Transcript Chapter 1 Equi 3644

EQUI 3644
Horse Science
CHAPTER 1
Objectives:
1.
List the evolutionary horse-like animals
2.
Identify the position of the horse in the zoological scheme
3.
Describe how humans have used and continue to use the horse
4.
Give the scientific name for the horse and three of it’s close
relatives
5.
List four evolutionary trends of the horse and the geologic era in
which they occurred
6.
Match the geologic era to appropriate horse/horse-like fossil(s)
Objectives
6.
Identify the Roman influence on the use of the horse
7.
Describe the affect of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance on
the use of the horse
8.
Name 3 horses in mythology or legend
9.
Name 3 famous horses of film
10.
Discuss the use and decline of the horse in American agriculture
11.
Identify factors that changed the use of the horse in the twentieth
century
The odd-toed ungulates

Horses belong to the
Perissodactyla, the
odd-toed ungulates

This group includes
horses, rhinos and
tapirs today
© 2008 Paul Billiet ODWS
White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) © KHW
Equus
The genus Equus includes horses, zebra and
asses
 The last remaining branch of a diverse group
of equids
 Similar to the status of Homo sapiens, the last
remaining species of a once diverse group
of Hominids
 The evolution of the horse is much better
documented than ours
 The fossil record is very complete

© 2008 Paul Billiet ODWS
Classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Order: Perissodactyla

Family: Equidae

Genus: Equus
Trends in the evolution of the horses



Increased size
Reduced number of toes and longer legs
A stiffer back
Merychippus
20Ma
© 2008 Paul Billiet ODWS
Equus
Teeth for grazing

Larger teeth and a larger
skull to hold them
© 2008 Paul Billiet ODWS
Trends in the evolution of the horses


The trends correspond to changes in the
climate and vegetation of the Earth over the
past 55 million years,
combined with the arms race between
predators and prey.
From…….. rich rainforest which covered most of
the Earth in which the horses ancestors browsed
on leaves and hid from predators.
To ……. open savannah grassland where the
modern horses grazed grass and had to run
from predators.
© 2008 Paul Billiet ODWS
From ladders to bushes


The view of evolution in
Darwin’s day was that of
Gradualism
One species slowly transforming
into another
Equus
Pliohippus
Merychippus
Mesohippus
Orohippus
Hyracotherium
(aka Eohippus)
© 2008 Paul Billiet ODWS
© 2008 Paul Billiet ODWS
Classification

Species

Equus assinus – true donkeys and asses of Northern Africa

Equus burchelli – Plains zebra of Africa

Equus caballus – the true horse

Equus grevyi – Grevy’s zebra, most horse-like zebra.

Equus hemionus – the desert adapted onager of Asia and the Mideast

Equus przewalski – the oldest living species of the horse. Found in
Mongolia.

Equus zebra – mountain zebra of South Africa
Fossil Record

Eohippus
Paleocene epoch
Fossil Record

Messohippus
Oligocene epoch
Fossil Record

Merychippus
Miocene epoch
Fossil Record

Pliohippus
Pliocene epoch
Fossil Record

Equus caballus
Pleistocene epoch to modern era
Missing link????

Przewalski’s Horse

Determined to be oldest living equus species. Comparable to cave
paintings of horses.

12- 14 hands tall, dun color, light muzzle, short, upstanding mane, dark
streak on it’s back and dark legs.

Never been effectively tamed, can be vicious if threatened
Assigned reading:

Equine Hybrids
Review

Kingdom:

Genus: equus

Phylum:

Species:

Class:


True donkeys and asses of Northern
Africa
Order:

Plains zebra of Africa

Family:

The true horse

Genus:

Grevy’s zebra, most horse-like
zebra.

Species:

The desert adapted onager of Asia
and the Mideast

The oldest living species of the
horse. Found in Mongolia.

Mountain zebra of South Africa
Review



List in order the evolution of the
horse:

A.

B

C

D
List in order of evolution the two
horses currently found on earth

A

B
Define ‘open toothed’

What was the primary indicator
paleontologists used to determine
equine ancestry?

What was a major factor in equine
evolution?

Horses belong to the order
Perissodactyla, the _______ _____
___________.

Discuss "hemiclonal transmission".
As part of your discussion, sketch
the meiotic process in the female.

What is meiotic drive?
Early use

Source of food – hunted for meat and hides

Early Equus species domesticated, donkeys – 4000 – 3000 B.C.

Historical artifacts of donkey domestication as early as 3400 B.C.

The horse became preferred because it was the fastest – not just
running, but at a walk also.

Early harness – similar to an ox yoke – less than ideal


Development of ‘yoke saddle’ that took pressure off the throat
Development of the bridle and bit, brought the horse to the battlefield
Early use

Riding – came after the use of the
horse as a draft animal to pull war chariots

Scythians:

Nomadic southern plainsmen
from the Russian Steppe.
Used the horse as a mounted
platform from which to fire arrows.

First record of gelding a stallion

Wealth counted in number of horses,
often were buried with their horses.
Early use


Romans

Went from infantry force using chariots to cavalry forces.

Reason for this: their enemies were primarily mounted forces
Chinese

Chariot warhorses – went to cavalry in response to enemies.

See: Scythians 
Dark and Middle ages

“Knights in shining armor” War horses or chargers, Heavy draft-like
horses to carry weight of Knight and his armor.

Most common – common horses used as draft animal for
agricultural work.

Chariots gave way to wagons

Hunting by aristocracy. Early ‘hunters’ were developed
The Renaissance

Study of the natural world – horses being just one part. An important
part because the use of ‘horsepower’ in it’s truest sense.

Scientific study of the horse anatomy.

Training became a disciplined art.

Early carriages: nobility and wealthy.
Mythology

Pegasus

Centaur

Unicorn

Trojan horse

Four horsemen of the apocalypse.

What are they?
Four horsemen

White
Pestilence

Red
War

Black
Famine

Pale (Palomino?)
Death
Horses in the U.S.

Early horse was extinct in the American Continents (likely due to the
last ice age; Wisconsin Glacial Period).

Re-introduced to the Americas by early Spanish.

Early Indians would hunt stray horses

Plains Indians became mounted cavalry

Colonization and settlement required ‘horsepower.’

Mules developed – cross between a jack donkey and a mare
Horses in the U.S.

Draft horses, most dominant type of horse in the Americas up to nearly
WWII.

Used for:


Military

Fire protection

Transportation

Agriculture

Mining – (pit ponies)
Descendants of the Spanish horses – commonly called Mustangs were
important in the development of the American West – ranching
Horses in the U.S.

Recreation

As the need for ‘horsepower’ decreased the rise of the pleasure horse
increased.

The late 20th century saw a switch from draft to light horses

Rodeo

Racing

Shows
Iconic horses in history

Black Jack – the last horse to wear the US brand……….
Kennedy Funeral 1963
Horses in the U.S.

Movies and entertainment

Tom Mix and Tony

Gene Autry and Champion

Roy Rogers and Trigger

Lone Ranger and Silver, Tonto and Scout

Mr. Ed

Black Beauty

The Black Stallion

Flicka

Etc. etc………………