You’ve probably seen photos of horses sporting luxurious staches and thought to yourself “that must be fake”, but it turns out that horses can indeed grow mustaches.

From curly mustaches worthy of classic cartoon villains, to locks that reach way past their snout, horses can grow mustaches in a variety of styles. And the strange thing is that the style of mustache, or even the chance of growing a mustache doesn’t depend on breed. When photos of dashing, mustache-sporting equines originally went viral online, everyone credited the Gypsy Vanner breed for the trait, but it turns out that specimens of that breed are indeed more likely to grow impressive facial hair, they are definitely not the only ones.

Photos: Reddit / Horse and Hound

According to the Gypsy Vanner Horse Society, that breed’s origin is a mix of Shires, Clydesdales, and British Pony genetics, races which can grow mustaches either on their own, or in a mix. For example, Alfie, a Shire mix from the UK, was once claimed to have the longest horse mustache.

Basically, the mustache can occur in any horse that carries the right gene, whether it be male or female, but the trait is generally more common in breeds know for their luscious locks.

“Hair is an additive or a cumulative gene and is recessive. In order to maintain or add hair, breeding is upmost importance! You must breed hair to hair to maintain or increase hair,” Blanche Kohl Of Parrett Mountain Gypsies in Oregon told IHeartHorses. “This gene is responsible for the mustache, beard, double manes, thick lush tails, belly hair and of course that silky straight feather that is highly sought after!”

The internet has been very vocal about this little-known equine feature, with some voicing their amazement, and others their disgust, warning others that the photos going around online cannot be unseen. Regardless of how you feel about horse mustaches, you can’t deny that nature is one cool lady.