Equuis Calabus
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The$Evolution$and$Domestication$of$the$
Equus%Caballus!
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Michaela!Trimble!
Biology!22!
Mr.!Kamansky!
May!11,!2016!
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Michaela!Trimble!
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The!horse!is!the!oldest!domesticated!animal!on!earth!today,!with!a!long!and!
well-documented!history.!Spanning!back!50!million!years!ago!the!horse!was!a!small!
multi-toed!animal,!which!gradually!evolved!into!the!large!single-toed!animal!we!see!
today.!The!evolution!of!the!horse!is!nothing!short!of!spectacular,!adapting!to!new!
habitats,!predators,!climates!and!much!more,!the!horse!has!truly!stood!the!test!of!
time.!Although!mans!first!interactions!with!horses!were!hunting!them!for!survival!
purposes,!horses!gradually!became!work!aids,!and!ultimately!companion!animals.!
This!makes!the!horse!unique!to!most!livestock!animals,!which!are!still!used!mainly!
for!human!consumption.!!
Far!before!horses!were!domesticated,!they!first!evolved!in!North!America!
over!fifty!million!years!ago.!Horses!spread!vastly!across!the!world,!while!they!
gradually!became!extinct!in!North!America.!This!extinction!is!still!quite!the!mystery!
today.!Fossil!remains!of!Equus!have!been!found!across!the!world!in!Asia,!Europe,!
Africa,!and!the!Americas.!It!is!believed!that!the!last!true!North!American!horse!died!
between!fourteen!thousand!to!twelve!thousand!years!ago,!toward!the!end!of!the!
Pleistocene!period,!although,!horses!had!already!spread!to!Asia,!Europe!and!Africa.!!
Fossils!of!horses!were!found!in!sediment!from!the!beginning!of!the!tertiary!
period!during!the!period!of!time!called!Eocene,!approximately!fifty!million!years!
ago.!It!is!possible!to!trace!the!history!of!the!horse!through!the!theory!of!evolution:!
how!they!gradually!went!from!four!toed!animal!to!a!one!toed!animal!who!virtually!
stand!on!their!knuckles,!or!how!their!dental!structure!significantly!changed!due!to!
their!switch!from!a!diet!of!broad!leaved!plants!and!trees,!to!high!dry!grasses.!During!
the!horses!fifty!million!year!existence!they!have!flourished!in!different!climates!and!
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ecosystems.!Fossils!of!the!horse!can!be!found!in!everything!from!riverbed!clays!to!
sands!and!sad!stones!of!the!great!American!west.!Due!to!the!vast!amount!of!fossils!
that!have!been!discovered!the!evolution!of!the!horses!we!know!today!is!highly!
studied!and!well!documented.!!
Table!1:!(http://www.oocities.org/hoofprintsforhorselovers/evolution.html)!
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!We!start!tracking!the!evolution!of!the!horse!with!Eohippus,!also!know!has!
Dawn!Horse!or!sometimes!Hydracotherium,!fossils!of!this!ancestor!have!been!
found!in!North!America!during!the!Eocene!period!previously!mentioned,!nearly!
fifty-five!million!years!ago.!During!the!Eocene!period!the!Eohippus!was!living!in!a!
dense!tropical!forest,!with!a!humid!climate.!Due!to!the!soft!ground!of!the!forests!the!
Eohippus!was!a!soft-footed!animal!with!four!toes!in!the!front!and!3!in!the!back.!In!
order!to!navigate!through!dense!forest!they!were!also!very!small!relative!to!the!
modern!horse,!standing!roughly!twelve!to!fourteen!inches!tall.!The!Eohippus!had!
three!incisors,!one!canine,!four!molars!and!three!grinding!molars!on!each!side!of!its!
jaw.!With!soft!teeth!its!diet!consisted!of!soft!foliage,!berries,!fruit!and!herbs.!The!
Eohippus!evolved!into!the!Orohippus,!which!continued!to!evolve.!!
Moving!to!the!Orohippus,!which!was!very!similar!to!Eohippus!and!was!also!found!in!
North!America.!The!Orohippus!or!Mountain!Horse,!roamed!during!the!Mid-Eocene!
