Horse

Domestic horse

Conservation status

Domesticated

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Order: Perissodactyla

Family: Equidae

Genus: Equus

Species: E. ferus

Subspecies: E. f. caballus

Trinomial name

Equus ferus caballus
Linnaeus, 1758^[1]

Synonyms

48^[2]

The horse (Equus ferus caballus)^[2]^[3] is one of two extant subspecies ofEquus ferus. 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 endangeredPrzewalski's horse, a separate subspecies, and the only remaining truewild 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 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. 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 inharness 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.

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

Domestic horse

Conservation status
Domesticated
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Perissodactyla
Family:	Equidae
Genus:	Equus
Species:	E. ferus
Subspecies:	E. f. caballus
Trinomial name
*Equus ferus caballus* Linnaeus, 1758^[1]
Synonyms
48^[2]

Lifespan and life stages

Depending on breed, management and environment, the modern domestic horse has a life expectancy of 25 to 30 years.^[6] Uncommonly, a few animals live into their 40s and, occasionally, beyond.^[7] The oldest verifiable record was "Old Billy", a 19th-century horse that lived to the age of 62.^[6] In modern times, Sugar Puff, who had been listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's oldest living pony, died in 2007 at age 56.^[8]

Regardless of a horse or pony's actual birth date, for most competition purposes a year is added to its age each January 1 of each year in the Northern Hemisphere^[6]^[9] and each August 1 in the Southern Hemisphere.^[10] The exception is in endurance riding, where the minimum age to compete is based on the animal's actual calendar age.^[11]

The following terminology is used to describe horses of various ages:

Colt: a male horse under the age of four.^[12] A common terminology error is to call any young horse a "colt", when the term actually only refers to young male horses.^[13]
Filly: a female horse under the age of four.^[14]
Foal: a horse of either sex less than one year old. A nursing foal is sometimes called a suckling and a foal that has been weaned is called a weanling.^[14] Most domesticated foals are weaned at five to seven months of age, although foals can be weaned at four months with no adverse physical effects.^[15]
Gelding: a castrated male horse of any age.^[14]
Mare: a female horse four years old and older.^[16]
Stallion: a non-castrated male horse four years old and older.^[17] The term "horse" is sometimes used colloquially to refer specifically to a stallion.^[18]
Yearling: a horse of either sex that is between one and two years old.^[19]

In horse racing, these definitions may differ: For example, in the British Isles, Thoroughbred horse racing defines colts and fillies as less than five years old.^[20] However, Australian Thoroughbred racing defines colts and fillies as less than four years old.^[21]

Size and measurement

The height of horses is measured at the highest point of the withers, where the neck meets the back.^[22] This point is used because it is a stable point of the anatomy, unlike the head or neck, which move up and down in relation to the body of the horse.

The English-speaking world measures the height of horses in hands and inches: one hand is equal to 4 inches (101.6 mm). The height is expressed as the number of full hands, followed by a point, then the number of additional inches, and ending with the abbreviation "h" or "hh" (for "hands high"). Thus, a horse described as "15.2 h" is 15 hands plus 2 inches, for a total of 62 inches (157.5 cm) in height.^[23]

A large brown horse is chasing a small horse in a pasture.

Size varies greatly among horse breeds, as with this full-sized horse and a miniature horse.

The size of horses varies by breed, but also is influenced bynutrition. Light riding horses usually range in height from 14 to 16 hands (56 to 64 inches, 142 to 163 cm) and can weigh from 380 to 550 kilograms (840 to 1,200 lb).^[24] Larger riding horses usually start at about 15.2 hands (62 inches, 157 cm) and often are as tall as 17 hands (68 inches, 173 cm), weighing from 500 to 600 kilograms (1,100 to 1,300 lb).^[25] Heavy or draft horsesare usually at least 16 hands (64 inches, 163 cm) high and can be as tall as 18 hands (72 inches, 183 cm) high. They can weigh from about 700 to 1,000 kilograms (1,500 to 2,200 lb).^[26]

The largest horse in recorded history was probably a Shire horse named Mammoth, who was born in 1848. He stood21.2¹⁄₂ hands (86.5 inches, 220 cm) high and his peak weight was estimated at 1,500 kilograms (3,300 lb).^[27] The current record holder for the world's smallest horse is Thumbelina, a fully mature miniature horse affected by dwarfism. She is 17 in (43 cm) tall and weighs 57 lb (26 kg).^[28]

Ponies

Main article: Pony

Ponies are taxonomically the same animals as horses. The distinction between a horse and pony is commonly drawn on the basis of height, especially for competition purposes. However, height alone is not dispositive; the difference between horses and ponies may also include aspects of phenotype, including conformation and temperament.

