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The most widely known use of
horses for sport is
horse racing, seen in almost every nation in the world. There are three types: "flat" racing; steeplechasing, i.e. racing over jumps; and harness racing, where
horses trot or pace while pulling a driver in a small, light cart known as a sulky. Most race
horses in the developed world are Thoroughbreds, a breed which can reach speeds up to . In the case of a specialized sprinting breed, the American Quarter
horse, speeds over have been clocked. In harness racing, performed by Standardbred
horses, speeds over have been measured. A major part of the economic importance of
horse racing, as for many sports, lies in the gambling associated with it. Colt: a male
horse under the age of four. A common terminology error is to call any young
horse a colt, when the term actually only refers to young male
horses.
horses are trained to be ridden or driven in many different sporting events and competitions. Examples include
horse shows, gymkhana and O-Mok-See, rodeos, endurance riding, fox hunting, and Olympic-level events such as three-day eventing, combined driving, dressage, and show jumping. Although scoring varies by event, most emphasize the
horse's speed, maneuverability, obedience and/or precision. Sometimes the equitation, the style and ability of the rider, is also considered. The size of
horses varies by breed, but can also be influenced by nutrition. The general rule for cutoff in height between what is considered a
horse and a pony at maturity is 14.2 hands as measured at the withers. An animal 14.2h or over is usually considered a
horse and one less than 14.2h is a pony. However, there are exceptions to the general rule. Some smaller
horse breeds who typically produce individual
horses both under and over 14.2h are considered "
horses" regardless of height. Likewise, some pony breeds, such as the Welsh pony, share some features of
horses and individual animals may occasionally mature at over 14.2h, but are still considered ponies.
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 most widely known use of
horses for sport is
horse racing, seen in almost every nation in the world. There are three types: "flat" racing; steeplechasing, i.e. racing over jumps; and harness racing, where
horses trot or pace while pulling a driver in a small, light cart known as a sulky. Most race
horses in the developed world are Thoroughbreds, a breed which can reach speeds up to . In the case of a specialized sprinting breed, the American Quarter
horse, speeds over have been clocked. In harness racing, performed by Standardbred
horses, speeds over have been measured. A major part of the economic importance of
horse racing, as for many sports, lies in the gambling associated with it. People of all ages with physical and mental disabilities obtain beneficial results from association with
horses. Therapeutic riding is used to mentally and physically stimulate disabled persons and help them improve their lives through improved balance and coordination, increased self-confidence and a greater feeling of freedome and independence. The benefits of equestrian activity for people with disabilities has also been recognized with the addition of equestrian events to the Paralympic Games and recognition of para-equestrian events by the FEI. Hippotherapy and therapeutic
horseback riding are names for different physical, occupational, and speech therapy treatment strategies that utilize equine movement. In hippotherapy, a therapist uses the
horse's movement to provide improve their patient's cognitive, coordination, balance and fine motor skills, whereas therapeutic
horseback riding uses specific riding skills. Yearling: a
horse of either sex that is between one and two years old.
horses also provide psychological benefits to people whether they actually ride or not. "Equine-assisted" or "equine-facilitated" psychotherapy is a form of experiential psychotherapy that uses
horses as companion animals to assist people with psychological problems, including anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders, mood disorders, behavioral difficulties, mental illness and those who are going through major life changes. Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) (also known as equine guided education or equine assisted professional development) is field of experiential learning for corporate, professional and personal development. There are also experimental programs using
horses in prison settings. Exposure to
horses appears to improve the behavior of inmates in a prison setting and help reduce recidivism when they leave. During Roman times the Gauls and other Europeans used
horses of the heavy, northern type for pulling loads and other work. In the Middle Ages huge draft animals, over 16 hands (64 in./160 cm) high, were bred to carry armored knights as well as their own armor. As cavalry warfare declined, such medieval inventions as the
horseshoe and the rigid
horse-collar (see harness) made draft
horses more useful for work. By the 19th cent. the draft
horse had replaced the ox in N Europe and North America. Draft breeds common in the United States were the Belgian, the Clydesdale, the Percheron; and the Shire, also the most common draft
horse in England.
horses and humans have lived and worked together for thousands of years and an extensive specialized vocabulary has arisen to describe virtually every
horse behavioral and anatomical characteristic with a high degree of precision.