!4!!Michaela!Trimble!!!!molar,!making!a!total!of!five!grinding!molars.!This!change!in!structure!allowed!for!a!change!in!diet,!allowing!the!Epihippus!to!grind!and!chew!different!textures!of!food.!With!the!change!of!dental!structure!came!the!change!in!shape!and!size!of!the!head.!!Epihippus!evolved!into!MesoHippus!where!several!adaptations!occurred.!!! Mesohippus!or!Middle!Horse!began!to!look!like!our!modern!horses!we!see!today.!The!Mesohippus!roamed!the!earth!during!the!Oligocene!period!approximately!twenty!to!forty!million!years!ago.!During!this!period!the!earth!was!beginning!to!cool!and!the!ground!was!being!covered!with!tall!grasses.!In!this!environment!the!Mesohippus!was!significantly!taller!than!its!ancestors,!standing!roughly!twenty-four!inches!in!height.!Its!diet!was!changing!to!various!foliage!including!the!tall!grasses.!With!the!change!in!height!came!more!anatomical!changes,!
!4!!Michaela!Trimble!!!!molar,!making!a!total!of!five!grinding!molars.!This!change!in!structure!allowed!for!a!change!in!diet,!allowing!the!Epihippus!to!grind!and!chew!different!textures!of!food.!With!the!change!of!dental!structure!came!the!change!in!shape!and!size!of!the!head.!!Epihippus!evolved!into!MesoHippus!where!several!adaptations!occurred.!!! Mesohippus!or!Middle!Horse!began!to!look!like!our!modern!horses!we!see!today.!The!Mesohippus!roamed!the!earth!during!the!Oligocene!period!approximately!twenty!to!forty!million!years!ago.!During!this!period!the!earth!was!beginning!to!cool!and!the!ground!was!being!covered!with!tall!grasses.!In!this!environment!the!Mesohippus!was!significantly!taller!than!its!ancestors,!standing!roughly!twenty-four!inches!in!height.!Its!diet!was!changing!to!various!foliage!including!the!tall!grasses.!With!the!change!in!height!came!more!anatomical!changes,!
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molar,!making!a!total!of!five!grinding!molars.!This!change!in!structure!allowed!for!a!
change!in!diet,!allowing!the!Epihippus!to!grind!and!chew!different!textures!of!food.!
With!the!change!of!dental!structure!came!the!change!in!shape!and!size!of!the!head.!!
Epihippus!evolved!into!MesoHippus!where!several!adaptations!occurred.!!
! Mesohippus!or!Middle!Horse!began!to!look!like!our!modern!horses!we!see!
today.!The!Mesohippus!roamed!the!earth!during!the!Oligocene!period!
approximately!twenty!to!forty!million!years!ago.!During!this!period!the!earth!was!
beginning!to!cool!and!the!ground!was!being!covered!with!tall!grasses.!In!this!
environment!the!Mesohippus!was!significantly!taller!than!its!ancestors,!standing!
roughly!twenty-four!inches!in!height.!Its!diet!was!changing!to!various!foliage!
including!the!tall!grasses.!With!the!change!in!height!came!more!anatomical!changes,!
period!approximately!fifty!million!years!ago.!Orohippus!stood!around!the!same!
height!as!Eohippus!with!similar!feet.!While!the!Orohippus!diet!consisted!of!the!
same!as!Eohippus,!there!was!considerable!change!in!the!dental!structure.!Although!
the!number!of!teeth!remained!the!same!the!strength!and!size!of!the!teeth!adapted!to!
allow!more!of!a!grinding!action!in!preparation!for!a!diet!change!in!its!future.!The!
Orohippus!branched!into!the!Haplohippus!and!the!Epihippus.!The!Haplohippus!
became!extinct!while!the!Epihippus!continued!to!evolve.!!
! The!Epihippus!was!also!found!in!North!America!and!roamed!during!the!Mid-
Eocene!period!roughly!forty-seven!million!years!ago.!It!was!similar!to!its!previous!
ancestors,!Eohippus!and!Orohippus!standing!between!ten!to!fourteen!inches!tall,!
with!the!same!foot!structures!and!a!similar!diet.!However,!the!dental!structure!
continued!to!evolve.!The!Epihippus!had!only!two!pre!molars,!adding!one!grinding!
