July 1, 2025, 4:09 am | Read time: 2 minutes
It’s clear that horses can differ significantly in terms of their mane or coat patterns. But have you ever seen a horse with a mustache? They do exist. PETBOOK explains why some horses sport a mustache.
Whether curly, short, or long–for some horse breeds, a lush mane and full tail aren’t enough: They also sport noticeable hair around their nostrils that looks suspiciously like a mustache. Some breeds are particularly prone to growing a mustache.
Why Some Horses Have a Mustache
A mustache on horses is not a common sight. While most breeds naturally have whiskers around their nostrils, some have a lot more hair in addition.
Whether on the lower lip, around the nostrils, or even below the chin, the hair or mustache on some horses becomes more pronounced in winter due to their thick winter coat. Contrary to what might be expected, these hairs do not serve an important function, as they are merely additional hair, not whiskers.
Horse Breeds Prone to Abundant Facial Hair
The hair is particularly pronounced in certain horse breeds such as Tinkers (Irish Cob/Gypsy Cob), Shire Horses, Friesians, or Norikers. The reason behind this is quite simple. The growth of facial hair is genetically determined and occurs mainly in cold-blooded, robust, and generally heavily-haired horses.
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Why Do Horses Have Hair on Their Nostrils?
The fine hairs around the nostrils, as well as on the ears and eyelids, are much more important than the amusing mustache. These so-called whiskers or “vibrissae” serve a crucial function, similar to those in cats or dogs: They are connected to numerous nerve endings and help the horse better orient itself, recognize food, and protect against obstacles and injuries. For this reason, trimming or completely removing these hairs has been banned in Germany since 2021, at least in the competition sector.1
By the way, not only horses sometimes sport a noticeable mustache alongside their vital whiskers, but other animals do as well. In addition to goats, some llamas and monkey species, such as the emperor tamarin, also display striking beard variations.