Human-Animal Bond: Lesson 4

What is the genus of horses?

Equus

What is the scientific name for the domestic horse?

Equus caballus

What is the scientific name for donkeys?

Equus asinus

From which extinct group of mammals did modern horses descend?

Eohippus

How tall is a horse measured?

In hands, where one hand equals four inches.

What is the withers in horses?

The ridge between the shoulder blades.

What are the size classifications for horses?

Miniature (under 8 hands), Pony (10-14 hands), Light (14-17 hands), Draft (17-19 hands).

What is a broodmare?

A pregnant female horse.

What is the gestation period for horses?

11-12 months.

What is the term for a newborn horse?

Foal.

What is the difference between a colt and a filly?

A colt is a male horse up to about 2 years old; a filly is a female horse up to about 2 years old.

What is a gelding?

A neutered male horse.

What is the term for a horse that is over 4 years old?

Aged or mature horse.

What is the term for the first heat after a mare gives birth?

Foal heat.

What is artificial insemination in horse breeding?

A method of breeding that involves the introduction of sperm into the mare's reproductive tract without natural mating.

What are the four main gaits of a horse?

Walk, trot, canter, and gallop.

What is the fastest gait of a horse?

Gallop.

What is the difference between hot-blooded and cold-blooded horses?

Hot-blooded horses (e.g., Arabians, Thoroughbreds) are high-strung with faster metabolism; cold-blooded horses (e.g., Clydesdales, Percherons) are calm with slower metabolism.

What is a Hanoverian horse classified as?

A warmblood horse, bred from hot and cold-blooded horses.

What is the primary function of the cecum in horses?

To absorb fluids and salts after intestinal digestion and to mix contents with mucus.

How much water does a 1000 lb horse need daily?

5 to 10 gallons.

What is the term for a horse's lateral two-beat gait?

Pace.

What is the term for a horse's 3-beat gait?

Canter.

What is the term for the slowest gait of a horse?

Walk.

What is the purpose of measuring horses in hands?

To provide a consistent method of measuring height for trading and selling.

What is the term for a horse that has not had a foal yet?

Maiden.

What is a mule?

The sterile offspring of a horse and a donkey.

What is a zorse?

The sterile offspring of a horse and a zebra.

What are the uses of horses?

Competition, pleasure riding, and work (especially draft horses).

What is dressage?

A formal equestrian event focusing on obedience and beauty of form.

What is the term for the condition where racehorses can lose significant amounts of sweat?

Dehydration.

What is 'tying up' in horses?

A muscle metabolism condition found in horses, often during or after exercise.

What type of diet do horses require for optimal digestion?

A high fiber diet consisting of grass and hay.

What problem can occur with water troughs in winter?

Water troughs may freeze over.

What are horse's teeth classified as?

Hypsodont, meaning they grow throughout life.

What is a wolf tooth?

A small sharp tooth that serves no real purpose and is usually removed.

What does 'floating teeth' refer to?

Filing off the points of a horse's teeth.

How many teeth does an adult horse typically have?

Between 36-44 teeth.

What is the Galvayne's groove?

A dark vertical groove that occurs on the outer surface of the upper corner incisor teeth in mature horses.

How should one approach a horse for restraint?

Approach slowly, usually from the left side.

What is the purpose of a twitch in equine care?

To distract the horse or trigger the release of endorphins for a calming effect.

What is the role of a farrier?

A specialist in equine hoof care, including trimming and balancing hooves.

When are horseshoes generally used?

When horses will be on hard surfaces, for work or racing, or have specific medical problems.

What are ectoparasites and endoparasites?

Parasites that can significantly affect equine health.

Name an important vaccine for horses.

Rabies.

What is colic in horses?

A term for abdominal pain, which can range from gas to intestinal torsion.

What are common signs of colic in horses?

Pawing, rolling, bloating, sweating, and distress.

What is laminitis?

Inflammation of the laminae that support the hoof wall, associated with lameness.

What is EIPH?

Exercise induced pulmonary hemorrhage, common in thoroughbred racehorses.

What does EAFPH stand for?

Exercise associated fatal pulmonary hemorrhage.

What is the difference between a shod horse and an unshod horse?

A shod horse wears shoes, while an unshod horse does not.

What is the purpose of regular physical exams for horses?

To ensure overall health and early detection of potential issues.

What is the role of vaccinations in equine health?

To prevent infectious diseases.

What is the significance of hoof care in horses?

Proper hoof health extends the life of a horse and helps prevent laminitis.

What is the treatment for colic?

Fluid supplementation, pain control, and correcting the blockage.

What is an uncastrated male horse over four years old called?

A stallion.

What is a horse between 1 and 2 years of age called?

A yearling.

What is a young horse that has been separated from its mother called?

A weanling.

What is the normal body temperature of a healthy adult horse?

99°F to 101.5°F (37.2°C to 38.6°C).

What is the normal resting heart rate of an adult horse?

28 to 44 beats per minute.

What is founder in horses?

A severe form of laminitis causing rotation of the coffin bone.

What bacterial pathogen causes strangles in horses?

Streptococcus equi.

What is recurrent airway obstruction (heaves) in horses?

An allergic respiratory disease causing labored breathing and coughing.

What is the normal resting respiration rate of an adult horse?

8 to 16 breaths per minute.

What test screens horses for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA)?

Coggins test.

What core equine vaccine protects against lockjaw?

Tetanus toxoid vaccine.

What is the joint in a horse's hind leg corresponding to the human knee?

Stifle.

What is the joint on the hind leg of a horse corresponding to the human ankle?

Hock.

What is a female donkey called?

Jenny (or Jennet).

What is an intact male donkey called?

Jack.

What are examples of hot-blooded horse breeds?

Arabian and Thoroughbred.

What are examples of cold-blooded horse breeds?

Clydesdale, Percheron, and Shire.

What are examples of warmblood horse breeds?

Hanoverian, Dutch Warmblood, and Holsteiner.

Which horse breed is not permitted to use artificial insemination (AI)?

Thoroughbreds.

What are shuttle stallions?

Breeding stallions transported between regions to mate naturally with hundreds of mares per season.

What is the largest producer of Thoroughbreds in Europe?

Ireland.

Where does Ireland rank globally in Thoroughbred production?

Third largest, behind the United States and Australia.

What is waxing in pregnant mares?

The appearance of a wax-like material on nipples prior to birth as colostrum flows.

How soon after giving birth can a mare return to heat?

7 to 12 days (foal heat).

When does the next heat cycle occur after foal heat?

21 days later.

Foal

A newborn horse up to January first.

Suckling

A young horse that is still nursing.

Weanling

A foal that has been weaned, typically between 3 and 6 months old.

Yearling

A horse that is one year old.

What is a colt?

A male horse up to about 2 years old.

What is a filly?

A female horse up to about 2 years old.

What is a stallion?

An intact male horse at two or three years old.

What is a mare?

A female horse at 2 or 3 years old.

When is a horse classified as aged or mature?

Over 4 years old for larger breeds or 5 years old for smaller breeds.

When are horses officially considered to become one year older?

January 1st.

Which industry originated the January 1st universal birthday for horses?

The racing industry.

Why did the racing industry establish January 1st as the universal horse birthday?

To easily divide horses into age groups for competition.

What are common physical dangers associated with horse racing?

Musculoskeletal fractures, joint injuries, EIPH (lung bleeding), overexertion, and fatal breakdowns.

What is show jumping?

An equestrian competition where horse and rider navigate a timed course of obstacles.

What is eventing (three-day eventing)?

A comprehensive competition combining dressage, cross-country, and show jumping.