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Horse From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia For other uses, see Horse (disambiguation). Domestic horse Two horses standing in open grassland with rolling hills and trees visible in the background. 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 at least 48 published[2]

The horse (Equus ferus caballus)[2][3] is one of two extant subspecies of Equus 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 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 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 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 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.

Contents [hide] 1 Biology 1.1 Lifespan and life stages 1.2 Size and measurement 1.2.1 Ponies 1.3 Genetics 1.4 Colors and markings 1.5 Reproduction and development 1.6 Anatomy 1.6.1 Skeletal system 1.6.2 Hooves 1.6.3 Teeth 1.6.4 Digestion 1.6.5 Senses 1.7 Movement 1.8 Behavior 1.8.1 Intelligence and learning 1.8.2 Temperament 1.8.3 Sleep patterns 2 Taxonomy and evolution 2.1 Wild species surviving into modern times 2.2 Other modern equids 3 Domestication 3.1 Feral populations 3.2 Breeds 4 Interaction with humans 4.1 Sport 4.2 Work 4.3 Entertainment and culture 4.4 Therapeutic use 4.5 Warfare 4.6 Products 4.7 Care 5 See also 6 References 7 Sources 8 Further reading 9 External links Biology Main article: Equine anatomy Diagram of a horse with some parts labeled. Points of a horse[4][5] Specific terms and specialized language are used to describe equine anatomy, different life stages, colors and breeds.

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 Guinness 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 usually 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.

In English-speaking countries, the height of horses is often stated in units of 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 by nutrition. 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 1,210 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 1,320 lb).[25] Heavy or draft horses are 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 (1,540 to 2,200 lb).[26]

The largest horse in recorded history was probably a Shire horse named Mammoth, who was born in 1848. He stood 21.2 1⁄2 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)[clarification needed] tall and weighs 57 lb (26 kg).[28] Also horses are mutated unicorns and can kill with a nostrill.