Horse mane: why is it needed and how to care for it

A horse's mane is a long layer of hair on the animal's neck and back that performs important functions. To prevent it from getting tangled and thinning, the horse owner needs to properly care for the pet: regularly wash the horse’s hair using professional detergents, comb it, and trim it. There are several ways to weave a mane, each of which requires extreme care and special skills.


Horse with a long white mane


Horse with a short mane


Red mane


Long dark mane of a mare


Short red mane


Gray mane of a horse


Beautiful black mane of a black horse


White horse


Young mare with white mane


Young mare with white mane

Yakutskaya

Of course, even now, in some hard-to-reach places, horses continue to be used as riding or draft power.

But all horse breeds in modern times have a different mission - so that people can admire their unique beauty and watch with delight their graceful gait.

Now the number of horse breeds bred around the world has already exceeded a thousand, and each of them has its own differences. All of them are classified into one of the existing four types of breeds. According to the classification, horses are divided into riding horses, light draft horses, heavy draft horses and pack horses.

The appearance of this native breed was influenced by folk selection coupled with natural selection.

The breed is characterized by high frost resistance. It is for this very reason that Yakut horses are most common in this harsh region.

The horse has a fur length of eight to fifteen centimeters, and thanks to its thick undercoat it does not freeze and can even get grass covered with snow for food - it does this with the help of its hooves.

Yakutia is a very cold region in the autumn-winter season, when air temperatures can reach -50°C.

In the summer, the thermometer there often rises to above 30°C. But, despite such a variation in the temperature range, this breed of horse does not need shelter: they exist perfectly in the open air all year round.

A person doesn’t even have to give them food - they are quite capable of feeding themselves. Yakut horses can be called long-lived, since at the age of five they become adults, and perform their functions on average until twenty-five years.

These small horses (their height is about 150 cm), similar in appearance to ponies, are very hardy and smart.

Hairstyles

You need to prepare in advance:

  • a small sponge made of natural material;
  • a small iron or plastic comb;
  • a lot of threads cut from yarn, the length of which is at least 40 centimeters;
  • Crochet hook;
  • two scissors;
  • a bucket of water.

Horse breeders advise periodically trimming the mane, regardless of what color it is - it can be a horse with a black mane or with a different shade of strands. The point of these actions is to control the size of the horse's hair by removing too long hair. Everything is done in stages:

  1. About 0.5 cm of the mane is pulled out at a time.
  2. The longer hair is held with your hand, and the short hair is selected with a comb and thrown back to the other side of the mane.
  3. Long hair is twisted around an iron comb and pulled out.

The animal's reaction to such a process is purely individual. Some horses don't like having their manes pulled, while others are completely indifferent. Therefore, if his owner is carrying out such actions for the first time, then it is better for him to enlist the help of a more experienced person who will monitor the correctness of the process and observe the reaction of the horse itself.

After pulling the horse's mane looks neater. In addition, this will facilitate the process of braiding braids and creating any other hairstyle. Thinned strands will look impressive on a horse's hair. This effect cannot be achieved with just one haircut, so pulling it out is indispensable.

In order to easily and simply pull the mane, it is better to carry out the whole process after the horse has worked, when the skin has warmed up and its pores are as open as possible. A small strand is grabbed by the tip, and the rest of the hair is combed to the sides with a comb. The hair that remains in your hand should be wrapped around a comb and pulled out with a sharp downward movement. If the strand cannot be removed, then it is done less frequently. And in this way all the hair is processed, adhering to the direction from the ears to the withers.

Percheron

Strong and hardy Percherons are of French origin, and in those places they are most often found today.

These lush, athletically built handsome heavy-lifters with strong limbs and a massive muscular body can handle any physical activity.

They are very tall - they grow to almost 180 cm in height, and are quite heavy (their weight is about 800 kg). The coat color is grey, most often dapple, sometimes black.

But their remarkable strength and athletic form do not at all make the Percherons clumsy or excessively bulky - this became possible thanks to the Arabian horses that were used to breed the Percheron breed.