The traditional standard for height of a horse or a pony at maturity is 14.2 hands (58 inches, 147 cm). An animal 14.2 h or over is usually considered to be a horse and one less than 14.2 h a pony,^[29] but there are many exceptions to the traditional standard. In Australia, ponies are considered to be those under 14 hands (56 inches, 142 cm),^[30] For competition in theWestern division of the United States Equestrian Federation, the cutoff is 14.1 hands (57 inches, 145 cm)^[31] TheInternational Federation for Equestrian Sports, the world governing body for horse sport, uses metric measurements and defines a pony as being any horse measuring less than 148 centimetres (58.27 in) at the withers without shoes, which is just over 14.2 h, and 149 centimetres (58.66 in), or just over 14.2½ h, with shoes.^[32]

Height is not the sole criterion for distinguishing horses from ponies. Breed registries for horses that typically produce individuals both under and over 14.2 h consider all animals of that breed to be horses regardless of their height.^[33]Conversely, some pony breeds may have features in common with horses, and individual animals may occasionally mature at over 14.2 h, but are still considered to be ponies.^[34]

Ponies often exhibit thicker manes, tails, and overall coat. They also have proportionally shorter legs, wider barrels, heavier bone, shorter and thicker necks, and short heads with broad foreheads. They may have calmer temperaments than horses and also a high level of equine intelligence that may or may not be used to cooperate with human handlers.^[29] Small size, by itself, is not an exclusive determinant. For example, the Shetland pony which averages 10 hands (40 inches, 102 cm), is considered a pony.^[35] Conversely, breeds such as the Falabella and other miniature horses, which can be no taller than 30 inches (76 cm), are classified by their registries as very small horses, not ponies.^[36]

Genetics

Horses have 64 chromosomes.^[37] The horse genome was sequenced in 2007. It contains 2.7 billion DNA base pairs,^[38]which is larger than the dog genome, but smaller than the human genome or the bovine genome.^[39] The map is available to researchers.^[40]

Colors and markings

Two horses in a field. The one on the left is a dark brown with black mane and tail. The one on the right is a light red all over.

Bay (left) and chestnut (sometimes called "sorrel") are two of the most common coat colors, seen in almost all breeds.

Main articles: Equine coat color, Equine coat color genetics, and Horse markings

Horses exhibit a diverse array of coat colors and distinctivemarkings, described by a specialized vocabulary. Often, a horse is classified first by its coat color, before breed or sex.^[41] Horses of the same color may be distinguished from one another by white markings,^[42] which, along with various spotting patterns, are inherited separately from coat color.^[43]

Many genes that create horse coat colors and patterns have been identified. Current genetic tests can identify at least 13 different alleles influencing coat color,^[44] and research continues to discover new genes linked to specific traits. The basic coat colors of chestnut and black are determined by thegene controlled by the Melanocortin 1 receptor,^[45] also known as the "extension gene" or "red factor,"^[44] as its recessive form is "red" (chestnut) and its dominant form is black.^[46] Additional genes control suppression of black color to point colorationthat results in a bay, spotting patterns such as pinto or leopard, dilution genes such as palomino or dun, as well as graying, and all the other factors that create the many possible coat colors found in horses.^[44]

Horses which have a white coat color are often mislabeled; a horse that looks "white" is usually a middle-aged or older gray. Grays are born a darker shade, get lighter as they age, but usually keep black skin underneath their white hair coat (with the exception of pink skin under white markings). The only horses properly called white are born with a predominantly white hair coat and pink skin, a fairly rare occurrence.^[46] Different and unrelated genetic factors can produce white coat colors in horses, including several different alleles of dominant white and the sabino-1 gene.^[47] However, there are no "albino" horses, defined as having both pink skin and red eyes.^[48]

