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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. 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. For centuries
horses have been one of the most economically important domesticated animals, especially relied upon for farmwork and for transportation. Their importance declined following the introduction of mechanization. The history of the
horse is prominent in religion, mythology, art, transportation, agriculture, and warfare. 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. Filly: a female
horse under the age of four.
It is thought that the largest
horse in (recorded) history was a Shire
horse named Sampson, who lived during the late 1800s. He stood 21.2½ hands high and his peak weight was estimated at . The current record holder for the world's smallest
horse is Thumbelina, a fully mature miniature
horse affected by dwarfism. She is tall and weighs .
Sports such as polo and
horseball do not judge the
horse itself, but rather use the
horse as a partner for human competitors as a necessary part of the game. Although the
horse assists this process and requires specialized training to do so, the details of its performance are not judged, only the result of the rider's actions -- be it getting a ball through a goal or some other achievement. Examples of these sports of partnership between human and animal also include jousting (reenacting the skills used by medieval knights), where the main goal is for one rider to dismount the other, and buzkashi, a team game played throughout Central Asia, the aim being to capture a goat carcass while on
horseback.
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
horse (Equus caballus) is a large odd-toed ungulate mammal, one of ten living species of the family Equidae.
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. Sports such as polo and
horseball do not judge the
horse itself, but rather use the
horse as a partner for human competitors as a necessary part of the game. Although the
horse assists this process and requires specialized training to do so, the details of its performance are not judged, only the result of the rider's actions -- be it getting a ball through a goal or some other achievement. Examples of these sports of partnership between human and animal also include jousting (reenacting the skills used by medieval knights), where the main goal is for one rider to dismount the other, and buzkashi, a team game played throughout Central Asia, the aim being to capture a goat carcass while on
horseback.