Moose and horses are often compared as they are both huge and have got exceptional qualities. It’s fair to think or ask who weighs more, who is faster, who among these two animals is strong enough to win a fight? Unfortunately, there are not many articles that can help us to compare these two “totally” different creatures. So, we decided to enlighten our readers.
In this article today, we would be comparing their sizes, weight, speed, and their fighting abilities and a lot more. Most of us might know this domestic animal well, have ridden the horses many times but have never seen moose in real life. So, to be able to compare these two creatures first we must have to know them deeply.
Once the important information is served, it would be much easier for us to convey the idea and it will not be harder for you to judge who is stronger. So, before we move ahead and compare, let us help you in knowing these two creatures a little differently.
Moose
Moose is a large, thick-skinned member of the “Cervidae” family. The mature male moose is referred to as “bull, female moose “cow”, and immature moose (regardless of sex) as ” calf”.
Most of the population of the Moose is residing in Sweden, Norway, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Finland, Canada, Alaska, Upstate New York, Michigan, New England, Fennoscandia, Poland, Russia, Oregon, and Washington.
Moose find their home in areas covered with pond grasses, shrubs, and young trees as they use them to save themselves from their biggest predators; wolves, bears, and humans. These slow-moving giants live on leaves, barks, twigs, aquatic and terrestrial vegetation.
This cold-adapted mammal can tolerate cold easily but due to their heat-retaining coat, enduring scorching heat is almost impossible. In summers, they are usually find wading or swimming in lakes and ponds. Because of their height, thick and heavy body structure, they often get compared to horses.
Horse
Horse, a domesticated odd-toed ungulate mammal, has been serving humans for centuries. This domestic animal is admired for its supernatural sense of balance and flight response. Horses are divided into three categories hot blood, cold blood, and warmbloods horses.
The horses that are categorized as hot blood have exceptional speed and endurance, the cold bloods are slow yet perfect for heavy work, whereas the warmbloods have got the qualities of both hot and cold blood.
Horses are naturally good at running and quite well in escaping predators. They have been used for police work, entertainment, riding, driving, therapeutic, and agricultural purposes. Besides being an excellent source of milk, meat, and hide, horses are also domesticated to get bones, hair, pharmaceutical extracts from the urine of pregnant female horses called mares.
Horses do not need a detailed introduction as they have been living, breathing with us for years. We already know a lot about this exceptionally social, aloof, fearful, and challenging creature.
Now that you have been enlightened about horses and moose, you might have begun to feel that you can judge these two animals yourself. So, it’s time to judge who is faster, heavier, and bigger, and has got the best fighting abilities.
Moose vs Horse speed
To judge who is faster moose or horse, we have to check how fast they both can run. According to National Geographic, A moose can run at the speed of 32kph, (20mph) whereas a horse can gallop at the rate of 88kph, (55mph).
Moose are “slightly” slower than horses and when these two different creatures are being compared it is often said that “moose can almost run as fast as horses”.
The appropriate answer to the question is moose as fast as horses? Is that they can not beat the horse in the race but they are not considerably slower than horses. So, moose is not faster than the horse, it’s an ostrich.
Moose vs Horse fight abilities
Moose and horses compete with each other well especially when it comes to fighting. Horses bite and have powerful kicks whereas the moose is huge and much heavier than the horse so it’s hard to tell who is going to win.
Sometimes horses play well and sometimes moose come off best. Horses and moose hardly come face to face as horses are domestic whereas the latter animal is wild.
So, it’s obvious the wild animals are too aggressive and too stronger to be beaten.
If the environment is horse-friendly, the horse is in better health and has been blessed with better fighting abilities, the horse would win but if the environment is more suitable to the moose, they would not allow horses to walk away with a victory crown.
Moose vs Horse weight
Moose appear huge and heavier but horses generally weigh more than the moose. This largest animal of the deer family(moose) is reported to achieve 500 kgs at the peak age whereas the fully mature healthy horses are 100 kgs and sometimes above.(Source)
Moose vs Horse size
If moose is being referred to as the largest animal of the deer family, it might have been said so for a reason.
Moose are much taller than the horses as they are 5 feet 3 inches(160cm) whereas the fully mature horses normally achieve the height of 5 feet 8.9 inches(175cm). So, when it comes to size, horses lose, and moose win.
Horses and moose can not only be compared on the above-mentioned grounds, in fact, but there is also still a lot that can be compared even though one of them is a domestic animal and the other one is wild.
Once the whole scenarios are clear, we would be able to know why these two animals are mostly compared when their lifestyle is different. So let’s judge on their appearance, lifestyle,
Appearance
Moose do not resemble horses at all as they have stubby hairy tails, cloven hooves, long faces, huge antlers, massive shoulders, short necks, long noses, mule-like ears, and front legs comparatively longer than the back ones. They are usually in light and dark brown colors, bulls are darker whereas the cows are a little in lighter brown color.
