For many centuries, a person walks through life side by side with a horse. This is not only a reliable assistant in the household, but also an incredibly loyal friend and companion. Few people don't like horses. It is difficult to remain indifferent to their deep and expressive, almost human eyes.
Horse evolution
Domestic horses and their wild brethren share a common ancestor. It is considered the animal eogippus, extinct many millions of years ago. He was with a small dog, had a long tail. The front legs had four fingers, the hind legs - three. Scientists call the American continent the prehistoric range of eogippus.
In the Oligocene appeared descendants of the eogippus - anchiteria. By the appearance of these creatures it was possible to judge the beginning of physiological changes in the structure. The legs were lengthened, the back was straightened, the body increased in size. Three-fingeredness was indicated as the fourth finger on the front legs disappeared. The leg becomes adapted for fast running and strong jumps.
The next stage of evolution is considered to be the hipparion, whose range has expanded significantly due to the migration of animals to Europe and Asia. Outwardly, the hipparion was like a gazelle of a modern kind. It was replaced by about 4.8-5 million years ago pliogippus (one-toed horses). Hipparions during this period have not yet finally died out, and for some time these two species lived in the neighborhood with each other.
Climate change has caused the change of savannahs covered with succulent grasses to stony steppes. Pliogippus was more adapted to life in updated conditions. These animals spread to the western and eastern hemispheres. Many new species originated from the ancestor of the pliogippus: zebras, tarpans, kulans, donkeys and modern domestic horses.
Breeds of modern horses
Since man domesticated a horse, he had to work for centuries to combine its external and physiological qualities into separate breeds.
Today, domestic horses are divided into three main groups: riding, heavy trucks and ponies.
Riding breeds include the following: Russian horseback, Holstein, thoroughbred horseback, Hessian, Bavarian warm-blooded, Hanoverian, Akhalteke, Arabian and American horseback.
The most famous breed of heavy trucks:
- Vladimir
- Soviet;
- Russian;
- Percheron;
- Australian;
- Rhine
- South German Heavy Duty;
- Jutland
- Shire (the largest heavy truck in the world).
Ponies are horses too!
Ponies are stunted horses for riding, their height does not exceed 150 cm, but despite their small stature, these animals are very strong and hardy. In fact, this is the same domestic horse, the description of its appearance completely coincides with the description of the big brother. There are as many breeds of ponies as riding and heavy-duty horses. Breeds such as the American riding pony, Australian pony, American miniature horse, Barman pony, Bosnian mountain pony and many others are known.
Keeping a domestic horse
Keeping horses at home is not an easy task. This animal requires not only a lot of attention and care, but also special conditions in order to maintain health and performance.
The breeder of the domestic horse should know that the animal must have its own “home” - a stable made according to special rules. First of all, a high ceiling is required - at least 3 meters. Walls can be wooden or brick. The main thing is to avoid dampness and drafts. The horses begin to rot from excessive moisture in the horses. The stable needs to be cleaned daily; feeders and drinking tanks must also be kept clean.
Horses are used in the household, including as labor. In addition, they are great friends and helpers in the fight against depression. You can ride a horse as much as you like. Light physical activity is only for her benefit.
In order for a horse to feel good, she does not have to live in a stall. These animals are wild nomads by nature, their element is fields, steppes, open spaces. The domestic horse can live well in the pasture.
Proper feeding
Any pets need quality nutrition. The horse is no exception. The volume and nature of the feed depends on the age, breed, weight and physical activity of the horse. Ideally, for each horse, the diet is developed individually.
Feeding should be regular and provide the animal with all the substances necessary for normal activity and livelihoods.
Before feeding and after, domestic horses should rest for an hour or a half, like so many other domestic animals. The horse should also drink at least three times a day; its daily water requirement is about 46 liters. On hot summer days, you need to give more water - up to 70 liters, because the horse sweats and loses a lot of fluid.
When choosing a food, the owner needs to know that his pet is very picky in food. The horse is demanding on the quality and purity of the feed. In other words, there is something horrible she will not.
The traditional horse food is straw, hay, oats. You can add silage, root crops, herbal briquettes, wheat, rye, meal and meal, feed molasses, combined feed, various vitamin supplements to it.
Salt and chalk are an integral part of the horse menu
Salt must be present in the diet of any horse . The need of an adult in this product is 30-60 g per day, young animals need less salt - up to 30 g.
Chalk is a source of calcium. It is ground and washed in the presence of contaminants. For giving, chalk is mixed with any concentrated feed. Every day, horses need to eat 50-70 grams of chalk to maintain normal calcium levels.