Horses

Domestication of horses in Eurasia (8000-5000BC): may have saved species from extinction due to heavy hunting (prior to 8000BC) - Horse become particular useful: 2000 BC (pull chariots) and by 1000BC complete domestication: Europe Asia and North Africa

False Horses were initially used for food (30 000 BC)

Stalion

Gelding

Colt

Mare

Fille

Foal

1 Hand = 4 Inches

What you measure for height in horses - Located near front shoulders

• Ponies: less than 14.2 hands at withers and less than 8oolbs • Light Horse: 15-17.2 hands and 900-1200 lbs, majority of breeds • Heavy horse: 16-18 hands, heavy muscle, large bones and sturdy legs, greater than 1400 lbs

Hot Bloods: Lighter bodies, idea for speeds (racing): - Temperament is high strung and flighty: Arabian, Thoroughbred, Quarter Horse

Warm Blood: Named for the area the horse was located. No true breed of warm blood (as hot bloods - Arabians): - Mild temperament and calm spirt: - Dressage ,Jumping, 3 day eventing: Hanoverian, Irish Sport Horse (Irish Hunter), Trakehner

Cold Blood: Mild manner, docile good with children: - Heavy work (Agriculture; pulling equipment) Draft - Breeds; Percheron, Clydesdales, Shire - intelligent

• Oldest breed of horse in world (ancestry 5000 years old) • Classified by ancestry nation of origin: Polish, Spanish, Russian, Egyptian, Domestic • Agile and excellent stamina • Dish face prominent eyes and arched neck

Breed developed from 3 Foundation Arabian Stallions - Fastest Horse: Intermediate distance: (three-quarter mile -1.5 mile races) - Cross breeding: influenced the development of breeds (Quarter horse, Standardbred and some Warm bloods- Irish Sport Horse)

Created: Initially English Horse Breeds crossed with Arabians (Arabs and Barb descent) - Later: These horses crossed with Thoroughbreds: stronger and faster - In NA: these new horse breeds crossed with Mustangs- quick horses and used for cattle work - Strong hind quarters - Fastest Horse: Short distance (quarter mile races)

• Foundation: Sire from Thoroughbred (name): Messenger • Harness racing: Pacers and Trotter: what is the difference (Video) • Dressage and Hunter jumpers

Male Donkey x Female Horse = Mule Female Donkey x Male Horse = Hinny

Their middle fingers - Coffin bone - DP or P3

True white horses valued throughout history - Lethal White Foal Syndrome: Dominant white gene (homozygous): often lethal in utero and intestinal neurological abnormalities- colic first 12 hours of life - Heterozygous: pink skin- colored eye

Teeth: important of digest cellulose, helps in hind-gut fermentation - In grazing animals: good dentition is key to survival - Uneven wear of teeth mouth injuries - Wolf teeth: extra set of small premolars in front of large grinding premolars- 70% have Wolf teeth - vestigial tooth - forest dwellers eating for brush plant products to now plains dwellers - not involved in fighting- unlike canine or swine Teeth will grow throughout life - Must be grinded down - “Float teeth”

Digestive system: - Prehensile lips (Video) - Hind gut fermenters (cecum and colon) for fiber digestion (similar bacteria populations as rumen in ruminants). Fermentation releases volatile fatty acids- a major feed source for forage-based diets

• Gestation: 340 days • Labours short: 10-15 minutes • 50-80% breeding efficiency • Seasonal polyestrous: short breeding season spring and summer • Estrus: 5-7 days and to improve breeding efficiency, breeding starts Day 3 of estrus and continues every other day until mare refuses breeding • Colostrum (first milk): critical first hours following delivery, if not foals often succumb to infection