INTRODUCTION TO EQUINES

INTRODUCTION TO EQUINES  

The horse was probably last of present – day farm animals to be domesticated by man.

According to early records, after subduing the ox, the sheep and goat, man domesticated the ass and then the camel; and finally the horse become this servant. Horses appear to have been domesticated first in central Asia or Persia, more than 3000 years B.C. Species Equus caballus , the horse is distinguished from asses and zebras by the longer hair of the mane and tail, the presence of “chestnut” on the inner side of the hind leg and by other less constant characters such as larger size, larger hoofs, more arched neck and smaller head and short ears.

EQUINES IN INDIA

According to the National Commission on Agriculture (1976), horses in India can be placed broadly in two classes viz. the slow moving pack ponies and the fast running saddle horses used for riding or for drawing carriages.

The indigenous breeds of horses/ponies include Marwari, Kathiawari, Manipuri, Spiti, Bhutia and Zanskari. Among these, Marwari and Kathiawari are considered as 2 distinct breeds or types although they have several characteristics in common. Kathiawar (Gujarat) and Rajasthan are the homes of Kathiawari and Marwari breeds, respectively.

These breeds have been selected both for utility and beauty. Bhutia, Spiti and Zanskari ponies, mainly found in the hilly areas of Himalayan ranges are slow moving horses.

The Manipuri horses having qualities of both hill and plain breeds of horses have been bred over centuries in the Manipur area of the northeast. Manipuri horses reputed for their intelligence are used for polo and racing. Three other breeds of India namely Deccani, Chummarti and Sikang are considered to be on the verge of extinction.

The exotic breeds of horses introduced in India include English thoroughbred, Water, Arab, Polish, Connemera and Halflinger.

The Arab, the first to be introduced,is believed to have contributed substantially for the evolution of Kathiawari, Marwari, Sindhi, Malani and Manipuri horses.

It is believed that all the indigenous breeds of the horses are rapidly deteriorating in quality as a result of lack of organized systematic breeding and availability of good specimen animals. Unless huge financial commitment is made, there is a possibility of the breeds losing their identity even in their home tract.

GENERAL USE

Men first use the horse as source of food, these animals being hunted by palectithic (Old Stone Age) man. This was prior to their domestication. Also, the use of horses for meat still persists in many part of the world, including France, Belgium and Switzerland.

Horses, ponies, mules and donkeys are the most valuable pack animals for transportation of men and material in the plains of northern and north‑western regions, in the hills and foothills as well as in the semi‑arid regions and many other parts of India.

Horses are widely used for races, polo, equestrian sports, hunting and various other purposes.

Horses are also used by the army, paramilitary forces and the police for mobility, patrolling and riot control duties.

The donkey is an important animal in the economy of landless labourers, small and marginal farmers and other poorer sections of the society, both in rural and urban areas.

Mules have their use both in military establishments and civilian occupations.

In the medical field horses are used as a factory for the manufacture of antitoxins that are used for rendering animals and people immune to certain diseases such as tetanus.

CLASSIFICATION OF EQUINES

	Horse	Donkey	Mule
Kingdom	Animalia	Animalia	Animalia
Phylum	Chordate	Chordate	Chordate
Class	Mammalian	Mammalian	Mammalian
Sub-class	Eutheria	Eutheria	Eutheria
Order	Ungulate	Ungulate	Ungulate
Sub-order	Perissodactyla	Perissodactyla	Perissodactyla
Family	Equidae	Equidae	Equidae
Genus	Equus	Equus	Equus
Species	Caballus	Asinus
Zoological name	Equus caballus	Equus asinus	E. caballus + E. asinus