Horses

The horse (Equus caballus, sometimes seen as a subspecies of the Wild Horse, Equus ferus caballus) is a large odd-toed ungulate mammal, one of ten modern species of the genus Equus. more...

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Horses have long been one of the most economically important domesticated animals, and have played an important role in the transport of people and cargo for thousands of years. While isolated domestication may have occurred as early as 10,000 years ago, clear evidence of widespread horse use by humans dates to around 2000 BC. Since they were domesticated, selective breeding has resulted in many breeds. Some have been bred so that they can be ridden, usually with a saddle, while other breeds can be harnessed to pull objects like carriages or plows. In some cultures, horses are a source of food, including horse meat and sometimes milk; in other cultures it is taboo to eat them. Today, in wealthy countries, horses are predominantly kept for leisure and sporting pursuits, while they are still used as working animals in many other parts of the world.

Biology of the horse

See also: Horse reproduction

Depending on breed, management, and environment, the domestic horse today has an average life expectancy of 25 to 30 years. A rare few domestic horses can live into their 40s, and, occasionally, beyond. The oldest verifiable record was \"Billy,\" a horse that lived in the 19th century, believed to have lived to the age of 62.

Pregnancy lasts for 11 months and usually results in one foal (male: colt, female: filly). Twins are rare. Horses, particularly colts, may sometimes be physically capable of reproduction at approximately 18 months but in practice are rarely allowed to breed until a minimum age of 3 years, especially females. Horses four years old are considered mature, though the age of achieving full growth also varies by breed and by individual genetics. Females 4 years and over are called mares and males are stallions. A castrated male is a gelding.

Depending on maturity, breed and the tasks expected, young horses are usually put under saddle between the ages of two and four, with three years being the most common practice. Although Thoroughbred and American Quarter Horse race horses are put on the track at as young as two years old in some countries (notably the United States), horses specifically bred for sports such as show jumping are generally not entered into top-level competition until the age of five or six because their bones and muscles are not properly developed, nor is their training complete. In the strenuous sport of endurance riding, horses are not allowed to compete until they are a full 60 months (five years) old. In some cases, such as the training of Andalusians or Lipizzans in classical dressage, training under saddle begins as late as four years and the horses are not considered ready for public performance until the age of nine or ten.

Read more at Wikipedia.org