Reproduction and development

Main article: Horse breeding

Gestation lasts approximately 340 days, with an average range 320–370 days,^[49] and usually results in one foal; twins are rare.^[50] Horses are a precocial species, and foals are capable of standing and running within a short time following birth.^[51]Foals are usually born in the spring. The estrous cycle of a mare occurs roughly every 19–22 days and occurs from early spring into autumn. Most mares enter an anestrus period during the winter and thus do not cycle in this period.^[52] Foals are generally weaned from their mothers between four and six months of age.^[53]

Horses, particularly colts, sometimes are physically capable of reproduction at about 18 months, but domesticated horses are rarely allowed to breed before the age of three, especially females.^[54] Horses four years old are considered mature, although the skeleton normally continues to develop until the age of six; maturation also depends on the horse's size, breed, sex, and quality of care. Larger horses have larger bones; therefore, not only do the bones take longer to form bone tissue, but the epiphyseal plates are larger and take longer to convert from cartilage to bone. These plates convert after the other parts of the bones, and are crucial to development.^[55]

Depending on maturity, breed, and work expected, horses are usually put under saddle and trained to be ridden between the ages of two and four.^[56] Although Thoroughbred race horses are put on the track as young as the age of two in some countries,^[57] horses specifically bred for sports such as dressage are generally not put under saddle until they are three or four years old, because their bones and muscles are not solidly developed.^[58] For endurance riding competition, horses are not deemed mature enough to compete until they are a full 60 calendar months (five years) old.^[11]

Anatomy

Main articles: Equine anatomy, Muscular system of the horse, Respiratory system of the horse, and Circulatory system of the horse

Skeletal system

Main article: Skeletal system of the horse

Diagram of a horse skeleton with major parts labeled.

The skeletal system of a modern horse

The horse skeleton averages 205 bones.^[59] A significant difference between the horse skeleton and that of a human is the lack of a collarbone—the horse's forelimbs are attached to the spinal column by a powerful set of muscles, tendons, and ligaments that attach the shoulder blade to the torso. The horse's legs and hooves are also unique structures. Their leg bones are proportioned differently from those of a human. For example, the body part that is called a horse's "knee" is actually made up of the carpal bones that correspond to the humanwrist. Similarly, the hock contains bones equivalent to those in the human ankle and heel. The lower leg bones of a horse correspond to the bones of the human hand or foot, and thefetlock (incorrectly called the "ankle") is actually the proximalsesamoid bones between the cannon bones (a single equivalent to the human metacarpal or metatarsal bones) and the proximal phalanges, located where one finds the "knuckles" of a human. A horse also has no muscles in its legs below the knees and hocks, only skin, hair, bone, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and the assorted specialized tissues that make up thehoof.^[60]

Hooves

Main articles: Horse hoof, Horseshoe, and Farrier

The critical importance of the feet and legs is summed up by the traditional adage, "no foot, no horse".^[61] The horse hoofbegins with the distal phalanges, the equivalent of the human fingertip or tip of the toe, surrounded by cartilage and other specialized, blood-rich soft tissues such as the laminae. The exterior hoof wall and horn of the sole is made of essentially the same material as a human fingernail.^[62] The end result is that a horse, weighing on average 500 kilograms (1,100 lb),^[63]travels on the same bones as would a human on tiptoe.^[64] For the protection of the hoof under certain conditions, some horses have horseshoes placed on their feet by a professional farrier. The hoof continually grows, and in most domesticated horses needs to be trimmed (and horseshoes reset, if used) every five to eight weeks,^[65] though the hooves of horses in the wild wear down and regrow at a rate suitable for their terrain.

