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Horse lovers FREE monthly equestrian magazine- Horses for Sale, Horses for Sale, Pony features, Vet-on-Line, Horse Product Tests, Tack Room Tips, Equine Field Care, Equine Behaviour, Horse Training Features, Equine Diet Advice, Letters, Horse-Pony Questions and Answers, Competitions for equestrian events, holistic health, Horsey Letters, FAQs, Equine Property and Holidays plus acres more!! Hack through this monthly FREE equine internet magazine including regular horse - features, news, competitions, horses for sale, ponies for Sale, vet-on-line, classified ads, equine product tests, horse property, stables, equine event diary, readers letters, livery, tack, horse book reviews, acres more interesting horse bits! Horses for sale, ponies for sale, pony, equine property, equestrian, ponies, stables and livery, horse feed, hacking, horse riders, pony clubs, show jumping and gymkhanas, eventing, bridle, horse feed, horsemanship, whisperers, groom, livery yard, horse problems, horse box, books. a hoofed, herbivorous mammal of the family Equidae. It comprises a single species, Equus caballus, whose numerous varieties are called breeds. Before the advent of mechanized vehicles, the horse was widely used as a draft animal and riding on horseback was one of the chief means of transportation. In prehistoric times the wild horse was probably first hunted for food. When its domestication took place is unknown, but it certainly was long after the domestication of the dog or of cattle. It is supposed that the horse was first used by a tribe of Indo-European origin that lived in the steppes north of the chain of mountains adjacent to the Black and Caspian seas. Influenced by climate, food, and humans, the horse rapidly acquired its present form. The relationship of the horse to humans has been unique. The horse is a partner and friend. It plowed fields and brought in the harvest, hauled goods and conveyed passengers, followed game and tracked cattle, and carried combatants into battle and adventurers to unknown lands. It has provided recreation in the form of jousts, tournaments, carousels, and the sport of riding. The influence of the horse is expressed in the English language in such terms as chivalry and cavalier, which connote honour, respect, good manners, and straightforwardness. The horse is the "proudest conquest of Man," according to the French zoologist Le Comte de Buffon. Its place was at its master's side in the graves of the Scythian kings or in the tombs of the pharaohs. Many early human cultures were centred on possession of the horse. Superstition read meaning into the colours of the horse, and a horse's head suspended near a grave or sanctuary or on the gables of a house conferred supernatural powers on the place. Greek mythology created the centaur, the most obvious symbol of the oneness of horse and rider. White stallions were the supreme sacrifice to the gods, and the Greek general Xenophon recorded that "Gods and heroes are depicted on well-trained horses." A beautiful and well-trained horse was, therefore, a status symbol in ancient Greece. Kings, generals, and statesmen, of necessity, had to be horsemen. The names of famous horses are inseparably linked to those of their famous riders: Bucephalus, the charger of Alexander the Great; Incitatus, once believed to have been made a senator by the Roman emperor Caligula (see Researcher's Note ); El Morzillo, Cortés' favourite horse, to whom the Indians erected a statue; Roan Barbery, the stallion of Richard II, mentioned by Shakespeare; Copenhagen, the Duke of Wellington's horse, which was buried with military honours. The horse has occupied a special place in the realm of art. From the Stone Age drawings to the marvel of the Parthenon frieze, from Chinese T'ang dynasty tomb sculptures to Leonardo da Vinci's sketches and Verrocchio's Colleoni, from the Qur'an to modern literature, the horse has inspired artists of all ages and in all parts of the world. The horse in life has served its master in travels, wars, and labours and in death has provided many commodities. Long before their domestication horses were hunted by primitive tribes for their flesh, and horsemeat is still consumed by people in parts of Europe and in Iceland and is the basis of many pet foods. Horse bones and cartilage are used to make glue. Tetanus antitoxin is obtained from the blood serum of horses previously inoculated with tetanus toxoid. From horsehide a number of articles are manufactured, including fine shoes and belts. The cordovan leather fabricated by the Moors in Córdoba, Spain, was originally made from horsehide. Stylish fur coats are made of the sleek coats of foals. Horsehair has wide use in upholstery, mattresses, and stiff lining for coats and suits; high-quality horsehair, usually white, is employed for violin bows. Horse manure, which today provides the basis for cultivation of mushrooms, was used by the Scythians for fuel. Mare's milk was drunk by the Scythians, the Mongols, and the Arabs. Horses Horses were among the last species of livestock to be domesticated. Domestication took place at least as early as 3000 BC, probably in the Near East. The wild ass, which when domesticated is usually called a donkey, was first domesticated in Egypt about 3400 BC. See also the article horse. Breeds Table of Selected Breeds of Light Horses The Arabian, the oldest recognized breed of horse in the world, is thought to have originated in Arabia before AD 600. Though its history is lost in the past, the breed probably descended from the Libyan horse, which, in turn, was probably preceded by horses of similar characteristics in Assyria, Greece, and Egypt as early as 1000 BC. The Arabian may be bay, gray, chestnut, brown, black, or white in hair colour, but always has a black skin. It ranges from 14.1 to 15.1 hands (4.7 to 5.0 feet, or 1.4 to 1.5 metres) in height. The Arabian horse has one lumbar vertebra less than other breeds of horse and is characterized by the high carriage