CHAP 21 Horses

These flashcards cover key concepts, statistics, and terms related to the horse industry based on the provided lecture notes.

What are the primary uses of horses in the developed world in the 20th century?

Horses are primarily used for recreation, competition, and companionship.

What was the estimated number of horses in the U.S. by 1960?

There were approximately 3 million horses in the United States by 1960.

What is the economic impact of the U.S. horse industry according to the 2005 study?

The horse industry has a direct economic impact of $29 billion on the U.S. economy.

What are the main categories of horse ownership and activity?

The main categories are racing, showing, recreation, and other activities such as rodeo and polo.

What is the significance of the term 'seasonally polyestrous' in horse reproduction?

It refers to mares that have repeated estrous cycles only in response to seasonal changes, typically influenced by the photoperiod.

What is the estrous cycle duration in horses?

The estrous cycle lasts about 18-20 days.

Define 'colic' in the context of horse health.

Colic is a broad term that describes digestive disturbances in horses.

What unique role do horses play compared to other livestock species?

Horses are not primarily kept for food or fiber but are valued for recreation and companionship.

What is the main trend affecting new horse owners, particularly baby boomers?

There is a trend among baby boomers to own horses as adults to compensate for missed opportunities in childhood.

What is the role of 'artificial insemination' in horse breeding?

Artificial insemination allows for wider distribution of genetics and can improve breeding practices by ensuring better management of stallions.

Explain the term 'hybrid industry' as it pertains to horses.

The horse industry is considered a hybrid because it encompasses aspects of agriculture, sports, recreation, and entertainment.

Why are horse industry statistics challenging to gather compared to other animal industries?

Statistics are difficult to compile because horses are not primarily commodity animals (meat, fiber), and their diverse uses, from recreation to sport, make standardized data collection complex.

What is the general magnitude of the U.S. horse industry?

The U.S. horse industry represents a significant economic sector, with a direct impact of approximately $29 billion in 2005, supporting various segments like racing, showing, and recreation.

How is the horse industry characterized as a "hybrid" industry?

The horse industry is a "hybrid" because it uniquely blends elements of agriculture (breeding, husbandry), sports (competition), recreation (leisure riding), and entertainment (rodeos, performances).

How does the structure of the horse industry differ from other animal agriculture industries?

Unlike commodity-focused animal industries, the horse industry is highly fragmented, driven by diverse non-production interests, and lacks a uniform production chain, making its structure less centralized and more varied.

In what key way is the horse industry distinguished from other animal industries?

The horse industry is unique in that horses are primarily valued for non-production roles such as recreation, competition, and companionship, rather than for food or fiber, setting it apart from traditional livestock sectors.

What factors contribute to the difficulty in accurately determining the total horse population in the United States?

Accurately counting U.S. horses is challenging due to the lack of a centralized registration system, their diverse and often private uses, and limited mandatory reporting compared to commodity livestock.

Provide a brief overview of the history of horses in North America.

Horses, originally native, became extinct in North America and were reintroduced by Spanish explorers, later becoming vital for transportation, agriculture, and military, profoundly influencing the continent's development.

Identify the main participant groups involved in the horse industry.

Key participant groups include horse owners, breeders, trainers, riders, veterinarians, farriers, feed and equipment suppliers, as well as organizers and attendees of various equestrian events.

Describe the diverse economic contributions of the horse industry to the U.S. economy.

The horse industry contributes through direct spending on horse care, breeding, and events, indirect spending on supporting services, job creation across multiple sectors, and promoting land preservation for equestrian activities.

Name some quantitative traits in horses and comment on the expected success of selection programs for them.

Quantitative traits like height, weight, speed, and endurance are controlled by multiple genes. Selection programs for these traits are generally successful, showing heritable improvements over generations with consistent breeding strategies.

Provide a genetic formula for a common horse coat color (e.g., Chestnut).

The genetic formula for a Chestnut horse is ext{ee}, indicating homozygous recessive alleles at the extension locus, which results in the expression of only red pigment.

Why is the diversity of horse breeds important within the industry?

The wide diversity of horse breeds is important because different breeds are specialized for various purposes such as racing, riding, draft work, or showing, allowing owners to select horses best suited for specific activities.