Horse, Equus caballus (Linnaeus, 1758), is a herbivorous animal of the genus Equus. Tamed by humans 4,000 years ago. Przewalski's horse (66 chromosomes) and domestic horse (64 chromosomes) can be crossed to produce fertile offspring.

Horses were the main driving force for agricultural production, transportation and military activities in ancient times. There are about 200 horse breeds in the world.

With the development of productivity, improvement of scientific and technological level, and the invention and widespread application of power machinery, horses play an increasingly smaller role in real life. Horses are mainly used for equestrian sports and milk production, and the number of horses is greatly reduced. However, in some developing countries and regions, horses are still mainly used for draft purposes and are an important source of draft power.

Widely distributed around the world, native to the Central Asian grasslands, it was domesticated by humans more than 6,000 years ago. The earliest horse domestication sites were discovered in the Ukrainian grasslands. It was only brought to the Americas by European colonists after the 15th century. and Australia.

Appearance characteristics

The physical size of horses of different breeds varies greatly. The heavy breed weighs up to 1,200 kilograms and is 200 centimeters tall; the small breed weighs less than 200 kilograms and is only 95 centimeters tall. The so-called pony is only 60 centimeters tall.

The head and face are straight and long, with short ears. The limbs are long, the bones are solid, the tendons and ligaments are well developed, and there are cicadas (commonly known as night eyes) with remnants of palm pillows. The hooves are hard and can run quickly on hard ground. The coat color is complex, with the majority being rooster, chestnut, brown, green and black; the coat sheds once in spring and autumn.

The sweat glands are well developed, which is helpful for regulating body temperature. They are not afraid of severe cold and heat, and can easily adapt to new environments. The chest is deep and wide, the heart and lungs are developed, and it is suitable for running and intense labor. The esophagus is narrow, the stomach is single, and the large intestine, especially the cecum, is abnormally developed, which helps digest and absorb roughage. There is no gallbladder and the bile ducts are well developed.

The teeth have strong chewing power, and the space between the incisors and molars is called the bit-receiving part. When saddling, the bit is placed for easy control. The age can be determined based on the number, shape and degree of wear of the teeth, and the sense of hearing and smell is sharp. The distance between the two eyes is large, and the overlapping part of the field of view is only 30%, so the judgment of distance is poor; at the same time, the focus adjustment ability of the eyes is weak, and it can only form blurry images of objects 500 meters away, but not close objects. The shape of distant objects can be distinguished very well. The head and neck are flexible, and the visual surface of the two eyes reaches 330°~360°. There is a layer of photoreceptor on the outer layer of the retina at the fundus of the eye, which has strong photosensitivity. It can also see surrounding objects at night. Horses sleep standing up.

Extended information:

Culture

1. Zodiac sign

Ranked seventh among the twelve traditional Chinese zodiac signs, corresponding to The earthly branch is noon.

2. Surname

The surname Ma is one of the common Chinese surnames. In addition to the Han people, there are also many people with the surname Ma from other ethnic groups. The surname Ma is one of the major surnames of the Hui ethnic group. It is derived from the Sinicization of the surname Muhammad (some people think it is derived from Fatima). Almost all Hui people in Yunnan have the surname Ma.

3. Horse painting art

Horses have always been regarded as a combination of strength and beauty. They are not only used for riding or carrying heavy loads. The Arabs regard horses as a gift from God, worthy of People's adoration and love. The art of horse painting is everlasting and unshakable.

4. Trademark or logo

The emblem of famous sports car brands such as Ferrari and Porsche is a leaping horse. The Ford Mustang sports car launched by Ford Motor Company is a galloping horse.

5. Legendary famous horses

Red Rabbit Horse, Luma, Jueying, Yellow Claw Feidian, Songfeng, White Dragon Horse, Zhaoling Six Horses

6. Ornaments

Tang Sancai often uses "horse" as the shape.

The horse has the meaning of "leading the way" and "galloping". It is regarded as a symbol of fame and career advancement, and is often used as a decoration in the offices of entrepreneurs.

The word "horse" in the Chinese character "horse" means "immediately, immediately", so people often use homophonic combinations to create decorations, such as "win immediately" with a fly on the horse's back, "win immediately" with "money on the horse's back" "You will have money immediately" and so on, are often used as decorations in stores and checkout counters.

Reference: Baidu Encyclopedia-Ma