Teeth

Main article: Horse teeth

Horses are adapted to grazing. In an adult horse, there are 12 incisors at the front of the mouth, adapted to biting off the grass or other vegetation. There are 24 teeth adapted for chewing, the premolars and molars, at the back of the mouth. Stallions and geldings have four additional teeth just behind the incisors, a type of canine teeth called "tushes". Some horses, both male and female, will also develop one to four very small vestigial teeth in front of the molars, known as "wolf" teeth, which are generally removed because they can interfere with the bit. There is an empty interdental space between the incisors and the molars where the bit rests directly on the gums, or "bars" of the horse's mouth when the horse is bridled.^[66]

An estimate of a horse's age can be made from looking at its teeth. The teeth continue to erupt throughout life and are worn down by grazing. Therefore, the incisors show changes as the horse ages; they develop a distinct wear pattern, changes in tooth shape, and changes in the angle at which the chewing surfaces meet. This allows a very rough estimate of a horse's age, although diet and veterinary care can also affect the rate of tooth wear.^[6]

Digestion

Main articles: Equine digestive system and Equine nutrition

Horses are herbivores with a digestive system adapted to a forage diet of grasses and other plant material, consumed steadily throughout the day. Therefore, compared to humans, they have a relatively small stomach but very long intestines to facilitate a steady flow of nutrients. A 450-kilogram (990 lb) horse will eat 7 to 11 kilograms (15 to 24 lb) of food per day and, under normal use, drink 38 litres (8.4 imp gal; 10 US gal) to 45 litres (9.9 imp gal; 12 US gal) of water. Horses are notruminants, so they have only one stomach, like humans, but unlike humans, they can digest cellulose, a major component of grass. Cellulose digestion occurs in the cecum, or "water gut", which food goes through before reaching the large intestine. Horses cannot vomit, so digestion problems can quickly cause colic, a leading cause of death.^[67]

Senses

Close up of a horse eye, with is dark brown with lashes on the top eyelid

A horse's eye

Movement

The gallop

Main articles: Horse gait, Trot (horse gait), Canter, and Ambling

All horses move naturally with four basic gaits: the four-beat walk, which averages 6.4 kilometres per hour (4.0 mph); the two-beattrot or jog at 13 to 19 kilometres per hour (8.1 to 12 mph) (faster for harness racing horses); the canter or lope, a three-beat gait that is 19 to 24 kilometres per hour (12 to 15 mph); and thegallop.^[81] The gallop averages 40 to 48 kilometres per hour (25 to 30 mph),^[82] but the world record for a horse galloping over a short, sprint distance is 88 kilometres per hour (55 mph).^[83]Besides these basic gaits, some horses perform a two-beatpace, instead of the trot.^[84] There also are several four-beat "ambling" gaits that are approximately the speed of a trot or pace, though smoother to ride. These include the lateral rack, running walk, and tölt as well as the diagonal fox trot.^[85] Ambling gaits are often genetic in some breeds, known collectively as gaited horses.^[86] Often, gaited horses replace the trot with one of the ambling gaits.^[87]

Behavior

Main articles: Horse behavior and Stable vices

Horses are prey animals with a strong fight-or-flight response. Their first reaction to threat is to startle and usually flee, although they will stand their ground and defend themselves when flight is impossible or if their young are threatened.^[88]They also tend to be curious; when startled, they will often hesitate an instant to ascertain the cause of their fright, and may not always flee from something that they perceive as non-threatening. Most light horse riding breeds were developed for speed, agility, alertness and endurance; natural qualities that extend from their wild ancestors. However, through selective breeding, some breeds of horses are quite docile, particularly certain draft horses.^[89] Horses are herd animals, with a clear hierarchy of rank, led by a dominant individual, usually a mare. They are also social creatures that are able to form companionship attachments to their own species and to other animals, including humans. They communicate in various ways, including vocalizations such as nickering or whinnying, mutual grooming, and body language. Many horses will become difficult to manage if they are isolated, but with training, horses can learn to accept a human as a companion, and thus be comfortable away from other horses.^[90] However, when confined with insufficient companionship, exercise, or stimulation, individuals may develop stable vices, an assortment of bad habits, mostly stereotypies of psychological origin, that include wood chewing, wall kicking, "weaving" (rocking back and forth), and other problems.^[91]

