exam 4 Flashcards
what type of environment did horses evolve from?
jungle
what are some ways that horses evolve?
longer legs, four toes to one
what are the only modern wild horses and where are they located?
przewalski’s horse, mongolian plains
how many years have horses been domesticated?
5000 to 7000 years
why were horses first domesticated?
food
when did humans start using horses for battle?
2000 BC
when were horses brought to the US?
1500s
When were horses domesticated for olympics?
1450 BC
who brought horses to the US? where did he bring them from?
cortez from spain
what is the equivalent of a hand in inches?
4 in
what is the function of a draft horse?
for work
what is the function of a light horse?
riding
what is the function of a gated horse?
riding with a specific footfall pattern
what is a warmblood horse?
draft and gated crossbreeds
what does a warm blooded temperament mean?
mix between hot and cold
what is a cold temperament?
calmer
what is a hot blooded temperament?
more active
what is the temperament of a draft horse?
cold blooded
what is the temperament of light and gated horses?
hot blooded
what is the temperament of ponies?
hot and cold
what country has the most domesticated equids?
china
what is the function of the cornea?
a. layer of cells to protect the interior components of the eye.
b. acts as a lens due to bending of light effect.
what is the function of the lens?
bends light to focus the perceived image on the retina
where is the retina?
back of the eye
what is the function of the retina?
supports rods and cones
what are rods responsible for perceiving?
low light vision
what are cones responsible for perceiving?
colors
what do rods respond to?
low intensity light within a specific range of wavelength
what is the tapetum?
layer of reflective cells behind the retina
what advantages does the tapetum offer?
photons of light are reflected and are able to potentially stimulate more rods, enhancing vision
why is the US fourth in # of domesticated equids?
we have moved away from using them for work and transportation, using them almost only for recreation
why did horse #s skyrocket when the 1986 tax reform was in place?
people could easily use a failing horse business to negate the taxes of their successful business
about how many horses are in the US today?
3.8 to 7.2 million
why is the number of horses in the US such a large potential range?
equine numbers aren’t surveyed like cows and other livestock
what are some physical characteristics of draft horses?
biggest type of horse, 16-19 hands, up to 3000 lbs, heavy boned, large framed, lot of power, designed for forward movement
what are draft horses used for?
to pull or haul
what are some physical characteristics of light horses?
14.3 to 17 hands, 1000-1500 lbs
what are light horses bred for?
riding and subsequently speed, agility, endurance, etc.
what is the characteristic associated with arabian horses?
endurance
what is the characteristic associated with thoroughbreds?
they are fast for long distances
what is the characteristic associated with quarter-horses?
sprinter/ quick for a short distance
what are gated horses known for?
extreme/consistent movement patterns
what does dichromatic mean?
can see blue (short waves) and earth tones (middle-long wave)
what colors can trichromatics see?
blue (short wave), green (middle), and red (long)
do animals have more rods or cones?
rods
do humans have more rods or cones?
cones
what are pluses of equine limb anatomy?
a. increases height (improves vision)
b. increased stride length (potentially increases speed)
what are negatives of equine limb anatomy?
a. increased weight = slower movements
b. higher center of gravity = stability issues
what aspects of a horses anatomy increase its stability?
a. semi flexible spine
2. fusion of radius/ulna
3. fusion of tibia/fibula
what are the two aspects of stride anatomy and what do they mean?
a. flexion - power stroke
b. extension- reach for next step
what are aspects of equine vision?
- greater lowlight vision (rods/tapetum)
- limited color vision (dichromatic)
- limited accommodation (distance focused)
what is the horse equivalent to a human shoulder blade?
scapula
what is the horse equivalent to a human upper arm?
humerus
what is the horse equivalent to a human forearm?
radius/ulna
what is the horse equivalent to a human wrist?
knee/carpus
what is the horse equivalent to a human knuckles?
cannon
what is the horse equivalent to a human fingers?
fetlock
what animal eats approximately the same amount as a horse?
bovine
what percentage of their body weight do horses have to eat?
1 to 3%
how many hours a day does a horse eat?
20
why are there issues with feeding horses in stalls?
horses have a small GI tract and need constant access to food since they eat 20 hours a day; can cause issues with GIT
what is the unique function of the equine spleen?
can store and later release RBCs
what aspects of equid head anatomy benefit airflow/O2 intake?
hollow, large diameter, separate trachea and esophagus (can only breath through nose)
what is the typical cause for a hematocrit rise?
when the subject is dehydrated
