Horses and humans have been partners for 4,000 years or more
By Kim Campbell Thornton
Andrews McMeel Syndication
I was a horse-crazy little girl, and my love for equines has never diminished. Members of the horse family (Equidae) range from the horses I grew up with, quarter horses -- so named for their speed in races of one-quarter mile or less -- to fleet thoroughbreds, powerful Percherons and stocky ponies and miniature horses.
All domestic horses belong to the same species: Equus caballus. Other members of the genus Equus are donkeys (Equus asinus), the Asiatic ass (Equus hemionus), the kiang (Equus kiang) and the zebra (Equus grevyi, Equus zebra and Equus burchelli). Mules are a domestic equine hybrid creating by breeding a male donkey and a female horse. True wild horses, from Asia, are often considered a separate species (Equus przewalskii). Let’s take a look at some of the interesting facts and characteristics that make horses so special and loved around the world.
-- All thoroughbred horses trace their origins to three stallions imported from the Middle East to England in the 17th and 18th centuries: the Darley Arabian, the Byerley Turk and the Godolphin Arabian. Bred to English mares, they produced horses with speed and stamina and changed the face of horse racing.
Modern thoroughbreds have branched out to show jumping, dressage, polo and other equine sports, and they contributed to the development of quarter horses, standardbreds and warmbloods, to name just a few.
-- Hanoverians, a warmblood breed developed in Germany, originated as cavalry horses and are now famed for their athleticism. They’re often seen competing in the Olympic disciplines of dressage, eventing and show jumping. Riders on Hanoverians have taken the gold in all three Olympic equestrian competitions.
-- Raise your hand if your favorite childhood horse book was “Misty of Chincoteague” by Marguerite Henry. Chincoteague ponies, which became an official breed in 1994, are thought to descend from horses that escaped from a shipwrecked Spanish galleon off the Maryland or Virginia coasts in the 16th century, a belief back by science (journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0270600). The “pony penning” event made famous by Henry’s story still occurs on Assateague and Chincoteague Islands every July. Find out more here: chincoteague.com/pony_swim_guide.html.
-- Draft horses, typically thought of as pulling plows on farms, are large and muscular. Modern draft horses have moved beyond the farm and can be found competing in draft horse shows and driving and pulling competitions, participating in parades and working for logging operations in areas where motorized vehicles can’t operate. They’ve also contributed to the development of various warmblood breeds. Draft horse breeds include Clydesdale, Percheron, Friesian, Haflinger, shire, Suffolk punch and many more.
-- Throughout the world there are approximately 189 breeds of donkey. Donkeys are domesticated equines and descend from African wild asses (Equus africanus). In most countries, donkeys are working animals, used to carry burdens or pull carts, but on farms and ranches, they are becoming favored as livestock guardians, thanks to their territorial nature and powerful kick. Donkeys kept as companions are known for being smart, friendly and playful. The Spanish and Portuguese word “burro” can refer to small donkeys or to feral donkeys found west of the Rocky Mountains. Donkeys can breed with zebras, and their offspring are known as zonkeys.
-- For a horse lover, few things are as special as seeing horses in the wild. I’ve been privileged to see wild Przewalski’s horses -- also known as takhi -- in Mongolia and domestic horses living wild in Arizona. Rare and endangered, takhi have distinguishing characteristics that include dun (light-colored) coats with dark manes, tails and legs, and primitive markings -- most commonly a dorsal stripe and sometimes horizontal stripes on legs, transverse shoulder stripes (also seen on donkeys), face masks and lighter hairs, called “frosting,” on dark manes and tails. The mustangs in Arizona likely descend from Spanish horses brought to the West in the 16th century. They live in protected areas and can be seen on horseback rides or along the Salt River from kayaks, paddleboards or tubes.
Q&A
Take pounds
off your pet
Q: My vet says my dog needs to lose a couple of pounds. Is it really that important?
A: Obesity in pets causes a lot of the same problems it does in people. Overweight pets are prone to diabetes; joint, ligament and tendon difficulties; and breathing and heart challenges. Overweight cats can develop skin problems from not being able to groom themselves properly. The effect on comfort and longevity can be dire.
Some padding is normal for healthy pets, but a little is plenty. Run your hands over the ribs of your dog or cat. The skin should move easily back and forth, and you should be able to feel the ribs. Your pet should have a definable "waist" at the bottom of the rib cage. Take a look from the side: If pets look pregnant, they’re fat. In birds, look for a thicker breast or rolls of fat.
Crash diets aren't good for pets, especially not for fat cats, who can develop a fatal liver problem if forced to reduce too quickly. Pets don't get fat overnight, and they shouldn't be forced to lose weight any more rapidly. Instead, change their eating and exercise habits gradually.
Check with your veterinarian to make sure your pet doesn't have any health problems that might make lifestyle changes difficult or dangerous. Your vet can also suggest a food plan that may help.
Carve out some time in your schedule to walk your dog or play with your cat -- three times a week, at least. Be sure to work in some aerobic exercise: anything that gets a cat or dog really moving. Dividing the daily food ration into small portions and making pets work to find them, or putting food in puzzles that require work to get at, will also help. -- Dr. Marty Becker
Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.
THE BUZZ
Tip to soothe
teething puppy
-- Dog lover and clinical pet nutritionist Johnna Devereaux, chief nutrition officer for pet treat manufacturer Bow Wow Labs, offers this tip for soothing the painful gums of teething puppies. Cut an organic apple in half, remove the stem and seeds, slice the rest of the apple into thin pieces, and store them in a container in the freezer. When your puppy chews on something they shouldn’t or cries or whines from pain, give a slice of frozen apple. The chilled slice will help to numb the gums and soothe the pain, and the skin is full of beneficial phytonutrients.
-- When it comes to boats, cats bring good luck, according to an article from Cape Cod’s Kingman Yacht Center. Ship cats were important to sailors of yore because they hunted rats, which ate food stores and gnawed lines. Cats were also thought to be able to predict the weather; for instance, a sneeze meant that rain was on the way, and frisky behavior signified that the wind would be increasing. Sailors also believed that cats could start storms with magic stored in their tails, so they were careful to keep their cats comfortable and well-fed. And, of course, cats are great companions on sea and on land.
-- Female zebra finches seek the male who sings most beautifully, reports Maggie Penman in an article for the Washington Post. “Scientists believe that most male songbirds evolved to sing a variety of songs to demonstrate their fitness. Under that theory, the fittest songbirds will have more time and energy to work on their vocal stylings -- and attract females with their varied vocal repertoire,” Penman writes. A study (tinyurl.com/3yunksn8) published last month in the journal Nature analyzed the complexity of a single zebra finch song to determine which variations might be most attractive to females. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker
ABOUT PET CONNECTION
Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts. Veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker is founder of the Fear Free organization, co-founder of VetScoop.com and author of many best-selling pet care books. Kim Campbell Thornton is an award-winning journalist and author who has been writing about animals since 1985. Mikkel Becker is a behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/Kim.CampbellThornton and on Bluesky at kimthornton.bsky.social. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.