!5!with!its!neck!becoming!longer!and!back!becoming!straighter!the!forelegs!and!hind!feet!were!increasing!in!length.!The!Mesohippus!had!three!toes!front!and!back.!While!its!teeth!consisted!of!three!incisors!and!six!molars!on!each!side.!The!Mesohippus!evolved!into!Miohippus!or!Small!Horse!!Miohippus!also!roamed!the!earth!approximately!thirty-four!to!thirty-six!million!years!ago,!during!the!Oligocene!period.!The!Miohippus!stood!roughly!thirty!inches!tall.!With!adaptations!to!the!dental!structure,!such!as!a!crest!formed!on!its!molars,!its!diet!consisted!of!rougher!forages.!Mihohippus!developed!longer!legs!and!feet!enabling!him!to!survive!on!different!terrain!and!evade!predators!at!a!faster!rate.!Miohippus!eventually!evolved!into!Merrychippus.!!! Merrychippus!roamed!North!America!approximately!twenty!to!eleven!million!years!ago,!during!the!Miocene!period.!During!this!period!the!earth!was!growing!colder!and!wooded!areas!were!beginning!to!develop.!Merrychippus!was!much!taller!than!his!previous!ancestors,!standing!roughly!forty-two!to!forty-eight!inches.!The!most!fascinating!evolutionary!change!was!that!Merrychippus!was!able!to!stand!on!one!toe,!with!its!other!two!toes!only!slightly!functional.!This!adaption!came!from!roaming!open!plains.!Merrychippus!body!capacity!was!much!heaver!allowing!it!to!move!at!a!faster!rate!from!predators.!!At!this!time!Merrychippusdiet!consisted!of!grasses.!Merrychippus!evolved!into!Pliohippus!or!More!Horse.!! Pliohippus!!roamed!during!the!Mid-!Miocene!period!roughly!five!to!eleven!million!years!ago.!Horses!had!become!extinct!from!North!America!and!migrated!to!places!such!as!South!America,!Asia,!Africa!and!Europe.!Pliohippus!grew!even!taller!than!its!previous!ancestor!standing!fifty-one!inches!tall,!or!what!we!would!call!today!
!5!with!its!neck!becoming!longer!and!back!becoming!straighter!the!forelegs!and!hind!feet!were!increasing!in!length.!The!Mesohippus!had!three!toes!front!and!back.!While!its!teeth!consisted!of!three!incisors!and!six!molars!on!each!side.!The!Mesohippus!evolved!into!Miohippus!or!Small!Horse!!Miohippus!also!roamed!the!earth!approximately!thirty-four!to!thirty-six!million!years!ago,!during!the!Oligocene!period.!The!Miohippus!stood!roughly!thirty!inches!tall.!With!adaptations!to!the!dental!structure,!such!as!a!crest!formed!on!its!molars,!its!diet!consisted!of!rougher!forages.!Mihohippus!developed!longer!legs!and!feet!enabling!him!to!survive!on!different!terrain!and!evade!predators!at!a!faster!rate.!Miohippus!eventually!evolved!into!Merrychippus.!!! Merrychippus!roamed!North!America!approximately!twenty!to!eleven!million!years!ago,!during!the!Miocene!period.!During!this!period!the!earth!was!growing!colder!and!wooded!areas!were!beginning!to!develop.!Merrychippus!was!much!taller!than!his!previous!ancestors,!standing!roughly!forty-two!to!forty-eight!inches.!The!most!fascinating!evolutionary!change!was!that!Merrychippus!was!able!to!stand!on!one!toe,!with!its!other!two!toes!only!slightly!functional.!This!adaption!came!from!roaming!open!plains.!Merrychippus!body!capacity!was!much!heaver!allowing!it!to!move!at!a!faster!rate!from!predators.!!At!this!time!Merrychippusdiet!consisted!of!grasses.!Merrychippus!evolved!into!Pliohippus!or!More!Horse.!! Pliohippus!!roamed!during!the!Mid-!Miocene!period!roughly!five!to!eleven!million!years!ago.!Horses!had!become!extinct!from!North!America!and!migrated!to!places!such!as!South!America,!Asia,!Africa!and!Europe.!Pliohippus!grew!even!taller!than!its!previous!ancestor!standing!fifty-one!inches!tall,!or!what!we!would!call!today!
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with!its!neck!becoming!longer!and!back!becoming!straighter!the!forelegs!and!hind!
feet!were!increasing!in!length.!The!Mesohippus!had!three!toes!front!and!back.!While!
its!teeth!consisted!of!three!incisors!and!six!molars!on!each!side.!The!Mesohippus!
evolved!into!Miohippus!or!Small!Horse!
!Miohippus!also!roamed!the!earth!approximately!thirty-four!to!thirty-six!
million!years!ago,!during!the!Oligocene!period.!The!Miohippus!stood!roughly!thirty!
inches!tall.!With!adaptations!to!the!dental!structure,!such!as!a!crest!formed!on!its!
molars,!its!diet!consisted!of!rougher!forages.!Mihohippus!developed!longer!legs!and!
feet!enabling!him!to!survive!on!different!terrain!and!evade!predators!at!a!faster!rate.!
