Intro to Horses Flashcards

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1
Q

Evolution of the Horse

A

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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2
Q

Domestication of the Horse

A

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

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3
Q

Number of Horses

A

Estimated 58 million across the world

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4
Q

US History of the Horse

A

Early 1500’s
Horses brought to US by Spanish conquistadors

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

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5
Q

US Horse Industry: Leading States

A

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

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6
Q

WI Horse Industry

A

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

Horses have a huge economic impact!!

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7
Q

Young female horse

A

Filly

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8
Q

Young male horse

A

Colt

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9
Q

Mature female

A

Mare

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10
Q

Mature intact male

A

Stallion

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11
Q

Mature castrated male

A

Gelding

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12
Q

Young horse of unknown gender

A

Foal

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13
Q

Measuring height

A

Measure at withers

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

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14
Q

Draft Horses

A

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

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15
Q

Light Horses

A

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

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16
Q

Ponies

A

Less than 14.2 hands (58 inches)

17
Q

Miniatures

A

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

18
Q

Donkey (aka ass or burro)

A

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

19
Q

Mule/Hinny

A

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

20
Q

Zebra Crosses

A

Zorse
Zedonk

21
Q

Natural Social Behavior

A

Flight response
Herd animal
Dominant hierarchy

22
Q

Field of Vision: both Monocular and Binocular

A

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

23
Q

Hearing

A
  • Very keen sense of hearing
  • Used to locate activity
  • Indicator of behavior of horse - direct ears to their point of focus
24
Q

Gastrointestinal Tract, Hindgut Fermenter

A
  • Horses are a Hindgut fermenter - the back of the digestive tract has microbial fermentation going on
  • Small stomach - monogastric (1 chamber)
  • Cecum!! - microbial fermentation
25
Q

Eating/Grazing Patterns

A
  • Continuous grazers & selective grazers
  • Graze up to 80% of the time
  • Eats ~ 1.5-2.5% of Body weight every day
26
Q

Common Horse Feeds: Roughages, Concentrates, Supplements

A

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

27
Q

Reproduction

A

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

Gestational length
* 11 months

28
Q

Horse Grooming

A

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

29
Q

Foot Care (unguligrade)

A
  • 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
30
Q

Veterinarian: annual check up

A

Vaccination, parasite & health care protocols

31
Q

Teeth

A

File down teeth

32
Q

Contagious diseases from horse to horse

A
  • Viral: influenza, EHV (equine herpes virus), rabies
  • Bacterial: strangles
  • Fungal: ringworm
33
Q

Non-contagious diseases

A
  • Viral: West Nile virus, equine infectious anemia
  • Bacterial: tetanus, Lymes disease
34
Q

Quarter Horse

A
  • most common breed in US
  • Good at short distance sprinting
35
Q

Thoroughbred Horse

A

Longer running distances
Typical racing horses

36
Q

Morgan Horse, Standardbred

A

Pulling carts
Standardbred also used for racing

37
Q

Primary uses for horses

A
  • 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