That is why, even with all their rather considerable dimensions, these heavy trucks are more reminiscent of racing horse breeds due to their easy, graceful gait and extreme agility.

What does it eat?


The main diet of a horse is grass.
Horses are herbivores. The basis of their diet is food of plant origin (grass, fruits, vegetables, leaves, roots, grains). They love to eat young stems, tree bark, seeds and nuts.

The feed for domestic horses must include: oats, corn, beets, carrots and apples. In the summer, horses graze on pastures, eating fresh grass and leaves, they receive the micro and macroelements necessary for full growth and development. With the onset of cold weather, hay replaces fresh vegetation.

Oryol trotters

Oryol trotters are distinguished by an ideal graceful gait, well-developed limbs and a long, elongated back. The height of the Orlovets is 175 cm.

The most common colors are grey, bay and black, and occasionally piebald. The fur of trotters is soft and thick, plush to the touch.

The breed standard is taken into account with a broad-browed head with an Arabian profile, expressive eyes and small, neat ears.

The neck of these beautifully built, somewhat temperamental, good-natured and friendly horses is crowned with a lush, amazingly beautiful mane, which you just want to touch with your hand.

There are no more horses similar to these types of horses - they are unique. Those who love to ride horses would consider it a pleasure to ride an Orlovets, and athletes most often choose representatives of this particular breed.

How to care

Hair needs to be taken care of regularly, primarily for reasons of hygiene.


Under dirty and unkempt hair, an ideal environment is created for fungal microorganisms.

For cleaning you will need:

  • a wooden comb without sharp teeth so as not to injure the skin;
  • natural bristle brush;
  • microfiber cloth.


The procedure is carried out every day in stages:

  1. Starting from the ends, towards the roots of the hair, they are examined with their hands, straightening out any clumps. Remove debris: branches, straws.
  2. Manually carefully, dividing into curls, each is processed with a comb.
  3. As soon as the comb no longer encounters resistance, the strands begin to be combed out with a bristle brush.
  4. The final step is to wipe the skin under the mane with a slightly damp microfiber.

Following generally accepted rules, workhorses have their hair washed twice a month, and racing horses - once a month and always before tournaments or competitions. Veterinarians' recommendations: wash when soiled.

In winter, full washing is not recommended, as this can lead to a cold. Can be wiped with a damp cloth with added conditioner.

Frisian

Friesians cannot boast of their height (it varies from 160 to 170 cm), but they have incredibly luxurious manes, bushy tails and long brush-like hair on muscular legs.

These brushes cascade from the very hocks down to the very hooves - this is called freezing.

Nowadays all Friesians are black, but at the beginning of the 20th century many of them were bay, and in the Middle Ages they were also forelock.

In addition to their unusual beauty, these horses have a sociable and friendly character, and that is why they are often made into circus and film actors, harnessed to holiday carriages, and attracted to photo shoots.

Sports competitions also rarely take place without the participation of Frisians.

The horse with the most beautiful mane in the world

All horses boast exceptional characteristics. But among them there is a king who has no equal. This is not just a horse with a beautiful mane. In the photo, the best representative of his species is Frederick the Great.

This handsome man has earned his popularity with his luxurious hair, which has no equal in the whole world. But we must pay tribute, other indicators are also at an excellent level: a large body of impressive size with well-developed muscles, shiny thick coat, black as coal, and excellent health with endurance, which the best draft animals can envy.

Pinto

It is unlikely that Pinto horses can rightfully be called a separate breed, since this name only denotes their specific color.

But Americans are unlikely to agree with this statement, since they treat these cute spotted horses with great trepidation. Their name comes from the Spanish word "pitando", i.e. "colored".

Some scientists are confident that the Pinto's homeland is the Middle East, since these spotted individuals are preserved in drawings that date back to the second millennium BC.

When horses were brought to America, the indigenous people immediately fell in love with them because of their “camouflage” coloring.

When the horse appeared


Drawing of Eohippus, the animal from which horses descended.
Based on long research and study of partial organic remains, scientists have come to the conclusion that the ancestors of horses have existed on Earth since the Eocene era. They lived in the tropics of North America and the forests where modern Western Europe is located.