Miohippus!eventually!evolved!into!Merrychippus.!!
! Merrychippus!roamed!North!America!approximately!twenty!to!eleven!
million!years!ago,!during!the!Miocene!period.!During!this!period!the!earth!was!
growing!colder!and!wooded!areas!were!beginning!to!develop.!Merrychippus!was!
much!taller!than!his!previous!ancestors,!standing!roughly!forty-two!to!forty-eight!
inches.!The!most!fascinating!evolutionary!change!was!that!Merrychippus!was!able!
to!stand!on!one!toe,!with!its!other!two!toes!only!slightly!functional.!This!adaption!
came!from!roaming!open!plains.!Merrychippus!body!capacity!was!much!heaver!
allowing!it!to!move!at!a!faster!rate!from!predators.!!At!this!time!Merrychippusdiet!
consisted!of!grasses.!Merrychippus!evolved!into!Pliohippus!or!More!Horse.!
! Pliohippus!!roamed!during!the!Mid-!Miocene!period!roughly!five!to!eleven!
million!years!ago.!Horses!had!become!extinct!from!North!America!and!migrated!to!
places!such!as!South!America,!Asia,!Africa!and!Europe.!Pliohippus!grew!even!taller!
than!its!previous!ancestor!standing!fifty-one!inches!tall,!or!what!we!would!call!today!
!6!!Michaela!Trimble!!!!twelve!hands.!Which!is!the!average!height!of!todays!ponies.!The!most!important!evolutionary!change!was!that!Pliohippus!became!single!toed,!with!the!other!toes!becoming!the!very!important!splint!bones!in!the!leg.!The!hoof!is!developed!and!the!pads!have!become!what!we!now!call!the!frog!of!the!foot,!which!is!used!as!a!way!to!absorb!concussion!from!running!on!rough!terrain.!Pliohippus!is!larger!and!stronger!than!its!ancestors,!with!a!longer!neck!allowing!for!a!better!reach.!This!enables!Pliohippus!to!graze!and!reach!for!foliage.!!It!is!not!yet!clear!whether!Pliohippus!went!extinct!or!evolved!into!Dinohippus,!there!theories!of!both.!We!will!explore!the!latter.!Dinohippus!also!called!Powerful!Horse!roamed!earth!five!to!thirteen!million!years!ago!and!most!resembles!todays!modern!horse!Equus.!The!Dinohippus!was!around!during!the!Pliocene!period,!which!was!during!the!ice!age.!This!was!a!very!cold!and!dry!period.!The!Dinohippus!stood!fifty-one!inches,!with!a!hardened!hoof!on!all!four!feet.!The!Dinohippus!is!muscular!and!has!a!large!frame!with!a!more!substantial!head!ad!teeth!aiding!in!grazing!on!the!grassy!plains.!!Table!2:!Hoof!Evolution.!(https://evolutionforprimarykids.co.uk/a-teachers-guide-toevolution/)!!!!!!!
!6!!Michaela!Trimble!!!!twelve!hands.!Which!is!the!average!height!of!todays!ponies.!The!most!important!evolutionary!change!was!that!Pliohippus!became!single!toed,!with!the!other!toes!becoming!the!very!important!splint!bones!in!the!leg.!The!hoof!is!developed!and!the!pads!have!become!what!we!now!call!the!frog!of!the!foot,!which!is!used!as!a!way!to!absorb!concussion!from!running!on!rough!terrain.!Pliohippus!is!larger!and!stronger!than!its!ancestors,!with!a!longer!neck!allowing!for!a!better!reach.!This!enables!Pliohippus!to!graze!and!reach!for!foliage.!!It!is!not!yet!clear!whether!Pliohippus!went!extinct!or!evolved!into!Dinohippus,!there!theories!of!both.!We!will!explore!the!latter.!Dinohippus!also!called!Powerful!Horse!roamed!earth!five!to!thirteen!million!years!ago!and!most!resembles!todays!modern!horse!Equus.!The!Dinohippus!was!around!during!the!Pliocene!period,!which!was!during!the!ice!age.!This!was!a!very!cold!and!dry!period.!The!Dinohippus!stood!fifty-one!inches,!with!a!hardened!hoof!on!all!four!feet.!The!Dinohippus!is!muscular!and!has!a!large!frame!with!a!more!substantial!head!ad!teeth!aiding!in!grazing!on!the!grassy!plains.!!Table!2:!Hoof!Evolution.!(https://evolutionforprimarykids.co.uk/a-teachers-guide-toevolution/)!!!!!!!