Intelligence and learning

Studies have indicated that horses perform a number of cognitive tasks on a daily basis, meeting mental challenges that include food procurement and identification of individuals within a social system. They also have good spatial discriminationabilities.^[92] Studies have assessed equine intelligence in areas such as problem solving, speed of learning, and memory. Horses excel at simple learning, but also also able to use more advanced cognitive abilities that involve categorization andconcept learning. They can learn using habituation, desensitization, classical conditioning, and operant conditioning, and positive and negative reinforcement.^[92] One study has indicated that horses can differentiate between "more or less" if the quantity involved is less than four.^[93]

Domesticated horses may face greater mental challenges than wild horses, because they live in artificial environments that prevent instinctive behavior whilst also learning tasks that are not natural.^[92] Horses are animals of habit that respond well to regimentation, and respond best when the same routines and techniques are used consistently. One trainer believes that "intelligent" horses are reflections of intelligent trainers who effectively use response conditioning techniques and positive reinforcement to train in the style that best fits with an individual animal's natural inclinations.^[94]

Temperament

Main articles: Draft horse, Warmblood, and Oriental horse

Horses are mammals, and as such are warm-blooded, or endothermic creatures, as opposed to cold-blooded, orpoikilothermic animals. However, these words have developed a separate meaning in the context of equine terminology, used to describe temperament, not body temperature. For example, the "hot-bloods", such as many race horses, exhibit more sensitivity and energy,^[95] while the "cold-bloods", such as most draft breeds, are quieter and calmer.^[96] Sometimes "hot-bloods" are classified as "light horses" or "riding horses",^[97] with the "cold-bloods" classified as "draft horses" or "work horses".^[98]

Illustration of assorted breeds; slim, light hotbloods, medium-sized warmbloods and draft and pony-type coldblood breeds

"Hot blooded" breeds include "oriental horses" such as theAkhal-Teke, Arabian horse, Barb and now-extinct Turkoman horse, as well as the Thoroughbred, a breed developed in England from the older oriental breeds.^[95] Hot bloods tend to be spirited, bold, and learn quickly. They are bred for agility and speed.^[99] They tend to be physically refined—thin-skinned, slim, and long-legged.^[100] The original oriental breeds were brought to Europe from the Middle East and North Africa when European breeders wished to infuse these traits into racing and light cavalry horses.^[101]^[102]

Muscular, heavy draft horses are known as "cold bloods", as they are bred not only for strength, but also to have the calm, patient temperament needed to pull a plow or a heavy carriage full of people.^[96] They are sometimes nicknamed "gentle giants".^[103] Well-known draft breeds include theBelgian and the Clydesdale.^[103] Some, like the Percheron, are lighter and livelier, developed to pull carriages or to plow large fields in drier climates.^[104] Others, such as the Shire, are slower and more powerful, bred to plow fields with heavy, clay-based soils.^[105] The cold-blooded group also includes some pony breeds.^[106]

"Warmblood" breeds, such as the Trakehner or Hanoverian, developed when European carriage and war horses were crossed with Arabians or Thoroughbreds, producing a riding horse with more refinement than a draft horse, but greater size and milder temperament than a lighter breed.^[107] Certain pony breeds with warmblood characteristics have been developed for smaller riders.^[108] Warmbloods are considered a "light horse" or "riding horse".^[97]

Today, the term "Warmblood" refers to a specific subset of sport horse breeds that are used for competition in dressageand show jumping.^[109] Strictly speaking, the term "warm blood" refers to any cross between cold-blooded and hot-blooded breeds.^[110] Examples include breeds such as the Irish Draught or the Cleveland Bay. The term was once used to refer to breeds of light riding horse other than Thoroughbreds or Arabians, such as the Morgan horse.^[99]

Sleep patterns

See also: Horse sleep patterns and Sleep in non-humans

When horses lie down to sleep, others in the herd remain standing, awake or in a light doze, keeping watch.