The horse that lived 60 million years ago bears little resemblance to the stately and tall horse of today. The forest creature was no larger than an ordinary dog, had a curved back, and a very small head on a short neck. The remains were discovered in the middle of the 19th century, they were named Eohippus (the first horse). The animal's diet consisted of leaves and soft fruits.

During the Eocene and Oligocene periods, the animal increased its population and inhabited parts of America and Eurasia. The Miocene era brought with it changes in climate and, accordingly, in the structure of the ancient ancestors of the horse. The animal's height increased to 120 cm, its jaws became more powerful, and its head elongated.

About 4-4.5 million years ago, the species Equus appears, considered the ancestor of all species of donkeys, zebras and horses.

Kazakh

Kazakhstan is a unique territory, and the indigenous people differ from us Russians in their mentality. For example, they believe that man’s most important and loyal friends are horses, and not dogs at all.

In Kazakhstan, even now, as in previous centuries, riders are often encountered - and from the outside it seems that man and horse form an eternally fused tandem in these picturesque places.

For the most part, they breed local breeds of steppe horses (adaev and jabe), but they are both called Kazakh.

Kazakh steppe horses are usually kept in a herd, and the herd is grazed year-round - so there is no need to feed them specially, they are able to find grass for themselves under the snow.

When developing the modern breed of Kazakh horses, the blood of Arabian, English, and Don horses was added.

Adays are used as fast-footed racehorses (here the English breed is very influenced).

Their height is up to 145 cm, they have a lively temperament, a light constitution, and their color is bay, white or golden. Horseback riding and racing, easy movement under the saddle, obedience during training - all this is characteristic of the Adaev.

Jabe was a name given to hardy and tenacious little ponies that were adapted to survive in harsh climates. When they were improving their exterior, a drop of Don trotters' blood was added to them.

As a result of selection, horse breeders received very useful workhorses, which can be red, gray or mousey.

In hot weather, both of these Kazakh horses are able to remain without drinking for a long time, and in cold weather they grow thick and long hair.

Why is horse mane care necessary?

First of all, a horse's mane is an indicator of the well-groomed nature of the animal. Any hairstyle that its owner prefers, from a long unruly mane to a short, neat head, requires a lot of manipulation and special attention to maintain the proper look for a long time. From the photo of a horse's mane you can see how much well-groomed hair adorns the animal.

If the mane is not well-groomed, this automatically affects the overall attractiveness of the horse, significantly diminishing it. In addition, uncombed hair quickly becomes dirty, causing most of the hair to fall into tangles. They interfere with natural ventilation, which contributes to the appearance of diaper rash, which irritates the skin. The animal begins to constantly scratch itself against all nearby objects. If it is scratched, it can introduce a dangerous infection into the blood or simply lose some hair. In addition, matted mane hair can cling and get stuck in all the crevices.

To avoid such scenarios, the horse owner will have to not only carry out a lot of manipulations, but also thoroughly work on raising the animal.

Altai

Thanks to excavations carried out in local mounds, it became known that different horse breeds were bred in Altai already during the first millennium BC.

In these picturesque mountainous places, the horse has always remained and remains to this day the most important creature for humans.

There is hardly a single local resident who does not know how to stay in the saddle with dexterity, because often in mountainous areas a horse is the only means of transportation. For many centuries, thoroughbred horses were brought here to improve the quality of local ungulates.

However, time put everything in its place: only those of them took root that adapted to year-round herd grazing in the Altai meadows, and were hardy and efficient.

Heavy trucks and representatives of other breeds participated in the formation of the local Altai breed.

Experimental crossings led to good results: short horses turned out to be hardy, with good health and a balanced character, for which mountainous terrain is by no means an obstacle to performing work in harness, under saddle and with packs.

Horses of the Altai breed reach 147 cm in height (fillies are 142 cm in height). They have a wide croup (chest circumference is 170 cm), a large head, a thick neck, short strong legs and strong hooves, which allows them to cope with difficult work on mountain trails without shoes.

