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HORSE
The horse (Equus caballus) is a hoofed (ungulate) mammal,
one of eight living species of the family Equidae. The horse has evolved
over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature
into the large, single-toed animal of today. Humans began to domesticate
horses around 4500 BC, and their domestication is believed to have
been widespread by 3000 BC; by 2000 BC the use of domesticated horses
had spread throughout the Eurasian continent. Although most horses
today are domesticated, there are still endangered populations of
the Przewalski's Horse, the only remaining true wild horse, as well
as more common feral horses which live in the wild but are descended
from domesticated ancestors. There is an extensive, specialized vocabulary used to describe equine-related
concepts, covering everything from anatomy to life stages, size, colors,
markings, breeds, locomotion, and behavior. Horses are anatomically
designed to use speed to escape predators, and have a well-developed
sense of balance and a strong fight-or-flight instinct. Related to
this need to flee from predators in the wild is an unusual trait:
horses are able to sleep both standing up and laying down. Female
horses, called mares, carry their young for approximately 11 months,
and a young horse, called a foal, can stand and run shortly following
birth. Most horses begin training under saddle or in harness between
the ages of two and four. They reach full adult development by age
five, and have an average lifespan of between 25 and 30 years.
Horse breeds are loosely divided into three categories
based on general temperament: spirited "hot bloods" with speed and endurance; "cold
bloods," such as draft horses and some ponies, suitable for slow,
heavy work; and "warmbloods," developed from crosses between
hot bloods and cold bloods, often focusing on creating breeds for
specific riding purposes, particularly in Europe. There are over
300 breeds of horses in the world today, developed for many different
uses.
Horses and humans interact in many ways, not only in a wide variety
of sport competitions and non-competitive recreational pursuits, but
also in working activities including police work, agriculture, entertainment,
assisted learning and therapy. Horses were historically used in warfare.
A wide variety of riding and driving techniques have been developed,
using many different styles of equipment and methods of control. Many
products are derived from horses, including meat, milk, hide, hair,
bone, and pharmaceuticals extracted from the urine of pregnant mares.
Humans provide domesticated horses with food, water and shelter, as
well as attention from specialists such as veterinarians and farriers.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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