The horse (Equus ferus caballus) is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus,
or the wild horse. It is an odd-toed ungulate mammal belonging to the
taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to
55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large,
single-toed animal of today. Humans began to domesticate horses around
4000 BC, and their domestication is believed to have been widespread by
3000 BC. Horses in the subspecies caballus are domesticated,
although some domesticated populations live in the wild as feral horses.
These feral populations are not true wild horses, as this term is used
to describe horses that have never been domesticated, such as the
endangered Przewalski's horse, a separate subspecies, and the only
remaining true wild horse. There is an extensive, specialized vocabulary
used to describe equine-related concepts, covering everything from
anatomy to life stages, size, colors, markings, breeds, locomotion, and
behavior.
Horses' anatomy enables them to make use of speed to escape predators
and they have a well-developed sense of balance and a strong
fight-or-flight
instinct. Related to this need to flee from predators in the wild is an
unusual trait: horses are able to sleep both standing up and lying
down. Female horses, called mares, carry their young for approximately
11 months, and a young horse, called a foal, can stand and run shortly
following birth. Most domesticated horses begin training under saddle or
in harness
between the ages of two and four. They reach full adult development by
age five, and have an average lifespan of between 25 and 30 years.
Horse breeds are loosely divided into three categories based on general
temperament: spirited "hot bloods" with speed and endurance; "cold
bloods", such as draft horses and some ponies, suitable for slow, heavy work; and "warmbloods",
developed from crosses between hot bloods and cold bloods, often
focusing on creating breeds for specific riding purposes, particularly
in Europe. There are more than 300 breeds of horses in the world today,
developed for many different uses.
Horses and humans interact in a wide variety of sport competitions and
non-competitive recreational pursuits, as well as in working activities
such as police work, agriculture, entertainment, and therapy. Horses
were historically used in warfare, from which a wide variety of riding
and driving techniques developed, using many different styles of
equipment
and methods of control. Many products are derived from horses,
including meat, milk, hide, hair, bone, and pharmaceuticals extracted
from the urine of pregnant mares. Humans provide domesticated horses
with food, water and shelter, as well as attention from specialists such
as veterinarians and farriers.
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