Horseback riding is a very popular activity at Seabrook, so we decided to put together some interesting facts about horses we think everyone should know. Horses are gorgeous animals with a lot of character, and there are literally hundreds of useful tidbits one can learn about them. Today, however, we pick out the top 5 fun facts. Here are the ones that made the cut:

1. You Can Tell a Horse’s Age by its Teeth

Ever heard the sayings “straight from the horse’s mouth” and “don’t look a gift horse in the mouth”? Horse teeth have been fascinating for scientists for a long time, and it is generally believed that you can tell a horse’s age by counting its teeth. Wear and tear may also factor in determining the age of the horse, although there are still many that don’t believe in this method.

2. Horses Spend More Energy Lying Down!

This one is just the most counter-intuitive fact in the history of fun facts! But apparently it’s true, and it is the single most important reason why horses generally sleep standing up. Yep, you read that right, horses can sleep while standing. Okay, being hunted by vicious predators is also a key reason to sleep standing up, but it’s just more fun to think “saving” energy is the factor. To accomplish this feat, horses lock their legs in, and avoid falling over. When are humans going to evolve to that level?

3. Horses Can Drink 10 Gallons of Water A Day

Another very common saying is “you can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink”. Apparently, though, if the horse decides to take a drink on its own, it can fit up to 10 gallons in a single day! That number is just astounding! Make sure to help your horse to a room-temperature water, however, as really cold water on a hot day can upset the horse’s digestive system.

4. A Horse’s Head Weighs 10+ Pounds on Average

Speaking of 10, imagine having a brain the size of a potato and your head weighing 10 pounds?!? 10 Pounds is about the weight of an average bowling ball! That is one heavy head! Makes you wonder, do horses have inherently strong neck muscles? Or inherently weak ones for that matter? If anyone has the answer of this, please enlighten us in the comment section below!

5. Horses See 2 Different Images from Their Eyes

Technically called monocular vision, horses can use both eyes to look at two different objects since they are on each side of their head. Hence, they can use one eye to watch the front, and another to watch the back in case predators are around. Or, if they are on the Washington Coast beach strolling around, they can look at the ocean and at the beautiful coastline at the same time! We’d love to borrow this “feature” at least for the Pacific Ocean sunsets?

Horses really are magnificent creatures, and we are very happy to have them be a part of Seabrook. Know any other interesting facts about horses? Share them with us below, and we can all learn from each other!

The 2009 Seabrook Photo Challenge is now over and we have thirteen great photographers to award! The pictures that will be on the Seabrook 2010 Calendar are:

Cover Page

(Photo by Jenna Crane)

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Last weekend, the 3rd Annual Seabrook Fun Run took place on Washington Coast’s sandy beaches and we have all the pictures for you right here! On a perfect day, the sunshine and the easy 5K course was more than a motivation for all the participants to enjoy their time by the ocean.

Despite its relaxed character, the Fun Run still awarded the winners. Of the gentlemen, Cole Glover from Sammamish won first place for the second year in a row, while David Krueger came up second. For the ladies, Rebecca Hardenbrook from Stanwood was the fastest with Noel Burt just behind her heels. Congratulations to this year’s fastest runners, hope they can achieve this success again next year!

If you weren’t at Seabrook last weekend, or just want to recap the scenic jog, hit this link and watch the Flickr slideshow we just uploaded. Have more pictures of the Fun Run you would like to share? Send them over to us or post a link to your album below and we will feature them right here on our blog!

If you’re looking for a reason (like there aren’t a bunch already) to be at Seabrook this weekend, Seabrook’s Child Bike Parade will be taking over the town and is guaranteed to be a mesmerizing one. But for more on that, check back tomorrow…

Summer has officially arrived and the sun is making the Norhtwest look more gorgeous than ever. While everyone is seeking for a good getaway spot to relax and recharge, two widely respected and distributed magazines, Seattle Magazine and AAA Journey, featured Seabrook in their latest issues as the (Pacific Northwest) ultimate beach destination for this summer.

Kate Calamusa from the Seattle Magazine spent a weekend at Seabrook enjoying a complete beach town experience with her husband. With the 4th of July just around the corner, she previews Seabrook’s unique way of celebrating independence day for anyone interested in unwinding on the coast for the holiday. You can view the text in full by simply clicking here.

But the Seabrook hype doesn’t stop there. Washington State’s “youngest little place by the sea” (as they call it) was the main departure destination recommended by the AAA Journey in their most recent issue of the bimonthly magazine. What over 1,200,000 readers could see in the print edition of Journey, you can now exclusively see online by following this link!

Is enjoying the summer out at Seabrook really A Shore Thing? Well, over 300 nature enthusiasts have already decided to spend July and August playing in the waves. Plus, Seattle Magazine and AAA definitely seem to think so. And we all know how reliable AAA is!

You have to take advantage of the cherished Northwestern sunshine! Whether you want to Sea’s The Day, take your Sweetheart on a Moon Dance, or have a Whale of an Adventure, be sure to visit our Seabrook Cottage Rentals website to reserve your place by the ocean for this summer.