HorsesBy: Emma

Facts About Horses Horses live on every containent except

Antartica. Their ancestors lived 55 million years ago. The first horses were domesticated about 4,000 years ago. They were brought to America over 400 years ago. Some are domestic and some are wild.

Facts About horses There are 400 different breeds of horses in the

world. They spend 20 hours grazing each day. Horses live in herds. Male horses are called stallions and they lead and protect a herd of horses in the wild. Mares are female horses. They are pregnant for 11 months. Twin foals are rare.

Facts About Horses Horses gallop, trot, whinny, and neigh. They may

live 30 or more years old! Horses vary in size and shape. They are divided into groups called cold bloods, hot bloods, and warm bloods. Cold bloods are very strong from rich grazing in northern Europe. Hot bloods are light, tough, and fast from poor grazing. Warm bloods are a mix of cold blood and hot blood.

Arabians Arabians are probably the oldest and most

beautiful horse in the world! They are a small, fast, strong, and tough from poor food and harsh conditions. They’re also high-spirited, courageous, kind, gentle, easy to handle, and have lots of stamina. Arabians were first bred in the desert. They existed there for at least 4,000 years! Their foals are lively and inquisitive.

Thoroughbred Thoroughbred horses were produced by crossing

the Darley Arabian, the Godolphin Arabian, and the Byerley Turk with English mares in England in the 16 and 1700s. They are the fastest breed of horse in the world! They are the perfect race horse and they’re very valuable. They are also strong, graceful, and have great stamina.

Anglo-Arab Anglo-Arab horses are a cross between the

Arabian and the Thoroughbred. They do very well in shows and their long legs make them able to run very fast. They have great stamina.

Barb Barb horses are one of the oldest horses and

comes from Morocco, North Africa. They can run very fast and have great stamina.

Akhal-Teke Akhal-Teke horses were bred in the desert and is

spirited, courageous, hardy, strong, a good jumper, and has great stamina.

Ardennais Ardennais horses were first bred in the Ardennes

region and are tough and hardy. They can survive in a harsh climate.

Boulonnais Boulonnais horses come from northeast France

and can run faster than most heavy horses. They have a fine coat and a thick, silky mane and tail hair. The French government breeds them so the breed doesn’t die out.

Percheron Percherons come from La Perche in northern

France and are one of the tallest horses that ever lived. They are broad, compact, and very strong with sturdy legs and good feet.

Suffolk Suffolk is a rare breed! They have a barrel shaped

body and short legs. They also do not need a lot of food!

Belgian DraftBelgian Draft horses are very strong and are popular in the U.S. They’re also very intelligent.

Shire and Clydesdale Clydesdale horses are from Scotland. Shire horses

are tall and extremely strong. They’re also called “the great horse of England” and could carry knights and can pull 5 times its own weigh!

Dutch Draft Dutch Draft horses were developed in

the late 1800s and early 1900s and is a good worker.

Noriker Noriker horses were bred in Austria in

the 1500s. They’re also very strong and hard working with strong legs.

Friesian Friesian horses bred from Netherlands,

black all over, and has very long legs. They’re also very handsome and has a good temperament.

Dutch draft Dutch Draft horses were developed in

the late 1800s and early 1900s and is a good worker.

Swedish warm blood Swedish Warm Blood horses were bred

in the 1600s and is a big, cavalry, and athletic horse.

Selle francais Selle Francais means “French Saddle.”

The Selle Francais horses were bred in France in the 1800s and is agile, athletic, well-built, intelligent, has strong legs, and a calm temperament.

Oldenburg Oldenburg horses were bred in the

1600s and is named after the man who bred it. They are also large and powerfully built.

Gelderlander Gelderlander horses have been bred

since the 1800s and are heavy built, very strong, strongly built, not fast, and are good jumpers.

French Trotter French Trotter horses were developed in

Normandy, France in the 1800s and are good jumpers.

Camargue Camargue horses live on poor grazing,

are very tough, and are always white or gray in.

Przewalski’s Horse Przewalski’s Horses were painted on

the walls of caves 16,00 and 27,000 years ago! Their extinct in the wild, but they live in zoos and private studs.

Tarpan The Tarpan horses became extinct in the

1800s, but was recreated by a man in the 1930s. They have a long mane and tail.

Irish Draught Irish Draught horses were first bred in

the 1100s. They are large, strong, athletic, agile, good jumpers, and not very fast.

Hackney Horse Hackney Horses are lightly built, high-

spirited, moves very freely, and has great energy.

Cleveland Bay Cleveland Bay horses are the oldest of

the native British breeds and they’re a rare breed. They are strong, hardy, long-lived, and good-natured.

Andalusian Andalusian horses are from southern

Spain and are proud, noble, agile, athletic, kind, friendly, and is not fast

Lusitano and Lipizzaner Lusitano horses are from Portugal and

go’s to horse “High School.” Lipizzaner horses are from Lipica, Slovenia and is stockily

Morgan Morgan horses are from Massachusetts

and Vermont. They are spirited, intelligent, alert, hardy, strong, and has a good temperament and lots of stamina.

Criollo Criollo horses were brought to South

America in the 1500s and is the toughest and soundest horse in the world! They can live with little food in harsh climates and is long-lived and has great stamina.

Quarter horse Quarter horses were bred in Virginia in

the 1600s is the most popular horse in the world! They are agile, athletic, and has a calm temperment.

Palomino and Pinto Pinto horses are named after their color.

Palomino horses were brought to the U.S. in the 14 and 1500s.The color was a favorite of Queen Isabella!

Appaloosa andTennessee Walking Horse Appaloosa horses were bred in the 1700s

and is strong, agile, athletic, has great stamina, and is a good jumper. Tennessee Walking Horses were developed in the 17 and 1800s and is the most good-tempered of all horses!

American Saddle-bred andMissouri Fox-trotter American Saddle-bred horses were bred

in Kentucky in the 1800s and is mostly a show horse. Missouri Fox-trotter horses were bred in the 1800s and is a large, sure-footed, and gentle horse.

Standard-bred Standard-bred horses are the fastest

harness racing horses in the world! They were bred in the U.S.A. in the1800s and is fast and has great stamina.

Mustang Mustang horses were taken to the U.S.A.

in the 1500s. They are fast, strong, agile, and hardy. Mustangs are protected by the U.S. law.

Waller Waller is Australian for “New South

Wales.” Waller horses were cavalry horses in the Boer War and World War1 and is used for police work. They are strong, tough, fast, agile, a natural jumper, and very powerful (even stronger than the Thoroughbred.)

Resources

National Geographic Nature Encyclopedia