Horse

Distribution: Cosmopolitan

Size: 76 to 175 cm

Weight: 54 to 998 kg

Life Span: 25 to 30 years.

Diet: Herbivorous

Social life: Herds

IUCN red list status: No status



The horse is a hoofed, herbivorous mammal. It has a large number of varieties that are called breeds. Horses and humans have an ancient relationship. Asian nomads probably domesticated the first horses some 4,000 years ago, and the animals remained essential to many human societies. Horses are herbivores with a digestive system adapted to a forage diet of grasses and other plant material, consumed steadily throughout the day. While most horses are domestic, others remain wild. Groups of such horses can be found in many places around the world. Wild horses generally gather in groups of 3 to 20 animals. A stallion (mature male) leads the group, which consists of mares (females) and young foals. When young males become colts, at around two years of age, the stallion drives them away. The colts then roam with other young males until they can gather their own band of females. Horses are able to sleep standing up and lying down, usually 2.9 hours per day.