Are Seahorses Related to Horses? [Real Answer]

Seahorses are a wonder of the sea!

Yes, we are telling the truth. If you look in the ocean community, you will find people from everywhere really curious about seahorses.

But, since the seahorse has “horse” in their name, many people mistakenly think of them to be closely related to horses.

So, are seahorses related to horses?

No! Seahorses aren’t related to any horses. In fact, seahorses are closely related and are a part of the “teleost” group. Basically, this group is a common type of fish. That is why seahorses are closely related to Atlantic Cods more than sea monsters and even horses. They aren’t even imaginary monsters of the sea as many people think of them.

Enough of debunking all the myths. This is not where we will draw the line. In fact, we are far from ending the article. Because we are going to go deep and answer all of your confusion.

So, without delaying further proceedings, let’s start-

Is Seahorse Directly Related to Any Horse?

No! Seahorses aren’t anywhere close to being related to horses. The “Hippocampus”, the taxonomic family name of a seahorse, means “horse sea monster”.

Also See: Do Seahorses Sleep? Secrets Of Seahorse Sleeping Behaviour

So, the taxonomy family name of the seahorse itself doesn’t relate anywhere near to any horses. Even though the head and neck of the seahorse look fairly closely to that of a seahorse, both of these animals have no connection.

To be precise, the seahorses belong to the “Syngnathids” fish family. There are almost around 300 species in this family of fish. When the genes of the seahorse are analyzed and confirmed, it is found that this group belongs to fishes only.

That is why it can be said that seahorses belong to fish only and they are not related to horses, in any way possible.

Does a Seahorse Look Like a Horse?

Yes! A seahorse does look like a horse. That is why people sometimes think of seahorses to be “horse species”. Here, the seahorses have their entire body shape which makes them look visually related to horses.

Because the neck and head of the seahorse have curved trunks and they even have bent heads as well. Moreover, they even have long snouts. All of this adds up and we can say that the seahorse looks like a horse.

That is why, visually, seahorses look fairly similar to horses. At least the upper body of seahorses does look like that.

But, that is not true! Seahorses have evolved from pipefish-like species that had straight bodies. So, they have not evolved from horses, even though they look like one.

What Animals Do Seahorses Relate to Closely?

Now that we have cleared the air that seahorses and horses are not related, the next question can arise- what animals are they related to?

Well, seahorses are mostly related to pipe-fish and sea dragons. Being related to pipe fishes makes sense. Because seahorses themselves have evolved from pipe-fishes. That said, seadragons have similarities with seahorses because they are visually quite similar.

They do come from the same family- “Syngnathidae”. That is why the visual similarities. But, these animals surely don’t function in the same manner. Because pipefishes and male sea dragons carry female eggs like seahorses.

But, when it comes to carrying those eggs, seahorses carry them on their pouches. Whereas it is the sea dragons that carry the eggs on the underside of their tails.

Is it Possible to Ride a Seahorse Like a Normal Horse?

No! It is not possible to ride a seahorse. Just because they have “horse” in their name, you can’t just ride it.

In fact, there is a higher chance now that you might not even see a seahorse, in the first place. Face it, seahorses are unique sea creatures. But, they are also quite rare.

Even if you come across a seahorse, it will be really hard for you to trace it. Because seahorses are amazing at creating camouflage. For this reason, it will be really hard to trace them. 

Still, if you manage to see a seahorse and trace one, you will never be able to ride it like a normal horse. This is because the length of a seahorse is really small. Hence, you may not even get sight of it, let alone hold or ride it.

Also, we would like to give off a disclaimer, never ever try to hold or touch a seahorse. Because they are extremely fragile. And, you can easily cause internal damage to a seahorse while you’re trying to hold it.

Parting Words

That was all about seahorses and their relationship with horses, in this informative article. So, are seahorses related to horses? No! Seahorses aren’t even close to horses. They just look like them and have “horse” in their name.

So, we believe all the people now will not live in the confusion that seahorses and horses are similar. Seahorses are in a family of fish. So, they should be treated like unique and beautiful creatures with love and care.

Thus, the next time you come across one of these beautiful animals, treat it with respect and care. Good luck!