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twelve!hands.!Which!is!the!average!height!of!todays!ponies.!The!most!important!
evolutionary!change!was!that!Pliohippus!became!single!toed,!with!the!other!toes!
becoming!the!very!important!splint!bones!in!the!leg.!The!hoof!is!developed!and!the!
pads!have!become!what!we!now!call!the!frog!of!the!foot,!which!is!used!as!a!way!to!
absorb!concussion!from!running!on!rough!terrain.!Pliohippus!is!larger!and!stronger!
than!its!ancestors,!with!a!longer!neck!allowing!for!a!better!reach.!This!enables!
Pliohippus!to!graze!and!reach!for!foliage.!!It!is!not!yet!clear!whether!Pliohippus!
went!extinct!or!evolved!into!Dinohippus,!there!theories!of!both.!We!will!explore!the!
latter.!
Dinohippus!also!called!Powerful!Horse!roamed!earth!five!to!thirteen!million!years!
ago!and!most!resembles!todays!modern!horse!Equus.!The!Dinohippus!was!around!
during!the!Pliocene!period,!which!was!during!the!ice!age.!This!was!a!very!cold!and!
dry!period.!The!Dinohippus!stood!fifty-one!inches,!with!a!hardened!hoof!on!all!four!
feet.!The!Dinohippus!is!muscular!and!has!a!large!frame!with!a!more!substantial!head!
ad!teeth!aiding!in!grazing!on!the!grassy!plains.!!
Table!2:!Hoof!Evolution.!(https://evolutionforprimarykids.co.uk/a-teachers-guide-
toevolution/)!
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!7!!Equus!have!roamed!the!earth!for!approximately!two!million!years.!These!are!the!modern!horses!we!see!today.!Equus!is!built!for!speed,!endurance!and!strength.!This!has!been!crucial!for!the!horse!to!escape!predators.!The!horses!diet!consists!of!forage!and!concentrates,!such!as,!grains.!Equus!has!divided!into!several!groups!including!Equus!Prezwalski!and!Equuis!Burchelli.!Equus!Przewalski!or!the!Prezwalski!horse!is!the!oldest!species!of!horse!still!in!existence!today.!These!fascinating!wild!horses!were!discovered!in!Mongolia!in!1879!while!also!being!discovered!on!cave!paintings!several!thousands!of!years!old.!!! Also!a!member!of!Equus,!Equuis!Burchelli!is!the!modern!Zebra.!Equus!Bruchelli!lives!in!Africa.!The!Tarpan!or!Equus!Ferus!are!known!as!the!original!wild!horses!of!Europe.!The!Tarpan!lived!in!the!wild!until!the!1800s!when!the!last!remaining!Tarpans!were!placed!in!captivity.!!!Classification!of!the!modern!horse!(Equuis!Caballus)!1. Kingdom:!Animalia!2. Phylum:!Chordata!!3. Class:!Mammalia!4. Order:!Perissodactyla!(odd!toed)!5. Family:!Equiade!!6. Genus:!Equus!!!!
!7!!Equus!have!roamed!the!earth!for!approximately!two!million!years.!These!are!the!modern!horses!we!see!today.!Equus!is!built!for!speed,!endurance!and!strength.!This!has!been!crucial!for!the!horse!to!escape!predators.!The!horses!diet!consists!of!forage!and!concentrates,!such!as,!grains.!Equus!has!divided!into!several!groups!including!Equus!Prezwalski!and!Equuis!Burchelli.!Equus!Przewalski!or!the!Prezwalski!horse!is!the!oldest!species!of!horse!still!in!existence!today.!These!fascinating!wild!horses!were!discovered!in!Mongolia!in!1879!while!also!being!discovered!on!cave!paintings!several!thousands!of!years!old.!!! Also!a!member!of!Equus,!Equuis!Burchelli!is!the!modern!Zebra.!Equus!Bruchelli!lives!in!Africa.!The!Tarpan!or!Equus!Ferus!are!known!as!the!original!wild!horses!of!Europe.!The!Tarpan!lived!in!the!wild!until!the!1800s!when!the!last!remaining!Tarpans!were!placed!in!captivity.!!!Classification!of!the!modern!horse!(Equuis!Caballus)!1. Kingdom:!Animalia!2. Phylum:!Chordata!!3. Class:!Mammalia!4. Order:!Perissodactyla!(odd!toed)!5. Family:!Equiade!!6. Genus:!Equus!!!!
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!Equus!have!roamed!the!earth!for!approximately!two!million!years.!These!are!
the!modern!horses!we!see!today.!Equus!is!built!for!speed,!endurance!and!strength.!
