Portal:Horses

The Horses Portal

Horse and foal

The horse (Equus ferus caballus) is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature, Eohippus, into the large, single-toed animal of today. Humans began domesticating horses around 4000 BCE, and their domestication is believed to have been widespread by 3000 BCE. 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. 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 are adapted to run, allowing them to quickly escape predators, and possess an excellent sense of balance and a strong fight-or-flight response. 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, with younger horses tending to sleep significantly more than adults. 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 a saddle or in a 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 horse in the world today, developed for many different uses. (Full article...)

Selected article -

Entries here consist of Good and Featured articles, which meet a core set of high editorial standards.
Grass is a natural source of nutrition for a horse.

Equine nutrition is the feeding of horses, ponies, mules, donkeys, and other equines. Correct and balanced nutrition is a critical component of proper horse care.

Horses are non-ruminant herbivores of a type known as a "hindgut fermenter." Horses have only one stomach, as do humans. However, unlike humans, they also need to digest plant fiber (largely cellulose) that comes from grass or hay. Ruminants like cattle are foregut fermenters, and digest fiber in plant matter by use of a multi-chambered stomach, whereas horses use microbial fermentation in a part of the digestive system known as the cecum (or caecum) to break down the cellulose. (Full article...)

Selected image

Latest updates

Article alerts for WikiProject Equine

Articles to be split

Articles for creation

  • 02 Apr 2023 – Draft:John G. Dooley (Track Announcer) (talk · edit · hist) has been submitted for AfC by JNCampbell5 (t · c)
  • 05 Aug 2022 – Draft:Snider Mountain Ranch (talk · edit · hist) has been submitted for AfC by Ejthetyde (t · c)

Updated daily by bot

More did you know?

Simonsig

Selected breed -

Entries here consist of Good and Featured articles, which meet a core set of high editorial standards.
A Haflinger mare and foal

The Haflinger, also known as the Avelignese, is a breed of horse developed in Austria and northern Italy (namely Hafling in South Tyrol region) during the late 19th century. Haflinger horses are relatively small, are always chestnut with flaxen mane and tail, have distinctive gaits described as energetic but smooth, and are well-muscled yet elegant. The breed traces its ancestry to the Middle Ages; several theories for its origin exist. Haflingers, developed for use in mountainous terrain, are known for their hardiness. Their current conformation and appearance are the result of infusions of bloodlines from Arabian and various European breeds into the original native Tyrolean ponies. The foundation sire, 249 Folie, was born in 1874; by 1904, the first breeders' cooperative was formed. All Haflingers can trace their lineage back to Folie through one of seven bloodlines. World Wars I and II, as well as the Great Depression, had a detrimental effect on the breed, and lower-quality animals were used at times to save the breed from extinction. During World War II, breeders focused on horses that were shorter and more draft-like, favored by the military for use as packhorses. The emphasis after the war shifted toward animals of increased refinement and height.

In the postwar era, the Haflinger was indiscriminately crossed with other breeds and some observers feared the breed was in renewed danger of extinction. However, starting in 1946, breeders focused on producing purebred Haflingers and a closed stud book was created. Interest in the breed increased in other countries, and between 1950 and 1974, the population grew, even while the overall European horse population decreased. Population numbers continued to increase steadily, and as of 2005, almost 250,000 Haflingers existed worldwide. Breeding farms are in several countries, although most of the breeding stock still comes from Austria. In 2003, a Haflinger became the first horse to be cloned, resulting in a filly named Prometea. (Full article...)

Did you know (auto-generated)

  • ... that "as Pembroke a horseman by most is accounted, 'tis not strange that his Lordship a Hunter has mounted"?
  • ... that the Flying Dutchman, a locomotive powered by a horse on a treadmill, could carry 12 passengers at speeds of around 12 miles per hour (19 km/h)?
  • ... that rugby coach Peter Thorburn, who had a keen interest in Thoroughbred racing, owned two horses that won multiple Group I races?
  • ... that the fossil horsetail Equisetum similkamense has been found in only two places, both in British Columbia?
  • ... that in 1937, water from Tulainyo Lake was carried by runner, horseback, donkey, covered wagon, twenty-mule team, stagecoach, train, car, and plane to Death Valley to mark a highway opening?
  • ... that biotin has been proven to benefit hoof health in cattle and horses, but evidence for human nail health is very weak?

General images

The following are images from various horse-related articles on Wikipedia.

Topics

Horse • Pony • Asinus • Equus (genus) • Equidae • Zebra • Glossary of equestrian terms • List of horse breeds • Evolution of the horse • Domestication of the horse • Horse care • Stable • Horse training • Equestrianism • Horse tack • Saddle • Equine nutrition • Equine anatomy • Equine conformation • Equine coat color • Equine coat color genetics • Horse markings • Equine vision • Horse hoof • Horseshoe • Horse gait • Horse behavior • Horse breeding • Breed registry • Equine infectious anemia • Horse colic • Lameness • Laminitis • Horse slaughter • Horses in warfare • Arabian horse • Thoroughbred

Subcategories

Category puzzle
Category puzzle
Select [►] to view subcategories
Horses
Horses by country
Horse behavior
Horse breeds
Horse coat colors
Equine genetics
Equine therapies
Equine welfare
Horse history and evolution
Horse gaits
Horse health
Horse subspecies
Horses and humans
Individual horses
Lists of horses
Ponies
Types of horse
Horse stubs

New articles

This list was generated from these rules. Questions and feedback are always welcome! The search is being run daily with the most recent ~14 days of results. Note: Some articles may not be relevant to this project.

Rules | Match log | Results page (for watching) | Last updated: 2023-04-05 20:24 (UTC)

Note: The list display can now be customized by each user. See List display personalization for details.

WikiProjects

Related WikiProjects
Related WikiProjects
  • Equine Wikiproject
    • Horse Breed Taskforce
    • Horse Training Taskforce
  • Horse racing Wikiproject
  • Veterinary medicine Wikiproject
  • Agriculture Wikiproject

Associated Wikimedia

The following Wikimedia Foundation sister projects provide more on this subject:

Discover Wikipedia using portals
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.