BeskrivningHorses have oval-shaped hooves, long tails, short hair, long slender legs, muscular and deep torso build, long thick necks, and large elongated heads. The mane is a region of coarse hairs, which extends along the dorsal side of the neck in both domestic and wild species. The teeth are specialized for grazing, with cheekteeth that are complex and grow continually. Thick, winter coats start developing in September and October, are fully grown by December. Winter coats begin to shed in the spring and summer coats are more sleek and thin.
Domestication of horses has led to wide variation in the characteristics of breeds of horses. Coats vary in color, from white to black and including reds, browns, and yellows, as well as a wide variety of patterns, such as spots and pinto patterns. Size can vary depending on the breed, but can range from 227 to 900 kg in mass and 0.9 to 1.7 meters in height.
Other Physical Featuresendothermic homoiothermic bilateral symmetry
Sexual Dimorphismsexes alike
Range mass
227 to 900 kg
500.00 to 1982.38 lb
Range length
220 to 280 cm
86.61 to 110.24 in
Average basal metabolic rate
0.11 cm3.O2/g/hr
Where do they live?
The ancestors of horses were found from northernmost Africa, throughout mainland Europe, and east through Asia. In the Late Glacial period they were also found throughout North America, but they became extinct there between 8,000 and 10,000 years ago. Domestic horses are now found throughout much of the world in association with humans.
Biogeographic Regionsnearctic introduced native palearctic native oriental native ethiopian introduced neotropical introduced australian introduced oceanic islands introduced
Other Geographic Termsholarctic cosmopolitan
What kind of habitat do they need?
Horses are adaptable and occupy a wide variety of habitats under domestication. Preferred habitats are cool, temperate grasslands, steppes, and savannahs, but they also occupy semi-deserts, swamps, marshes, and woodlands. (Bennett and Hoffmann, 1999)
These animals are found in the following types of habitattemperate polar terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomestundra savanna or grassland forest
Wetlandsmarsh swamp
Other Habitat Featuresagricultural riparian
How do they reproduce?
Male horses herd females during the mating season and defend them against other males, who may be trying to mate with the females. Males fight with other males through kicking and biting. Status in the herd determines which animals have access to resources; alpha males dominate access to resources, followed by females and their young, and then juveniles and females without young.
Mating Systempolygynous