Thanks to their beautiful mane, luxurious tail and thick withers, Altai horses look great, despite their short stature.

The Altaians do not have a standard regarding a single color: they can be gray, bay, mousey, red, dun, black, etc.

In addition to performing various jobs, Altai fillies have another function - they provide a lot of milk for making kumys.

Getting ready for a haircut

So, if you decide to cut your four-legged friend, first you should prepare the tools and the place where you will cut the horse.

Horses have a rather rigid hair structure, so you need to use sharp and strong scissors. Large hairdressing scissors are well suited for this procedure, best of all those with one ribbed blade - they do not dull so much on a tough mane.

It is not recommended to tie horses while shearing - it is better to take the horse on a harness, it will be much safer, especially if it is being sheared for the first time.

Before cutting your horse's hair, you need to wash and comb his mane.

Arabic

Surely there is not a single person in the world who can remain indifferent to the refined beauty of Arabian horses - “elders” among other thoroughbred horses.

The Dutch, who bred this breed many centuries ago, are rightfully proud of this, because they were able to help nature in creating such a unique, sensual, reverent and proud creature.

The horse reaches a height of one hundred and seventy centimeters. The proud, swan-like maned neck and small graceful head, the profile of which is somewhat reminiscent of a pike, just begs to be touched - the Arabian horse is so perfect.

To this set of perfections one must also add bulging, expressive moist eyes, quivering nostrils, a bushy tail, thick long hairy growths on the lower part of the legs, falling onto the hooves in the form of brushes.

Despite the external aristocratic “gloss” of these majestic horses, they remain sociable and friendly.

Thanks to their flexible nature and unique external characteristics, they began to be made into circus performers. Arabian horses are used both for regular riding and in sports.

Arabians, moving their chiseled legs with great speed at a fast gait, are capable of lifting their tails very high.

And with these “rooster” tails (as well as “pike” heads and huge eyes), the Arabian breed differs from all the others.

Bone base

The bones of the skull form the oral, cranial and nasal cavities. The back surface of the skull and the base of the head are formed by the occipital bone - it is symmetrical and has a large opening and condyles for connection with the atlas. Another unpaired bone is the sphenoid, which continues the body of the occipital. It is distinguished by a body, a pair of wings and processes. The sphenoid bone is a partition between all the cavities of the horse’s head.

The lateral surfaces of the skull are partially formed by the temporal bones. They contain the auditory canals and the organ of balance. Also, with the help of the temporal bone, the horse’s jaws are connected and this is where the main strengthening of the chewing muscles occurs. The cranial vault is formed by the paired parietal (the sagittal crest runs between them) and interparietal (by the age of two years it fuses with the other) bones.

The frontal bones participate in the formation of the cranial and nasal cavities and orbits. They contain an extensive frontal sinus. Inside there is the ethmoid bone, which forms the basis for the organ of smell. It will also separate the nasal and cranial cavities.

Facial bones:

  • the lower jaw, paired, consists of a body and branches;
  • maxillary;
  • lacrimal;
  • zygomatic;
  • incisal;
  • nasal;
  • palatal;
  • sublingual.

Horses have several head shapes. There are animals with a short nasal part, a concave or hump-nosed arch. Initially, horses were divided into Western and Eastern. Asian animals were characterized by a short head, while the profile of the skull has a concave line - the most characteristic features are observed in Arabian and Mongolian horses. Western breeds have a more elongated shape with a hump.

Currently, this division is not so relevant (although Arabian horses still have a characteristic profile). Research has shown that the shape of the skull undergoes significant changes in the process of individual development and improvement of the breed. Thus, in newborn foals, the skull has characteristic features for oriental breeds, but with age there is a transition to the long-headed type. Moreover, this transition occurs the more strongly, the better the conditions of detention have been created.

Latvian

When horse breeders decided to create a Latvian horse breed, they used Oryol trotters, German half-breeds, Brabançons and representatives of other breeds for selection.

