EQUI 3644Horse ScienceCHAPTER 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

White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) © KHW

© 2008 Paul Billiet ODWS

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

Equus

© 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

EquusMerychippus

20Ma© 2008 Paul Billiet ODWS

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

Hyracotherium

(aka Eohippus)

Orohippus

© 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:

Phylum:

Class:

Order:

Family:

Genus:

Species:

Genus: equus

Species:

True donkeys and asses of Northern Africa

Plains zebra of Africa

The true horse

Grevy’s zebra, most horse-like zebra.

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………………