History of the Horse in the US Flashcards
where is the horse believed to have originated and where did most of equine evolution take place?
north america
did any of the original horses from north america survive prehistoric times?
only those that migrated to asia over the ancient land bridge near modern-day Alaska (Bering strait)
by 1547, how many horses did the first governer of New Spain (mexico) have?
brought over 1500 horses to mexico
what happened to the spanish horses brought over by Mendoza? what did they become?
eventually made their way back to the wilds of the Americas, now the united states; became the Mustangs/feral horses out west
what increased use of horses in the Americas? where did they first arrive and from where?
colonization; imported more from Europe, to New England first
at what point was the horse a central element of urban life in the US?
the 1800s
what were the 3 uses of horses in the 1800s?
- hauled goods
- pulled cabs, carriages, and other transport vehicles
- exploration of the west via pulling Conestoga wagons, serving as pack animals, and being ridden
what are the parents of mules?
male donkey (jack) with female horse (mare)
what are the parents of Hinnies?
female donkey (jenite) with male horse (stallion)
why are mules more popular than hinnies?
hinnies don’t carry to term really well
what were mules used for? (3)
- to pull farm equipment
- worked in coal mines since were heavier animals than “light” horses
- used by army from 1775-1957 to transport supplies
why are mules sterile?
different number of chromosomes between horses and donkeys
in the 1800s, what were draft horses popular to pull wagons for? (3)
- breweries
- meat packers
- dairy
in the 1800s, what did draft horses do for fire protection?
pulled steam pumper and ladder trucks
originally in agriculture, what was the preferred work animal and why? (3)
oxen, or castrated adult male cattle
1. cost less than horses to maintain
2. required half the feed as horses
3. could be eaten when no longer useful as a work animal
when the nineteenth century dawned, what became the preferred ag work animal and why?
horses; worked faster than oxen and were physiologically better suited for pulling the new farm equipment developed in the nineteenth centure
what kind of horse emerged as the principal work animal?
draft horses
what did the emergence of draft horses as the preferred work animals bring about (3)
- revolution in agricultural technology
- westward expansion
- growth of american cities in the nineteenth century
what is the Morrill Land Grant Act?
- signed by Pres. Lincoln in 1862
- established state agriculture colleges because agriculture and horses were very important to the development of the nation
what was the first agricultural college thanks to the Morrill Land Act? then name 3 other ag colleges from this act
Michigan State;
also UGA, Penn state, and MSU
what was the nation’s first veterinary college and when and why was it developed?
Cornell Unviersity in 1868; due to the desire to improve care, feeding, and breeding of horses and other animals
what did the revolution in agricultural technology from 1820-1870 demand for? what was the response?
caused a demand for larger and stronger horses; so draft horses that were imported from Europe in the 1830’s became essential to a productive farm
why were draft horses so good for farms?
they were big and heavy and strong but also docile so could be handled
list 5 breeds of draft horses that were used in US ag
- belgians
- clydesales
- percherons
- shires
- suffolk punch
were pure draft horses used on US farms in the 1800s?
no; their blood was infused with other breeds to increase avergae horse size to between 1200-1500lbs
aside from ag work, what did heavy farm horses help with in the 1800s? (2)
- helped build railroads
- served as stagecoach horses
what is the modern use of horses? and what are the two main kinds?
recreation and sport;
rodeo and racing
when and where was the first national horse show?
in Madison Square Garden in New York City in 1883
in its early years, what kind of teams dominated the jumping competition of the national hrose show?
military teams
what is rodeo spanish for and what did it originate as?
spanish for cattle ring; was an informal sport of bored cowboys that became an organized sport
what were the two earliest forms of rodeo when it was just bored cowboys?
- calf roping contest
- ride the meanest horse or bull
when and where was the first rodeo with paid attendance?
in Prescott Arizona on July 4th, 1886
what was the original horse racing state long before Kentucky? why?
Rhode Island; was the only New England colony that allowed horse racing in the 1600s
what were the first kind of racing horses in rhode island and who probably rode one of these?
Narragansett Pacers; Paul Rever probably rode one of these guys on his ride
did only legal, allowed horse racing in rhode island occur in new england?
nope; no one listened and drag raced in the streets instead
what is pacing?
a lateral, two-beat gait where right front and hind move together and vice versa with left side
what is trotting?
a diagonal two-beat gait where right front moces with left hind and vice versa
what was the prinicpal form of organized sport in the US until the nineteenth century?
horse racing
when was the first Kentucky Derby and who won it?
May 17th, 1875; won by Aristides
what caused a major decline of the horse population in the US? (2)
- mechanization
- gas-powered engines
how many estimated horses were in the US in 1915? how many now? describe the trend of horse population in the US, give an example
1915: 21 million
now: 7.25million;
mirrors the economy, so there was another drop in 2008
in 1920, how many registered draft horses were in the US? how many in 1945? why the drop?
1920: 95,000
1945: under 2000;
drop is because they were not needed any more due to mechanization
what 2 breeds of draft horses took a larger decline due to mechanization and why?
clydesdale and shires; the feathering, or extra hair on their hooves was a maintenance problem (would pick up shit and dirt on farms); so once they were no longer needed in they city they had no useful purpose :(
what is scratches?
due to feathering; the extra hair retains moisture and mud and leads to dermatitis on the heel/back of ankle; makes maintenance hard and is why clydesdales and shires population took such a hit with mechanization as they couldn’t really work on farms
why were automobiles known as Tin Lizzie?
most families called their carriage horse Lizzie
what did the military prominently use horses for?
as mounts and apck animals
about how many horses servied in WWI?
6 million
in the four years of WWI, how many horses did the US export to Europe; how many returned?
exported about 1 million, plus another 182,000 when the US entered the war; only about 200 returned
in order of most to 3rd most, which three states have the largest number of horses?
- texas
- california
- florida
