stallion rides horseback manege cockhorse riding
Most
horses perform work such as carrying humans or are harnessed to pull objects such as carts or plows. Hundreds of distinct
horse breeds have been developed, allowing
horses to be specialized for certain tasks; lighter
horses for racing or riding, heavier
horses for farming and other tasks requiring pulling power. Some
horses, such as the miniature
horse, can be kept as pets. In some societies,
horses are a source of food, both meat and milk; in others it is taboo to consume these products. In industrialized countries,
horses are predominantly kept for leisure and sporting pursuits, while in other parts of the world they are still used as working animals.
Mare: a female
horse four years old and older.
All
horses move naturally with four basic gaits: the four-beat walk, the two-beat trot or jog, and the leaping gaits known as the canter or lope (a three-beat gait), and the gallop. Besides these basic gaits, some
horses perform a two-beat pace, instead of the trot. In addition, there are several four-beat "ambling" gaits that are approximately the speed of a trot or pace, though smoother to ride. These include the lateral slow gait, rack, running walk, and tölt as well as the diagonal fox trot. Ambling gaits are often genetic traits in specific breeds, often referred to as gaited
horses. In most cases, gaited
horses replace the standard trot, a 2-beat gait, with one of the four beat gaits. All
horses move naturally with four basic gaits: the four-beat walk, the two-beat trot or jog, and the leaping gaits known as the canter or lope (a three-beat gait), and the gallop. Besides these basic gaits, some
horses perform a two-beat pace, instead of the trot. In addition, there are several four-beat "ambling" gaits that are approximately the speed of a trot or pace, though smoother to ride. These include the lateral slow gait, rack, running walk, and tölt as well as the diagonal fox trot. Ambling gaits are often genetic traits in specific breeds, often referred to as gaited
horses. In most cases, gaited
horses replace the standard trot, a 2-beat gait, with one of the four beat gaits. Regardless of a
horse's actual birthdate, for most competition purposes,
horses are considered a year older on January 1 of each year in the northern hemisphere and August 1 in the southern hemisphere. The exception is endurance riding, where the minimum age to compete is based on the
horse's actual calendar age. A very rough estimate of a
horse's age can be made from looking at its teeth. The difference between a
horse and pony is not simply a height difference, but also a difference in phenotype or appearance. There are noticeable differences in conformation and temperament. Ponies often exhibit thicker manes, tails and overall coat. They also have proportionally shorter legs, wider barrels, heavier bone, shorter and thicker necks, and short heads with broad foreheads. They often have calmer temperaments than
horses and also a high level of equine intelligence that may or may not be used to cooperate with human handlers.
epending on breed, management and environment, the domestic
horse today has a life expectancy of 25 to 30 years. It is uncommon, but a few
horses live into their 40s, and, occasionally, beyond. The oldest verifiable record was "Old Billy," a
horse that lived in the 19th century to the age of 62. In modern times, Sugar Puff, who had been listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's oldest then-living pony, died at age 56.