Most of the large, beautiful Latvian horses are bay in color, but there are also black, and karak, and gray. Thanks to their powerful build and high height (up to 170 cm), horses of this breed exhibit excellent athletic qualities.

The Latvian horse has a wide head, a straight or slightly flattened profile, small ears, but huge eyes.

She has an excellent exterior, thanks to her elongated body, sloping and long croup, convex withers, massive back, and broad chest.

High performance, harmonious build and good disposition have led Latvian horses to versatility: they are used in equestrian sports, horseback riding, tourism, and escort.

Proper cleaning

Do not overdo daily cleaning. The entire process should take a minimum of time. To avoid hair damage, you need to choose the right brush:

  • it has large teeth, with significant gaps between them;
  • the ends of the teeth are soft, rounded, so as not to accidentally injure the skin.

Before you start cleaning, you need to untangle your mane, passing all the hair between your fingers. Using this method, you can select all the strands. Then, along the line of their growth from tips to roots, you need to smoothly comb the entire hair with your fingers. The second step will be to repeat the steps, but using a large, comfortable comb, whose teeth are large and sparse. When the bulk of the hair is free of large chunks of dirt and foreign objects, the comb should be replaced with a smaller brush, and the process repeated to remove all small debris. As you cleanse, all strands are set aside one by one from the rest of the mane.

In order to once again ensure the degree of cleanliness of horse hair, horse breeders advise re-combing each strand after the main cleaning. If the brush passes freely along the entire length of the hair, then the mane is well cleaned. As a massage, you can also run the brush along the roots of the horse's hair. Such movements improve blood circulation, cleanse the skin of dandruff and excess sebum, which has a beneficial effect on hair growth. To make the entire combing process easier and not damage your hair, you can purchase a special conditioner for dry mane.

Appaloosa

These horses, bred in America, are characterized by an unusual forelock color. Appaloosa's are easily recognized by their spotted coat.

In equestrian sports, horses are used due to their beauty, endurance and easy-going nature - thanks to the latter quality, they are often chosen as family horses.

An Appaloosa would probably look very natural next to a Dalmatian dog, since the spots on their fur are somewhat similar.

An Appaloosa horse can grow to a maximum height of 155 cm and weigh 550 kg. Although not particularly large in size, the body and legs of Appaloosians are muscular, and the head is well developed.

A beautiful curve of the neck with a chic mane, a wide chest, a straight back ending in an oval croup and a luxurious tail, striped hooves, a white edging around the iris, spots decorating the powerful body - this is a brief description of the Appaloosa beauties.

Additional procedures

In addition to washing, horse owners cut and style the mane and give their pets various hairstyles.

How to trim a horse's mane

Horse hair can be cut radically or trimmed, or curly inclusions can be made. Given the rigid structure, large, well-sharpened scissors are needed.

There is no need to restrict the animal’s movements for the procedure. Secure it partially with a cord (a cord with a carabiner about two meters long). If it's your first time cutting your mane and you're worried it will hurt, cut it after a run or workout. When a horse is heated by physical activity, the pores of the skin are enlarged, which reduces pain in the root zone when a hair is accidentally pulled out.

Video: Mane care

The procedure begins from the back of the head, gradually moving to the withers, after moistening the strands. Think about how long you want the final result to be, and keep in mind that the strands will become shorter as they dry. Trim the main length, and then, periodically inspecting from the side, trim the unevenness.

Popular haircuts with curly patterns on the mane today:

  • zigzag;
  • heart;

  • checkers;
  • hedgehog.

Communication and behavior

The horse may move or curl its tail sharply to express dissatisfaction with the rider's commands.

The tail can convey basic information about the horse's physical condition or mental state. A high tail often indicates high spirits, while a tail held tightly to the buttocks often indicates discomfort. A horse will carry its tail higher and further away from its body the faster it goes. The horse must also raise its tail to defecate, and some digestive disorders, such as gas colic, may involve the clinical sign of the tail being raised higher and further from the body than is typical for the particular animal.