Horses are able to sleep both standing up and lying down. In an adaptation from life in the wild, horses are able to enter light sleep by using a "stay apparatus" in their legs, allowing them to doze without collapsing.^[111] Horses sleep better when in groups because some animals will sleep while others stand guard to watch for predators. A horse kept alone will not sleep well because its instinctsare to keep a constant eye out for danger.^[112]

Unlike humans, horses do not sleep in a solid, unbroken period of time, but take many short periods of rest. Horses spend four to fifteen hours a day in standing rest, and from a few minutes to several hours lying down. Total sleep time in a 24-hour period may range from several minutes to a couple of hours,^[112]mostly in short intervals of about 15 minutes each.^[113] The average sleep time of a domestic horse is said to be 2.9 hours per day.^[114]

Horses must lie down to reach REM sleep. They only have to lie down for an hour or two every few days to meet their minimum REM sleep requirements.^[112] However, if a horse is never allowed to lie down, after several days it will become sleep-deprived, and in rare cases may suddenly collapse as it involuntarily slips into REM sleep while still standing.^[115] This condition differs from narcolepsy, although horses may also suffer from that disorder.^[116]

Taxonomy and evolution

From left to right: Size development, biometrical changes in the cranium, reduction of toes (left forefoot)

Main articles: Evolution of the horse, Equus (genus), and Equidae

The horse adapted to survive in areas of wide-open terrain with sparse vegetation, surviving in an ecosystemwhere other large grazing animals, especially ruminants, could not.^[117] Horses and other equids are odd-toed ungulates of the order Perissodactyla, a group of mammals that was dominant during the Tertiary period. In the past, this order contained 14 families, but only three—Equidae (the horse and related species), thetapir, and the rhinoceros—have survived to the present day.^[118]

The earliest known member of the Equidae family was the Hyracotherium, which lived between 45 and 55 million years ago, during the Eocene period. It had 4 toes on each front foot, and 3 toes on each back foot.^[119] The extra toe on the front feet soon disappeared with the Mesohippus, which lived 32 to 37 million years ago.^[120] Over time, the extra side toes shrank in size until they vanished. All that remains of them in modern horses is a set of small vestigial bones on the leg below the knee,^[121] known informally as splint bones.^[122] Their legs also lengthened as their toes disappeared until they were a hooved animal capable of running at great speed.^[121] By about 5 million years ago, the modern Equus had evolved.^[123] Equid teeth also evolved from browsing on soft, tropical plants to adapt to browsing of drier plant material, then to grazing of tougher plains grasses. Thus proto-horses changed from leaf-eating forest-dwellers to grass-eating inhabitants of semi-arid regions worldwide, including the steppes of Eurasia and the Great Plains of North America.

By about 15,000 years ago, Equus ferus was a widespread holarctic species. Horse bones from this time period, the latePleistocene, are found in Europe, Eurasia, Beringia, and North America.^[124] Yet between 10,000 and 7,600 years ago, the horse became extinct in North America and rare elsewhere.^[125]^[126]^[127] The reasons for this extinction are not fully known, but one theory notes that extinction in North America paralleled human arrival.^[128] Another theory points to climate change, noting that approximately 12,500 years ago, the grasses characteristic of a steppe ecosystem gave way to shrub tundra, which was covered with unpalatable plants.

