoke of good breeding. Not something to name a great horse after. It is very possible that he did have these small horns that we know exist and stories built upon that over time until he was said to have had great horns and to have used them in battle to attack!
He may be the most famous horned horse, but there are a few breeds who are known for having horns. Either as a breed trait, or a trait common to the breed.
~Horned Horse Breeds~
The extremely rare, maybe no longer existing as anything but a ‘type’? Moyle horse developed in Utah was known for their horns. As well as their very docile willing temperament.
The Carthusian strain of Andalusians are said to commonly carry horns.
The Datong a mountain bred pony breed from China were originally graced with horns. “Improved” breeding is going towards a more refined horse and the horns are now looked at as a flaw instead of a breed trait.
~Temperament~
Although separate from whorls horns do seem to give us some idea of temperament. Horses with horns tend to be docile, willing, some say almost d***y in their behavior. It’s easy to see why that would be appreciated in a horse navigating treacherous mountain trails.
The horns still appear in many modern breeds. On everything from Draft to Thoroughbred, they will pop up occasionally giving us a thrill as we pause to marvel at these horned horses. It’s almost like having a real life unicorn!