An irritated or dissatisfied horse may flick its tail sharply from side to side, and an extremely angry animal may go so far as to wag its tail up and down, as well as from side to side. A happy horse will generally have a relaxed back of the tail and will not move other than to sway in accordance with the animal's natural movements.

In cold weather, horses may stand with their hindquarters facing the wind and their tails held tightly against their buttocks to protect their bodies from the elements. If veterinary treatment involves examining the anus, or the mare's vagina, the horse may clamp its tail to protect these sensitive areas, although a human handler can usually retract the tail by moving it to the side.

A horse may stomp its hind feet and swing its tail before kicking, but sometimes the tail movement and the kick itself occur in quick succession before the recipient of the kick can avoid it. A horse that is about to jump may sometimes tense, arch or "bend" its tail in a peculiar manner, although this action will not be visible to the rider, who is normally looking forward.

While in harness or under saddle, the horse may express displeasure or resistance to the handler's commands, especially the command of the rider's leg to move forward, by curling or breaking the tail. Using spurs can be particularly irritating. Because tail whistling can indicate that the horse is resisting the rider's commands, the practice is usually penalized at horse shows in competitions where manners or responsiveness are judged.

Basic walking rules

In addition to the age factor, you need to know about some more nuances of chicken exercise.

  1. For your first walks, choose only sunny, calm and warm times.
  2. When installing a cage for outdoor chicken walking, protect it on the leeward side from drafts and gusts of wind with something thick and not blown through.
  3. In your outdoor cage, create different areas for your chickens. There must be a canopy under which you can hide from the heat, a lighted place and a small enclosure for protection from bad weather.
  4. Do not let weakened or sick chickens out for walks. Or carry them separately from other chicks.
  5. Make sure your walking area is protected. It must be well fenced on all sides, covered on top and protected from digging. To do this, sheets of metal or bricks are dug into the ground along the perimeter of the paddock.

We advise you to look at how the chickens feel in the pen in the video below, it is taken from the Farmer's Yard channel.

Horse running


A horse can accelerate up to 60 km/h.
The manner of movement of animals is usually called a gait. Depending on the style of gait and speed, there are 4 main types:

  1. The step is unhurried and the slowest. The horse alternately rearranges its hind and forelimbs, while they do not hang in the air for long. Average speed – 2.5 m/s.
  2. Trot - the limbs are rearranged crosswise (for example, the horse simultaneously raises the left front and the right rear). This kind of running is typical for harness horses. Movement is carried out at a speed of 35-45 km/h.
  3. Galloping is the fastest way to move. The horse makes a series of leaps, hovering in the air for several seconds. Horses that have undergone training can move in this way for a long time. This type of gait is often used in the circus (short arena) and at the hippodrome (frisky). At races, a horse reaches speeds of up to 60 km/h.
  4. Ambling is the most original running. The horse masters it only during training. Not every horse can master ambling, so judges at shows value these skills quite highly. The horse's movement begins with the simultaneous release of a pair of left limbs, then a change occurs.

Trainers come up with new gait styles. As a result of long, grueling training, horses master passage, reverse canter, Spanish walk, telp, piaffe and even canter on 3 legs. You can see unusual types of gaits at sports competitions and circus performances.

Change of suit

The color of a horse's coat is not constant - both seasonal and age-related changes are possible. Maintenance and feeding have no less importance on the quality of color. At birth, all young animals are covered with a thick, curly coat consisting of thick hairs. After 5-7 months, the first molt occurs, when the hair is replaced by lighter hair.

It is difficult to judge the color of an adult horse by the color of the foal:

  • black, bay young animals are transformed into gray animals;
  • the red color is obtained in foals of a yellow-reddish color with a gray tint;
  • young animals of blue or mouse color become a black horse. Seasonal changes in color are most noticeable in the northern regions.

By winter, Yakut horses are covered with white fluff. In warm regions, the coat color becomes slightly lighter, with the exception of black horses. In summer, the color becomes darker, and in a black horse it also acquires a chestnut tint due to fading. High-quality feeding and regular brushing make the hair smooth and acquire a characteristic shine. In a gray horse (as well as in other colors), with increased feeding, the formation of “apples”—characteristic white marks—may occur. Their presence indicates good development of the circulatory network in this area and an improved supply of nutrients. As feeding decreases, the marks decrease.