MARVARI HORSE

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marwari_horse

Kathiavari horse

The Kathiawari breed horse is accepted throughout the India as the purest and oldest of all horse breeds. Its origins are in the Middle Eastern land of Saurashtra region in State of Gujarat in India, where the Kathi's tribesmen and Rajput clans rulers used it as a warhorse, abandoning any animal which could not carry him at speed across miles of open dry lands of 'Kathiawar' with little food or water and they favored the Kathiawari breed mares because, unlike the Kathiawari breed Stallion, he could trust her to keep quiet….!
Today, almost every breed and type of horses has traces of Kathiawari breed blood in India and all are descended in the male line from the Charls, Gulfaam, Ashwinikumar in early 1900s era which were bread by the 'Nawab's' and 'Maharaja's' and in recent times Stallions like, Scarlet, Chand, Amit, Rajhans, Nilesh, Chandragupt, Chital, from Government of Gujarat Kathiawari Horse Breeding farms in Junagadh and Innaj which were all bread into Gujarat in the early 1980s.
The Kathiawari breed horse averages 13 hands to 14-5 in height and odd Stallions goes up to the 14-5 hands to 15-2 hands in height. The stallion has great presence whilst the mare gives an impression of elegant gentleness. They have a distinct outline and are of perfect proportion. The coat has an iridescent sheen. The head is slightly dished and concave profile, tapering to a fine muzzle; the eyes are large and evenly placed with a tod eyes looks, while the throat is fine, with a well shaped arched neck. The back is short and the loins strong and muscular, the croup is level and the tail set high. The ears are small and maximum of 14 to 17 cms, narrow at base; tips are curved inward and touching or almost touching like a 'Sting of a Scorpion', with rotation of 180 degrees backward. To these must be added dense flat bone, hard feet and hoofs with double in-sole, acute eyesight and hearing, purity and prepotency coupled with a gentle temperament and ability to survive. Black Eel Stripe on back and Zebra markings on front legs are seen in these breed too. These are the hallmarks of the Kathiawari breed.
They are the most comfortable riding horses, with great stamina, their paces are light and free with an elevated trot capable of great extension. They can carry disproportionate weights whether jumping, racing or, in particular, over endurance distances where Pure and Part Bred Kathiawari excel against other breeds.
When crossed with other breeds and those of unknown breeding, they produce very good riding and performance stock with good ears formations, color, and endurance distances riding. Presently in India, breeders do the cross breeding in Rajasthan, Punjab, Utter Pradesh and in North region of India and they are eligible for getting market in the Kathiawari Part Bred section to the Police and Army stables in other part of India.

ATHIAWARI HORSE BREED INFORMATION

Thank you to Rajesh Jadeja, Hon. Secretary of the Kathiawari Horse Society of India, for providing the information and images on this page.

Rashmi, 7 year old mare

Introduction

BREED CHARACTERISTICS OF KATHIAWARI HORSE

Head: Small and Concave or Dished profile.
Eye: Large (toad like) set on the sides of a broad forehead. Not all Skewbalds have the Blue eyes. We consider that if their is Both Blue eyes, then it is good Omen. But if it is One Blue and One Black eyes then it is Bad Omen, and good breeders don't keep such horses in their stud farms. They sell it to the North India side , where they use as domestic transport, for the people who lives in Mountains.
Forehead: Broad forehead.
Ears: Very small line narrow and of the shape of sting of a scorpion and when cocked or pricked the tips of the ears touch or nearly touched also rotates 360’.
Neck, Shoulders & Withers:
1. Neck- Crested and Stout
2. Shoulder- Well Slopping
3. Withers - Prominent
Back & Body:
1.Back – Short
2. Body – Short coupled
Quarter & Tail:
1.Quarter – Strong & well developed almost square.
2.Tail – Set high
Fore legs: Fore arms long.
Hind legs: Hocks well laid down
Feet/Hoof & Sole:
1.Feet- Wall, very dense
2.Hoof- Round & sufficient large
3.Sole- Concave, hard & many animals has double sole with healthy frog.
Coat, Hair, Skin, Mane & Tail:
1.Coat- Shining & very refined.
2.Hair- Fine
3.Skin- Smooth
4.Mane & Tail – Long but not very bushy.
In the picture below of the stallion Jogi, you will see a formation of hairs in neck region , looks like a scar....We consider this as very very lucky markings, the bigger the mark, is the luckiest of Horse. In our local language it is called 'DEV MANI'....it means Markings from the God.....!
Color & Markings:
1.Color – greys of all types (iron grey, dappled grey, flea beaten grey, etc.) Dun with dorsal band or eel mark from wither to tail having sometimes zebra markings on the fore legs. Dun is the very prominent color in KATHIAWARI horse, there is also Yellow Dun and Blue Dun, Chestnut, Bay and Skewbald found in KATHIAWARI horses.
Black is the color not found in KATHIAWARI horses. In fact, all the color of KATHIAWARI breed horses is very through Dun.
Pictured below is Jogi, a pure bred Kathiawari stallion, age 11 years. The Skewbald colour is known in the local language as ' LAL BAVLO'. This stallion JOGI has a very long and thick mane. It touches his knees. His sire NILESH, was Red Chestnut colour (from Gujarat Government Kathiawari breed Stud Farm in Junagadh) and dam was Dun colour owned by a private owner in central Saurashtra region, where the ancient KATHIAWARI horse breeding started.

