According to archaeological discoveries, humans began domesticating horses approximately 6000 years ago.
Since then, horses have been an indispensable part of human life, used for various purposes such as war, hunting, racing, and agriculture.
During this period, horses have undergone differentiation, forming hundreds of different body types and temperaments.
All existing horses originate from the Old World.
The ancestors of horses appeared as early as the Eocene 50 million years ago, even though they were only the size of goats at that time.
About 5 million years ago, horses had a similar appearance to today.
15000 years ago, horses were distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere, but by 11000 years ago, they had disappeared from the Americas.
Scientists believe that this may be due to their extinction after humans arrived in the Americas, or because approximately 125 million years ago, the grassland ecosystem in the Americas was replaced by shrub tundra, leading to the disappearance of horses.
2. Horses can only breathe through their noses, not through their mouths.
They have a structure called the soft palate in their oral cavity that completely separates the respiratory tract from the oral cavity.
The nostrils are directly connected to the throat and air is transported to the lungs through a trachea approximately 80 centimeters long, which means the horse can only breathe through the nostrils.
3. Horses have better hearing than humans.
As herbivores, horses must remain vigilant to prevent predator attacks.
They have 10 muscles to control their ears, helping them rotate them nearly 180 degrees to determine the source of sound.
Horses can capture a wider range of sound frequencies, while humans can only hear a narrower range.
4. The horse has a blind spot.
Their eyes are large, with almost a 360 degree field of view, allowing for early detection of potential threats.
However, they cannot see things directly in front and behind, so they need to use their lips, beard, and sense of smell to locate when eating grass.
5. Horses have a high respiratory rate.
They have a large lung capacity and a static breathing rate of about 8 to 14 times per minute, inhaling about 5 liters of air each time.
During short distance running, horses will choose to hold their breath, while during long distance running, there will be more oxygen exchange.
The world's longest recorded horse tail was in 2007, with a mare named JJS Summer Breeze having a tail length of 381 centimeters.
7. The brain function of horses is similar to that of humans, divided into left and right hemispheres. They can think, make decisions, and remember, as well as express emotions and empathy.
Horses secrete approximately 30 to 40 liters of saliva per day, mainly used to lubricate the esophagus and buffer the acidity of the stomach.
9. Cold blooded horses, warm blooded horses, and hot blooded horses are distinguished based on their temperament and physiological characteristics, not on their body temperature. They are suitable for different types of activities.
Before the Second Industrial Revolution, the global number of horses gradually increased, but still remains around 60 million in modern times.
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