of its head, long neck, and spirited action. The Thoroughbred racing horse is descended from three desert stallions brought to England between 1689 and 1724; all of the Thoroughbreds of the world today trace their ancestry to one of these stallions. The American Saddle Horse, which originated in the United States, was formed by crossing Thoroughbreds, Morgans, and Standardbreds on native mares possessing an easy gait. The American Saddle Horse is 15 to 16 hands (5 to 5.3 feet, or 1.5 to 1.6 metres) in height. Its colours are bay, brown, black, gray, and chestnut. There are two distinct types of the American Saddle Horse: three-gaited and five-gaited. The three natural gaits are walk, trot, and canter. Three-gaited saddle horses are shown with a short tail and cropped mane. They often have slightly less style and finish than the five-gaited horse. The five-gaited saddle horse has the three natural gaits plus the rack and a slow gait, which is usually a stepping pace. The American Saddle Horse is also used as a fine harness horse mainly for show. The American Quarter Horse traces to the Thoroughbred, and includes the blood of other breeds, such as the Morgan, the American Saddle Horse, and several strains of native horses. This fast, muscular horse has been raced, ridden in rodeos, and used for herding cattle. The typical Quarter Horse is 15 to 16 hands tall and is of powerful build, suitable for both racing and the rough life of a cow pony. This horse is noted for its intelligence, easy disposition, and cow sense. The Tennessee Walking Horse, or plantation horse, traces mainly to the Standardbred but also includes Thoroughbred and American Saddle Horse blood. The Tennessee Walking Horse is noted for its running walk, a slowgliding gait in which the hind foot oversteps the print of the front foot by as much as 24 inches (600 millimetres). This breed is 15.2 to 16 hands high and is bay, black, chestnut, roan, or gray in colour. The Morgan traces directly to "the Justin Morgan horse," foaled in 1793, of unknown breeding but no doubt tracing to Arabian stock. A dark bay in colour, Morgan stood 14 hands high and weighed 950 pounds (430 kilograms). He was a heavily muscled, short-legged horse of great style, quality, and endurance. He is the world's best example of prepotency, since he alone founded the Morgan breed. The Morgan is used for both riding and driving. It ranges from 14 to 16 hands in height and resembles the Arabian in size, conformation, quality, and endurance. The American Standardbred originated around New York City during the first half of the 19th century from Thoroughbred, Morgan, Norfolk Trotter, Arabian, Barb, and pacers of mixed breeding. The modern Standardbred is smaller than the Thoroughbred, ranging from 15 to 16 hands in height and averaging about 15.2 hands. In racing condition it weighs from 900 to 1,000 pounds (410-450 kilograms). Stallions in stud condition average from 1,100 to 1,200 pounds (500-545 kilograms). Compared with the Thoroughbred, the Standardbred is longer-bodied, shorter-legged, heavier-boned, and stockier in build. Prevailing colours are bay, brown, and chestnut. Draft horses have largely been supplanted by trucks and tractors in the developed countries of the world. Major draft breeds include the Percheron, developed in France; the Clydesdale of Scotland; the Shire of England; the Suffolk of England; and the Belgian of Belgium. These breeds range from 151/2 to 17 hands in height at the withers; at maturity the mares weigh from 1,600 to 2,000 pounds (720-900 kilograms) and the stallions from 1,900 to 2,200 pounds (860-1000 kilograms). The more popular pony breeds are the Shetland, which originated in the Shetland Islands, and the Hackney, of English origin. Ponies must be under 14.2 hands in height at the withers and are used both for show and for children's pleasure. from horsemanship Horse shows Horse shows are a popular institution that evolved from the horse sections of agricultural fairs. Originally they were informal displays intended to attract buyers and encourage the improvement of every type of horse. Now they are organized and conducted by committees of experts and by associations that enforce uniform rules, appoint judges, settle disputes, maintain records, and disseminate information. Riding contests included in the program have become increasingly important. Under the auspices of the Royal Dublin Society, an international horse show was first held at Dublin in 1864. It is an annual exhibition of every type of saddle horse, as well as broodmares and ponies. International jumping contests similar to Olympic competition, events for children, and auction sales are held during this five-day show. The National Horse Show at New York, first held in 1883, is another great yearly event. Held at Madison Square Garden, it lasts several days and includes about 10 different events. Among the most important are the international jumping under FEI rules and the open jumping under AHSA rules. Other shows are held in many sections of the United States. Horse and pony shows are held regularly in the United Kingdom, the most important being the Richmond Royal Horse Show, the Horse of the Year Show, and the Royal International Horse Show. The latter, an annual event first held in 1907, has flourished under royal patronage and includes international jumping, special items such as the visit of the Spanish Riding School with its Lippizaners in 1953, and a Supreme Riding Horse competition. In Canada, the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair at Toronto, opened in 1922 and known in Canada as the "Royal," is a major event, and in Australia the Royal Agricultural Society organizes horse shows annually in every state. Other events include the shows at Verona and at the Piazza di Siena in Rome; frequent horse shows in Belgium, France, Germany, and The Netherlands; the winter show in July in Buenos Aires; and the Exhibition of Economic Achievement in Moscow. 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