Home horses: care and maintenance

For many centuries a man walks along side by side with a horse. It is not only a reliable assistant in the household, but also an incredibly loyal friend and companion. Few people do not like horses. It is difficult to remain indifferent to their deep and expressive, almost human eyes.

The evolution of the horse

Home horses and their wild counterparts have a common ancestor. They are considered an animal eogippus, extinct many millions of years ago. He was growing up with a small dog, had a long tail. The front paws had four fingers, the rear paws had three fingers. Scientists call the prehistoric areal of eogippus the American continent.

The descendants of eogippus appeared in the Oligocene, an anthuria. According to the external appearance of these creatures, it was possible to judge the beginning of physiological changes in the structure. Lengthened paws, straightened his back, his body increased in size. Three-fingered, as the fourth finger on the front legs disappeared. The leg becomes adapted to fast running and strong jumps.

The next stage in the evolution is the Hipparion, whose range has expanded significantly due to the migration of animals to Europe and Asia. Outwardly, the hipparion was like a modern gazelle. To replace it about 4.8-5 million years ago came pliogippusy (single-fingered horses). Hypparyons in this period still did not completely die out, and for a while these two species lived in the neighborhood with each other.

Climate change has caused a change in savannahs covered with succulent grasses on stony steppes. Pliogippus was more adapted to life in the updated conditions. These animals spread to the western and eastern hemispheres. Many new species originated from the ancestor of the pliogippus: zebras, tarpans, kulans, donkeys and modern domestic horses.

Breeds of modern horses

Since the man domesticated the horse, he had to work for more than one century to combine her external and physiological qualities into separate breeds.

Today, domestic horses are divided into three main groups: horse, heavy and ponies.

The top rocks include the following: the Russian horse, Holstein, thoroughbred horse, Hessian, Bavarian warm-blooded, Hanoverian, Akhalteke, Arab and American riding.

The most famous breeds of heavyweights:

• Vladimirsky;
• Soviet;
• Russian;
• Persheron;
• Australian;
• The Rhine;
• South-German heavy-duty;
• The Dutch;
• Shayr (the largest heavyweights in the world).

Pony - also horses!

Ponies are undersized horses for riding, their growth does not exceed 150 cm, but despite the small growth, these animals are very strong and enduring. In fact, it is the same domestic horse, the description of its appearance is identical with the description of a large fellow. There are as many pony breeds as riding and heavy-horse horses. Known are such breeds as the American riding pony, Australian pony, American miniature horse, Barman pony, Bosnian mountain pony and many others.

Maintenance of a domestic horse

The maintenance of horses at home is not an easy task. This animal requires not only great attention and care, but also special conditions, in order to maintain health and efficiency.

The breeder of a domestic horse should know that the animal should have its own "home" - a stable executed according to special rules. First and foremost, a high ceiling is required - not less than 3 meters. The walls can be wooden or brick. The main thing is to avoid dampness and drafts. From excessive moisture, horses start to rot hooves. The stables must be cleaned daily, the feeding troughs and containers for drinking must also be kept clean.

Horses in the household are used, including, as labor. In addition, they are excellent friends and helpers in the fight against depression. You can ride a horse as long as you like. Easy physical exercise is only good for her.

In order for the horse to feel good, she does not have to live in the stall. These animals are by nature - wild nomads, their element - fields, steppes, open spaces. A house horse can live well and on a pasture.

Proper feeding

In quality nutrition, any pets are needed. A horse is no exception. The volume and nature of the feed depends on the age, breed, weight and physical exertion of the horse. Ideally, for each horse, the diet is developed individually.

Feeding should be regular and ensure the animal's body with all the substances necessary for normal activity and vital activity.

Before feeding and after, home horses should rest for an hour or a half, like many other pets. The horse should also drink at least three times a day, her daily need for water is about 46 liters. In hot summer days, water should be given more - up to 70 liters, as the horse sweats and loses a lot of liquid.

When choosing a feed, the owner needs to know that his pet is very selective in food. The horse is demanding about the quality and cleanliness of the feed. In other words, there is something horrible it will not.

Traditional horse food is straw, hay, oats. To it you can add silage, root crops, herbal briquettes, wheat, rye, oil cakes and meals, feed molasses, combined feeds, various vitamin supplements.

Salt and chalk - an integral part of the horse menu

In the diet of any horse must be present salt. The need of an adult in this product is 30-60 g per day, the young need less salt - up to 30 g.

Chalk serves as a source of calcium. It is ground and washed with contaminants. To give chalk mixed with any concentrated food. Daily horses need to eat 50-70 grams of chalk to maintain a normal level of calcium.