<#000000>Horse (domestic horse)
<#868686>(Equus caballus)

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<#000000>Description

<#868686>Horses have always played an important role helping humans. They used to be the primary means of transport and also worked as pack animals on farmland and in the countryside, but today they are bred mainly for riding and carriage driving.


<#000000>Appearance
<#868686>Horses are mammals and are classed as solipeds: unlike other ungulates, only their middle toe has evolved into a hoof. 

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There are several different classes of horse, which are used for different purposes: thoroughbreds come from the best stock and are used mostly for racing (trotting or galloping) and for refining other breeds, while crossbreeds are mainly used for sports and leisure. Heavy horses were used for agricultural and forestry work owing to their great strength, but today they are more likely to be found working as coach and show horses (e.g. for breweries).
We also make distinguish between horses and ponies, based on size. Animals measuring 58 inches or more at the withers are classed as horses, while smaller animals are ponies. The actual appearance of a horse depends on the breed. 
Horses' coats can generally be different colors, such as black (black coat), chestnut (the guard hairs are the same color as the mane and tail), and bay (brown, always with a black mane and tail). White horses are actually called "grays" and have a dark coat at birth which then takes between 2 and 12 years to turn white. While the color is changing, the horses' coats are marked with dark spots and the horses are known as "dapple grays" during this time. 



<#000000>Origin
<#868686>The ancestors of our horses originated in Asia. Humans have now introduced horses all over the world, where they can be found in all sizes and colors. 

<#000000>Habitat
<#868686>In the wild, horses' preferred habitat is open terrain; they can be found on plains and in dryer areas such as areas of  desert and semi-desert. 

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<#000000>History of genera and species
<#868686>The genus containing horses includes 5 subgenera: zebras, Grevy's zebras, wild horses, Asian wild asses and African wild asses.
The last remaining wild horses in Eastern Europe were tarpans, which died out in the 19th century. The European tarpan primarily inhabited forests and is believed to be the ancestor of the domestic horse. One of the oldest and best-known breeds is the heavy Ardenner, which was already in use as a draught horse and war horse in Roman times. These horses can measure up to 65 inches and are found in a wide variety of colors. <IMG=./Data/Lexicon/Pferd02.dds><IMG=./Data/Lexicon/Pferd03.dds>
<#000000>Life expectancy
<#868686>A domestic horse's lifespan is between 25 and 30 years, while ponies can live for up to 40 years. The animal's age can be identified from its teeth. A horse loses its milk teeth by the time it is 4 1/2 years old and the dark depressions in its teeth change (as the molars wear down) as it ages, as do the length and angle of its incisors (the older the horse, the more prominent its incisors owing to the age-related change in its jawbone). This enables experts to tell the age of the animal. 
<#000000>Behavior
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<#000000>Habits
<#868686>Horses are social animals and warn each other of impending danger. They are aided by their excellent sense of smell and hearing, although their eyesight is poor compared to other animals. A strict hierarchy is maintained within a herd of horses, with the foals at the bottom, followed by young subordinate males, then mares, and with the alpha mare and alpha stallion at the top. Social behavior among horses varies: sometimes the stallions establish mating territories that may extend for over 6 square miles. A horse communicates via its general body language (posture), the position of its ears, jaw, or tail, but rarely by making sounds. 

<#000000>Predators
<#868686>Horses have a few natural enemies, primarily large species of predators such as hyenas, wolves, wild dogs, and big cats. When in danger, a horse’s first instinct is to flee, as they have the perfect build for running at high speeds: a racehorse's four long legs enable it to achieve speeds of up to 37 miles an hour.
However, if a horse is cornered it may kick out with its hooves or inflict painful injuries with its teeth.









<#000000>Breeding habits   
<#868686>The gestation period for mares is generally between 330 and 410 days. Pregnant mares normally carry only one foal, which is born with its head and forelegs emerging first. The mother licks her foal clean and it will start to follow her around after just a few hours. The foal lives mainly on its mother's milk for the first few months and is not weaned until it is between 6 and 18 months old. It will then feed on hay, grass, leaves, and herbs. A foal's legs are disproportionately long compared to its head and body and its mother's milk can make it appear quite stocky. 
Horses reach mating maturity when they are 2 to 6 years old. 

<#000000>Ownership

<#000000>Diet
<#868686>Horses are herbivores, eating vegetation such as grass, hay, straw, and oats. Most species of horse drink several liters of water every day, although they can also survive for fairly long periods without drinking.

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<#000000>Care
<#868686>Horses need either a loose box or, if they are in an open stable, somewhere to shelter from wind and bad weather conditions. A loose box or shelter should have 3 walls and straw on the floor for the horse to lie on, and should be cleaned regularly. It is also important to give the horse plenty of exercise or similar activity (riding/carriage driving), ideally in a pasture where it can graze and run around.