This!has!been!crucial!for!the!horse!to!escape!predators.!The!horses!diet!consists!of!
forage!and!concentrates,!such!as,!grains.!Equus!has!divided!into!several!groups!
including!Equus!Prezwalski!and!Equuis!Burchelli.!Equus!Przewalski!or!the!
Prezwalski!horse!is!the!oldest!species!of!horse!still!in!existence!today.!These!
fascinating!wild!horses!were!discovered!in!Mongolia!in!1879!while!also!being!
discovered!on!cave!paintings!several!thousands!of!years!old.!!
! Also!a!member!of!Equus,!Equuis!Burchelli!is!the!modern!Zebra.!Equus!
Bruchelli!lives!in!Africa.!The!Tarpan!or!Equus!Ferus!are!known!as!the!original!wild!
horses!of!Europe.!The!Tarpan!lived!in!the!wild!until!the!1800s!when!the!last!
remaining!Tarpans!were!placed!in!captivity.!!
!
Classification!of!the!modern!horse!(Equuis!Caballus)!
1. Kingdom:!Animalia!
2. Phylum:!Chordata!!
3. Class:!Mammalia!
4. Order:!Perissodactyla!(odd!toed)!
5. Family:!Equiade!!
6. Genus:!Equus!
!
!
!
!8!!Michaela!Trimble!!!!There!are!two!different!theories!on!when!exactly!horses!were!domesticated.!The!first!theory!is!that!domestication!began!between!3000!to!4000!BC!in!the!Ukraine.!The!second!theory!is!that!domestication!began!in!central!Asia!by!the!Scynthian!nomads!around!7000!BC.!One!thing!is!true!no!matter!the!theory,!before!horses!were!domesticated!they!were!hunted!for!their!meat.!Humans!later!discovered!how!helpful!these!creatures!could!be!to!not!only!help!them!hunt!other!food!sources!but!also!to!help!moved!this!and!cover!long!distances!in!a!shorter!amount!of!time.!Horses!became!more!of!a!tool!than!a!food!source.!Although,!some!countries!still!consider!horse!meat!a!delicacy!today.!!! There!are!several!different!kinds!of!breeds!of!horses!used!for!many!disciplines!today.!Horses!now!can!range!from!fifty-two!inches!tall!or!thirteen!hands,!to!76!inches!or!19!hands.!Depending!on!the!breed.!All!domestic!horses!can!trace!back!to!the!Arabian!horse,!which!is!one!of!the!most!popular!breeds!in!the!world!today.!Known!for!its!endurance,!the!Arabian!horse!was!and!is!able!to!cover!vast!distances!with!excellent!efficiency.!!! Arabian!horses!originated!in!the!deserts!of!the!Middle!East!thousands!of!years!ago.!They!were!bred!as!warhorses!and!were!used!to!carry!soldiers!for!long!distances.!Due!to!living!in!harsh!conditions!Arabian!horses!have!excellent!lung!capacity.!Historical!figures!such!as!Napoleon,!Alexander!the!Great!and!George!Washington!all!rode!Arabian!horses.!Arabians!are!known!for!their!dished!faces!and!small!features.!Most!Arabians,!have!five!lumbar!vertebrae!rather!than!6!and!17!pairs!of!ribs!instead!of!18.!!
!8!!Michaela!Trimble!!!!There!are!two!different!theories!on!when!exactly!horses!were!domesticated.!The!first!theory!is!that!domestication!began!between!3000!to!4000!BC!in!the!Ukraine.!The!second!theory!is!that!domestication!began!in!central!Asia!by!the!Scynthian!nomads!around!7000!BC.!One!thing!is!true!no!matter!the!theory,!before!horses!were!domesticated!they!were!hunted!for!their!meat.!Humans!later!discovered!how!helpful!these!creatures!could!be!to!not!only!help!them!hunt!other!food!sources!but!also!to!help!moved!this!and!cover!long!distances!in!a!shorter!amount!of!time.!Horses!became!more!of!a!tool!than!a!food!source.!Although,!some!countries!still!consider!horse!meat!a!delicacy!today.!!! There!are!several!different!kinds!of!breeds!of!horses!used!for!many!disciplines!today.!Horses!now!can!range!from!fifty-two!inches!tall!or!thirteen!hands,!to!76!inches!or!19!hands.!Depending!on!the!breed.!All!domestic!horses!can!trace!back!to!the!Arabian!horse,!which!is!one!of!the!most!popular!breeds!in!the!world!today.!Known!for!its!endurance,!the!Arabian!horse!was!and!is!able!to!cover!vast!distances!with!excellent!efficiency.!!! Arabian!horses!originated!in!the!deserts!of!the!Middle!East!thousands!of!years!ago.!They!were!bred!as!warhorses!and!were!used!to!carry!soldiers!for!long!distances.!Due!to!living!in!harsh!conditions!Arabian!horses!have!excellent!lung!capacity.!Historical!figures!such!as!Napoleon,!Alexander!the!Great!and!George!Washington!all!rode!Arabian!horses.!Arabians!are!known!for!their!dished!faces!and!small!features.!Most!Arabians,!have!five!lumbar!vertebrae!rather!than!6!and!17!pairs!of!ribs!instead!of!18.!!
