1. Introduction to Equine Science
AKA- Horses

2. Horse facts
Horses are ungulates — mammals with hooves. They also have long tails, short hair, muscular torsos, long thick necks and elongated heads. Due to domestication, they are found all over the world.
Horses are herbivores. This means they only eat vegetation.

3. Horse facts continued
There are more than 400 different breeds of horses. Horses can be as big as 69 inches from hoof to shoulder and weigh as much as 2,200 lbs. Tiny horses exist, too. The smallest breeds of horses can be as small as 30 inches from hoof to shoulder and weigh only 120 lbs

4. Horse facts continued:
Horses only have one stomach, unlike cows, and it is small. So to get enough food, a horse must graze throughout the day.
Horses have live births after around 11 months of gestation.

5. Adult Horse terminology
MARE - Adult female horse (3 years and older).
GELDING - Castrated adult male horse (3 years and older).
STALLION - Uncastrated adult male horse (3 years and older).
PONY - A full-grown small horse (14.2 hands and under).

6. Horse movement
Horses have four speeds called gaits. They walk (slow speed), trot (a little faster than walking), canter (faster than a trot) and gallop (a horse's fastest gait).

7. Young Horse terminology
FOAL - A newborn baby horse (before weaning).
WEANLING - A colt or filly who is 6 to 12 months old.
YEARLING - A horse who is between 1 and 2 years old.
COLT - Male horse (3 years old and under).
FILLY - Female horse (3 years old and under).

8. II. General horse use in U.S.
75% are owned for personal pleasure
25% are for working such as ranching, racing, breeding, and commercial riding

9. III. Three main types of horse enterprises
Breeding- breed mares and sell offspring
Training- Train horses for show, competition, or racing
Boarding stables- Facilities for keeping horses (feed and care)

10. V. Benefits of horses Contribute to economic growth
Provide people with physical exercise
Provide a release of tensions
Responsibility
Family activities (shows, pleasure)
Competition (rodeos, racing, etc.)
Work (ranch, farm, hunting, etc.)
Fun/pleasure

11. VI. Classification by height
A hand is 4 inches
Measured from ground to top of withers
14 hands = 56 inches
14-2 hands = 58 inches
Ponies are anything under 14-2 hands
Horses are anything at or over 14-2 hands

12. VII. General uses of a horse
pleasure
breeding
working stock
show
sport

13. VIII. Purchasing a horse
Breeders
most reliable
more expensive
certified quality
Private owners
good or bad, depending on the reason they are selling the horse
chance to get to know horse and owner
their guarantee may only be as good as their word

14. Auctions Less reliable Hard to know soundness Who knows why it’s there
Private horse sales a little more reliable

16. XII. Breed Pick a breed that will satisfy your needs
Quarterhorses- rodeo, stock, racing
Thoroughbred- racing
Arabians- endurance
Paints- color, show

17. Roping, farm work, riding
Quarter Horse
$1000-$4000 each
Roping, farm work, riding

18. $1,000 to millions of dollars
Thoroughbred Horse
$1,000 to millions of dollars
Racehorses

19. Used as beasts-of-burden, used in wars
Arabian Horse
$5000 to $30,000
Used as beasts-of-burden, used in wars

20. Painted Horse Average cost is between $1,000 to $5,000
Used by ropers, circus, shows

21. Another type of painted Horse…

23. Facts about Horses - Horses can sleep laying down or standing up.
Horses have been domesticated for about 5000 years
Horses can run (gallop) about 27 miles per hour
Horses can run shortly after birth
Domesticated Horses can live around 27 years

24. Did you know that horses wear shoes????

25. What’s the reason they wear horseshoes?
The metal horseshoes are there to protect the horse's hooves. Horseshoes are curved pieces of metal that cover the bottom of a horse's hoof. These nails do not hurt the horse.