Whereas, the horses have long tails, short hair, long slender legs, thick necks, large elongated heads, and oval-shaped hooves. They normally appear in black, brown, chestnut, white, and bay colors.
Temperament
Horses are known for their gentle and forgiving nature. They are not aggressive towards humans or other animals at all whereas, the moose are wild their temperament and habits are quite similar to the other wild animals. If one has to define them in one or two words, they are aggressive and territorial.
Habitat
Moose are recognized cold climate wild animals as they have got insulating fur on their body. The insulating fur keeps the animal warm so moose are not so great for warmer regions. Moose prefer living near streams, ponds, lakes, and streams.
They are found living in abundance in the northern regions of the United States, throughout Canada, and in some parts of Alaska.
Whereas, the tamed domestic horses can adapt to any habitat. It’s important to mention here, not all horses are living and serving humans, a noticeable number of the total horse population is living in the wild as well. The wild horses find their home in the plains, steppes, and prairies of Montana, Nevada, Wyoming, Oregon, Utah, California, Arizona, New Mexico, and North Dakota.
Use
Horses can be domesticated or raised for several purposes including meat, herding, welfare, agriculture, commerce, companionship, racing, riding, and breeding, etc.
Whereas the other animal can not be kept or raised for any such purpose but they do are making the world a better place indirectly. These ecosystem engineers are considered a critical subsistence resource of our rural communities. Moreover, they are quite charismatic and watch-worthy wild animals.
Eating behavior comparison between Moose and Horse
Moose and horses are both herbivores but their preferences are different. Moose, because of the large size, prefer fulfilling their stomach with barks, leaves, and twigs from trees and shrubs(Aspen and balsam are their favorite) in winters whereas, in summers, they have been seen eating aquatic plants both above or at the surface.
Unlike horses, they do not like bending down to eat grass. The domestic horses eat grass, hay, some fruits, and vegetables
. They also lick salt almost every other day. The wild horses do not get to eat fruit or vegetables, they have to live on grasses and edible plants and shrubs.
Mating behavior
Horses are normally ready for sexual intercourse when they are just about 10 to 12 months of their age (some breeds attain puberty at the age of nine months as well).
Restlessness, frequent urination, straddling posture, and clitoral winking, and hyperactivity are the signs of their estrus cycle.
The mares have a habit of licking, sniffing, and nuzzling stallions in their estrus cycle. The domestic horses breed in heat, the mares attract the stallions by raising their tails and exposing their vulva.
The moose attract each other quite differently(my readers might find it gross or pointless but this is how it is).
When the breeding season arrives, the bulls(male moose) dig a hole in the ground and urinate in it to give cows(female moose) a green signal. Despite being wild animals, they keep themselves loyal to one for at least one entire breeding season.
The horses are normally bred in May, June, July, and August whereas the moose are seen mating in September and October and their foals arrive in late May or June horses on the other hand give birth in spring and early summers.
As we have compared these two creatures in all possible ways, it’s time to move ahead and see what our fellas behind the mobiles, tablets, and laptops screens want us to ask.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can moose be domesticated?
No, like all other purely wild animals moose can not be domesticated at all. They are just as hard to be domesticated as elephants, zebra, tiger, killer whale, shark, tiger, panda, antelope, wild American buffalo, Scottish cat, and boar.
Do moose attack, humans?
Yes, they do attack and kill humans if they are provoked. If not provoked, they are not aggressive towards humans at all. Unlike many animals on planet earth, they are not afraid of humans at all so it is quite easy for the moose to kill the human provoking them to attack.
What do moose eat?
Moose are strictly herbivores, they eat leaves, barks, and twigs in winters whereas in summers as moose are mostly found swimming in ponds and lakes, they do not mind full filling their stomach with aquatic plants.
What are the natural predators of moose?
As moose are giant animals, they can not be taken down by any animal other than bears and wolves. So, it would not be wrong to say that humans, bears, and wolves are moose’s biggest predators.
What does the term “mare” and “stallion” mean?
The mare and stallion are used for horses. The female horses are referred to as “mares” whereas, the male horses as “stallion”.
How long the horses live?
The horses can live up to 25 to 30 years. Some exceptionally well-pampered horses have also been seen living up to 40 years. A horse named “Old Billy” died at the age of 62, but not all horses are lucky enough to reach the age of 40 or 60.
Do racehorses run to death?
Yes, if the jockey commands them to. They keep on running until their heart explodes.
Why are horses kept for?
Horses are mainly kept for companionship, riding, and breeding. Other than the said purposes, they are often kept for meat, sports, and therapeutic purposes.
How long does moose live?
Moose do not live as long as horses do. They have been reported to live up to 20 years maximum whereas the horses 25 to 30 years.
In brief, horses and moose are two different creatures, despite being herbivores, even their eating habits are different. Horses are faster and heavier whereas, the moose is well-weighted. They both have excellent fighting skills, horse bites, and have powerful kicks whereas the other animal is giant and deadly.