!
8!
!
Michaela!Trimble!
!
!
!
There!are!two!different!theories!on!when!exactly!horses!were!domesticated.!
The!first!theory!is!that!domestication!began!between!3000!to!4000!BC!in!the!
Ukraine.!The!second!theory!is!that!domestication!began!in!central!Asia!by!the!
Scynthian!nomads!around!7000!BC.!One!thing!is!true!no!matter!the!theory,!before!
horses!were!domesticated!they!were!hunted!for!their!meat.!Humans!later!
discovered!how!helpful!these!creatures!could!be!to!not!only!help!them!hunt!other!
food!sources!but!also!to!help!moved!this!and!cover!long!distances!in!a!shorter!
amount!of!time.!Horses!became!more!of!a!tool!than!a!food!source.!Although,!some!
countries!still!consider!horse!meat!a!delicacy!today.!!
! There!are!several!different!kinds!of!breeds!of!horses!used!for!many!
disciplines!today.!Horses!now!can!range!from!fifty-two!inches!tall!or!thirteen!hands,!
to!76!inches!or!19!hands.!Depending!on!the!breed.!All!domestic!horses!can!trace!
back!to!the!Arabian!horse,!which!is!one!of!the!most!popular!breeds!in!the!world!
today.!Known!for!its!endurance,!the!Arabian!horse!was!and!is!able!to!cover!vast!
distances!with!excellent!efficiency.!!
! Arabian!horses!originated!in!the!deserts!of!the!Middle!East!thousands!of!
years!ago.!They!were!bred!as!warhorses!and!were!used!to!carry!soldiers!for!long!
distances.!Due!to!living!in!harsh!conditions!Arabian!horses!have!excellent!lung!
capacity.!Historical!figures!such!as!Napoleon,!Alexander!the!Great!and!George!
Washington!all!rode!Arabian!horses.!Arabians!are!known!for!their!dished!faces!and!
small!features.!Most!Arabians,!have!five!lumbar!vertebrae!rather!than!6!and!17!pairs!
of!ribs!instead!of!18.!!
!9!! Thoroughbreds!came!from!Arabians,!although,!they!are!bred!for!high!speed!at!shorter!distances!rather!than!endurance!like!their!Arabian!ancestors.!The!Thoroughbreds!history!can!be!traced!to!three!Arabian!stallions;!the!Darley!Arabian,!Lord!Godolphin!and!Captain!Robert!Byerley.!All!three!were!bred!in!England!in!the!late!1600s!and!early!1700s.!!Today,!Thoroughbred!racing!is!the!leading!spectator!sport!in!the!world.!The!horse!racing!industry!brings!in!far!over!$100!billion!annually.!!! Although!the!donkey!was!domesticated!before!the!horse,!horses!were!discovered!to!be!faster!and!stronger!than!donkeys.!This!resulted!in!horses!being!used!mainly!for!work!such!as,!hauling!and!plowing!fields.!Larger,!heavier!horses!known!as!draft!horses!became!a!popular!warhorses.!In!500-1000!BC!the!Black!Horse!of!Flanders!who!became!the!ancestor!to!all!modern!draft!horses,!became!popular!in!Belgium!and!France!and!were!used!mainly!for!war!purposes.!!! From!Arabian!and!Thoroughbred!came!the!American!Quarter!horse.!Built!for!high!speed!for!short!distances,!the!Quarter!horses!got!its!name!for!sprinting!at!high!speeds!for!a!quarter!mile!faster!than!other!horse!breeds.!In!the!1700s!colonists!from!the!eastern!seaboard!of!the!United!States!began!crossing!European!thoroughbreds!with!native!horses.!In!1940,!the!American!Quarter!Horse!Association!was!formed,!and!today!the!American!Quarter!Horse!registry!is!the!largest!in!the!world.!! Throughout!history!horses!have!been!used!heavily!in!war.!Playing!important!roles!such!has!carrying!soldiers!and!pulling!wagons.!Although,!soldiers!learned!that!horses!could!not!run!through!barbwire!fencing!or!outrun!the!machine!guns!being!
