Intro to Horses Flashcards by Rita C

Evolution of the Horse

Eohippus “dawn horse” (prehistoric)
* Earliest known ancestor of modern horse
* 15” at withers
* 4 padded toes in front and 3 behind
* Browser; change in teeth

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Domestication of the Horse

Domesticated in Near East (Western Asia - around Egypt)
Food animal
Work

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Number of Horses

Estimated 58 million across the world

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US History of the Horse

Early 1500’s
Horses brought to US by Spanish conquistadors

Uses:
* Travel
* Field work
* War mounts
* Mining
* Pony express
* Sport

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US Horse Industry: Leading States

Leading States in number of horses
TX, CA, FL, OK, KY
WI ~ 14th

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WI Horse Industry

Wisconsin NASS
Primary uses:
* Pleasure, trail riding, breeding, showing
* < 10% Work

Horses have a huge economic impact!!

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Young female horse

Filly

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Young male horse

Colt

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Mature female

Mare

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Mature intact male

Stallion

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Mature castrated male

Gelding

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Young horse of unknown gender

Foal

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Measuring height

Measure at withers

“Hands”
* 1 hand = 4 inches
* Ex. 60 inches tall = 15 hands

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Draft Horses

Used for work
1500 - 2000 lbs
Large wide, muscular
War horses, hauling commodities, farm tillage

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Light Horses

Sport, Warmbloods
Smaller, less muscular
Riding, driving, livestock handling
800 - 1500? lbs

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Ponies

Less than 14.2 hands (58 inches)

Miniatures

Smallest size horses (these are not ponies)
Max height for registration is 32”
Smallest was 15” tall

Donkey (aka ass or burro)

Close relative of horse
Male = Jack
Female = Jennet, Jenny
Donkeys and horses can mate and produce offspring that are not fertile - mule

Mule/Hinny

Offspring from crossing donkey & horse
* Reproductively sterile
* Visual sexual characteristics appear normal

Zebra Crosses

Zorse
Zedonk

Natural Social Behavior

Flight response
Herd animal
Dominant hierarchy

Field of Vision: both Monocular and Binocular

Monocular vision primarily (up to 215 degrees)
* Each eye independent, can see different pictures
* Panoramic view (to sides, front, back)
* Have a blind spot in the back (by their tail)

Binocular vision
* Eyes work together – adjust head on distant objects

Hearing

Very keen sense of hearing
Used to locate activity
Indicator of behavior of horse - direct ears to their point of focus

Gastrointestinal Tract, Hindgut Fermenter

Horses are a Hindgut fermenter - the back of the digestive tract has microbial fermentation going on
Small stomach - monogastric (1 chamber)
Cecum!! - microbial fermentation

Eating/Grazing Patterns

* Continuous grazers & selective grazers * Graze up to 80% of the time * Eats ~ 1.5-2.5% of Body weight every day

Common Horse Feeds: Roughages, Concentrates, Supplements

Roughages: * Pasture, Hay * Grass or legume hay - can live on this bc of the cecum Concentrates * Grains (oats, barley, corn, etc) Supplements * Protein, vitamins/minerals

Reproduction

Seasonally polyestrous (like the cat) * In heat at certain times of the year, multiple cycles Gestational length * 11 months

Horse Grooming

Routine Grooming: Hair coat: body, legs, mane/tail * Routine cleaning of feet * Check for problems, eyes, ears, cuts, lameness * Check vital signs * Check body condition

Foot Care (unguligrade)

* Hoof wall grows ¼ inch per month * Trim feet every 8 weeks * Shoes: as needed for protection or show requirement * 60-65% of body weight on front feet

Veterinarian: annual check up

Vaccination, parasite & health care protocols

Teeth

File down teeth

Contagious diseases from horse to horse

* Viral: influenza, EHV (equine herpes virus), rabies * Bacterial: strangles * Fungal: ringworm

Non-contagious diseases

* Viral: West Nile virus, equine infectious anemia * Bacterial: tetanus, Lymes disease

Quarter Horse

* most common breed in US * Good at short distance sprinting

Thoroughbred Horse

Longer running distances Typical racing horses

Morgan Horse, Standardbred

Pulling carts Standardbred also used for racing

Primary uses for horses

* Work: police, different business, ranch work, guide horses * Pleasure: moves and commercials, tricks, trail riding * Therapeutic programs * Competition: competitive showing, rodeo, jumping competitions, dressage * Racing * Aesthetics * Human-animal bond * Zoos, circuses * Meat: human consumption, byproducts