Video

Horse structure


The structure of a horse
The horse has a rather unusual structure, which helps it to be resilient and cover long distances with great speed.

The length of the animal's head is approximately 2/5 of the total height of the animal. The skull is elongated, with nostrils and a mouth at the end. Powerful jaws are hidden under the lips. A horse has 36 to 40 teeth. The animal's eyes are large and long eyelashes grow on the eyelids. At the top there are ears that can turn towards the source of noise. The head is supported on a massive neck, at the top of which a long mane grows.

The horse has a massive and muscular body that can withstand high loads. From the withers to the sacrum, along the back, the animal has a wide dorso-lumbar line. The horse's hindquarters are sloping. The back has a slightly concave shape. The belly is convex.

The horse's limbs are designed in such a way that the center of gravity falls on the forelimbs. At their end are hooves.

Skeleton appearance

In the most general terms, the structure of the horse's skull includes the brain and facial sections and a free lower jaw. The recesses, each of which must accommodate a horse's eye, are located under the skull on the side of the bony base of the head. There are also auditory canals on the side.

Examining the horse's skull, you can notice its extensive facial part and many thin plates in the nasal region. Their large overall surface area plays a role in making the horse's nose sensitive to odors. The partitions also create a kind of labyrinth where the air can warm up before entering the lungs.

The head is connected to the body through the cervical vertebrae. The horse's skull is movably attached to them at the condyles. Further, the spine consists of the thoracic region, where its elements have long upper processes. This makes it possible to attach a large number of developed muscles of the shoulder girdle and withers. The dorsal and sacral sections of the spine consist of elements with less pronounced processes. The caudal vertebrae are smaller than all the others and have no processes.

The rib cage consists of ribs that are movably connected to the spine. The bones of the forelimbs do not form joints that connect them to the spine. The hind legs have a movable hip joint, and the pelvic bones are fused to the spine.

Muscles are attached to the bones of the skeleton. The horse's muscular apparatus is well developed and gives the animal the opportunity to perform various movements. The horse's skin is dense and covered with hair.

Karachay breed

The homeland of this horse breed is the North Caucasus. Animals are able to overcome any distance, moving along mountain paths. In addition, they are characterized by a high degree of durability.

Expert opinion Zarechny Maxim Valerievich Agronomist with 12 years of experience. Our best dacha specialist. Karachay horses are distinguished mainly by their dark color. A hump on the nose is considered a characteristic feature. Karachay horses are healthy. They are also characterized by balanced coordination of movements and a light step.

Caspian

This is the oldest breed, the remains of which date back to the 4th millennium BC, of ​​Iranian origin. A feature of the animals is their short stature: it does not exceed 1-1.2 meters. At the same time, animals are able to bear heavy loads. Correct physique is considered the main difference between Caspian horses and ponies.

see also

Description of mini-horse breeds and care rules, the smallest individuals in the world Read

Strong legs and hooves are considered striking animal characteristics. Horses have a non-aggressive disposition. Therefore, they can be used to teach children horse riding. The horses jump beautifully and behave calmly in the sleigh.

Karakova

Horses of karak color have a black color of the head, body, legs, mane and tail, but there are also characteristic “tan marks” of a red color. They are located at the end of the snout, legs and groin. Only the horse that has bright and clearly distinguishable “tan marks” of red color can be classified as karak color. If they are brown or close to black in color, the color is considered bay.

Karak is a special shade of bay that is DNA tested in the same way as a horse's base bay color. Most often, the karak color is found among the Kabardian and Karachay breeds.

Marwar

This is an Indian breed that is distinguished by its unusual arrangement of ears. The most valuable representatives of animals include gray and piebald horses. Hindus prefer to use white horses for religious purposes.

Representatives of the Marwar breed are distinguished by a high degree of endurance. Initially, they took part in military campaigns. These animals are able to go for several days without food and water.