!9!! Thoroughbreds!came!from!Arabians,!although,!they!are!bred!for!high!speed!at!shorter!distances!rather!than!endurance!like!their!Arabian!ancestors.!The!Thoroughbreds!history!can!be!traced!to!three!Arabian!stallions;!the!Darley!Arabian,!Lord!Godolphin!and!Captain!Robert!Byerley.!All!three!were!bred!in!England!in!the!late!1600s!and!early!1700s.!!Today,!Thoroughbred!racing!is!the!leading!spectator!sport!in!the!world.!The!horse!racing!industry!brings!in!far!over!$100!billion!annually.!!! Although!the!donkey!was!domesticated!before!the!horse,!horses!were!discovered!to!be!faster!and!stronger!than!donkeys.!This!resulted!in!horses!being!used!mainly!for!work!such!as,!hauling!and!plowing!fields.!Larger,!heavier!horses!known!as!draft!horses!became!a!popular!warhorses.!In!500-1000!BC!the!Black!Horse!of!Flanders!who!became!the!ancestor!to!all!modern!draft!horses,!became!popular!in!Belgium!and!France!and!were!used!mainly!for!war!purposes.!!! From!Arabian!and!Thoroughbred!came!the!American!Quarter!horse.!Built!for!high!speed!for!short!distances,!the!Quarter!horses!got!its!name!for!sprinting!at!high!speeds!for!a!quarter!mile!faster!than!other!horse!breeds.!In!the!1700s!colonists!from!the!eastern!seaboard!of!the!United!States!began!crossing!European!thoroughbreds!with!native!horses.!In!1940,!the!American!Quarter!Horse!Association!was!formed,!and!today!the!American!Quarter!Horse!registry!is!the!largest!in!the!world.!! Throughout!history!horses!have!been!used!heavily!in!war.!Playing!important!roles!such!has!carrying!soldiers!and!pulling!wagons.!Although,!soldiers!learned!that!horses!could!not!run!through!barbwire!fencing!or!outrun!the!machine!guns!being!
!
9!
! Thoroughbreds!came!from!Arabians,!although,!they!are!bred!for!high!speed!
at!shorter!distances!rather!than!endurance!like!their!Arabian!ancestors.!The!
Thoroughbreds!history!can!be!traced!to!three!Arabian!stallions;!the!Darley!Arabian,!
Lord!Godolphin!and!Captain!Robert!Byerley.!All!three!were!bred!in!England!in!the!
late!1600s!and!early!1700s.!!Today,!Thoroughbred!racing!is!the!leading!spectator!
sport!in!the!world.!The!horse!racing!industry!brings!in!far!over!$100!billion!
annually.!!
! Although!the!donkey!was!domesticated!before!the!horse,!horses!were!
discovered!to!be!faster!and!stronger!than!donkeys.!This!resulted!in!horses!being!
used!mainly!for!work!such!as,!hauling!and!plowing!fields.!Larger,!heavier!horses!
known!as!draft!horses!became!a!popular!warhorses.!In!500-1000!BC!the!Black!
Horse!of!Flanders!who!became!the!ancestor!to!all!modern!draft!horses,!became!
popular!in!Belgium!and!France!and!were!used!mainly!for!war!purposes.!!
! From!Arabian!and!Thoroughbred!came!the!American!Quarter!horse.!Built!for!
high!speed!for!short!distances,!the!Quarter!horses!got!its!name!for!sprinting!at!high!
speeds!for!a!quarter!mile!faster!than!other!horse!breeds.!In!the!1700s!colonists!
from!the!eastern!seaboard!of!the!United!States!began!crossing!European!
thoroughbreds!with!native!horses.!In!1940,!the!American!Quarter!Horse!Association!
was!formed,!and!today!the!American!Quarter!Horse!registry!is!the!largest!in!the!
world.!
! Throughout!history!horses!have!been!used!heavily!in!war.!Playing!important!
roles!such!has!carrying!soldiers!and!pulling!wagons.!Although,!soldiers!learned!that!
horses!could!not!run!through!barbwire!fencing!or!outrun!the!machine!guns!being!
!10!!Michaela!Trimble!!!!used.!Due!to!these!obstacles!nearly!six!million!horses!were!killed!in!WWI.!War!heavily!depleted!the!horse!population.!!!