Photo below are of Chetak. The Stallion CHETAK, has four White stockings and Face White. We call such horse as ' PANCH KALYANI' ....means Five Good Markings from God. It also called as 'Horse of the Lord Krishna'. Our this Stallion CHETAK is very popular amongst the Breeders. He is 5 years old and already a father of at least 25 Best quality & Pure breed Mares in our area, of same colour and markings. He won ' BEST KATHIAWARI STALLION' title in 2004 , 2005 and 2006.

Photo below is of Mahi, 4 year old mare.

Mahi, at 3 years old

Photo below is of 11 month old filly and government stud mare.

Basanti, 8 month old filly

Sujja, five month old filly
Height: 13 ½ h.h. to 14 ½ h.h. Odd animal may go up to 15 h.h. Short boned animal, smaller in height than Marwari breed horses. ‘Kathi’ or ‘Kathiawari’ is the only indigenous breed of horse in India whose, Physical Parameter is fixed.

The 22 points of Kathiawari or Kathi breed of horses are as under:

Broad limbs or part of body: (i) feet (ii) chest (iii) forehead (iv) hind quarters
Narrow / fine: (i) mouth (ii) hair (iii)sheen (iv) tail (long & fine but not bushy)
Long: (i) fore arm, (ii) neck (sufficiently long and crested from breeds standard but not too long.) (iii) fore lock (iv) tail
Curved: (i) ears (ii) neck (crested) (iii) back (saddle back), (iv) profile (concave or dished)
Short: (i) pastern (ii) muzzle (iii) ears, (iv) back
(i) Good height from breed standard i.e.14.2 h.h. and (ii) Good condition

As per the evidence on hand ‘Kathiawari’ horse predates all the indigenous breeds of horses in India. In the official document, Bombay Gazetteer of ‘Kathiawar’ of 1880 the British have described this breed in detail. But, the origin of the ‘Kathiawari’ Horse is tilled not known and obscure as the marshal clan Kathi’s themselves who bred these horses. In the above official document more than a centaury and two decades ago they have described this breed of horse as teachable, honest, free from vice, full of spirit, hardy, sure footed, nimble, long lasting and decidedly good looking.

Breed history

In ancient time, this breed was developed by a Warrior clan called 'KATHI's ' from the Western region of India , this region known as SAURASHTRA. It has a longest Coast line, and trade with Gulf was too much at that time. So may be in that trading business ARAB breed horses were brought to this part of India and sold to the local Kings of the regions. From their Stallion , they mixed with the local breed and produced this KATHIAWARI breed horses, because if you see the confirmations of this KATHIAWARI breed, it is much similar to the ARAB breed. The only difference is, that in ARAB breed DUN colour is NOT available at all, and where in KATHIAWARI breed all colours are based with DUN and, this colour is very prominent colour in KATHIAWARI breed. Also BLACK colour you found in ARAB breed, but BLACK is the only colour you don't found in KATHIAWARI breed. Also the curved Ears of KATHIAWARI breed, is another prominent marking to differ this two breeds. But at some point I personally think, that these two breed has mixed up during the olden times.....but the experts of the KATHIAWARI breeds are simply denying this statement. This KATHIAWARI breed was developed for the WAR horse, and also for the Pleasure riding purpose. The primary occupation today for the KATHIAWARI breed horses is mainly for the pleasure riding, competition riding, and mainly used by the farmers to go one place to another. But never used for the Farming work. In 1991, the Government of Gujarat State has done the counting of the pure breed KATHIAWARI horses in the state, and it was numbered only 700 horses only. But today with the efforts of KATHIAWARI HORSE SOCIETY and KATHIAWARI & MARWARI HORSE BREEDERS CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD. - GONDAL, and PORBANDAR HORSE BREEDERS ASSOCIATION, today in Gujarat State , more then 20, 000 of Pure Breed KATHIAWARI horses are their , and we expect this figure will reach to 100,000 by year 2010.