See also

Description of rare and unusual horse breeds, the most beautiful and extinct speciesRead

Reproduction


Horse with foal
At the age of 2-3 years, horses reach sexual maturity. Under natural conditions, the mating season begins in the spring and lasts until mid-summer. At this time, mares ready for mating secrete a liquid with a specific odor that attracts the stallion.

Interesting: Why are there no animals with three or five legs?

Pregnancy in horses lasts 11 months (335-340 days). After the due date, the mares give birth to 1 foal. Twins are a fairly rare occurrence.

A newborn is born clumsy, unsteady on its limbs, but foals are visible from the first minutes of life. After a few hours, the babies adapt and can already stand and follow their mother. The duration of breastfeeding is 4-6 months.

Skin diseases

Skin diseases in horses are also common. In the absence of prompt measures, they are quickly transmitted to the entire population and can cause serious complications.

Lichen

Ringworm in horses is quite common. This disease is quickly transmitted from one animal to another through direct contact or through care items and harness. Most often, this disease occurs in young animals.

Ringworm in horses

Ringworm manifests itself in the form of baldness of individual areas of the skin on the neck, sides and shoulder blades. Signs of the disease also include:

  • foal depression;
  • constant attempts to scratch the affected area on the protruding elements of the pen;
  • intensive reduction in the weight of livestock.

Immediately after identifying these symptoms, the affected animal is isolated from the main livestock. Next, the affected areas of the skin are treated with special ointments.

Scabies

Scabies in horses occurs when the skin is damaged by mites. Evidence of the development of the disease is:

  • restless behavior;
  • baldness of certain areas of the scalp and neck;
  • the appearance of scabs;
  • the animal is constantly itching.

The disease is treated with Wagenfeld ointment.

Mokrets

If stallions and mares are constantly kept in damp stalls, they often develop midge. This disease involves the appearance of cracks in the skin in the fetlock area of ​​the leg. Over time, such cracks turn into ulcers, which cause pain and discomfort to animals.

As the disease develops, the ulcers begin to fester and pus is released. If treatment measures are not taken in a timely manner, the ulcers gradually move to other areas of the skin.

Young animals: full rights and usefulness

When weighing the dilemma, it would be good to have a clear understanding that not all breeds produce high-quality offspring. There are crosses that are not capable of supporting full procreation. Of course, each breeder adheres to certain methods of raising young animals. Having general rules, however, these approaches can differ significantly.

What they have in common is the following: rarely do any of the poultry houses that closely work with the breed have in their arsenal an excess of territory for their birds; as a rule, few can boast of spacious walking areas. There is also a tendency for the average poultry farmer to keep more than two types of pets.

Although space, as we have already found out above, is always critically insufficient, there is no reason to refuse any of the desired species.

How long does he live?

The lifespan of horses depends on the breed, living conditions and main purpose. According to average statistical data, in domestic individuals this parameter ranges from 25 to 30 years.

Thoroughbred horses live longer than others: 30-35 years, heavy working horses - 10-25, participants in sports competitions - 18-20. And little ponies delight a person 37-39 years old.

Interesting fact : a horse named Old Billy is considered the record holder for the longest life expectancy among horses: 62 years. The longest-liver among sports horses is the thoroughbred stallion Prospect Point: 38 years.

Wild animals rarely survive to old age. An important role in this is played by the constant struggle for survival and climatic conditions. The life cycle of a wild horse is no more than 10-12 years.

Isabella

Isabella color has the color of baked milk or beige. The tail and mane can have the same color as the body, be lighter or darker. Horses of this color have pink skin, often with freckles, and blue eyes.

At one time, Isabella color was thought to be white or caused by albinism, but this is not the case. In fact, this suit is a derivative of all three basic suits with a double set of the pigment illuminator gene, which is confirmed by the research of Denis Mariat. Isabella color can be seen more often in Akhal-Teke, thoroughbred riding, Tory, Irish draft, Belarusian draft, many breeds of ponies and mongrel horses.

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